Chapter 55: Chapter 55
At the large dining table, only Rakia seemed to be enjoying breakfast alone. After her morning workout with Dashtan, she showered and then ate breakfast alone, while her husband met her father-in-law. She actually wanted to know what they discussed, it was a journalist’s natural instinct to know everything, especially if the objects were people like Dashtan and her father-in-law. After finishing breakfast, she had nothing else to do so decided to go to the kitchen to see what was going on there and chat briefly with the maids who were working. They had been working with their employer for quite some time, especially the head of the household, whose name Rakia always forgot, probably because she felt awkward and clumsy in such a luxurious place.
Rakia left the kitchen for another room on the second floor. When she reached the top of the stairs, she faintly heard the sound of a piano. Curious, she followed the direction of the sound with slow steps and the closer she got, the clearer it sounded. Chopin’s tones flowed so smoothly without any hesitation in pressing the keys. Rakia peeked into the room where the piano was located and there in front of the elegant and graceful instrument, sat her mother-in-law playing Chopin’s tune so skillfully. Rakia took a position leaning against the semi-circular arch-shaped wall in front of the room.
Now she knew where Dashtan’s musical talent came from. The woman was distracted by the figure of Rakia who had been listening to the melody she was playing.
“Oh, sweat heart. Come here, do you want to play it?” the woman offered kindly, Rakia smiled and approached the woman and sat on the chair that Mahira was currently sitting on. It happened to be a bench without a backrest.
“I’m not very good, but at least I can play. You play so wonderfully,” Rakia praised earnestly. Mahira laughed softly.
“I used to be a music teacher but the call to design clothes dominated so playing the piano was just a hobby.” Mahira tells a short story, her mind reminiscing about the time when she was a piano music teacher at a school in Paris. It was just a side job to supplement her income as a student studying at a fashion school.
“It was amazing. I even left the music class because I wanted to take the broadcasting class more. I have no talent for music,” Rakia admitted, smiling with pursed lips.
“Then let’s start the music class now.” Mahira turned to her daughter-in-law with a smile. Rakia said yes and they played the Chopin tune again with Mahira starting first before Rakia duetted with her. They enjoyed playing the piano until they finished the Chopin tune perfectly.
“Remarkable! That was great playing. Dashtan and I haven’t done this much since he’s been busy being a man like his stepfather.” Mahira seemed to let out a long sigh as her mind pondered.
“Dashtan is a wonderful man. A handsome genius who is loved by many women,” Rakia said as she looked down with a smile, her mind displaying Dashtan’s face for a moment.
“Is that how he is in the public eye? Oh, too bad...,” Mahira said, which only made Rakia’s curiosity rise to the surface.
“Does Dashtan have another side?” Rakia looked at Mahira curiously. The woman pursed her lips tightly as her face implied sadness.
“About him being a genius, that’s true. I was surprised by that one. Since he was born into this world he never met his biological father. His father died before he was born. Until I felt he really needed a father figure, I decided to remarry and i grateful that I met a man like Ghani. He fully accepts Dashtan as a son and is very supportive of his potential.” Mahira let out a long sigh, pausing her story about her son.
“But his worst moment came when his relationship with Dalilah ended badly. Dashtan, who is introverted by nature, became even more introverted when his heart was broken by a woman. I understood him not having many friends because of God’s blessings, and I also understood what Dalilah meant in his life, which is why he was so down. I don’t know everything about my son’s relationship with Dalilah but I can see that Dahstan loved that woman very much but unfortunately she broke his heart.”
Rakia looked at every expression Mahira showed as she told her story. Sadness was the main thing she caught from the woman.
“A broken heart causes mental distress too. Dashtan once had an alcohol addiction and was in rehab for three years. He was 20 years old at the time, but luckily he got through the tough time during rehab. Heartbreak changes several things about him including his emotions.” Mahira looked down then lifted her face and turned to Rakia.
“Thank you for accepting him as he is.” She said it sincerely. Rakia felt half-guilty but she didn’t want it to be so obvious that it would lead to misunderstandings. She did not really know Dashtan and at this moment she wanted to try to get to know the man even though they would eventually part ways. Rakia just gave a sympathetic smile.
“Ow, I want to show you something, at the same time I want to ask a favor, come on.” Mahira diverted the topic from the emotionally charged conversation. She rose to her feet followed by Rakia and left the music room to a room still on the second floor. They entered another room and Rakia was quite surprised by the messy room. There was a faceless female mannequin and a black wooden table with slender legs. An automatic sewing machine and a sofa. A wide glass window overlooking the Persian Gulf. The room was bathed in light with white marble floors. There were abstract paintings of different sizes adorning two walls in the room.
Mahira walked over to her desk and searched for a picture among the piles of others.
“Voila!” she exclaimed, bringing the picture and showing it to Rakia. An elegant-looking dress design. Rakia widened her eyes in surprise and amazement.
“Excellent, you are a true designer.” Rakia praised with her gaze never leaving the sketch.
“The dress is currently being worked on by my team of seamstresses, if you wish I would like you to wear the dress at the premiere event.”
Rakia was surprised again, this time she even gaped which made Mahira laugh at her expression.
“But, Moma, I’m not a model. I’m a journalist.” She declared her defense of her candidacy as an impromptu model. Mahira smiled almost laughing so that her smile lines were visible, indicating that she was no longer young. Despite that, she was still one of the trends among the world’s people in fashion.
“It can be arranged, you will only appear once for the final performance, and... This dress will be yours. How’s that?” Mahira looked at her daughter-in-law with an offering look, while Rakia was still considering the offer. She honestly just wanted the dress but she definitely wouldn’t get it any other way than accepting this offer unless she bought it at a price that would make her instantly poor.
“When is the fashion show?” asked Rakia and Mahira smiled and said, “Deal! Next month at Canada fashion week. I hope you clear your schedule by then.”
Rakia looked back at the sketch of the dress in her hand at the moment with her mind racing. As she pondered, the door to the room opened and revealed Dashtan there. The man looked at the two women in the room in turn.
“Do you need anything, Son?” asked Mahira looking at her son who was silent as he looked at her and Rakia in turn.
“My wife and I will be gone for a while. What time is dinner?”
“Eight sharp, don’t be late. And oh, Rakia, Moma will give you the clothes you should wear tonight. It’s our big family event, so you have to look like a queen from a land we brought here. You must look great,” Mahira said which only made Rakia stare at the woman with a faint frown but she nodded anyway before approaching Dashtan and following the man.