Day 16

Fatimah just bowed her head and wept softly. What was she to do?  She did not speak Italian.  She had no money to speak of and no credit cards. She was a simple girl from Morocco that landed a great opportunity.  Her second conversation with Katya is what kicked off the water works.

You fool. You bubbly headed little girl. Why did you let her leave?

What do you mean?  I would not prevent her from going to the bathroom. That is not my place.

You were sent to keep an eye her. Idiot.

I was not. I was sent to help her and keep her company.  I was not told to treat her like a ward that must be followed everywhere.

A foul sounding string of syllables flowed from Katya. Fatimah did not understand the words but completely understood the meaning.

You camel’s ass, we’re going to die, or worse.

Positive, bubbly, naive Fatimah could not understand why things were so bad.  But the “or worse” part did something to her that she never anticipated. She could not fathom what would be worse than dying.  As if a devil jumped on her shoulders she heard the cries of her youngest sister being beat to death in front of her mother. Then her mother beat in front of her father. And finally the dead body of father floated like an apparition before her eyes. So she wept. Every so often she shook with sadness and terror but always quietly.  The stewardess took pity on her and gave her a glass of champagne. “This should help.”  Fatimah had never tasted champagne but the golden color and bubbles slowing rising up the beautiful glass gave her a brief respite from her terror. She drank the cool buttery tasting liquid.  She took a deep breadth and looked around at the beauty of the cabin and felt the comfort of her seat.  Then she looked to her left. That’s where Amina should have been.  From 2 minutes of gratitude she plunged into sorrow and despair.  All she could do was pat her chest and whisper, God have mercy on my family and forgive my stupidity.  This disturbed the flight attendants more than a little bit. They worried about a suicide bomber who might be having seconds thoughts.

Maha was fatalistic about the situation. “If it is the will of Allah for us to go into the Mediterranean in a fireball and have our bones picked clean by the sharks and crabs nothing can be done.”  Bernice was not so passive.  She did not deny that it could be their fate but she did not want to go down in ignorance so she devised a plan.

Don’t be stupid. We’re not Liam Neeson we don’t have a “unique set of skills” we serve drinks, warm food and calm nerves.

I’m not suggesting we wrestle her to the ground and disarm her.  Maybe it is God’s will for you to open your eyes and take action.

You have a point. What do you suggest?

I’m going to check on her and stroke her back to see if she has a vest on.

How are you doing, miss?  Bernice lightly put her hand on her shoulder, from there she ran it down her back about half way.  Bernice reported feeling some clothing under her dress but couldn’t really tell. The girls in her circles wore nothing under their clothes. Then again, none of them would wear what Fatimah had on; something that completely covered everything but face and hands.

What if it’s strapped to her front? said Maha.

Oh dear.  Ok. Your turn. Let’s wait a few minutes and then see if you can come up with a wait to touch her stomach.

Are you f…

At that moment a passenger from coach interrupted her.

Hi,  my wife is sitting right there in the aisle seat.

The three of them looked toward the back of the plane as the husband pointed. The woman waved sheepishly.

She sees you two talking up here with very serious looks on your faces.  So she’s very concerned.  Is everything ok?

Maha stepped up. I’m very sorry it is completely my fault. She gave the man a big smile and touched his arm.  She could tell this added a tinge of green to his wife’s face.  My friend here is a student of Arab culture and religion.  Between our flight schedule and her studies she hasn’t seen a movie in two years.   I was telling her about Taken, with Liam Neeson and got a little carried away.  Sometimes I get so into sharing a movie I started acting out the part. I’m really glad you stopped me. That could have really caused a stir. She smiled again and touched his shoulder.

Could I get something for your wife?

No, I think she’ll be alright. I just had to check.  He went back to his seat but to his surprise he now had to deal with a green monster.

Both flight attendants watched him all the way back to his seats as if he was God’s gift to women, so they pretended. It brought the wife’s temperature up several degrees.  As soon as he sat down they turned away and went back to work.

Ok. What do we do about the young woman?

Nothing! You already got us in trouble.

I did not! We’re not in trouble. Just because there is a jumpy, suspicious jealous wife on board doesn’t mean that the woman isn’t a threat.

