Between the Grapevines

15. Khamsata 'Ashar

(Long chapter. Strap in, it's about to get crraaaazzyyy)

Riyad waited in his place on the couch, tilting his head to either side to feel the ache along his spine that had faded over the night. No longer bound to the discomfort of the raised hospital mattress, his body had begun recovering from the tension that had formed as a result of the hospital stay rather than the actual incident. But the lingering headache had dissipated to leave him sitting in peace on the living room sofa, waiting until Harakat finally emerged from the bedroom.

When the door creaked, he lifted his gaze as she stepped out in the dress he'd bought weeks before. She continued toward the mirror hung by the kitchen's entrance, her eyes slowly sliding over her reflection. Riyad gripped the couch's edge to raise himself onto his feet. Harakat remained in front of the mirror, her eyes stuck to her appearance, as he carefully approached behind her.

"I wasn't sure what you'd like," he spoke up, his attention caught on her features for any flicker that might betray her thoughts on the dress. "The grandma who sold them said a lot of young girls were buying that style for Eid. What do you think?" He asked.

Harakat didn't reply. Her brows furrowed while her gaze slid down the dark red fabric of the dress embroidered over her torso and the modest skirt that fell until her feet, its sleeves plain and wide at its ends. Then she turned back to peer at her own features as if they'd grown unfamiliar in the most familiar way. It was as if she saw herself as the person she used to be and, somehow, it only confused her further.

Riyad cleared his throat when he felt it growing narrow with unease. He tried to compare her expression to the one Radi had worn while complaining about his own Eid clothes, but the similarities were just as blurred as the differences. "Harakat?" He repeated in question.

She seemed to hear his question when it stirred the girl from her thoughts. The tension in her eyebrows shifting higher to create a depth on Harakat's features that matched the forming tremble on her lips. Riyad's restlessness grew when he saw the tears filling the girl's eyes. "Harakat, why-," he began nervously. "Why are you crying? We can get another one if you don't like this one. I'm sure there are stores open. Let's go after the prayer and I'll get you whatever you like, okay? Money's not a problem this time so please don't...."

But the tears that fell down her cheeks touched the rising corners of Harakat's lips as her smile grew at the sight of her reflection. Riyad's words drifted apart until he was left only watching the girl in silence. She wiped her palms over her cheeks to catch the falling tears, her smile a mixture of happiness and heartbreak he would never understand.

Riyad's expression twitched when the girl turned to him, her eyes beaming with unspoken emotion. His brows twitched and raised at the effect the girl could now have on him with a simple flutter of her eyelashes. His heart softened at the sight of her and Riyad wished he could reach into her mind so he would no longer have to guess what she might be thinking. For the first time, Riyad found himself longing to hear the girl's voice.

His gaze fluttered to her lips, wondering if there might ever come a day when he could listen to her words rather than struggle to understand her gestures. Riyad had heard the voices of so many before her. He never would have guessed how much he would come to crave such an insignificant thing.

Harakat grinned wider, running her hands over the dress and twirling excitedly in front of him. She wiped another tear from her cheek before she met his gaze. Riyad looked between her wide eyes as she nodded happily, hopping lightly when she saw her reflection once again. "You like it?" He asked, the weight lifting from his heart.

She nodded but didn't turn to him this time. Instead, her response would be spoken through both of their mirror images as Riyad stood a step behind Harakat. His own expression brightened at hers. "Should we go then?" He asked.