Blue-Haired Muslim

Chapter 6: Struggles

   

     Max looked at Rana expectantly. He was finally going to answer a question that had nagged him for decades. Sam could see a tiny bit of apprehension behind Max's eyes, something the elder Jameson was trying his best to mask. He wondered what could have caused the two friends to, in an essence, stop being friends. 

     "I won't apologize for disappearing," Rana began and sipped on her tea before placing the cup and saucer back on the coffee table. "My situation at that time in life did not allow for me to think about anyone, but my family." 

     "Your family was a big deal to you even back then. I kind of understand, but I'm not going to lie, it was kind sucky to see you just, like, disappear," Max admitted before gulping down his tea and reaching for a cookie. 

     "I don't know if you remember, but our parents passed away when Ahmed was still quite young. Our grandmother had spent a good portion of her life raising her only grandchildren. When I turned fifteen, my grandmother's health began to deteriorate and with the rising prices of everything that was needed to go to school and pay rent, it was only a matter of time until I had to help her. When I turned sixteen, I dropped out of school. It saved a lot on our expenses and gave me time to focus on caring for my grandmother and Ahmed. I completed my GED and then began to work two or three different jobs. I disappeared to provide for my family. My grandmother passed away two years later. That was a tough time as well. I had recently joined the US Army and Ahmed was left without a guardian. I think that was the toughest period in my life. Tougher than fighting terrorists, tougher than being shot. The very idea that the state may take away my brother was something I couldn't bare, " Rana explained calmly.

     "You've been shot? By who?" Sam asked in surprise.

     "Numerous times, young one. I am a soldier, after all. All by those that claimed to share my faith. You are taught a new type of humility when entering a warring country. Unfortunately, these very people failed to realize that evil has no religion. Killing innocents is forbidden in all creeds. I'm sure you know this, seeing as you study Christianity," Rana explained with a slight nod.

     Max felt his heart race. He didn't understand why he felt so horrid. No, wait. He did. All these years, he had secretly considered Rana selfish for flaking on their friendship. Now that he knew the truth, he realized that HE had been the selfish one, not once asking her how things were at home. When she would patch up tears in her clothes, he never bothered to ask why she was being so thrifty. He had even told her to simply "get a new shirt." He gulped before studying the calm woman in front of him. She had never said anything about her hardships, instead taking them in stride. Had she always been this serious or was her demeanor the by-product of her struggles?

     "You deal with the cards that you're dealt and say alhamdulillah. That IS the Muslim way, anyhow," Ruby nodded before patting Rana's back. "Have I ever told you how awesome you are, Rana Baji?" 

        "At least three times a day, once per meal," Ahmed groaned. "Which is totally unfair because you only tell me I'm awesome once per day. There's favoritism in this house. I can feel it." 

     Sam smiled at the interaction between the three hosts. He had never really had any relatives so any number over two was considered a big family for him. He always wondered how some big families managed to get along so well. He knew that Max had an estranged brother somewhere in America, but he never really talked about him. Sam took a moment to look around his surroundings and could tell that even though the house was very large, there was a very homey feel to it. Rana was a woman who had sacrificed a lot to stabilize her family, that was something he could tell right off the bat. She's a warrior, Sam thought and felt a newfound respect for the woman. While studying his hosts, Sam noticed a small hand reaching up from under the coffee table. The hand proceeded to blindly feel around the table before settling on the plate full of cookies. 

     He looked up and gulped as Rana's eyes connected with his. The older woman smiled pleasantly and gave a slight nod, letting Sam know that she was well aware of the ghost-hand trying to pilfer cookies. Rana fixed the free end of her hijab, put her finished cup of tea on the table, and calmly called out,

     "Khadijah Amina Khan?" 

     Khadijah quickly sat up from under the table with a look of surprise and whispered,

     "I didn't take any! I was just testing them."  

     "Oh? Were you? Did they pass the test?" Rana asked pleasantly. 

      "Uh huh. They're real cookies," the little girl nodded before hopping into Ruby's lap.

     "Did your baba hang up?" Ruby asked before kissing the top of the little girl's head.

     "Yes, ma'am. He said he'd call again like always. He had to sleep now," Khadijah explained with a cheery smile. 

     "You may have one cookie, my love. Remember what I've told you?" Rana asked as she gently brushed back a few strands of hair from the little girl's face.

     "Ask before taking things. I'm sorry, Aunt Rana. You're not mad, are you?" Khadijah asked with a pout. 

     "Of course not, my love. We make mistakes and then we apologize. That's how we learn. Samuel, have another cup of tea," Rana insisted as she gestured towards the pot. 

     "Uh, please call me Max. This guy's Sam. I go by Max now," Max smiled before pouring himself another cup of tea.

     "Dad, you have to go to work soon," Sam reminded once he glanced at his phone. 

     "Alright, alright. One last cup and we're off," Max reassured his son. 

     "You must care very much about your father. It's refreshing to see that," Rana said in admiration before handing Khadijah a cookie.

     "Dad's awesome. He takes me to church even though he has Arabic class later and then work at night," Sam explained. 

     "Well Sam-Max," Rana corrected before proceeding, "has always been a kind person. It only makes sense that he would care about his own son's spiritual well being."

     "You both are embarrassing me," Max murmured over the rim of his cup as his ears turned a soft tinge of red.

    Sam smiled before running a hand over his faux hawk. His dad rarely connected so well with people he knew and to see him interacting so freely with Rana and her family made Sam feel good. The Jamesons finished their tea and proceeded to head towards the front door. Sam opened the door and nodded his head a little before saying, 

     "Thank you for the tea, ma'am. It was nice meeting you."

     "And you as well, Sam. My niece tells me that you felt a bit uncomfortable because of the looks you were getting at the mosque because of your hair. Don't let them deter you from joining your father when he prays. As you enjoy going to church, I'm sure Max enjoys having you at the mosque," Rana advised before placing her hand on his shoulder in a motherly fashion.

     Sam nodded and felt his own cheeks color furiously at the contact on his shoulder. He didn't realize that he had many preconceived notions when it came to Muslims and their households. Even though his own father had accepted Islam, he still seemed to think of Muslims as foreign. He wasn't sure how their families were set up or how the women were treated, but today he had seen something that really piqued his curiosity. There were actual Muslims in the military. Not only that, one of the most successful military service people was Muslim woman. He glanced at Rana and gnawed on his bottom lip. He wanted to know more. He wanted to know how a woman who had nothing had managed to succeed and lead the very people she used to work for. With all these thoughts in mind, he waved good-bye to the Hashemis and headed home with his father.