Odyssey...4- Graduation

As the end of school year gets close, Hana understands that her sons will walk to a new chapter of their lives. Farhad moves up from junior high to high school and Sam steps up from elementary school to junior high. As Hana perceives that every little steps makes a big different in a teenager's life, she remembers herself when graduating from high school. She digs into her thoughts to conjure up every detail of that sweet and short summer, a hot and dry summer, as it is here, in the other side of the world.

Tehran-

The hot summer was just around the corner. The dry heat that brought drought into the souls and spirits of nature and humans. A heat that caused birds to migrate to cooler provinces, and dog and cats to shelter in shades, A fiendish summer that killed the trend, slowed the motion, and raised the laziness. A summer that brought thirsty leaves of trees a tear dried our before it fell. It was just like passengers in desert who would see mirage and tire themselves even more to walk towards a vain hope.

However, that summer had special heat for Hana- a heat that did not rise from sun but from heart. It was almost the end of school year and Hana would graduate from high school. Her mind was torn between studying and getting good grades or thinking about a real love that was blossoming in the core of her entity. Yes, she was in love- a silent affection that did not require much talking. She had not written to her friend, Mesa, for awhile, and she was not thinking about doing it either. That was child's stuff; and she was grown now; she needed the real thing.

Being close to Behroz, her favorite uncle, brought Saeid and her close to each other. Saeid and Behroz were the same age, only three years older than her. Besides Mesa, her childhood imaginary friend, Behroz was the only real friend she had. Her parents did not mind her to visit Behroz everyday, since he was her uncle, mom's youngest brother.

In grandparents' home and in Behroz's room, they had organized a secret society. The members were Behroz, and three of his friends including Saeid. They talked about poetry, politics, and literature. First the young men were averse to let Hana in in their society, perhaps because she was a girl and younger. But later when she earnestly asked her uncle to give her a chance, they finally accepted her. Soon they were amazed by her knowledge and intelligence; and that was the time she officially became a member.

Dallas-

To Be Continued