Excerpt
Jennifer walks to the other side of the kitchen and gives Emily a kiss.
“Morning, Mom.”
“Now, that’s better, don’t you think, honey?” Emily questions Matt.
“Yes, yes, of course,” he says, without paying much attention.
Emily senses her husband’s distant behaviour and says, “Matthew, are you
okay? You seem to be someplace else. Is everything alright?”
“Oh, everything is just fine, honey. My thoughts just went to the office for a
second, that’s all.”
He wants to tell her about Hakim and the money he’s to inherit, but he wants
to be alone with Emily when he does. He also wants to make sure he has the
correct information before he divulges something that important to her. He still
has to get some answers from his buddy at the state department before he tells
Emily anything. He doesn’t want Jennifer to know anything of what he knows
about Hakim for the time being, because Matthew Roberts knows he likes
money very much and likes people who have it. He also knows Jennifer is exactly
the same as her father when it comes to money.
They are eating breakfast when the phone rings. It’s Cathy, Emily’s friend
from high-school. Cathy is the only girlfriend whom Emily has kept in touch
with since high school; one can say Cathy is Emily’s best friend, and each knows
every detail of the other’s life.
“Hello, Emily. How are you guys doing this morning?”
“We’re okay, Cathy. How are Bob and Thomas?”
Bob is Cathy’s husband and Thomas, their son is about nineteen years old.
Cathy married later than Emily and started her family a few years after Emily and
Matthew did. Bob builds houses on a contract basis and, at times, on spec. His
business keeps him busy and they are quite comfortable in their lifestyle. One
could say they live a lot like Emily and Matt.
“What time do you want us to be there, honey?” she asks Emily.
“Anytime after three would be fine, Cathy.”
Emily knows she can always count on her friend to be on time.
Hakim stands by his bay window looking across the street toward the park. The day
seems blessed; the sun has already risen some distance in the sky and fills the apartment
with shine and warmth that soothes his heart and makes him feel optimistic.
His thoughts go to Ibrahim, whom he’ll soon see, and to his earlier conversation
with Talal. His whole being revolts in anger for those cursed days of the war, those
days when death visited them with all its good intentions, as though to gift them
with a valuable present, and as though to dress them with a heavy coat …
Libros Libertad 