Love from a to Z

MARVEL:
SEVENTIES MUSIC
Exhibit A: “Have You Ever Seen the Rain.”
When the song ended, she started it again, turning the music up this time.
After the third time, I found myself singing along to the refrain, asking
about the rain out the window as we paused at a stoplight. Three men in an
SUV beside us, with shemaghs rimmed by black cords on their heads, the
traditional Gulf Arab headdress, thought I was asking them a question. The
driver lowered his window to check.
Auntie Nandy started laughing, which made me sing “Have you ever
seen the rain?” out the window again. The men looked perplexed and then,
laughing themselves, rolled up their window.

---

Realizing I’d asked them about the rain in a dry, desert country, I began
giggling, pausing only to catch my breath and yell the word “RAIN!”
whenever the band said it.
I was so giddy and happy and felt free to be away from scrutiny, to be
around people who didn’t look at me weird for the way I dressed, for how
Muslim I looked, but only for how weird I acted.
And that’s how I arrived at the party, with a big smile capping the
happiness beginning to percolate within.
And that’s how the cute guy from the plane opened the door to me.
The cute guy from the plane was the cute guy from the airport was the
cute guy at the door at this party I hadn’t wanted to go to.
I floated into the house on the giddy bubbling inside.
Maybe this party is going to be all right after all?
Maybe I can finally not be on guard and just be happy and FREE?

---

ADAM
FRIDAY, MARCH 8
MARVEL:
COINCIDENCES
O
R, IN THIS CASE, MAYBE
I’d call it serendipity?
Though if I did, I’d be saying it was a happy thing that the girl from the
plane yesterday was standing on the front steps of my home.
Let’s call it serendipity, then.
Of the infinite number of occurrences possible, this was the one
happening: The person who I’d thought about last night when I’d unpacked
and threw my journal in a dresser drawer, wondering how and when she’d
begun her journal, that person was standing here looking at me, the hugest
of grins on her face, surprise in her eyes.
Standing beside her was Ms. Raymond. I’m pretty sure this made my
welcome smile falter a bit.
I knew she’d be coming over today, so it wasn’t as bad as seeing her
yesterday at the airport. But still, it felt like my heart skipped a beat.
Just even a glimpse of her reminded me of Mom’s passing.
“Adam! How wonderful to see you!” Ms. Raymond took a step into the
foyer and threw out both arms to me. “How’s university?”
“It’s good. Thanks for asking, Ms. Raymond. It’s great to see you.” I held
a hand out for her shawl.
“No, I’ll keep this with me. We’re sitting outside, right? It’s a bit nippy.”
She looked at the girl who had stepped in behind her, that dazzlingly big
smile still on her face, cheeks flushed. “That’s the thing about Doha—it can
get cool at night at this time of the year, especially near the water. Adam,
this is my niece, Zayneb, my sister’s daughter. She’s visiting from Indiana
on her spring break. Zayneb, this is Adam, son of the head of my school. I
used to be his teacher when he was a wee little one.”

---

For a second I wondered if I should say we’ve met before. Zayneb and
me.
Or was that between us?
“You wouldn’t believe it, Auntie Nandy. We kinda met each other on the
plane here,” Zayneb said, beaming.
“No, really?” Ms. Raymond tilted her head back. “That’s awesome. How
serendipitous!”
Ms. Raymond would say that.
“Yeah,” I said, nodding at them, wondering why things got weird for me.
A minute ago it was like a bright light went on inside when I opened the
door.
Now I was standing in my foyer in Doha in front of a girl I’d first noticed
a continent away in London, wondering what to say next.
I couldn’t believe it: I’d tried so many times to talk to her yesterday—
even at the airport, before she got away—and now she was right here in my
house.
But nothing came out of my mouth.
Butler. Doorman.
That was my job tonight.
Yes. Stick to the script, Adam.