Chapter 7

Zubaida woke up in her bed the next morning. Mohammed had apparently carried her to her room.

Someone was knocking on the door. That was what woke her up. She jumped out of bed and found she was still in her clothes. Where was Sakr al-Djinni?

She ran out to the family room and saw Mohammed answering the door, halfway-dressed for work. He looked at her with a grave expression as he twisted the doorknob and pulled.

It was Zubaida’s uncle, Sayed.

Mohammed

Hello, uncle.

Sayed ducked under the door frame and stepped over the threshold into their family room, wordlessly.

He was a sharp contrast compared with Zubaida’s older brother. Where Mohammed was short and paunchy, Sayed was tall and very thin. Mohammed was dressed in a Western-style button-down shirt and pants for work, while Sayed wore a white robe and a turban. Even their beards were opposites. Mohammed’s was long and pointy, while Sayed’s was short and scraggly.

Sayed

God have mercy. You are living in squalor.

Zubaida looked around. There were a few computer frames lying on the carpet, and Hasan’s toy tanks were on the floor too. But she didn’t think it was messier than usual. She hated how Sayed always went out of his way to criticize Mohammed.

Sayed

Is this any way to raise children?

Mohammed

Can I offer you some food or something to drink, uncle? You'll have to excuse my rush, I'm on my way out to work.

Sayed

A glass of water, please.

Sayed explored the house as he talked, picking up and examining random objects before putting them back down in different places.

Sayed

I thought I would check on you and see how you were doing.

He picked up some computer frames, looked through Mohammed’s DVD collection, and inspected Hasan’s toy tanks.

Zubaida stood in the center of the family room. Where was Sakr al-Djinni?

Mohammed returned to the room with a glass of ice water, and saw that Sayed was about to enter his bedroom office.

Mohammed

I wouldn't go in there.

Sayed opened the door and stepped in.

Sayed

And what are you hiding in here?

Mohammed looked at Zubaida nervously.

Mohammed

You worry about mess so much, uncle—if you go in there, you might have a heart attack!

Zubaida realized that Sakr al-Djinni was in there. She racked her mind for a way to distract Sayed.

Sayed

What you need—is a wife. This house needs a woman's touch.

He went further into the bedroom, picking up computer equipment as he waded through the mess.

Zubaida

I'm a woman!

She jumped into the office after Sayed and nearly tackled him. She ostensibly meant to pretend to hug him, but she tripped over a computer frame and flew into him. She felt like a child acting like that, but she had to distract Sayed somehow.

Sayed caught her and pushed her away lightly, smiling.

Sayed

You are a girl. This household needs a man and a woman.

Out of the corner of her eye, Zubaida saw colored lights blinking from Mohammed’s closet.

Sayed

Without a man and a woman in the house, it is a difficult task to raise two children. Well, two children who are not delinquent. If my wife, peace be upon her, was still alive, why—you and Hasan would surely be living under my roof right now.

Mohammed

Would you like to sit down, uncle? You look tired.

Sayed

No. I am just stopping by, as I said.

He took one last surveying glance around Mohammed’s bedroom before stepping out. Zubaida breathed a sigh of relief.

Sayed

Actually—I wanted to ask little Zubaida a question.

Zubaida hated being called little Zubaida. She tensed.

Sayed

One of our brothers told me an interesting story yesterday. He swore he saw a little girl who looked exactly like you on the street last afternoon. And he said this little girl was walking hand in hand with—

He paused as he inspected the spines of a potted cactus on their table. He put it back down.

Sayed

With a leper. Or else, an ascetic. What do you think about that story, Zubaida?

Zubaida stood.

Zubaida

If he swore that, then he is a liar.

Sayed chuckled lightly.

Mohammed

Or perhaps he was simply mistaken?

Sayed

Or perhaps he saw little Zubaida's twin....

He stepped out the front door, without looking back.

Sayed

God have mercy on us all.

He always said things like that, so Zubaida was not too worried that he suspected her.


Chapter 8