strangers ;two

Rasha

“I will,” I said again and again to her. To a lady named Sarah Hani in front of me. Tears running down my cheek and she wipes it out for me using her little fingers. I’m touched. Alhamdulillah. It has been two years, to be honest, I always want to do these things with her. I mean, praying together, read Quran together, I want that. I want to share the happiness I have right now.

When I first met Sarah, she wanders around the boutique of mine. I tell one of my workers to get  her and ask if she need anything. She is in her late teens I guess at that time and looks like she has some troubles.

“I need money. I need some works. I can do anything.” Those words strike me in seconds. I say yes to her and I just ask for her name. I know that Allah has sent this someone for me for a reason.  When I found out her trying to find a cheap place to rent, I offer her to stay at my house. For someone who is very particular about people, I’m sure crazy at that time, but I can’t help. Every time I look upon her eyes, the eyes are like calling me to comfort her. I want to.

She worked for me for three months and said she have to find a better job which is not come from me. She felt that I’ve been doings too many things for her, despite, she is the only one I ever been helping all this time.  I hate it when she tells me that I spend too much on her, I hate that kind of words.

“So, can you tell me why you want to do this? After this two years?” I’m asking her referring to the Quran lesson, she must get reasons and I want to know that.

“I just suddenly interested, why are you being so happy despite all this things that happened.”  Maybe she refers to my old story.  Both my parent died when I was four in an accident, so my auntie is kind of the one who helps me with all the growing up phase until I become me in today’s life.  She always asks that if I didn’t hate God for killing my parents.  I said to her.

“God did not kill them Sarah. It’s fate.” Then she said, 'fate is cruel'.

I patted her back and hug her again. When she asks me to teach her, I feel like Allah just sent me another gift from heaven.

“We going to starts lesson tomorrow night okay?”  Her eyes grow big from my words.

“That early?” I noticed she plays with her a lot when she’s nervous. Her short hair doesn’t change her personality, still stern and cool all the way.

“Yeah.” We better make it before the 11^th hour dear. Man who dies at 11^th hour while waiting to do something….

“Thanks.” As the boy who holds those coffee and waffles handling me the box full of our crew lunch for today.

“Miss, your receipt.”  I kindly smile at the tall boy, looks like 180 cm tall and have such a fair skin for a Malay guy. I read his nametag.

“Harris.” He startled at my voice. Oh no! did I read that aloud, I thought I was reading it in my mind.

“Your name. Is nice.” Did I just look like an old lady flirting over some kids right now? Please say no.

“Oh thanks. Please do order from our café again.” he leaves with some scent behind. Lavender.

I call the girls that are busy doing their works for lunch. We are closed for one hour. I wish I can rest more, there are so many things going in my head right now. Sarah and lavender boy. Too much to handle. I take my shot of coffee and take some waffle to my office; I need to do some readings.

“You guys enjoy your lunch.” Aunt once said you have to be good to your workers. So, I tried. I hope I tried hard enough. At least no one complained in my face, but who knows if they did behind me. 

The lavender scent stuck in my nose. Oh yeah, Sarah got me a bottle of lavender scented freshener last month and I hang it on the wardrobe of mine. Compared to me, Sarah wardrobe cannot be called a girl’s wardrobe. She wore plain color shirts every day, when I try to put some blouse on her, she whines but she is cute so I forgive that kind of whining.  I will put that glittery blouse on her some day. I smile upon remembering those little fights we have over her choices of clothes. Now she cut her hair, the shirt and jeans make him looks like a boy.  I bet girls also can fall in her deep eyes. I did, not as a lover, but as a sister. She did great all this time even though she said she do not so anything right. She does. She stands when people lash her out. She stands strong and not trying to kill herself, when they rest of her family did. She sure is a gift from heaven for me.  Sarah calling.

“Can you pick me up after works? The motor don’t works.” She sounds like she cries a liter of tears.

“Wait, did you cry?”

“Nope.”  I hope she is telling me the truth. I really hate it when she acts tough, in my eyes she is a little girl.

“Good. Wait for me after five.” She said yes and cutting off the line.

My car stops at the front of the building that Sarah works.  I wait and text her to come. In five minutes, what caught my eyes was not Sarah, but lavender boy with another boy. Oh they went into a car and…

“Rasha.”  I open the lock of door and she goes in.

“Hi Hani.” I glance back trying to find out another car, but puff. It is gone already.

“Tracing someone?”  She said with a smile.

“No. Let’s go home,” I said as I hit the accelerator and goes home.

Actually I don’t which lesson I should start for Sarah. I was dying to help but I’m not the right one the helps so I get help from some good people I know because I want to learn to.

“Sarah. Since I’m not good at this religion things, and I’m still learning, are you willing to go to Fardhu Ain classes with me?” ah finally I tell her. I did not know how to tell this to her, she might hate me and find me trying to annoyed her. I’m not.

“Okay.” I run to her then she stops me from coming nearer.

“I don’t want to report you trying to strangle me to death Rasha.” Her words brings us laugh again. She is my happy virus after all.

“But what is Fardhu Ain,” she asks again, then gulping down the rest of orange juice in her mug.

“Basic things of Islam. Obligations.” These things may sounds hard to her, but I want to really help.

“Okay.”

“But first, want to slat with me?” She looks in me with her disbelief eyes.

“But I know nothing.” I grab her hand and drag her to wash room. I ask her to follow everything that I do, she did very well.

“Kind of remember this.” Tears falling down on her face for the first time I see. I know she had been crying all this time, but hiding it from me. I can tell from her puffy eyes, the black eyes of hers.

“You know girl. You can share your story with me.”

I know she will reply the same answers as before. “Some day.”

I hope that someday will come as soon as possible. When secrets become no longer secrets. I hope so.  I hope she can find the happiness as soon as possible.

“Thanks for all this time.” She said to me again. Those words I heard from her every day, in the morning, in the evening.

“You know, what keeps you here with me. Allah’s love.” I smile at her.

Yes, Allah’s love keeps me sane all this time. When I want to give up when I first start my business after college year, He keeps me in his way. When I fell apart because of some dude breaking my little heart, He keeps me from breaking down all the way to end.  Thanks to my aunt that have been working hard to put me in some good school and teach me all this things. I do have mental breakdown sometimes, but His love keeps me sane until now and I want Sarah to know that too, that Allah put us together for a reason.