Deep chuckles of a voice she knew all too well. Amaal beamed.
“If your Baba finds out you talk like this…”
Soft giggles.
“Don’t tell Samar.”
“Samar, now?” His voice was bright, happy, amused. “Am I your friend?”
“Feinds do seepovers.”
“True, I did many sleepovers with your Baba, now it’s your turn.”
“What you do?”
“We… uhhh… stayed awake.”
“Yay!”
“But slept before… 1 o'clock.”
“Noooo!”
“Yes,” Samar’s low laughter rang out.
“At SFFF?”
“Who told you about SFF?”
“Baba.”
“You are too young to know about SFF.”
“I big!”
“How big?”
Rustling, and groaning, and then Samar’s dramatic grunt.
“Ok, you are big, and now it’s time to sleep.”
“What happen here?”
“I went too close to the fire.”
“Why?”
“Because…”
“Your Baba no shouted?”
“Hmm, my Baba didn’t shout at me on time.”
Tears came to her eyes and Amaal blinked them away.
“Mmmkay.”
And then, suddenly, silence fell.
