‘Cool.’ She nods, looking a little uncomfortable as she sits back in her chair.
‘Have you worked here long?’Do you come here often?Is how it sounds in my head.
‘A few years, almost as long as I’ve lived in Dubai. I’m from the UK originally, definitely more used to the rain than the sun.’
‘Must’ve been a change.’
‘Yeah, who’d have thought I’d have anything to say beyond the weather? I’ve had to find other topics of conversation since moving here.’
‘At least it’s consistent, I suppose. The weather, I mean.’
‘Consistently beige. What I wouldn’t give for a bit of grey, miserable, dreary drizzle.’ She rolls her eyes. ‘The weather isn’t great material for conversation when it’s the same almost every day. Except for the sand storms and the two annual days of rain. But I love a good sand storm, me.’ Sarcasm rings loud as she scrolls through her phone. ‘How are you finding us?’
‘Sorry?’
‘The school. How are you getting along?’
‘So far, so good.’
‘That’s cool.’ She nods, eyes rising. ‘But if you need anything, I’m just along the corridor.’ We’re quiet for a moment before she asks, ‘Do you like Dubai?’
‘I do. I suppose I’m lucky as I have a friend here, so I’m not completely alone in my adventures.’ I find myself fiddling with the papers on my knee, resolutely avoiding her gaze. I can’t mention Kai despite the excitement bubbling in my throat.A hot boy likes me!
‘That’s good. It can be pretty isolating when you first arrive, especially if you’re on your tod. Alone, I mean. At least you know someone. I arrived here knowing no one. It was a pretty crappy time.’
‘Did you move out here for work?’
‘Nah, I got married.’ She smiles almost apologetically.
She doesn’t look old enough to be married, but she must be, right? ‘Well, at least you had each other,’ I bluster.
‘Sort of.’ She laughs. ‘It was an arranged marriage. I moved here, almost sight unseen.’
If there’s an answer to that, I don’t know what it is. Commiserations? Felicitations? WTF?
‘Hey, don’t worry.’ Laughing again, probably at my expression, she says, ‘It’s a bit like internet shopping these days, without the returns service, though.’
‘Sorry, I’ve never met anyone who, you know...’ I grimace, embarrassed. ‘Though I think my Mum would be all over it.’
Slowly, she folds her arms across her chest, a formidable look perfected by teachers everywhere. ‘It’s like that, is it?’ she mocks, with a mischievous gleam. ‘You must be a fan of the bad-boys, then.’
‘No, not at all. At least I don’t think so. She’s just a bit overprotective, doesn’t seem to realise I’m not twelve.’
‘That I can understand. I don’t think I’ll ever be ready to let go, speaking as a mum myself.’
‘You have children?’
‘One, butinshallah—if God wills it—there’ll be more. Aliyah, my little girl, has just started kindergarten here. I don’t mind admitting, I’m starting to feel broody.’
Broody? She only looks about nineteen. ‘That must be convenient, being able to bring her to work, I mean.’
‘Yeah, it is. I don’t like leaving her with the maid.’ She smiles, sort of wistful. ‘She’s my little treasure and a proper little madam. Anyway, here I am droning on like one of those mad, besotted mums when all I really wanted to say was, welcome. Its no fun being a newbie and Dubai can be a pretty daunting place. So, if you need anything, habibti, just Haaala!’ She raises her voice at the last word, pushing her palms into the air, very gangsta style.Hijabi gangsta style.
‘I’ll remember that, thanks.’ I giggle in reply, then ask, ‘Do you speak Arabic?’ Maybe she could clear up a few things for me.
‘Nam,’ she answers, ducking her head in the affirmative.
‘Did you learn since you moved here?’
