CHAPTER 9:UNEXPECTED CALLS

MAYA.

Hossein's voice was laced with concern as he slid onto the kitchen island opposite me, his eyes scanning my face for clues. "Whoa there, Maya. What seems to be the problem?" he asked, his brow furrowed in worry. "The only times I've seen you look like you want to murder someone is when you're around Drew. I'm guessing he's the one who just called?" His tone was tinged with a hint of amusement, but his eyes remained serious.

I let out a deep breath, my anger still simmering just below the surface. "No, it was not Andrew who called," I said, my voice firm, "and he shouldn't be calling me either." With a deliberate motion, I switched off my cell phone and tossed it aside, the silence that followed a palpable relief

Hossein's eyes sparkled with intrigue as he leaned in, his voice taking on a conspiratorial tone. "Ohhhh...so it's a he, but not Andrew. Hmmm! A potential suitor, perhaps?" He drew out the words, his curiosity palpable.

I let out a loud groan, my hands flying up to cover my face in exasperation. "Drop it, please! I don't wanna talk about it," I mumbled, my voice muffled by my hands. Hossein's expression turned sympathetic, and he nodded understandingly, seeming to sense that I'd reached my limit. I breathed a sigh of relief, grateful for his unwavering support.

As I sat there, feeling grateful for Hossein's presence in my life, a sense of calm washed over me. This was why I loved being around him – he always put me first, never pushing me to reveal more than I was willing to share.

Meanwhile, on the east coast of Jamaica, a lone figure stood at the airport gate, gazing down at a cell phone with an intensity that bordered on obsession. With one last, lingering look, the individual slipped the phone into their pocket and boarded the flight that would set in motion a chain of events destined to alter the course of everyone's life forever.

As I walked into the kitchen, fresh from my shower, Hossein looked up with a warm smile. "Thanks for lunch, Maya. I was really hungry," he said, his eyes crinkling at the corners. I rolled my eyes good-natured, nudging him playfully with my hip. "I don't know why you're thanking me for the lunch you made by yourself, Hossein. But, you're welcome!" I teased, chuckling at his silly gratitude.

Hossein's laughter was infectious, a deep, hearty sound that filled the kitchen. I couldn't help but smile, feeling a surge of affection for this kind-hearted man. He was indeed a sweet soul, always looking out for others and spreading joy wherever he went.

"True, but you had all the ingredients I needed to make lunch," Hossein pointed out, his eyes twinkling with mirth. "There's rarely enough – or any – mushrooms at our place because Min eats them like candy." I laughed at the image, and Hossein added, his voice dripping with mock despair, "It's a real nightmare when you want to make mushroom soup and there's no mushroom, Maya." His fake pout only made me laugh harder, and I shook my head, grinning at his silly antics.

I cooed in a baby-like voice, "Aww...you poor baby, you want your big sis Maya to buy you more mushrooms?" Hossein's laughter was instantaneous, his eyes sparkling with mirth as he doubled over, his body shaking with uncontrollable giggles. I couldn't resist joining in, our laughter intertwining like a harmonious melody, filling the kitchen with warmth and joy. The awkward tension from earlier dissipated, replaced by a sense of comfort and camaraderie.

-------------+++

A few hours later, as we lounged in the living room, Hossein suddenly said, "Antee Jameela." I turned to him, my expression puzzled, wondering if he'd lost his mind. But then he chuckled, his eyes crinkling at the corners, and said, "It means you're beautiful, Maya." My heart skipped a beat as I felt a flutter in my chest. I swore I wasn't blushing, but Hossein's sweet words had a way of making me feel like I was floating on air.

Hossein was, without a doubt, one of the kindest souls I'd ever met. His random compliments and sweet gestures always caught me off guard, leaving me feeling grateful for his presence in my life.

As the afternoon wore on, our laughter-filled hangout session only grew more enjoyable. After a delightful morning of joking about the most absurd things, I asked Hossein to teach me some Egyptian Arabic phrases. And let me tell you, it's been an absolute blast! I was thoroughly enthralled by the melodic sounds and intricate rhythms of the language. Hossein, being the kind and patient teacher that he is, guided me through the phrases with ease, making the learning process an absolute delight.

As we sat together, surrounded by the warm glow of the afternoon sun, I turned to Hossein with a mischievous glint in my eye. "Thank you, Hossein. That's sweet. Now, teach me something I can use to drive Andrew crazy." I asked, my voice laced with playful intent.

