Strings - Capstone Amal Al Shamsi (1)

“Lamya had let it happen.” Lamya knew. Lamya knew, for who knows how long. It felt
even more like betrayal when he recounted it aloud. “You know she always makes herself to be a
great moderator, a binding force, but it was… she was not, not always, at least.”
He could see Lamya’s face in his mind. The way her mouth was tightly drawn to her lips,
she must have still been irritated. Or maybe she was angry at herself for getting caught. “He
didn’t mean it,” she said. He had stood still while she hugged him.
If Deniz had any particular opinion, it did not show on her face. She remained seated,
arms crossed. She watched coffee slip between his fingers. His hands were shaking.
Hamza looked at her for a while, not really there.
“If not him, do you forgive her?”
It didn’t seem like an option in his mind. Hamza said nothing more.
“I’ll tell you what to do. Call her. On the phone, you will tell her as if you were telling
someone else. Just as you told me.”
He knew in his mind, he would not.
As he walked out, He wished he had his hat. What a perfect occasion for that damned
hat. He felt a pool of sweat collect along his forehead.
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