Love from A to Z(50)

“Oh. But it’s so incredibly sad sounding.” I picked up a slice of cucumber and rotated it. “Like my heart hurt listening to you.”

“She didn’t think it was sad. She used to sing it whenever someone got something Sylvia wanted, like a position at school or an opportunity she was trying for.”

I stared at Auntie Nandy. Whut? “But that’s still something sad. To sing it when she didn’t get something?”

“No, no. Wait. I’m not explaining it properly.” Auntie Nandy put her knife and fork down. “Okay, let me tell you of the time when Sylvia wanted to display her artwork at an exhibition at Katara, the village I was going to take you to.”

“We’re still going, right?” I put the cucumber slice in my mouth. “To Katara?”

“Yes, for sure. But anyway, Sylvia didn’t get chosen to exhibit her work. Instead, the junior high art teacher at DIS, Vernon, was accepted. And that was an example of when she would get into her ‘Seasons in the Sun’ mentality. Because, the way she explained it, it wasn’t her season at that moment; it was Vernon’s turn to shine. She believed in such a world, where everyone got a turn, a season in the sun.” Auntie Nandy picked up her cutlery again. “She was a beautiful soul like that.”

“Oh, wow.” That was deep. To think you were one of many who deserved great things. To be so unbelievably gracious, graceful. No wonder Adam’s face lit up whenever he spoke of his mom. “You can tell Adam loved her so much. He gets happy when she’s mentioned.”

“Yeah. He’s got a lot of his mom in him. That sense of balance, a way of thinking bigger.” Auntie Nandy resumed eating. “I like that you guys are friends.”

“Well, I’m leaving soon.” I swallowed the cucumber, but it was hard to make it go down my throat. “So, yeah.”

Auntie Nandy paused eating again and glanced at me.

That glance held a lot of unspoken questions, so I quickly shoved it aside by changing topics. “Can we start planning stuff? Mom’s getting here Sunday night!”

“Sure, make a list, and we’ll maximize our days now that I’m off too.”

I got up from the chair, tapping on my phone as if I were starting a list, but what I was really doing, as I walked to my room, was looking up the lyrics to “Seasons in the Sun.”

It was incredibly sad.

? ? ?

After setting up Adam’s IV, Annabelle sat at the same spot as yesterday and picked up her book, More Unsolved Mysteries.

Auntie Nandy sat on the other end of the sofa, closer to Adam, turning on the TV, looking for something for us to watch.

Adam and I sat across from each other again.

And, as the opening credits of Black Panther began, and we stole glances at each other in turns, I realized something: I don’t want this season in Doha to end.

My arms and heart and the rest of me wanted to be curled and squished beside him in that chair he was sitting in.

? ? ?

Get on FaceTime, I messaged Kavi. A situation is happening.

I looked at the clock. Oops, she was in class.

Well, there were only seven minutes left before senior lunch hour.

I may be in love. With a guy.

A message popped up right away. I’m texting from Fencer’s class. If he catches me I might get suspended too. WHO?

I refused to add anything more. No way Fencer was going to get me, Ayaan, and my Kavi.

I didn’t have to wait long.

“TELL ME EVERYTHING.” Kavi was walking down the crowded halls, earbuds in. “I didn’t even wait for Noemi, okay? I fled. TELL ME.”

I could tell she’d just left Fencer’s class.

“I’m going to wait till you get to the Situation Room.” I watched her walking toward the sunken foyer area, across from which were the windows of the library. She opened the blue door that said LIBRARIES BRING LIFE TO LIFE! and walked through the turnstiles, waving at someone.

“Wait, say hello to Ms. Margolis.” She turned her phone and brought it closer to the library counter.

Ms. Margolis, a pencil in her ear, peered at me. “Zayneb?”

Oh yeah, I wasn’t wearing hijab. “Yeah, it’s me. Sorry, don’t have my scarf on.”

“How are you?” She looked at me carefully.

“I’m good. It’s nice to see you.” I waved.

“It’s wonderful to see you as well.” She waved back. “Now go talk to Kavi. She misses you intensely.”

Kavi turned the phone back to herself and, after she’d walked far enough away from Ms. Margolis, whispered, “I’m so sorry. I forgot you didn’t have your hijab on.”

I didn’t say anything and just covered the camera on my phone with a hand. “Just tell me when you get to the Situation Room. Then I will reveal everything, including myself.”

“Okay, dish!” The brick wall was behind her. She was safely in our room in the library.

I took my hand away from the camera lens. “It’s . . . Adam.”

“Who’s Adam?”

I scrolled through my phone and found the first picture with the Emmas and him, by the water at his house, the one she’d seen before, and sent it to her again.

“Oh wow, I remember. This guy? So cute. Okay, be in love.” She flashed a thumbs-up. “I definitely understand!”