Love from A to Z(81)

I’d woken up this morning energized to add the finishing touches—the ones I hadn’t wanted to add with Zayneb there, the ones I wanted her to be surprised by.

But first I had to say good-bye to Connor, who was flying back to college in California.

We met at our favorite burger place near DIS, the one with the old-timey jukebox.

He dropped coins in the machine, and “Stand by Me” flooded the place.

“Fill me in on what’s next for you,” he said, sliding into the seat across from me, a triple-patty sandwich waiting for him on a tray.

“I’m finishing the room I started downstairs. Then I’m going to spend a bit of time here in Doha before I go see my grandparents, both sets, in Canada. And then, maybe . . .” I paused to take a bite of my cheeseburger and to consider how to tell him my decision. By the time I finished chewing, I’d worked it out. I’d just say it. “Go see Zayneb. In Indiana.”

He took a long sip of his drink before chuckling. “Okay, this is the best. My man Adam finding his girl.”

“Do me a favor?” I picked up a couple of fries and dunked them into the container of ketchup. “Keep this news out of the group chat? There was some mix-up, and Zayneb told Emma P. there was nothing between us. I don’t want Emma to think she was lying.”

“It’s in the vault.” He ate his burger, moving his head to the music in between bites. “What about with your MS? You’ve got a treatment plan worked out?”

“That’s Friday. I’m going to the neurologist.” I finished eating my fries. “How about you? You staying in your program?”

“Yeah, Nancy’s going to help me figure things out. When you go to Vancouver, see if you can catch a flight to Berkeley. I want to see you, and maybe you can meet her. Nancy.”

“Adding California to the jet-setting itinerary.”

“I’ll try to get the others to come too. Because, you know, none of our crew is coming back here, right? For the summer?”

I reached into my pocket. “Hey, I got you a Steam gift card.”

I dropped the plastic card, loaded with money redeemable for use on the gaming site, in the middle of the table.

“Why?” Connor reached for it. “Whoa, that’s a lot. Why’d you do that? It better not be a thank-you thing, man.”

“No way. It’s so we can talk,” I said, undoing the seam of my empty fries sleeve, to flatten it and fold it. “You play, we talk? Every Sunday?”

He looked at me, then down at my hands origami-ing the box. “Will you play the songs I request then? On your guitar?”

“Yep.” I took another bite of my burger, and he got up and added more money to the jukebox.

“Scarborough Fair” accompanied our plans to meet up in California.

? ? ?

Dad took Hanna out to buy her birthday decorations, and as soon as they left, I went downstairs to finish.

I hesitated only briefly before climbing the ladder, nail gun in hand.

My hands moved methodically, spacing the lights so that they crisscrossed the ceiling in a weave.

When I was done, I felt a tingling in my arms that I told myself was fatigue.

But I put the nail gun down and decided to finish the rest tomorrow morning.

Early, before Hanna woke up for her birthday.

? ? ?

My method for not thinking of Zayneb leaving was prepping to see her again in the summer. I’d already worked out with my grandparents on Dad’s side that I’d stay with them on my own, as well as when Dad reached Vancouver with Hanna, and then go on to Ottawa to spend two weeks with my other grandparents. After which I hoped to add a trip to Indiana. And California in between somewhere.

I was on the couch looking up flight costs for these trips, jotting down notes in my marvels journal, when I got a message from Zayneb.

Can you meet me at the museum? In an hour?

Surprised because I’d written off seeing Zayneb today, knowing her mom had arrived this morning, I read the message again.

I thought she’d be spending time at home with her family. And that I’d be going to dinner with them tomorrow, after Hanna’s birthday thing, so that I could meet Zayneb’s mom.

But here is another day with Zayneb in it. I tapped quickly into the phone, in case she changed her mind. For sure. By the fountain?

Yes. She followed it up with a wave emoji.

Dad and Hanna were out, so I didn’t have a ride.

I was about to open Uber but then remembered someone.

Zahid.

? ? ?

“Adam, you look wonderful.” He got out of the driver’s seat to look at me.

I went forward to shake his hand but then opened my arms for a hug. “Thanks, Zahid. Uncle Zahid, I mean,” I added with a laugh.

“I’m so glad you called me. Not only for my taxi service. But also as a nephew, huh?” He broke his return hug to smile at me, and I saw that his face was a lined brown one with a full mustache and dark twinkling eyes.

It was exactly the type of kind face I’d imagined. “Yeah, thanks, Uncle.”

“You feeling better?”

“Much better.”

“Your family knows? They’re helping you?”

“Yeah.” I got in the front seat, lay my Marvels and Oddities journal on my lap, and buckled up.