Chapter 19: 19. Lawns & Windows
Asahd’s POV:
I pulled up in front of my building at past nine. It felt so good to return earlier than usual.
I grabbed my bag and phone and stepped out of the car. Once outside, I shut the door...maybe a little
too hard because I heard an odd sound. I panicked immediately. The car worked good but it was still
old after all.
I reached for the doorknob of the driver’s seat and tried to open it. My heart skipped a beat when it
didn’t open. I tried all the other doors and they were stuck too!!! I tried unlocking with the keys but
nothing!
“Oh no, no,” I muttered. “How am I going to get in, now??”
I’d already spoiled the car. I felt like crying. I stared at the car hopelessly and then, I had an idea that
gave me a little hope.
“The open window!” I eximed and ran to the other side of the car. I got in through the open window
and then tried to open the doors from inside but to no avail. I couldn’t believe the bad luck that
continuously happened to me.
“This is too much,” I groaned helplessly and made my way out of the car through the window. “Guess
the only way I’ll be able to get in and out of this car is through it’s window. How pathetic.”
I was so close to shedding more tears and was very tempted to kick the hell out of that car. But that
was another risk I wasn’t willing to take at all.
Trying hard not to spoil my mood, I entered the building. I got to the apartment and used my own keys
to open the door. I stepped in and Sa?da was seated on a couch, watching TV.Content ? copyrighted by N?velDrama.Org.
“Hello~” she smiled and I smiled back.
“What’s up?”
“I’m okay. How was your day?”
“It was okay,” I dropped my bag andnded on a chair close by. “Where’s your father?”
“Asleep. You know he retires to bed, early, most of the time.”
“Right.”
She stared at me while I stared at the TV.
“You look a little down. What’s wrong with you this time?” she mused.
“You won’t believe what happened to me,” I chuckled a little, trying tough the pain off.
A lot of horrible things were happening to me and if I keptughing them off this often, I might explode
or grow mad, literally, some day.
“What?”
I told her about the car and sheughed.
“Seriously? Oh my. You know my father won’t help you fix it, right? And you need to keep at least a
week’s sry, to fix it,” she mused.
“Fuck that. That money is already too little for me. I’m not gonna waste it on an old car. Lieeees. I’ll get
in and out of that car, through the window. I’ll probably die of embarrassment but here, no one knows
me, and so, I’ll stick with it. End of topic,” I ended, rolling my eyes and sheughed.
“You see? Youined about that window from day one, and now, it saves your life.”
“And I hate that fact,” Iughed.
We were silent for a while, watching TV. But then I took out thirty dors from my pocket and gave it to
her as my daily contribution to whatsoever.
“Give it to Djafar, tomorrow morning.”
“Okay. You hungry?”
“That’s a dumb question. Of course I am!” I mused, throwing a cushion at her.
“Hahaha, okay. I cooked curry chicken stew and rice.”
My eyes grew wide and I stared at her.
“I hope you’re not gonna tell me that it’s a lie and that you actually cooked someme sauce and
noodles. Cuz I swear.”
“I mean it,” she cut me with augh. “I found a Moran store today, with all our spices and
necessities to cook our traditional meals.”
The joy. The joy! I wasn’t used to foreign food. Matter of fact, I hated it.
“So you can be at peace, now. From today, and thanks to that store, I will be able to cook most of our
meals so we feelfortable.”
“God bless you. You and your family!” I eximed happily and we stood. I followed her to the little
kitchen and took a seat at the little round table in a corner.
My mouth watered as I watched her warm the food. I’d missed our meals so bad. All the spice and all
the meat. The heavy meals I’d missed so bad.
Sa?da served me as well as herself and joined me at the table.
“You haven’t eaten yet?” I asked surprised, going to wash my hands and returning to the table.
“Nope. Wasn’t hungry earlier.”
“How can you not you not be hungry for curry chicken stew? I knew you were an alien or something,” I
teased and she poked me.
“Shut up.”
She then forced me to make a short prayer with her before we finally started eating.
“I’m invited to a party by my colleagues, tomorrow night. At one’s apartment,” I told her, my mouth full
of the delicious food. “Mm. Oh gawd, this is delicious. There’s a party in my tummy right now.”
