When I’m about half-done with my shawarma, someone sits down in front of me at my table. It’s the older woman from behind the counter—the one who scolded the younger one for gossiping.
She looks to be in her thirties or maybe early forties, and is also wearing a Shawarma Delight sweatshirt, but with a black hijab. She’s pretty, with fair skin and kind eyes. “You said you’re Salma’s friend?”
“Yes.”
“My name is Ausma. How well did you know her?”
I’m not sure how I should play this. If I’m honest with her and tell her that I’ve never met Salma, I’m afraid she won’t talk to me. But I can’t pretend I do know her because she’ll ask questions I can’t answer. “I know ... the family.” Maybe since I’m Brown, this woman will believe I’m a friend of the family.
She looks at me curiously. “You’reJayesh’sfriend, right?”
I nod. Is it possible that Jay told this woman to trust me, too? Like he told his mother and cousin?
“He’s such a good boy,” Ausma says. “He was good to his mother.”
“You and Salma were . . . are . . . close?”
The woman nods. She exhales. “I haven’t seen or heard from her in a long time. But ... Jay was here. That day, I mean. When he went missing. I think heknew. He told me that if something ever happened to him to make sure I’m there for Salma.” Her eyes get a little glassy with tears. She shakes her head. “But I failed her. I wasn’t there for her. I’m working so hard. I have my own kids and a busy restaurant. Andnow Salma’s gone too. That day, I asked Jay if he had a girlfriend yet. I haven’t forgotten what he told me. He said there was a girl he’s close to, and that he hoped one day they could be even closer. He told me she was helping him. And that he hoped his family and friends would help her in the future. That’s you, isn’t it?”
Jaydidtell her about me. I can feel my eyes well with tears. He said if something happened to him away from the room, he would get a message to me. Is this that message?
I nod, wiping my eyes. “Did he say anything else? How was he? Did he seem upset?”
She shakes her head. “No, there was nothing else. He was ... cheerful, in fact. The way he talked about you ... I remember thinking,This girl makes him very happy. I wish I had more to tell you.”
I exhale. When he spoke to this woman, he didn’t know yet what was going to happen. Or he would have told her more.
“Are you trying to find him? Is that why you are asking questions?” she asks.
I nod. “I’m trying to find them both.”
Ausma hands me a plastic bag. I peek inside. It’s filled with envelopes. I know what this is. Ausma must be the friend who’s been collecting Salma’s mail.
“Her mail,” I say.
“Can you use this to find them? I didn’t want to give it to her brother. I don’t know what she was hiding from him ... but ...” She sighs.
I peer into the bag. It looks like it’s mostly bank statements and junk mail. “I don’t know. Maybe ...”
“I wish I could help more. Salma was private about a lot of things. We were friends, but she never talked about anything big, you know? Not about her past.”
I nod. She’s telling me she doesn’t know who Jay’s father is.
“What was ... is Salma like?” I ask.
The woman smiles sadly. “She was like the sun. I didn’t realize how bright she made everything until she was gone. Find them, okay? I put my number down in there, call me if you need any help. Anytime.”
I nod and thank Ausma, and she says a prayer for me, Jay, and Salma before going back behind the counter. I’m not sure if what Ausma told me, or this mail, will help at all, but it’s clear that Ausma misses Salma. And Jay.
If Jay told Ausma about me the day he disappeared but didn’t leave me a significant message, then it’s clear that when he was here at lunchtime, he didn’t yet know what was going to happen that night. I shove the bag of mail into my backpack. I’ll talk to Jay about it before opening any of it.
When I get back downtown, I see Gracie waiting for me at the subway station near the College of Art. She’s wearing baggy jeans and a bright floral button-up, along with her signature cardigan—this one in yellow. While we walk to the café near the campus, I tell Gracie what the woman at the sandwich shop said.
“Oh wow,” Gracie says. “That’sso sad. His mom is gone too. No wonder she hasn’t spoken to the media recently. Do you think she even knows that they found Jay’s coat and phone on the weekend?”
“Probably. Unless ... I don’t know. Jay’s aunt really, really didn’t want to talk to me today.”
“Hopefully Manal will be more talkative. What information do you want to get from her?”
