Luda, Jamil, Aida, Salman, Julie, and Walid himself—Haifa really did drive everyone crazy!
10
Julie Littlehouse
As she sipped her coffee, she took herself to task for hiding the truth of what had happened in her grandfather Manuel Ardakian’s house when she went to place the ashes of her mother there. She recalled the details of the bitter episode, and rehearsed to herself how she might relate them. She would need to decide whether to put it all in front of Walid as soon as the plane took off, or else deny it so that her heart would remain at peace forever.
“When I reached the tenth step on the iron staircase that led up to the house, I stopped. I looked behind me. Fatima was still there, waiting for me at the bottom of the staircase. I went up step by step to the sound of the church bells ringing a strange, funereal peal. I kept going up until I reached the final step. I stood directly opposite the front door. The church bells stopped ringing. I felt their silence strangling me. I heard my heartbeats. I was nervous and afraid. I turned around again and noticed Fatima hit the air with her fist, then walk away. I understood her gesture. I turned around and banged on the door with my fist.
“After a few seconds, the old, two-paneled door opened, and I found myself confronted by a woman, apparently in her fifties, blocking it with her arms. I explained to her briefly, in English, the purpose of my visit. She said something that I didn’t understand in reply, though I could feel the impact of her sharp tone. Then a man appeared behind her, at least ten years older than her, wearing thick glasses. He said something to her that sounded like a question. I looked from one to the other, imploring either of them to let me understand something of what they were saying, but without success. For a few moments, I was overcome by embarrassment, fear, and tension. The woman let her arms fall from the two edges of the door and stepped back a little. The man moved forward. He took her place and asked me in broken English what I wanted. I explained to him the purpose of my visit. When he understood, he jerked back and said first in Hebrew, ‘Lo, lo, lo, lo!,’ then in English, ‘No, no, no, no!’ as he refused my request.
“‘Please, sir, the soul of my mother will never disturb you,’ I begged him. ‘Listen to me. She is listening to us now.’
“‘Lo, lo, lo, lo!’
“The man looked at the glass container like someone looking at an evil spirit that’s emerged from the darkness, wanting to drive it away. ‘We do not accept strangers in our house,’ he shouted. ‘Go on, go on, go away!’
“I didn’t go away. My feet were nailed to the threshold of the door, almost against my will. The man rushed toward me, threw himself on me, and snatched the statue from my hands. He hurled it over my head and slammed the door hard in my face. The statue flew several meters up in the air, then fell. I heard the sound of it smashing on the staircase. I covered my mouth with my hands to stifle a scream from inside me as my body shook. The church bells started to sound again. I watched the ashes of my mother rise into space in small, scattered clouds, which disappeared in the city sky. I stared around me like a madwoman as I went down the steps, then went back up again, until I chanced upon the silver chain lying on one of the steps, half of it hanging over the edge, covered with my mother’s ashes. I picked it up and quickly left.”
Julie put down her empty coffee cup on the table. She closed her eyes for a few moments to listen to her inner voice, which was like a beating of her conscience. What will I gain if I tell this story to Walid? she wondered. Ivana wanted part of her body to return after her death, whether it stayed in a beautiful porcelain statue that looked like her—as she had dreamed before she died—or was scattered in the air of the city, and dispersed in its various quarters, as actually happened. And after it left Usfur Square, it could well have turned into a cloud, carried along by a light breeze, which would take it to every part of the country. In the end, Ivana returned to Acre.
That comforted her. She smiled to herself, then turned her smile to Walid, and asked him, “Did you think about my suggestion?”
Walid put his cup of coffee on the table. He looked into Julie’s eyes for a few seconds, and was about to say something, but was interrupted by an announcement: Terminal 3, Gate C-9 was now open for passengers on British Airways flight number 559 to London.
The couple picked up their hand baggage, and held each other’s hand. Walid turned to Julie and said, “I think it’s a good idea.”
“Wow!” exclaimed Julie.
“We’ll talk about it when we get home,” he added, as they continued their way to the gate.
SELECTED HOOPOE TITLES
Embrace on Brooklyn Bridge
by Ezzedine
