I couldn’t help starting to cry. Mum approached me and hugged me.
«My dear Janet, you’re my only child, and I don’t want to lose you. When you were drowning, I thought it was the end of the line! Imagine my feelings! I’m a mother,» she said, sobbing. «I’m your mother! And imagine what a mother feels when she loses her child! What’s more, her only child!»
I could understand her now.
But still, I had a right to my happiness as well. I told this to Mum.
«My dear, you’ll surely find your special someone. But not here. Look, they’re all poor people. They have nothing but their huts…»
«But he must have a big house!» I interrupted.
«How could you know? He must’ve told you a lie!»
Actually, he didn’t say anything about his house.
Though bewildered, I carried it off very well. I had to win my case anyway!
It was late, so I couldn’t go and say good night to Mohammed.
«So, Janet, please, don’t take him so seriously if you still happen to talk to him. Okay?»
I needed to think about that. I had a whole night ahead of me.
«Okay,» I said.
«So, come and have a calming shower. By the way, how come you started to drown aground? The sea’s shallow here.»
«I felt bad, Ma. I’m sorry.»
«My God! What’s happened to you? And how do you feel now?»
«Thanks, I’m better now.»
«I must’ve looked after you all the time! Promise me you won’t go anywhere without me! Remember – you’ve got asthma! Have you forgotten about that?»
«No, Ma.»
«Okay. You crazy fool!»
7
29 July 1972
Agadir, Morocco
I couldn’t sleep at night again. What an insane holiday! Seemed like an insane asylum! Oh, my God!
Now, I had np right to come up to Mohammed. Or, well, I did, but not in front of Mum. I need an escape plan. Though she was right to a certain extent. Yes, I had to be careful, especially if I’d got such a disease. But my Mohammed! I loved him very much!
We both needed a place to meet in. Not the beach. The hotel hall. Right. A great place, actually.
I started thinking whom to send for him. The cook! Because it had to be the one Mum didn’t hate. Mum liked the cook. «A good guy,» she said.
The cook suited very well for the business. He wouldn’t tell Mum about all those things I would talk to Mohammed. And, of course, he wouldn’t tell Mum that Mohammed and me were seeing each other in the hall!
30 July 1972
Agadir, Morocco
The next day, when we were having breakfast, I came up to Rashid (that was the cook’s name) and told him I wanted to see Mohammed at hall in the evening due to my situation. Mum didn’t notice anything, so it was all right for me to talk to Rashid. She was looking at what she had in her plate at the time.
From now on, we went to the beach only in the evening, when it was someone else’s shift, not Mohammed’s. And in the afternoon, we were enjoying the sun in the swimming pool.
I knew Mum was taking care of me, so I wasn’t against. She loved me, so I didn’t blame her for her actions in any way.
So, I spoke to Rashid. He promised to tell Mohammed that we would be meeting in the hall every evening, before I went home, back to England.
I told him I’d be waiting for Mohammed in the hall. As for Mum, I told her I would love to read a book in the hall. There were some indeed. In English, of course. I don’t understand any other language. Maybe I’m nuts. I should’ve learnt one.
Mohammed agreed. He was free in the evening anyway. I was looking forward for the first meeting in the hall. In fact, it was our second tete-a-tete conversation.
Mum agreed to let me go to the hall. I told her I felt lonely, so a book in English would do no harm.
8.
I put on my best dress. Although it wasn’t a dress but a T-shirt and breeches. Okay, let it be the best T-shirt and breeches. Well, I didn’t have another pair of breeches.
I was afraid. To be honest. What if Mum would notice me and him? That’d be a horror! She wouldn’t forgive me!
All the hour before our meeting, I was behaving like a stupid one. I was jumping around the room, singing a crazy song (I don’t remember how it’s called) and shouting something like «Ya-a-a-ya-a-a-a!» or «Cock-a-doodle-doo!» Mum asked what the matter was with me and why I was singing and shouting all that jazz. I answered that I’d just had a sleepless night. Mum told me I would better take a sleeping pill every night. But it’s bad for our health!
Finally, the hour was struck. I went downstairs (though there were only five stairs that separated our floor from the hall!).
I sat. Nobody. Even the receptionist had left somewhere.
I waited for some time. Nobody.
I thought, «And if Rashid and Mohammed have just decided to play a trick on me? That’s be the last thing for me to do to anyone!»
Perhaps, they were even laughing at me. Maybe, saying something like, «Well, this stupid fool has fallen in love with you, Mohammed. How bad of her! She doesn’t even know the rules of conduct and etiquette in our country!»
But… how could I know them? I wasn’t even taught them on arriving to this country! The travel agent should have taught Mum and me some simple rules! But they hadn’t! They didn’t even care about how we would do in this or that situation, or what should we say when someone unknown approached us. They didn’t even care!
I heard some steps. It was not him, though.
I waited for some more time.
And here he came. He was wearing a T-shirt as well. And jeans, not breeches.
«Hello,» he said. «You wanted to see me, right?»
«Hey! Weren’t you willing to see me?»
«I? Of course,» he smiled.
I smiled too.
«But… You’re so magnificent I can’t find words to describe you.»
«Oh, thank you very much!»
«Don’t speak!» he interrupted. «Just listen to our hearts beating!»
I was startled. I said nothing.
«Ha-ha, don’t worry! These were the words for you!»
«Thank you!» I blushed.
«So, how’s your life? What did you do today?»
«Well, nothing special. What about you?»
«Working, as usual.»
Then, he looked straight into my eyes! Oh my God, how beautiful his eyes were! The brown iris with a big black sphere inside. My God, how I admire him!
He took my hand.
Fortunately, there was no one in the hall at the time.
«I love you,» he said, smiling.
«Mohammed,