Page 127 of Waiting for Ru
“Not many birds do.”
“What do you do when you see a hawk, Bela?” Ru asked.
“Hide,” Bela cawed.
Jasim and Waqas chuckled.
Bela flew back to the top of her cage.
“Well, I’ll leave you to rest. Thank you again for your bravery, for my daughter’s life. My children are everything to me. You have my undying gratitude. I apologise for my son’s short temper. He’ll be punished.”
“Don’t punish him,” Ru said. “Talk to him. Make him see what’s right and wrong.”
Jasim gave a quiet chuckle. “Life lessons from a young man barely older than your eldest son.”
Waqas shrugged. “Ahsan needs to learn to curb his temper.”
“Without discipline and self-control, he won’t make a career in polo,” Jasim said.
“I’m hoping for him to be a lawyer but you’re right. Discipline and self-control are important in many spheres. Perhaps we could all learn some tolerance.”
Jasim felt a jolt at that, but words were easy. Deeds were not.
“Sure you don’t need to go to hospital, Ru?” Jasim asked.
“No, sir. I’ll be fine.”
Jasim showed his brother to the door and once Waqas couldn’t see his face, he flashed Ru a smile. Ru gave him a quick smile back.
Waqas didn’t linger. He rounded up his sons, and called his driver. Jasim walked with them to their car. When all but Waqas were seated inside, Waqas turned to him.
“You could come home.”
Jasim made sure he showed no reaction. “This is my home now. My life is polo. Everything I want is here.”
“Including happiness?”
“I’m happy, though my continued happiness depends on others.”
“What do you mean?”
“I live with the worry that the family might decide I’m damaging their honour.”
“Are you?”
“No, not in my opinion, but then my opinion doesn’t matter. I know what will happen if I overstep. The whole world knows Khashoggi was assassinated in the Saudi Consulate.”
Waqas huffed. “Because he was sharply critical of King Salman and the Crown Prince. You’re not a journalist broadcasting your views.”
“I’m in the public eye.”
“In the polo world. That’s not so huge.”
For the first time in a long while, Jasim felt a glimmer of hope. Was Waqas telling him something? That if he kept quiet, he’d be left alone? But wasn’t that what he was already doing?
“Come home. See father while you still can.”
Jasim opened the car door for Waqas. “I fear I’d never be allowed to leave.”