Hossein's eyes sparkled with amusement as he laughed, his fingers flicking my nose playfully. "You know I can't do that, silly," he teased, his voice dripping with mock innocence.

I clicked my tongue, nudging him on the shoulder with a grin. "Come on, Hossein! Just a little something to give him a hard time?" I coaxed, my eyes sparkling with mischief.

I teased, "You're taking this 'bros before hoes' thing really seriously, aren't you?" Hossein's response was dramatic, his lips zipping shut as he tossed an imaginary key over his shoulder. I burst into laughter, the absurdity of the gesture tickling my funny bone.

Hossein's expression turned serious, his eyes shining with affection. "I love you, Maya. You know that. But helping you piss off my brother is a big no." He chuckled, a hint of mischief dancing in his eyes. "Not like it would do you any good, though. Drew speaks it fluently."

My eyes widened in surprise, and I gasped, "La'a!" which meant "no" in Egyptian Arabic.

Hossein beamed with pride, his smile encouraging. "Aywa," he replied, which meant "yes". I felt a surge of accomplishment, thrilled that I could string together a few phrases without making a complete fool of myself. Hossein's pride in me was palpable, and I basked in the warmth of his approval, feeling grateful for this kind and patient teacher.

My voice came out more whiny than I'd intended, and Hossein's eyes crinkled at the corners as he chuckled. "But, how?" I asked, my curiosity getting the better of me.

Hossein leaned in a conspiratorial glint in his eye. "You already know Drew is like a brother to me, and my parents love him just as much as they love me, if not more," he said with a joking smile. I couldn't help but smile back, acknowledging the truth in his words. Drew did have a way of effortlessly charming those around him, making it impossible not to love him.

"It's kind of hard for a guy like him not to have picked up the language as time went by, especially since he spent most of his free time at my house since we were kids," Hossein explained, his laughter warm and nostalgic. I made a soft "oh" sound, the pieces falling into place.

Hossein's expression turned mischievous. "You know Drew can teach you too, right?" he asked, his eyes sparkling with amusement. I rolled my eyes, my skepticism evident. "Yeah, right after we work past insulting the heck out of each other part, you mean?" Hossein let out a loud groan, his face contorting in mock agony.

Hossein raised an eyebrow, his voice laced with amusement. "Come on, Maya. How long do you plan on keeping this 'I hate Drew act' up for?" He accompanied his words with a dramatic air quote, his eyes rolling heavenward in exasperation.

I shot him a look of incredulity. "I'm shocked you're even asking me that right now. Have you ever seen us together in the same space, Hossein?" I asked, my tone dripping with sarcasm. "He hates me more than I hate him." Hossein scoffed, his eyes rolling in a perfect imitation of mine.

"That's absurd, Maya," he said, his voice firm but gentle. "You two have your differences, but can't you at least put some effort into getting on his good side?" I let out a snort, my response instantaneous. "Can pigs fly?" The skepticism in my voice was palpable.

Hossein shook his head, a wry smile spreading across his face. "You're impossible to reason with, do you know that, Maya?" I couldn't help but laugh at his resigned tone. It was about time he realized just how unreasonable I could be when it came to Andrew.

I bowed my head slightly, saying "Shukrau" with a smile, the Egyptian Arabic phrase for "thank you" rolling off my tongue. Hossein chuckled, his eyes crinkling at the corners, and muttered, "And cheeky too, apparently." I laughed, feeling a warmth in my heart at our easy banter.

As we said our goodbyes a few minutes later, Hossein left a light kiss on my cheek, his gesture affectionate and familiar. I walked over to the kitchen island, my phone buzzing with an incoming text message. I read the message from Mrs. D out loud, and my curiosity was piqued.

"'Hello darling, how are you doing? I hope classes are going well. Please come over to the Villa tomorrow at your leisure time. I would like to discuss something important with you.'" I furrowed my brow, wondering what could be so important that Mrs. D wanted to discuss it with me in person.

"I guess I've been summoned," I said wryly, memories flooding back of all those times the matrons would schedule Zoom calls with Mrs. D when I was in high school, usually to discuss some mischief I'd gotten myself into. I couldn't help but smile at the nostalgia.

"Good times," I murmured to myself, my eyes drifting off into the past.