Page 116 - A Woman Is No Man

Deya

Winter 2008

Deya was convinced she was dreaming. She stood in the center of the

bookstore, staring at Sarah, stunned. There was so much to say, and she
opened her mouth, searching for the right words, but none came to her.
“Let’s sit,” Sarah said with a wave of her hand. Her voice was strong,
declamatory.
Deya followed her down the bookstore, mesmerized. She glanced at all
the books, hundreds of them, covering most of the exposed brick walls.
There was a café bar at the end of the room, with coffee tables arranged

around it, and a few people sat with books and cups of coffee in hand. She
followed Sarah to the corner of the café, where they settled opposite each
other on a pair of chairs by a window. The smell of coffee and the overcast
winter sun through the window created a warm glow between them.
“I’m sorry I couldn’t tell you who I was over the phone,” Sarah began.
“I was afraid you’d tell my parents I called.”

“I’m confused,” Deya said, sitting up. “I thought you were in Palestine.
How long have you been back? Why don’t Teta and Seedo know you’re
here?”
“That’s a long story,” Sarah said in a soft voice. “It’s part of the reason I
reached out.”
Deya blinked at her. “What’s the rest?”
“I know they want you to marry soon. I wanted you to know you have

choices.”
“Choices?” Deya could feel herself start to laugh. “Is that a joke?”
Sarah smiled a small smile. “No, Deya. Quite the opposite, actually.”
Deya opened her mouth, but nothing came out at first. Then she said,
“But why would you come all the way back to New York for that? And why

now? I don’t get it.”
“I’ve wanted to see you for years, but I had to wait until you were old
enough to understand. When I heard you’ve been sitting with suitors, I was