Three weeks after Anna's phone call to her father, Shahzdeh came. Anna and Aria went to the airport. They had talked it over that Shahzdeh would stay with Anna. It was a hot Saturday in July. Humidity was unbearable; nonetheless, it was not the hot temperature that burning her from inside out and all over, but it was the thought of her father's discovering Aria's marriage.
In her apartment, Shahzdeh took a shower first. He seemed tired and looked old. Upon their arrival, Anna had introduced her roommate:
"Dad, this my roommate, Marianna."
Shahzseh's initial response was not pleasant, but as time passed, during the evening meal and after they talked for a while, since Shahzdeh spoke fairly good English, he began liking Marianna, this young roommate of his daughter. He ate his daughter's cooking and he could not be stern about it. "I didn't know you can cook!"
"I learned with the help of recipe books, besides I used to watch our cook and learned a lot from her. I hope you like it."
Aria had dinner with them, too. While the evening was elapsing, Anna and Aria gave report of their achievement at school to their father. It was a year and and a half that she had left Iran. Shahzdeh was pleased to hear that his children were doing good at school. The thought of his son becoming a medical doctor and his daughter becoming a nurse for now and later to become a teacher at nursing school was pleasing to his ears. On the other hand, Anna and Aria were gratified by their performance which they knew it was a calm before storm. The thought of telling the shocking news of Aria'a marriage to their father trembled them both. When late in the evening Aria was leaving, Shahzdeh got up, too. "I go with you. I want to meet your roommate, too."
His children shuddered.
"Why don't you stay with me for a couple of days, father. Aria has this difficult test. He needs to study. After he takes his test, then you go and stay with him for a while." Anna was not lying. Both her brother and she had a test in a few days. It was the end of Summer one semester.
Shahzdeh sat back on his chair. Aria left.
Anna offered her bedroom to her father and she decided to sleep in Marianna's room. That night in the bedroom, Marianna and Anna talked almost all night.
"You just have to tell him." Marianna said. "He'll find out sooner or later."
"You don't understand our culture. When he finds out, I don't know what will he do? It is hard to tell a man like my father what he doesn't want to hear. He is not going to send us money anymore."
"I know and I understand the differences between cultures, but how can you hide something big like this! Unless Rosy leave the apartment as long as your father is here."
"That is not possible. First, she won't do it. Second there is her stuff, clothes, make up, everything is there. It is obvious a woman living there not a man roommate. They can not clear the whole place. My father is not stupid. Even if Rosy won't be there, and Aria brings a friend and pretends he is living with him, my father would know right away."
"I guess you're right. What are you going to do?"
"I don't know. Probably I am the one that must tell him the truth.
In the morning as Anna was making tea for her father, Shahzdeh walked to the kitchen. A feverish shudder ran through every nerve of her body. It was an unbearably dreadful moment.
"I want to go and see Aria' place. I won't bother him. I'll come back for lunch here." Shahzdeh was wrung with anguish. He knew his children were hiding something from him.
"You'll see his place dad. Leave him alone today. Let him study."
"What is going on Anna? What is that you're hiding from me?"His voice had passed its prime, but it was obvious that voice was a fine and gentle one once.
Anna flushed: "Sit down dad. I tell you the truth."
By the time Anna was done telling him everything, she felt stronger than ever. Shahzdeh's face expression showed nothing to Anna. She could not read anything on it. He paced the room up and down like an angry lion. She was dizzy. Finally he sat, raised his head and looked at his daughter straight in the eyes.
"You two have disgraced your family. Why didn't you tell me before so I could stop it?"
"No, father, you couldn't stop it. Aria was blind. He still is. Rosy is draining him both emotionally and financially. She is an absolute user. Believe me it will come to an end, but this is not the time. Aria is very sensitive. If he separates from Rosy now, it will interfere with his school. He'll see through this woman one day on his own. Let him find out for himself."
"I'm not going to throw my money away so this woman get her education, absolutely not."
"Dad, please listen to me. You're not helping her, you're helping Aria. He is very smart. Don't ruin his life."
Anna felt exhausted by the time the conversation was over. She missed her school that day. Shahzdeh did not want to admit, but secretly he admired his daughter for her loyalty to her brother. "She is so grown!" He thought. But if he continued sending money, he had given up his honor, he was bought by Rosy like his son did. That was not acceptable to him. What would he do?
*
After two weeks when Shahzdeh was going back to Iran, he believed that Anna could not live a life like her mother. She was too smart and driven for that kind of life. Deep inside, he respected his daughter, this grown up woman, only eighteen. Nonetheless, he was not certain at all for his son's future. He recognized the first minute he had seen Rosy that Anna had known about that woman, the deceptive side of this charming blond, blue eyes American who was draining his son emotionally and financially and was driving him to insanity.
The conclusion of this trip was to send money to Aria for six more months until he would get a job to support himself and his wife.
To be continued
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