“Thank you. Are you gonna go?”
“Huh?”
“To the party, idiot,” she mused.
“I don’t know. Like I already told you, they’re all very cool and already consider me as a friend of theirs.
Though I’m still a little skeptical.”
“Why?? You’re not ready to hang with them because they’re toomon?” she teased.
“Sa?da stop. You know that’s not it. I’m just notfortable in this city, yet. I’m not used to it, yet.”
“The only way you are gonna get used to it is by blending in with the others. By being friends with the
simplest of people and learn to adapt to their way of life,” she advised and I looked at her.
“I need a little more time. I’ll think about the party issue,” I replied.
“Alright.”
-
I ate happily. I finished the first te and begged for another which Sa?da gave me. The meal was
delicious! I needed to regain all that energy back. I was so happy I would be eating more of our
traditional meals, now.
As I finished my second te and discussed with Sa?da, my phone rang. I looked at it. It was an
unknown number. I picked.
“Hello?”
"Hello, is this Asahd?” a female voice asked.
“Yes? This is?”
"A customer. If you’re free tomorrow, I would like to get awn mowed. I’m actually a housing agent. I
sell houses to people and I’ll be needing you to mow thewns of some unsold houses, before I
present them to my clients. But for now, I need you to mow just one, which I will present to avable
clients on Monday.”
I was gonna ask her if I fucking looked like a gardener, in the rudest manner ever, but then I
remembered that I was the one who had given my number to some people to call, if ever they needed
theirwn, mowed. I needed extra money!
“Oh. Um, okay. I’m free tomorrow. I can be there at one or two.”
"Alright. I’ll send the address.”
“Alright,” I hung up with a smile.
“Who was it?” Sa?da asked. I told her about it all and how I’d given my number toplete strangers.
“I knew that none of them would call back. Like who the hell would let a stranger to their property, just
to mow awn?” I mused. “But luckily, I fell on a real estate agent. I do hope she keeps me.”
“Hopefully. Have you ever mowed awn?” Sa?daughed.
“Nope,” Iughed. “But I’ll find a way.”
“I’lle with you tomorrow. But I’ll wait in the car. I’m bored when I stay here.”
“Alright.”
***
The next afternoon, Sa?da told Djafar our ns and we left the apartment. The real estate agent had
texted me the address.
“I get in, first,” I mused and got in through the window. Sa?da burst outughing.
“Ha-ha. You’ll have to get in too,” Iughed, once inside. Giggling like a kid, she got in through the
window and Iughed, dodging when she almost kicked me in the face while struggling to sit straight.
“This is so embarrassing!” she mused.
“You see?!” I chuckled and started the car.
*
We pulled up in the quiet neighborhood.
“The house is probably around that corner. You sure you want to wait here?” I asked her.
“Yup.”
“Okay. I’ll be fast. Now excuse me,” I straddled across aughing Sa?da and sessfully made it out of
the window.
“I have to film you, the next time you get in,” sheughed.
“Yeah right,” I mused and walked away.
I found the real estate agent and house. Of course I increased my price to 30 dors because the grass
was kind of overgrown. Like really. She had no problem. I grabbed the machine and only heaven
knows how I seeded in starting it. I started mowing and actually did a very good job. I was done
after thirty minutes. She was satisfied, paid me and promised to call me back for another job.
′I’m the Man! I mowed thatwn better than the Royal gardener, back in Zagreh!′ I chuckled to myself at
the funny and exaggerated thought.
---
Sa?da’s POV:
I’d gotten out of the car after being bored and tired. I was leaning against it and waiting for Asahd to
return as soon as possible.
I was d when I spotted himing. From his smile, I knew he’d done a good job.
“Wait! Stop right there!” Iughed and he halted, amused.
“What?”
I took my phone out and started recording.
“I want to film you, entering this car,” I mused.
“Are you serious?? You’re unbelievable.”
“You have no choice but to get in after all,” I mocked.
He shook his head in amusement. Giving up, he started walking towards the car. I watched and filmed
in amusement as he got in through the window. Iughed.
“Let’s go!” heughed and motioned me over from the open window.
“I’ll keep this video for life,” I mocked and went to join him.
~~~~~~