Page 23 of Under the Arabian Sky

“Of course you can. Get your own cup and join the party if you like, but nobody in this house is your servant.”

With cane in hand, Tariq’s dad hobbled off.

Before he returned, Tariq’s mother leaned across the coffee table and said in a hushed voice. “When he comes back, please ignore whatever comes out of my husband’s mouth.”

“Why?” I asked.

“Because he loves his culture and his faith too much to open his eyes to the future… and to Tariq’s future. Oh, the arguments we’ve had. Besides, I like you, and I refuse to let my husband frighten away another of Tariq’s friends.”

“Tariq and I just met,” I told her.

“I know. But when a mother has a good feeling about someone, her defences kick in.”

“Mother!” Tariq squirmed uncomfortably.

“Alright, I’ll stop embarrassing you.” She sat back, then quickly added with a wink, “Oh, and Arthur, when Cranky-Pants isn’t around you must call me Zahra.”

At that moment, ‘Cranky-Pants’ re-entered the room carrying a cup in one hand. He sat on the sofa and gestured for Zahra to pour him a coffee. Zahra gestured for him to pour his own… which he begrudgingly did.

“So,” Tariq’s father said gruffly, “Are you Tariq’s boyfriend?”

In unison, Tariq, Zahra and I all responded emphatically—

“Father!” Tariq said.

“Saleem!” Zahra said.

“No!” I said.

With that, everyone fell silent until Tariq’s father remarked, “Good. As the head of this household, I respectfully request that you will not spend the night in this house.”

“Father, Arthur has no place to stay. He’s a guest here as my friend.”

I felt the need to chime in. “Actually, I do have a place to stay, and given the circumstances I’m more than happy to stay there.”

“Good,” Tariq’s father said. “Then it is settled.”

“No, it’s not, Father. Arthur is staying at the old university dormitory. It’s a terrible place for him to be.”

“Don’t be ridiculous. There’s running water, isn’t there?”

“Well, that’s questionable,” I uttered.

“If you don’t like it, why not find a hotel?”

“Father, by the time we get back to the centre of town it’ll be midnight. He’s staying here… as my guest… and that’s final. This is my home too.”

“Not for long. The sooner you finish building that new clinic of yours out in the desert, the better.” Tariq’s father drank his coffee in one angry gulp. “And yes, this may be your home too, but I’m the one who built it from the ground up. When you live under this roof, you obey my rules. Your friend sleeps in one of the guest rooms. Are we clear?”

This time, it was Tariq and I who spoke in unison. “Of course! We only just met!”

We both looked at each other, and I felt like there was an entire conversation in our glance…

What’s going on?my eyes said.

I’m sorry about my parents, I’m so embarrassed right now, his eyes said.

And here I was thinking you had a wife and kids.

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