However, humor and laughter were not a solution for Anna's dilemma, going to America. They had to convince their father for it; and that needed a plan, even if there were dishonesty and lie involved. What kind of plan two inexperienced, young people (compare to their father) could come up with which looked real, very real and assuring to the eyes of a stern, rigid, narrow-minded man, their father, whom no one had ever disagreed with? Aria needed to go back. He could not stay there and leave his education unfinished. He could not leave his sister in that situation either; for he knew the minute he left, they would find her another husband swiftly. She was too smart being tied to a tradition, just as their ancestors did, and to live a life among glasses, diamonds, and tea parties. She needed to get away, to become an independent individual, to educate herself, to explore, and to become somebody, not some body's wife or daughter,
A week before Aria's departure, as Anna was very depressed, he consoled his sister and told her: "I promise you will join me soon." Anna'a downcast eyes welled with tears and she said nothing.
That evening, Aria went to his father's study unannounced, which was rude and improper for a Shahzdeh's son. He wanted to catch his father off guard and not to give him a chance to plan a long speech for disagreeing with him. He just did not want to give the man of authority any choice. He opened the door without knocking, went inside and looked at his father, sitting behind his desk ,appeared studying the finance of the family through the scattered papers on his desk. His cigar was burning in the ashtray and it was obvious that he had forgotten about it. A shady light of dying sun was coming through the window behind his desk. He, perhaps, had forgotten to put the lights on, was straining his eyes intensely in that dim room to those papers on his desk. Aria turned the lights on; and if his entering the room did not awaken his father from his slumber, the sudden light did.
Shahzdeh raised his head and looked at Aria standing there, lingering from one foot to the other. "What do you want? I've told you never come to this room unannounced!"
"Dad, I must talk to you. It is about Anna."
"First, don't you ever call me dad. Haven't your mother taught you that I am either father or Shahzdeh; and second what about Anna? Haven't you two already done enough damage to my reputation?" Shahzdeh's voice was passing its prime.
"Father, please listen to me. We haven't done anything to damage your reputation. We just stopped an arranged marriage. She is only fifteen. How can you do this to her?"
"Your mother married me when she was only fourteen."
"That is past; now is now. things are not the same any more. Anna is smarter than me. She can be somebody. She can make you proud by being somebody not some one's wife."
"Stop the nonsense." His anger shook Aria.
"Father, please listen. She is smart, the best at her school. She can be a doctor, a nurse, anyone you can dream of. You can raise your head and be proud to have educated children. You can break this unbreakable chain of custom that is nothing but a prison for young people. Don't ruin her life. Let her come to America. I watch her. I care for her. We can be together there." Aria's voice was firm yet soft.
Even though Aria's argument sounded logical, Shahzdeh was not ready or willing to give in to his son. He could not change what he had been all his life.
"Sending you to America was mistake. I see what America has done to you. Now you want your sister to go there, too! The next thing will be boy friend, losing her virginity... never, never, over my dead body."
"Please don't be so adamant. What are you going to do with her?"
"Nothing, I already have someone in mind to marry her before she causes another shame for our family. This one that I have in mind is much younger so she can love him."
"Why don't you listen to me, dad. She doesn't want to marry. She wants to continue her education. She dies before she says I do." Aria did not care that he had called Shahzdeh dad. He just could not stand it anymore. He had promised his sister.
"All girls threat for killing themselves, but none has done it. I don't buy it."
"I'm telling you, if a tragedy happens, don't blame me for it. You'll be responsible for it. Of course you have high class friends and nobody is going to prosecute you. I know she'll take her life before marrying any man you choose for her." There was a derisive tone in his voice which his anger covered it.
Shahzdeh went to a deep thinking and after a while said: "I let her to go to college here. She can become a teacher. That is a good thing for a girl."
"Dad, what college. There is only one university in Tehran and so many million that want to get in. The chances are almost zero."
"If she is so smart, as you claim, she can pass the pre-examination to get in."
"I'm so sorry that you don't even know how smart your own daughter is. But let me tell you she is smart. But I am sure there are a lot smarter than her out there that don't have her opportunity, having a rich father. What if she will be accepted in a very far university from Tehran. Would you let her go then to an uncivilized city just to go to college? What are you going to do with all this money? Let her go. I take care of her. I promise." His voice was both supplicating and harsh; and for the first time Shahzdeh realized that his son was as adamant as he, except their point of view was very different.
"I think about it. Give me some time." He was melting beneath his son's piercing and fiery eyes. A man without son, to him, was like living a life without purpose. As much as he hated to see Aria that way, he was his son, the only son.
That evening in the living room, when he was served with his last cup of tea for the day, he did not say a word to Fatie, his wife, about the conversation he had had with Aria about Anna. To him, women were short-minded creatures that their jobs were to gives sons to their husband and live in crystal containers and being taken care of. They were nice ti look at or make love to, when the men had the desire.
Nevertheless, Fatie noticed a difference in her husband's demeanor. She did not bother to ask, for first she knew he would not tell her, and second she believed that only men were capable of solving problems. She thought that there were always something happening with the properties, or workers who were stealing things. When they said good night and each went to his and her bedroom, for they never slept in a same room, Shahzdeh walked all night in his bedroom pondering over what his son had told him. He conjured up all the details of conversation with his son. He remembered all his words, gestures, and everything else about that evening. He almost experienced the whole thing over again. As much as they had changed, they were perhaps able of doing something outrageous to disgrace him and his reputation. When the dawn glimmered the room, he finally smiled. He knew exactly what he would do. He would deceive both his children by promising that Anna would go to America to join her brother after she would graduate from high school. That plan would give him three years; and no one could know what would happen in three years. He thought about his sister's son, his next candidate for marrying Anna, a good looking young man, only twenty five, educated and wealthy. "Let's Anna and Fro socialize until Anna falls in love with him and changes her mind. Then I tell her, didn't you want to to America, and she says, oh, no, I changed my mind. I want to marry Fro."
Shahzdeh laughed at his own dishonest thought and solution and eased into bed. It was six in the morning.
*
To be continued
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