losing caleb

xix ~ caleb

my parents accepted pari as their own

they showered her with love

and sent her christmas presents

best of all

she adored them

while pari and my parents had a strong relationship

i only met hers once

and the circumstances were not

great

it was ramzaan

the muslim month of fasting

and though i told pari to eat

she was stubborn

and one busy morning

while i rushed from literature

to drop pari to history

i found her sitting on a bench

i asked 'are you okay?'

she nodded and held out her hand

i helped her up

before i knew it

she collapsed in my arms

they let me ride in the ambulance

but i had to sit in the waiting room

it seemed like forever

finally her parents burst in

she'd told me about them

her mothers roots

were pakistani

but her grandmother moved the family to america

when her mother was twelve

her father

was a lawyer

she also said that they

were orthodox christians

but that was all i knew

they flew right past me

an hour later

her father emerged

with a tight lipped smile

'go home son'

and i said

'i'd rather not, sir'

he frowned

and went back in

when i was on my way

to get a sandwich

i crossed her room

the door was open a crack

i could see her

just barely

lying in a white hospital gown

her parents were sitting around the bed

hand in hand

heads bowed

and i heard her father's gruff voice

'...and we also ask you, lord, to forgive our daughter for her mistake

and wash away her act of sin

amen.'

a mistake

act of sin

they were talking about

islam