Author's note: This story contains themes of crude humor, racial prejudice, and bigotry. The intention is not to incite, but to entertain. If you are sensitive to these themes, skip this one. If you can handle these themes with tolerance, by all means, enjoy.
Reader discretion is advised.
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"What is the problem with you?!"
It was the question Zaina had realized was inevitable to hear and a harbinger of what her marriage had become. Hamid absolutely asked it out of some frustration. They had been married for nearly four years now and both had felt there was very little to show for it.
"Hello, any answer?" Hamid pressed in Arabic. He waved in front of her face.
"Nothing." Zaina replied simply. She had been withdrawn for nearly a month now, after the dinner with Randy and Lynn. Even she didn't know where to start with all that.
The events of that evening set off a cascade of changes within the relationship and eventually it had erupted to this. Zaina was upset. With Hamid, with her situation, with how everything had turned out. She thought that when she had the opportunity to come to America, things would be better.
"No, not nothing." Hamid said more gently.
"I saw the ledger for the shop." Zaina said quietly. This was the tip of the iceberg. "Is everything going to work out?" The low profit figures were seared into the her memory the one day she was overseeing the shop. Hamid had left the ledger out.
"Everything is fine." Hamid scoffed and shook his head. "It is not your problem."
"Yes it is."
"No I will handle it."
"How?" Zaina darted back, "Will you explain it to Uncle?"
"I will handle it." Hamid reiterated, with a stern look.
Zaina took this for face value. Usually when he repeated himself, that was the end of the discussion. Life could have been different when they moved to America, but it seemed that not much had changed within their bubble.
The point of frustration was their whole marriage was based on promise. Before they were married, Zaina studied medicine and hoped to start working in the field as positions were opened in the country. Unfortunately, as she approached marrying age, she also received pressure from her family to tie the knot.
She thought that is she was able to move abroad, she may be able to put her education to use. It was what her family wanted as well. When she had pleaded to her Uncle in the states, he wasted no time in arranging an ideal match. That's where Hamid had come in.
Invoking her Uncle's name was enough to equalize any argument in the relationship. Both she and Hamid had some accountability to the man who arranged their marriage and made it possible for them to achieve the American dream.
Hamid had barely looked at her. At home she didn't wear the niqab and it absolutely changed the dynamic. Her free flowing, thick brown-black hair looked wild and unbound. It made her seem as unruly as her thoughts. They both knew she wasn't the type to be tamed.
Zaina watched him grab his things, the bank bag and his keys. It was his weekly ritual when the mart was closed.
"When will you return?" She asked
"Later." Hamid replied.
That was the end of it and the door slammed behind him. In time, they would both feel the sting of isolation, especially as they only had one another. Zaina thought America was going to be the land of opportunity, but in it she only found excess.
+++
As Hamid started the car, he wondered if there would ever be any pleasing of that woman. Putting it in reverse, he allowed himself to get lost in the thoughts not related to his current situation. For him, America was the land of excess and in it was every opportunity for the taking.
The relatively light bank bag in the passenger seat would say otherwise. He really didn't need to make the trek to make this deposit. In fact the revenue was drying up quickly as the mart's newness in the town wore off. Hamid had been a creature of habit, or at least he tried to be anyway. Making the deposit was just one task in town. He also looked forward to sitting on the bench in front of the yoga studio.
It had been a few weeks since he had seen Lynn come into the mart. In the most minimal information he knew, based wholly on the last run in, he knew that she attended yoga classes here. Judging by his weekly count, it seemed she came every other week. On the days she wasn't there, Hamid still enjoyed ogling the other yogis.
He had ditched his traditional garb and switched to slacks and a dress shirt. After being harassed by a cop, he figured this get up would be less conspicuous. One time he was fairly sure Lynn had seen him before she went into the class, but maybe didn't recognize him because of his outfit.
It didn't matter today-- Lynn's car pulled up right in front of the coffee shop next door. Hamid resolved to not linger. As she stepped out of the car, Hamid approached the adjacent sidewalk.
"Oh ho-- hello Miss Lynn!" Hamid waved in surprise.
"Oh hi there!" Lynn flung the car keys into her gym bag. "Fancy running into you here!" She smiled through her teeth. Lynn was well aware of Hamid's hobby.
"Yes, busy with business." Hamid held up the bank bag and pointed to her, "And you? Very busy with fitness." He winked.
"Oh ha! Well I do have to try to keep in shape!"" Lynn laughed and adjusted the bag strap over her chest.
"Yes, the shape." Hamid grinned and looked her up and down. Yoga pants that hugged every nook and cranny and a tank top that barely contained Lynn's cleavage. "Is very good shape."
"Oh why thank you." Lynn accepted the compliment. "Well I better get to class. I hope you're doing well today."
"Oh yes." Hamid's smile faded as Lynn started to move and signaling the end of the exchange. "Oh no, could be better." He shrugged and frowned.
It was effective and Lynn stopped in her tracks. "Is everything alright?"
Looking for sympathy was not Hamid's strong suit but luckily for him, providing sympathy was Lynn's best attribute. At least she would say that about herself.
"I have problems with my wife." Hamid came out with it. Judging by the confusion and reticence in Lynn's face, he couldn't know if she would take the bait.
"Oh..." Lynn didn't want to press further. She immediately thought about the dinner party. Was Zaina mad that her husband had disappeared with her? Did she somehow come to know of the tryst? Beyond how loud the bed shook, Lynn couldn't recall much else.
"She don't like the business." Hamid broke her train of thoughts.
"Oh!" Lynn sighed in relief. Now she remembered having some conversations with Zaina that evening. "I'm sure you guys could figure something out."
Though she looked past Hamid towards the studio, the yoga class could wait. Lynn knew just how to solve this problem, the answer right behind Hamid. A spot of coffee and contemplation.
"She very educated." Hamid said as he slurped his coffee. "Hamid, not so much." He grinned as he put the cup down.
"I know... she told me about studying nursing back in your country." Lynn nodded. "Y'know she might feel unaccomplished."
"She no need accomplishment. I do work and run the business."
"Well you just said she was unsatisfied with the business. Is it not doing well?"
"Business is fine. She mad because need more profit." Hamid deflected. "Investor need profits."
"Investor?" Lynn inquired.
Hamid explained the endeavor as plainly and discreetly as he could. Zaina's uncle had provided the shop front for them to manage and come to America. They were accountable to him and to lose the business would mean to return home. "This town too small for profit in business." Hamid rested his case.
"So that's how it is." Lynn was surprised and intrigued by the backstory. "So why don't you just try another business?"
