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Chapter Forty-one
Sloan walked into the Amans’ summer kitchen behind Alia, his embarrassing discomfort likely noticeable after their interaction on the street.Shit, man, you need to get control of this predicament. Tonight… For sure. Jesus!
He quickly leaned against the side of the couch and crossed one leg over the other, trying to appear nonchalant.
Janna, unaware of his suffering, called to her husband. “Sam, we have company.” Anya, who had been playing with her toys, spotted Sloan and her tiny face lit up with a huge grin. She scrambled to her feet, fell once and then crawled to him instead. Moving like a speeding train, babbling with joy, she reached up, her intentions clear, and they were instantly obeyed.
Sloan passed the empty measuring cup over to Alia and gladly picked up the beaming infant, nuzzling her tummy the way she loved and chuckling at her screams of delight.
Janna spotted the cup in Alia’s hand and reached for it. “I know what you have come to borrow. Your sugar was empty yesterday. You’re very welcome to some of mine.” She hustled to the counter and filled the container and put it on the small table by the doorway.” Then she scurried around, loading the table with mugs and plates. Doilies decorated the table center and there she placed platters of cookies and cakes.
Sam entered the room and rushed to Sloan, his hand outstretched to shake and welcome his neighbor. “Please come in. Faisal, take your sister for her nap.” The boy collected the little girl from Sloan’s arms and ignored her wails of dismay. Once Anya saw the bottle her mom held out, she reached for it and settled right down while her brother took her from the room.
To Sloan, Janna appeared anxious, even nervous, as did Sam. Wanting to reassure, he admitted. “Yes. We’re out of sugar and I’ve come begging. But please don’t fuss.” He pointed to the small suitcases by the entrance. “You have company. We’ll leave you to your guests.”
“Nonsense. You must meet my niece and nephew, right, Sam?”
“Of course. Dina, go and ask your cousins to come and join us.” Sam touched his five-year-old on her shoulder and she rushed from the room.
A few seconds later, a twenty-something man entered, walking in front of a young woman. His skin was dark, hair black and his mahogany eyes appeared furtive, almost shifty.
Sam made the introductions, and Sloan reacted as he would with any stranger he’d just met. But Yasir hesitated before shaking hands. He wouldn’t look at Sloan. The floor held more interest.
When Alia stepped forward, Yasir nodded, and then brushed rudely past her and took a seat at the table.
Leah, the young woman who’d followed held more interest for Sloan. She looked like her brother but with one difference: her eyes held hatred, cold and simple. She didn’t like him, and he instinctively returned the sentiment.What a disagreeable witch!She was nothing like her aunt, who was showing her discomfort by talking much louder than normal.
“Please, everyone sit.” Janna gently led Alia to the chair next to her and graciously pulled it out for her guest.
Sam, anger covering his face at the disrespect shown to his neighbors, followed and sat next to Sloan. The other two guests slumped into their seats next to Alia and began conversing in their own language.
Janna fussed, making sure that everyone had a chance to select some baked goodies. She blushed at the obvious disrespect of her family, and Sloan applauded Alia’s attempts to open a conversation with Yasir and Leah.
“Are you here for a long visit, Yasir?”
“Two weeks. We have time off from our jobs.”
Alia continued, still trying hard to make a connection. “I hope you get to see as much of Hawaii as you can during your stay. The island is beautiful.”
“Yes.”
The following silence was wrought with discomfort. Leah began talking with Yasir in their own language, their voices low, leaving the others out of the conversation.
Suddenly Sam banged his fist down hard. The contents on the table rattled and Janna’s expressed dismay rang in the silence. “We will speak in English. That is the language of this country, and we will respect it. Understood?”
“Yes, Uncle.” Both his relatives spoke together, their disrespect appearing on their faces rather than in the tones of their voices.
“Now, pass the plates and let us eat.”
Sloan let Sam lead him into conversation, but all the while he watched the others. Yasir and Leah ignored attempts from their aunt to draw them out by answering in terse, short sentences. Within a short time, they thanked their aunt for the food, excused themselves and left the room.
Janna had the last word on the subject. “I’m very sorry for my niece and nephew’s bad manners. Truly, they are like strangers to me. Once we married, my brother and I didn’t live close and we seldom saw each other. I’m sure after they have a sleep and recuperate from the long flight, they will behave better.”
Sloan knew that Sam had felt offended by their behavior and disgraced by the pair, and he wished to smooth things over. But he wasn’t sure how to go about doing so without appearing rude.
Thankfully, Alia knew exactly what to say.
“Please. You mustn’t be annoyed with them. They’re new to the U.S. and maybe they’ve heard misleading information about how we live. Let them experience for themselves that most people here on the Islands are kind and friendly. No doubt, they will go home with a completely different attitude.”
Breathing a huge sigh of relief, Janna’s eyes gleamed with unshed tears and she reached across for her husband’s hand. “You see, Sam. It will all work out fine. We must have patience.”
