Architect and Mrs Dantata

20: ZAYD

Stanford Stadium towers in front of me and I take a moment to take it all in before finding my way to Gate B. Like Amal promised, Mahmud is there and he smiles as soon as he sights me.

It's easy to smile back; way too easy. I love it. "Hi, Mahmud."

"Hi, Zayd. I hope you got here without any hitches."

I nod. I still can't believe I overslept. "I did. It's hard to miss, especially with the crowd coming this way." I look around. "I'm not late, right?"

"No, not at all. They're starting in about seven minutes. Let's go?"

I nod. "Yeah, let's go."

For a graduation ceremony, the stadium is quite full and it's a sight to take in. One side of the stadium – the part behind the set up stage – is empty and like Amal explained yesterday, it's because no one seated there will be able to see what's going on; especially with the university's flags hanging down. On the stage are chairs for the university's governing body and for special guests. In front of the stage are chairs arranged in sections for the graduating students; both first and advanced degrees.

Everyone else is to find a seat in the available seating space and like Amal promised; we (Muhammad, Aisha, Mahmud and I) get seats on the third row in the very middle with a view that's better than I thought.

I smile at Muhammad and Aisha. "Assalam Alaykum."

They smile back, Aisha replying before her husband can do so. "Waalaykum Salam, Zayd...Masha Allah, you look really good."

Muhammad shoots her a look and I've seen Baba do the same with Mama so many times. I can't help but laugh. "Thank you. You look good too."

She does actually look good in a lilac dress and its complimenting veil wrapped around her head. Colour rushes to her cheeks; just like Amal. "Oh please. Sit down. Mahmud, sit down."

I sit beside Muhammad while Mahmud sits on her other side. Muhammad gives me a small smile. "How are you this morning, Zayd?"

I nod. "Good, Alhamdulillah. How are you?"

"Good too. You didn't oversleep because of the dinner we had last night koh?"

The laughter comes out of me with so much ease. "I didn't. I actually went to bed early but I guess I've been really tired so my body took the opportunity. It took me time to realize I had prayed Fajr when I finally woke up."

His smile stretches a little wider. "I can imagine." He hands me the event's programme which I didn't realize he had been holding all this time. "I got one for you. They'll be starting very soon."

"Thank you."

"There's no need for that, Zayd, but you're welcome."

It's the fourth time he's said that to me and my chest warms again. Dinner with him yesterday after having lunch with Amal was beautiful and while he's quite the introvert, there's a little extrovert deep, deep inside. I've caught glimpses of it and it's beautiful.

I decide to focus on the programme in my hand, remembering all that Amal explained yesterday as we ate in this cosy little restaurant that I would have missed if she wasn't there to point it out.

Stanford University usually does a commencement and not a graduation but this set – Amal's set – wanted to be different and it took them a year to get the management to agree, which altered the calendar and pushed the ceremony to July instead of June. The commencement ceremony usually lasts for three days during which there would be the commencement ceremony, a baccalaureate ceremony and then the individual diploma ceremonies which would be held department by department at the different schools situated across the campus before there would be a brief reception.