"Where is Rosy? I thought she lives with you!"
"She does. She is asleep. Let's not make any noise. She can't go back to sleep if she wakes up."
"Can we put the lights on? I need to unpack."
"Do it in the morning. I told you we can't disturb Rosy."
Anna shuddered and tears swam in her eyes. Her brother was not the same. Something had happened. He took her to a room which was not actually a room but part of the living room and yet was separate from living room.
"This is our study. You can have it for now until we find a two bedroom apartment."
She nodded her head and stayed in dark alone. She had to much to say to her brother; but it seemed that he had no desire to talk to her. She conjured up her cousin in London, two nights ago. "They stayed up almost all night and talked to me. We had so much to say to each other. She remembered how his British wife participated willingly in their discourse and remembrance. Aria looked and acted like a stranger. It felt as though he was afraid of his girlfriend, a woman he wanted to marry soon.
There was no bed in the study; however there was a sofa. Aria had left a pillow and a blanket there for her. When Anna's eyes got accustomed to the dark, she opened her suitcase and looked for something comfortable to wear. She sat on the sofa all night and pondered and predicted a hard and harsh life with her brother and his girlfriend. "What will I do?" She thought to herself. She could not live alone. Her father would not allow it. And she was smart enough to realize that she was not welcomed there. She could not go back. She did not want to. "What will I do?"
She conjured up their drive from airport to Aria's home. He was quiet. She could not understand why her brother was not showing any excitement seeing her. She remembered their vehement letters after her father finally agreed for her to go and join her brother. It was him, her brother, that gave him enough courage to fight their father. Why was he silent?
"Are you tired?" She had asked him in the car.
"Ya, why are you asking?"
"You're very quiet. Aren't you happy to see me? We did it."
"Oh, I'm happy. I'm just tired. I have so much in my mind. We talk later."
He did not want even to continue the conversation.
"Am I going to be a nuisance in your life?" She had asked.
Aria Suddenly turned his face to her. His eyes dilated. "No, don't worry too much little sis."
Sitting on the sofa, staring into the dark, Anna could not wait for the morning. She even did not know if she would start school in the morning. There was no window in the study or the addition of the living room; however, the window in the living room enticed her to walk slowly and quietly there. Their apartment, seemed to her, was located in the outskirt of the city of Washington D.C. She did not see any high way, as she had heard about American high ways in Iran. She had been to America once but that was many years ago and they had gone to California since her father had some friends there.
A car or two passed occasionally. Everything was dark and grimy. She felt out of place and blue. She was in so much shock that no thoughts passed her mind. She felt unfeeling. Finally she gave up the window and went back to the study and sat on the sofa while hugging her knees. A cold shiver entered her body and she draped the blanket around her shoulder and finally fell asleep in sitting position. It was five in the morning, a cold, wintry morning far from all things familiar to her.
When Aria came to the living room at six in the morning, he found her sister asleep in sitting position with her head bent on her shoulder and knees in her chest. He silently went to the kitchen to make coffee; but the sound of the water awakened Anna from her one hour sleep. She joined him in the kitchen.
"We need to call Iran. Dad expect our call." She said.
Aria remained speechless for a moment and then said:
"I am sure he calls himself."
Anna did not know what to say. She had promised her father to call.
"I promised dad to call."
"We don't throw our money away by phone calls." His voice was strange.
Anna, bewildered, thought for a minute. If her brother's attitude was like that on her first day staying with him, how would it be later? "Why does he care for the phone bills? He doesn't work. Dad pays for everything." She thought to herself.
"What is the difference Aria? Doesn't dad pay for your living here?"
"Are you trying to cause problem for me? We are trying to save money for our wedding."
Anna lowered her head and did not say anything. She left the kitchen and went back to study. Somehow she knew that her brother's coldness and indifference had something to do with his girlfriend. Her suitcases was still in the corner of that room and she was frightened to ask her brother where to hang her clothes. Coffee was perking in the kitchen. She imagined that she needed to drink coffee instead of tea that was their custom for morning breakfast, and after lunch and dinner. She could hear Aria's electric shaver in the bathroom. She realized that she had not used the bathroom since she had arrived the night before. She stayed unspoken and unfeeling on the sofa until the bedroom door was opened and she saw Rosy for the first time.She did not know what to do! An unknown fear from this woman had already set in. Rosy went to the kitchen. She had a pink, satin robe on. She poured herself a cup of coffee without looking at Anna. Bewildered Anna pondered for a moment: "What will I do?"Her cultural upbringing came to her rescue. She got up from the sofa and went to the kitchen.
"Hello Rosy, nice to see you."
Rosy took a glimpse from the corner of her eye and put her cup on the kitchen table. "Oh, hi," At this time Aria came to the kitchen. " I see that you two met."
Rosy glanced at him and said nothing. Then she went to the bathroom. Soon Anna could hear the shower. She needed one, too. But she was afraid even to use the bathroom.
When Aria and she were alone, Anna finally broke into a hysterical cry. Aria, very upset, said:
"What is wrong?"
Anna raised her head and looked at him through her rainy eyes: "It seems to me that I'm not welcomed here."
"I don't know what are you talking about?"
"Yes, you do. You've changed. What is wrong with you? We haven't spoken barely since I came last night. I am even afraid to use the bathroom. I don't know where to hang my clothes. You don't let me call dad. What else do you want me to tell you? You said if I come, you take care of me. You convinced dad. Now you say there is nothing wrong."
Aria stayed quiet. Then he walked to Anna and gently hugged her.
"I'm sorry Anna. You're right. See this is America. It is different than Iran. We have a small apartment. It's going to be hard on Rosy."
"What do you want me to do? I have my own money. You can rent a bigger place. I thought that you're already done it. Do you want me to go back to Iran? If that is so, I will; but then I have to tell dad about Rosy and that you two are living together. You know what that means. If dad finds out, he is not going to send you money anymore."
"Are you threatening me?"
"No, I am not. But you are putting me in a very bad situation. What do you want me to do? I don't know anything about here. Can you just tolerate me for a little while until I learn my way around?"
"I am sorry Anna. I don't know what have gotten into me!"
*
To be continued
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