Anastasiia Mitchell - The Arabian Days

«Hey! What’re you doing?» I pulled my hand out of his.

«Sorry. I didn’t want to. I’ve just… I’ve just fallen in love.»

«With whom?»

«With you.»

I didn’t expect him to say that. So, I blushed even more.

«Why are you saying this? We don’t even know each other!»

«And what? I fell in love just when I saw you!»

«You mustn’t have to. I’m a usual girl. And I guess nobody’s perfect. Me neither. I have lots of issues. So there’s no reason to fall in love with me.»

«Why?»

He looked at me as if I’d been drunk. Though I wasn’t.

«Because I’m English. And you’re Arabic. We live in different worlds. We have different religions. And your parents wouldn’t accept me.»

«We’ll see that! I bet they would!»

Indeed, would they?

«I’ll introduce you to them, and they’ll love you when they first see you!»

«Really? I don’t believe that!

«Let’s come with me!»

Strangely enough, he stepped back and stood like this for a minute or two. I didn’t know what he was thinking about. But I didn’t want to go to his home. First, Mum would be worried about me. And second, his family would be worried about him! Because if he had met a girl like me, he would have been considered a complete idiot! And, well, third, I want to stay alive for some more time!

«I’m afraid I won’t. Mum’s waiting for me.»

«Okay. And what if I’ll tell her how I was saving you from death?» he chuckled.

I startled. He had no right to tell this to my Mum! Or I’d choke him with my own hands!

«No, you won’t. You’d better tell it to me.»

He squinted.

«Well, then, maybe you will tell me your name? My name’s Mohammed, little girl.»

«I’m not little! I’m already nineteen!»

Who did he think he was? Not a Prime-Minister for sure. To talk to me like that!

«And you have no right to talk to me like that! I won’t tell you my name! No way!»

«But that’ll be unfair, don’t you think?»

He smiled.

And I got confused. Indeed, would that be fair?

«Okay. You win. My name’s Janet.»

«Oh, nice! What a beautiful name! Like you yourself.»

I blushed again.

«Why do you think I’m beautiful?»

«Because I fell in love with you when I first saw you. You’re my queen! So, do you agree to be my queen?»

I laughed.

«I’ll think about that. But I also think it’s high time for me to go home. Mum must’ve been waiting for me for a long time.»

«I think she isn’t worried. Our beach can be seen from the hotel windows.»

«Your English is so perfect! Have you studied it somewhere?»

Indeed, had he..?

«I studied only at college, here in Morocco. Not in Agadir. I went to the capital, Rabat. But I think it’s all right for me. English is good.»

«Yeah, I agree. But maybe I’ll go.»

«Okay. See you.»

My God! I didn’t know what to think. Everything happened so quickly! And he’d fallen in love with me so quickly! I couldn’t believe that! Turns out men can fall in love as soon as they see you for the first time!!! I was shocked!

I also wondered how a BOY (or already a MAN) could have spoken to me! Never in my life had boys even talked to me!

And never in my life had boys fallen in love with me!

I was so overwhelmed!

But… what should I tell Mum? She would be angry with me for sure.

6.

«Where were you, Janet?» Mum asked angrily when I just crossed the threshold of our room. «Though I know everything! So, don’t even try to hide anything from me!»

I was taken aback.

«But… Mummy, I didn’t do anything that could harm me!»

«Indeed?» my mother looked snake-headed. «While you were coming to yourself, I was there too! Helping this man save you, my foolish daughter!»

«But… I didn’t want to…»

«Listen to me: why did you go there at all?»

«I don’t know. Maybe I was sleeping or something…»

«Don’t hand me any more of that jive!

«I don’t!»

«You do! Listen to me, Janet: do you love him? I know everything!»

How can Mum know everything? Wow! I was really surprised! Mum’s a real superwoman! I can’t stop admiring her!

«Yes, Ma. I love him very much. So much I’d give all my life to him. For him to be happy.»

«But, my darling, do you know it’s me who ran there first when you were drowning?»

«You did?»

«Yes, me! Not him!

«Then where was he?»

«He ran when I shouted that you had been drowning! I don’t know how to save lives!»

«So, then, he pulled me out?»

«Yes! Only then, did he pull you out of the water!»

«Err… Did he go away when I saw swimming?»

«I don’t know. Maybe he was in the shower. I don’t know. Don’t ask me that.»

«O-o-okay. I won’t.»

«Janet, I want to warn you: he’s not for you. He’s not your type. I can see that clearly.»

«But, Ma, why do you think so?»

«I’m afraid he isn’t taking much interest in you. Maybe he doesn’t even need you.»

«But, Mum, I love him!»

«I know that, my dear. But, please, be careful.»

I couldn’t understand anything.

«What do you mean to say, Ma?»

«Just don’t come up to him so often. You better go to the beach with me, not alone, when I’m in the shower. My darling, I’m so worried about you! I know what you feel, but it’s my duty to take care of you, even if you’re already nineteen.»

«But he told me he loves me!»

«Janet, Arabic men always say thing like that. So, it’s not much of a rarity for tourists to hear something like «I love you’, or «Be my love’, or «Be my wife’. And then, it turns out he already has a wife, and maybe, not one! So, please, I beg you: be careful. You might be disappointed in your «love’ in the future. Although I can understand how you feel now.»

I couldn’t help starting to cry. Mum approached me and hugged me.

«My dear Janet, you’re my only child, and I don’t want to lose you. When you were drowning, I thought it was the end of the line! Imagine my feelings! I’m a mother,» she said, sobbing. «I’m your mother! And imagine what a mother feels when she loses her child! What’s more, her only child!»

I could understand her now.

But still, I had a right to my happiness as well. I told this to Mum.

«My dear, you’ll surely find your special someone. But not here. Look, they’re all poor people. They have nothing but their huts…»

«But he must have a big house!» I interrupted.

«How could you know? He must’ve told you a lie!»

Actually, he didn’t say anything about his house.

Though bewildered, I carried it off very well. I had to win my case anyway!

It was late, so I couldn’t go and say good night to Mohammed.

«So, Janet, please, don’t take him so seriously if you still happen to talk to him. Okay?»

I needed to think about that. I had a whole night ahead of me.

«Okay,» I said.

«So, come and have a calming shower. By the way, how come you started to drown aground? The sea’s shallow here.»

«I felt bad, Ma. I’m sorry.»

«My God! What’s happened to you? And how do you feel now?»

«Thanks, I’m better now.»

«I must’ve looked after you all the time! Promise me you won’t go anywhere without me! Remember – you’ve got asthma! Have you forgotten about that?»

«No, Ma.»

«Okay. You crazy fool!»

29 July 1972

Agadir, Morocco

I couldn’t sleep at night again. What an insane holiday! Seemed like an insane asylum! Oh, my God!

Now, I had np right to come up to Mohammed. Or, well, I did, but not in front of Mum. I need an escape plan. Though she was right to a certain extent. Yes, I had to be careful, especially if I’d got such a disease. But my Mohammed! I loved him very much!