Amina VI

Amina heard the news in the radio and ran towards her parent’s room. The room’s door was unusually closed; she pushed the door with terrified shaking hands. The moment the door was opened Amina’s eyes got frozen with one foot in the room. With a heavy slow motion, she took one step further into the room. The room was full of lighted candles, neat bed sheets, closed window curtains and all were grey colored from dust. Suddenly her eyes got wider seeing her parent’s marriage photo frame that was hung over the bed’s wall removed; replaced with two frames holding her parents separated with black ribbons place on the right side of each frame. A huge white light came out of the wall towards her eyes she did not see or feel anything then, her head hit the room’s floor.

With a deep breath and stroke scream, Amina found herself opening her eyes seeing herself lying in her bed having fast heart beats with a wet sweated pillow. Few moments after, she realized that it was the nightmare she has been having since her father passed away. It is 3:00 AM, she got off her bed, sat on the armed chair facing her work laptop, looking at the window’s curtain with a traumatized face. Few minutes after, she sneaked into her parent’s room, and with checking eyes full of fear she stole a quick look. Her mother was peacefully asleep in her bed, a small smile drove its way over her face but disappeared as soon as her eyes caught her father’s favorite antique chair empty with no book on it. Her father used to keep his current readings on this chair, then placing it back in the library in the living room after finishing it. Her smile found its way back when remembering the day her father bought this Antique chair from Salle des enchère and how he was always telling stories about how it was designed especially for readers.

Amina walked out of the room carefully, so not to wake her mother up. Getting into the kitchen, fixed herself the hot Nescafe she likes with a small piece of her mother’s baked cake. She left the kitchen holding a small tray while keeping herself discreet. She entered her room; lighted her insect-hunter candles, half-slide the window and switched on her laptop. On the voice of Fairuiz , she opened her private photos gallery. She is well organized, her photos were categorized by year of her age, from one till twenty eight. She started her browsing with opening the folder named twenty one. It was the year where she had her first job as a sub-interior designer in a small decoration office after she graduated from the Fine-Arts school. It was her first interaction with the business life and it was also where she met Nadine.

Nadine is five years older than Amina, she has a powerful character, sharp but charming voice, pointed face, prefer to have her hair cut short in a boyish way, and likes wearing trousers than skirts. Nadine was one of the office clients; Amina was in the decoration team who decorated Nadine’s new house. Nadine was having her new apartment after having a divorce from her husband; her marriage did not last more than two months. Nadine has a strong personality, rarely admits her mistakes, and she is talented in convincing the others with her ideas. As a Marketer, her character qualified and prompted her for many promotions at work, gaining a long list of enviers and enemies as well. She uses short emails, few words and eye contact to deliver any message to all her colleges. Her manager used to avoid direct confrontation with her because she always has her strong and non-debatable reasons.

In a short period, Amina and Nadine became very close; dissolving all the barriers. Unifying their hobbies, interests, and their friends; who were under the shock of seeing Amina the flying angle and Nadine the wild tigress both in one cabin. Amina did not feel or see that contradiction, she was overwhelmed with Nadine, and giving up some of her hobbies was a trival matter not worth thinking about. She saw in Nadine the strong character she needs, with a reliable, passionate and romantic lover she wants to be with. Nadine treated Amina differently; question marks were easily triggered on the faces of her family and friends whenever they are seen together. Nadine was so tender and genuinely careful in perceiving Amina, advising her in a attentive heart, watcheyes for all her movements and reactions. Amina got used to have Nadine in her life, she could not start or end a day before hearing her voice, and in many times she goes to the coffee house near to Nadine’s work to have a quick snack in Nadine’s lunch break.

Having an angle face with a sweet voice, Amina was misinterpreted all the time; she hates when people treat her like a spoiled or naive girl. Nadine knew that from the moment she met Amina. She gave Amina the space for expressing herself, the chance to experience real life challenges and the tools to improve her life. Amina for the first time in her life got the chance to evaluate herself and to state resolutions to achieve. Amina’s mother realized the direct influence Nadine had on her daughter, she was happy to see Amina growing up and becoming a strong lady in a world that understands nothing but power, she always says that to Nadine.

Browsing her photos gallery, Amina reached her twenty forth years old folder, the album home page was for her and Nadine holding each other, wearing their bikinis swimming suits in Lefkada beach . This trip came after long arguments and quarrels with her parents who did not permit her to travel abroad, but she managed to let Nadine convince them. Nadine was always her joker card with her parents whenever there she has any conflict of interests. Nadine was able to make them feel that she is Amina’s unborn elder sister. Although Amina’s mother had that strange feeling about Nadine’s attitude and how she looks to Amina and how she touches her sometimes, but she was sure that Amina is always in safe hands with Nadine. That trip was one of the best trips Amina ever had in her life. Being with Nadine was enough. Moreover, they went swimming, tanning, dining, shopping and clubbing all the time. For both of them that trip was like a honeymoon vacation.

Amina took one last sip and decided to go back to sleep. She switched off her laptop, seeing her photo with Nadine on the computer’s wallpaper in her engagement party. She remembered how her mother pushed her to that engagement and kept talking with her about marriage and the new life she is going to have, but Amina never saw this coming or happening to her.