The Summer We Came to Life

Chapter

46





JESSE’S MOVED. SHE’S KNEELING CLOSE TO ARSHAN.

“She loved you anyway. Mina adored you. And she knew you loved her. That’s what’s got you scareder than a sinner in a cyclone, right? Arshan, that daughter of yours was so much smarter than any of us. She told me that you were brilliant, secretly charming, and wounded. She knew you. She knew us better than we know ourselves.” Jesse wipes needlessly at her indelible eyeliner.

“Like Maliheh.”

“It wasn’t your fault.” Jesse’s voice is firm.

Arshan stares at the ocean, ignoring the statement.

“It wasn’t your fault,” Jesse repeats. “Your wife. Your son. Your daughter. None of ’em was anybody’s fault. You want to be blamed. Honey, I can tell. And Lord knows I understand.”

Arshan’s eyes are like glassy marbles.

“Well, I’m sorry, but we’re not going to blame you, mister. Mina loved her life. Whatever you gave her, it was enough. So stop it. Stop blaming yourself and stop tryin’ to forget them.” Jesse gently takes hold of Arshan’s jaw and turns his face to hers. “Make peace while there’s still time.”

A look washes over Arshan’s face that I can’t quite place. It’s like a dawning of understanding. But the look is for Jesse, that much is certain. He’s seeing Jesse anew, and wondering what happened to his faith in fate. Perhaps he’ll always have his grievances with Allah, but the North Star of his youth was something he had called fate. And fate demands only that you trust and relish the present. He puts his hand on Jesse’s wrist. His eyes crinkle with the echo of a smile. “Jesse, you’re enough to make an old man believe in angels.”