“Traveling for fun?”
She looked up. “Sorry?”
“Traveling for fun, beti?” the kindly old uncle was smiling, looking at her from the top of his glasses.
“Uh. Yes. Visiting friends.”
“Ah, my daughter is there. I’m going to visit my daughter. She’s married, has three kids. Lives in Manchester. Where are your friends?”
“Birmingham.”
“That’s nice. How long will you be there for?”
“I don’t know. As long as it takes.”
“For what to happen, child?”
“No, I mean, I’m a UK citizen. I can stay there for as long as I like.”
“Oh, oh, good for you then.” He quizzed her for a while longer. Where her parents lived, what she did for a living. She made up a few answers and told partial truths. She was running away and she didn’t want to leave any real traces behind.
The plane hit the tarmac and Fouzia breathed a sigh of relief. Even though she knew Adeel couldn’t come and catch her in the middle of the sky, she felt happier to be in a different country.
Maria was waiting for her at the airport. They hugged perfunctorily and she got inside the car. She talked about how she was living alone after her divorce from three years ago. She told Fouzia she was welcome to live with her until she found work and a place of her own. She didn’t ask many questions – mainly because Fouzia had already told her everything she needed to know on the phone. She needed to escape a husband who wouldn’t leave her alone, she told her that she wanted to move to the UK and she was coming there as soon as she could find a seat on the next flight out. Which she did and it was kind of unbelievable that less than 48 hours ago, she and Raza had been talking about Beatrix Kiddo.
(end of part ten)
On part ten now. Just got done reading the previous ones. I do hope to God you’re compiling this for publication later.
I hope to God some publisher will be interested.
Your stories are awesome…keep it up!:)