Other Side

23 | wa-Laylah

The next morning, Talia and Zaid got an early start to their day.

They were out of the house by seven-thirty. Though yawning left and right, sleep had long left them, and hunger had taken its place. She leaned her head on the passenger seat window and dug her hands into the pockets of her black parka, gazing at the passing scenery of wiry trees and dirt-laden piles of snow.

Ten minutes into the quiet ride, her phone buzzed in her small purse. The number was unrecognizable, but something told her to answer.

"Hello?"

"Hi, Talia. How are you?"

Dad?

"Oh, hi," she chuckled. "I didn't recognize the number."

"Yeah, we're on our layover in France right now. Calvin told me he's been texting you with updates, but I'm not sure if you've received any of them."

Received probably wasn't the problem. She hadn't opened her phone in over ten hours, consumed by her infatuation with Zaid, burying those messages among twenty other unopened ones.

"Oh yeah, well, I've been busy and whatnot." She cleared her throat when she noticed Zaid's eyes linger on her face. "Is your trip really already over?"

"Your flight's in two days, Talia," he chuckled, voice fading a little. She could hear the bustle of travelers in the background as he moved somewhere quieter. "Thankfully, I can sleep off some of this jet lag when we get back home, but your mom and Cal are going straight back to work and school."

Note to self: own your own company.

"Oh gosh, don't remind me," she mumbled, rubbing her forehead from her own sleep deprivation. "Well, I hope you guys have a safe flight. Tell Cal I'll stop ignoring him sometime."

"Wait a moment, Talia," he said. He hesitated over his next few words, while she gripped her phone case harder, staring at the empty road ahead. "Your mom wants to talk to you. She's sitting right next to me."

Of course, Talia thought. Now that her mother was away from her family, she was back to the woefully oblivious version of herself, who missed her daughter without knowing why she'd missed her in the first place.

"Um, I—" Talia closed her eyes for a moment, heart skipping a beat for nothing. It was just her mother, after all. "I don't know if I have time right now. Maybe I can call back later?"

Her father released the faintest of sighs, knowing she was lying. "No worries, habibti. Take care of yourself for me."

"Shukran, Baba," she thanked him, voice barely above a whisper, noting Zaid's drifting eyes. "Love you."

He didn't comment as they exited the car and hurried to the bakery to pick up breakfast. The toasty air of the inside was a stark contrast to the icy early-morning weather, but she was already numb, perfect mood destroyed by that simple phone call.

"What bagels do your grandparents like?" Zaid asked, pulling her out of her thoughts. He stared at the assorted baskets behind the counter, holding flavors that ranged from as simple as whole wheat and salt to as unconventional as rainbow and tomato-basil.

"My grandparents?"

"We're bringing them back breakfast, aren't we?"

She blinked. "Oh, right, sorry. I don't know where my brain went." She glanced back at the display before her and chose a kind at random. "Sesame is always a safe bet."

"Sesame it is," he said and dragged his gaze down her face. "Hey, if you want to tell me your coffee order, you can go sit down, and I'll do the ordering."