Page 170 - A Woman Is No Man

Later, Fareeda gathered the men around the kitchen table, crossing her
plump ankles as she admired the view around her. Khaled sat to her right,
Omar and Ali to her left. All of them strong and healthy, even if Khaled

wasn’t as young as he used to be. She wished Adam was with them, but he
was working. He had so much to do, maybe too much. In the mornings, he
helped Khaled in the deli, staying up front near the cash register to fill
orders. Then he stopped by Omar’s shop to count inventory and deposit
checks before heading to his own store. Fareeda was grateful for Adam’s
help, though she didn’t tell him as often as she should. She told herself she
would thank him tonight.

“How’s business?” she asked Omar, reaching for a warm pita from the
plate Nadine had just set on the table.
“Alhamdulillah, bringing in a steady income,” he said, smiling gently as
he caught Nadine’s eyes.
Fareeda raised her eyebrows at the sight. She reached for the shakshuka,
her favorite dish, scooping a bite full of poached eggs and tomatoes into her

mouth. Still chewing, she said, “Maybe now you can focus on having
another child.” She stole a glance at Nadine, who was blushing, as she said
this. Fareeda knew her words were pointless, that Omar and Nadine would
have another child when they wanted to, but she spoke anyway. The
satisfaction of making Nadine uncomfortable was enough. Omar was a fool.
Instead of putting his foot down, as she’d told him, he let his wife run the
show. At least Adam had listened to her, and look at Isra now. As quiet as a

graveyard. Not mouthy and insolent like Nadine. Let’s see where that will
get Omar, Fareeda thought. She turned to Ali. “What about you, son? How
is college going?”
“It’s going,” Ali mumbled.
Khaled looked up. “What did you say?”
Ali slumped into his chair. “I said it’s going.”

“What’s that supposed to mean?”
Here he goes again, Fareeda thought, regretting that she had asked.
Lately, most of her fights with Khaled had been about Ali. He thought she
was too lenient with him; she thought he was too tough. That he expected
too much.
“I’m trying,” Ali said. “I’m really trying. I just”—Khaled’s eyes were
wide now, and Fareeda realized she was holding her breath—“I just don’t

see the point of college.”