When Fate Leads

Chapter 13

All preparations made, the next day UmarFarouq flew out to Arabia at midnight.

Salma woke up early as usual, she went about her morning routine alone in her room. As she stepped out of the bathroom, wrapped in a fluffy bathrobe, as she dabbed her face with a hand towel she noticed a note on the dresser. That wasn't there when I went to bed yesterday, Salma thought. She went on and took the note, she recognized the handwriting immediately.

'I am out of the country to handle some business'

.... Ok ... Was that all? Where did he go? How long did he intend to stay? He can't just up and leave the island without even saying bye, or was this the goodbye?

Salma turned the note in her hand back and front, she read it again that was all that was written and it wasn't even signed. Salma rolled her eyes away, like she expected UmarFarouq to sign his notes.

She hurried to get dressed and went down the halls in hope that someone might give her some information on where the Master went and when he was expected back.

Salma later learned that UmarFarouq had gone to Arabia, for the time he was to spend there, no one could say exactly.

The Island became quite, no guests came and went as it was a custom. Breakfast on the huge dining table became lonely, it was all silent, not even the melodious yet graceful laughter of UmarFarouq that rang along the halls. Hours stretched slowly and even the reading Salma religiously engaged on with books from UmarFarouq's library was not enough to fill up the void; not that there weren't enough books, as a matter of fact, there was; fiction, non fiction, from law to science, from Islamic jurisprudence, Hadiths to Christianity, astronomy, psychology, sociology but Salma was mostly interested in romance, poetry: Rumi, Shakespeare, Maya Angelo, Homer....

... and sometimes Salma just sits with Inna Gaji and talk and talk till they are both too tired to talk or one of them falls asleep. It was a struggle without UmarFarouq presence, there was almost nothing to do.

UmarFarouq was the life of the Island and when he wasn't there it was as if everything else comes to a complete halt.

For a fortnight, that was all about UmarFarouq's Island.

* * *

Salma woke up from her sleep and she didn't miss the red jewelry case on her bed side. She jumped out of bed and grabbed the case, a little note was attached to it.

'A little something from my travel'

"UmarFarouq is back" she rejoiced and she didn't even know why she was so happy that he was back. She would deal with that later, the only thing that mattered right then was UmarFarouq's return.

She opened the case slowly and almost screamed when she saw the shiny beautiful bracelet lying serenely inside. She took it out and tried it on her wrist, it fit perfectly, she smiled.

It was almost time for breakfast, Salma hurried through a hot shower and dressed up in a beige abaya gown that made her skin looked warm.

UmarFarouq was already at the table, Salma smiled at the sight of him. He was in a flawless clean white three piece suit reading Today's paper. Damn he didn't even look like he traveled, not even a bit tired, Salma envied his ability to pull that off.

She approached "Morning" she greeted as she sat.

UmarFarouq raised his eyes from the news paper he was reading.
"Morning" he returned casually, he paused and observed Salma for a moment "you are smiling" he added and Salma realized she was so happy to see him, she didn't know she'd been smiling sheepishly at him.