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On the way to Rabayat City, Malik told an enraptured Amie about the customs that accompanied the festival: there would be dances, local e parade As they stepped out of the lie of locals selling water and refreshments
The festival was a bustle of colors, tourists, bustlingarray of foods Aoers, laughing as people took colored powder and threw it into the air The poould catch on to sweat andparticipants in a rainbow of colors
A few hours later, Amie, too, was baked in a rainbow of colors; her brown hair now a mess of purple, yellow, and red, and her carefully painted onThe air smelled like heat, sand and smoke and just when she was ready to sit down and rest, Malik told her the time had come to introduce her to his mother
The woman walked up with her husband, somehow incredibly clean from the festivities, and looked her son over with no small level of suspicion Zafina was there, as well, and whispered so to her mother as the three of them approached
“This is her, then?” hishimental!
Ah cheekbones that gave her an air of grace She had beautiful skin, though not without its fair share of wrinkles She looked tired and wore no makeup, but revealed a beautiful smile that reminded Amie of Malik’s She wore a cream-colored hijab and a yellow dress with arabesque patterns of foliage and tendrils It was a beautiful piece that A
“Mother,” Malik said with a s towards Amie “This is my fiancée, Amie Shaw Amie, this is my mother, Sadira”
“Such a beautiful na on her professional wo warmly at Sadira “It’s so nice to meet you”
They walked for a few blocks before anyone properly spoke to A up on Malik’s life in A her questions about herself Every so often, his mother would look Amie up and down and nod slowly
During their walk together, Amie was surprised at how many locals came up and asked Malik if she was his new American bride-to-be Clearly the royal family ell-liked and respected, as all of the passers-by would give over-enthusiastic congratulations to the couple and fire alldate, would they be getting married in Rabayat?
In truth, Areat on her feet, though, and ive answers that only see While not everyone who approached Malik spoke English, they were all kind and congratulatory and made her feel truly welcome in their country
They spent the afternoon with Malik’s fa the festivities, before Sadira finally asked Ao for a ith her A help, but he oodbye with his hand
They wandered between stalls selling spices and pastries, taking in the sights and sounds of the festival around them, until Sadira stopped in front of a jewelry vendor and turned to face her, addressing her solemnly “You love my son?”
“Very much, yes,” Amie said with a polite nod
“What do you love about him?” Sadira asked briskly
Amie took a breath and pretended to look over the handood heart,” she said “I know he’s very proud of his business, and he should be; he’s sh”
“A happy h Laugh at your faults, your mistakes, whenever you can,” she said slowly, finally relenting to a small smile “You know he has a reputation in the United States?”
Amie nodded slowly “Yes, I know”
“So her words carefully “Sometimes they don’t possess the same virtues that we do, but when they repent it is our duty to forgive them Do you believe in God?”