Chapter 1-

Hello, just to make things clear this is the story of my Mum and Dad. I will change their names of course and add a few events which are not-true since I don’t know every single detail. Enjoy the bittersweet love.

The story will be placed in the late 70’s and it will be on my Dad’s perspective.

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I walked home from school adjusting my school bag on my shoulders. I walked over the rough sand with my shoelaces untied as usual. I passed by the houses that were made of wind towers and that line the Creek on both sides.

These wind towers were not just decorative. They were the only means of cooling our houses.  I started increasing my pace as I wanted to reach home for lunch.

“ Ghaiiith! Ta3al ba5brk shay” My friend screamed on the top of his lungs as I saw him running towards me from the far end. He came closer to me and we talked about random things of how we want to plan our day today with our other neighborhood friends. Playing between el sikeek (between the houses), and playing kook/’3mai’6a  (Hide and go seek). After our short talk I hurried over as fast as I could to reach home.

Once I arrived I stomped my foot on the floor so the sand covered on my shoes would rub off, and I wouldn’t get punished for entering the house with sand. I pushed the wooden door open and I screamed “ANA W9LT”

Our family consisted of My mother, 3 sisters, and 3 brothers including me. My Dad passed away when I was 9 Allah yr7ma. I’ll list my siblings in order of age.

1-  Hamdan

2-  Hind

3-  Shamma

4-  Sarah

5-  Ahmad

6-  And me Ghaith

I am the youngest one of them all, sadly I’m just 11. I walked towards the living room and the smell of Machboos came sloshing into my nose. I took a whiff and I said “Alllaaah”. All of my siblings were seated and they had been already dressed in home-wear or as we say it Malabes el bait. I rolled up my school uniform sleeves and took a seat beside Ahmad and Hamdan. I stretched my hand 3ashan a’3rfly 3aish (put rice on my plate) when suddenly my mum said

 “Ghaith goum badel 3gb ta3al”

I replied “Mama allah y5alech aboos reelch yo3an”

She said in a calm tone “Ghaitho roo7 badel maybala ela dgeegtain”

I huff-ed as I got up from the red tkay mal el yalsa (red couch-like pillows that were placed on the floor) I got to my room and wore my hideously ripped jeans and a white t-shirt. I ran and sat on my seat and started gobbling on the Machboos dyay.  Once I was done I washed my hands and did my usual chores: ta’3seel el 97oon, and picking up the plates. I finished my chores and headed outside as usual since we didn’t have anything better to do. I went to my friend and all our neighborhood friends gathered around, boys and girls from different age types (it was okay to play with girls back then, no worries). Klna we gathered around and started playing kook. Everyone had various places to hide in, I hid in our 1-floor house roof top and scrunched my body downwards so I wouldn’t show.

After we played our games, athan el m’3rb and that was our cue to go back home. I sat with my family as they told us that we would be going on a r7la with many neighborhood friends mal el freej. Sine today was the last day of school I could go. I packed my bag and slept.

The sun rose and my brothers that were sleeping on the beds next to mine woke up to my mothers shouting “YALLA BANAT, AWLAD BANTA5R” I got up from bed and brushed my teeth with a grin on my face. I got my bag which had my clothes in them and we went out.

As soon as we reached everyone went out with their friends. Me and my freej friends consisted of 10 girls and 10 boys we were all at the ages of 11-14. I was running around and laughing until I bumped into someone. An unfamiliar girl.. I looked at her and creased my eyebrows trying to figure out who she is.

AHA, I remembered she’s my sisters young friend she once was playing with my sisters. She looked like my age. I looked at her pale skin and light brown eyes that were framed with long lashes. Her long curly light brown hair looked amazing on her.

“uhmmm asfaaa!” She replied in a calm tone and started skipping away to her friends.

She looked cute. Wait what am I saying I’m only 11.