Emeralds

Two.

Two

[Adam]

“Happy birthday to you.. Happy birthday to you.. Happy birthday to Adam.. Happy birthday to you.”

You’re never too old to celebrate your birthday with your family and friends. That makes you never age. This is the twenty-fifth time we gather around the dining table, and they sing for me. But father was only there for fifteen years. He died ten years ago.

“Now make a wish, uncle.” Malek, my nephew tells me clapping his hands. Maybe even this five-year-old child knows that those wishes don’t come true just because you wish them on your birthday, but children love to hope. Even more than we do. However, I close my eyes and do make a wish, then blow the twenty-five flickering candles off.

Fifteen minutes later, we’re in the living room. All of my family, and it’s big, mashallah. There’s mom, my three siblings: Omar, my older brother; Mariam, my younger sister; and Aya, the youngest of us. Then there’s Hend, Omar’s wife; Malek, Omar’s son; and Aisha, Omar’s three-months-old daughter. And last but not least is my best friend Ahmed, whom I’ve known for ten years.”

Family is the most precious thing to me, but it’s even different for Malek and Aisha, they’re my entire life.

“Are you staying here longer this time?” mom asks.

“Yeah, I guess I won’t have any trips for three weeks.”

“Being a pilot is really cool, uncle.” Malek says with those wide innocent eyes, and chubby cheeks making me smile.

“It is, Malek.” I mess with his silky hair, “But sometimes you just miss your family and want to come as soon as it can be.”

“So how did you find Japan?” Aya asks.

“I can’t even explain it,” I say, “I’ve never seen anything like it, or any people like the Japanese. They’re amazing. I’ve never seen such organized and respectful people.”

“I wanna go there!” she whines.

“I told you I’ll take you in your summer vacation.”

“Ugh, that’s really far from now!” she argues. “Plus I’m really stressed out starting university next week.”

“University is cool, Aya.” I say, “You’ll enjoy it.”

“Please,” she rolls her eyes, “stop talking like a forty-year-old man. Plus I would really love to go back to school again.” she pauses for a second. “Wait, no. I don’t want that either. Look, I wanna stay home reading.”

“Fine then, you choose staying home over going to Japan.” I tease her.

“What?” she exclaims.

“Look, Adam. Never mind.” I laugh at her reaction.

“I said I’ll take you there you little brat.”

“Don’t call me that.”

“Don’t narrow your eyes like that.”

“You–”

“Enough both of you!” Mom cuts her off. “How old do you think you are?”

“25.”

“18.”