It doesn’t mean that she is either.

True. We don’t know if she is. But if we can find out and change things we owe it to ourselves to try.  Just try.

I hate you, said Maha

A few minutes later, Maha went to Fatimah with another glass of champagne. She had slowly drank the other one dry.  She still wept.

In Arabic, Maha talked softly to her.

My friend you look in pain.

Oh, I am. I am in terrible pain. I feel as if I’m going to vomit my heart right out of my body.

Yes, it looks like your abdomen is hurting you.

Why yes, how did you know?

I can see the symptoms.  May I?

Maha gestured as if she was going to examine her belly.  Fatimah unconsciously saw Maha as a kind authority figure so she nodded her permission without much thought. Maha fearfully touched  Fatimah on the left side, then the right, and finally the center.  Hmm. She made that sound that physicians make that irritate the whole world.

If I had to guess, I would have to say that you’re really worried about something and the combination of the worry, the dry air in this cabin and the traveling is causing you great discomfort. Maha was greatly relieved that she didn’t feel anything that even remotely felt like a suicide vest.

Oh, it is so true! Fatimah was so comforted by Maha’s words that she spilled her guts.  Everything came out about Katya, Amina and Hasan. She was so worried about her family.  What if Amina was kidnapped?

It will be alright.   There is nothing you can do right now.  The will of Allah will prevail, so sit back and relax until we land. It’s about 1 and half more hours.

It was Maha’s turn to be agitated.  She told Bernice that there was nothing like a bomb on Fatimah. While she was examining her abdomen she also rubbed her arm on her leg and felt nothing there either.

Then why do you look so upset?

Because I hate the way men treat women as if they are just festival toys that you play with for a while then discard.

What did she say?

She said that she was supposed to watch her mistress and would now be severely punished because she had failed her boss. But she insists that she was only to act as a companion. One of her coworkers seems to have implied that her boss may take it out on her little sister and mother.  She is beside herself in fear and dread.

Is there anything we can do?

If I could think of something, I would do it.

Before the flight landed, Fatimah had finished her third glass of champagne.  Alcohol has different effects on different people. It makes some people bold, some people angry, some people mellow.  Fatimah became snarly.  She was swaying on the way through the lines to immigration. One of the guards, in Italian of course, told her to follow a certain path.  He had said the same phrase hundreds of times per day for the last 3 years. Any courtesy had been completely worn off.  It was as dry and mechanical as could be. Well it didn’t hit Fatimah the way it should have.  Maybe if she knew even a little bit of Italian or more French she would have clued in.  But the champagne spoke instead.

Don’t you talk to me like that you infidel dog.

Miss, please take the line to your left. When he absentmindedly pointed in the right direction, his arm touched the swaying Fatimah.

Wait until my sheikh Hasan hears about your attempt to rape me. She growled at her imagined attacker in a very deep, but very loud voice.

She was a little past tipsy. It’s true. What she said was “Hasan”, in Moroccan Arabic of course. But what the guard heard was “assassino”. He blew a whistle and in seconds 3 guards tackled Fatimah and quickly searched her body for weapons. She started to scream and kick and flail violently.  This increased her perceived threat level.  She was quickly handcuffed and taken away.  She was put in a holding cell and her handbag was checked into another room. At that time, both Katya and Hasan tried to reach her but her phone’s vibrations were ignored with the rest of the collateral in the locked room.

Hasan’s face was tight and drawn. A malevolent look froze his face into a menacing Gothic statue. Suddenly, two scenarios presented themselves.  The first, the original, is that Amina had escaped early on. Leaving Fatimah to fend for herself.  The second one, based on the current information is that Amina was on the plane and Fatimah had lied to Katya sending them on a chase after a phantom.  Masood’s death really was related to his kidneys.  The first scenario required him to believe in Amina’s skill.  The second one painted her as a liar and Fatimah as a pawn.  A heart that was once filled with love and admiration for a woman he first saw as a teen was now filled with disdain, distrust and disgust. His now suspicious mind chose the second scenario as the most likely.  The last drop of affection was gone. Darkness filled his heart.