He was in the sitting room browsing through a few magazines the next afternoon, when he heard the front doorbell. A few moments later his mother came in, saying hurriedly, ‘You must leave the room at once, Hisham, guests have arrived unexpectedly – Umm Muhammad and Noura, and the women’s room isn’t tidy.’ His heart beat faster when he heard Noura’s name. He slipped into his room and shut the door behind him. It was only a few moments before he heard his mother’s voice uttering expressions of greeting and praise to God, mingled with the voice of Umm Muhammad congratulating her on Hisham’s return. He could hear her laughing as she said, ‘Goodness, we only heard yesterday from Abu Muhammad, forgive us for being so remiss …’ Then he heard his mother’s voice, ‘There’s no need to apologise among friends, Umm Muhammad.’ His plan had succeeded, then. He guessed that Noura had insisted that this visit was a duty. He knew that Umm Muhammad, like his own mother, was reluctant to leave the house unless it was really necessary. He opened the door a little and glanced into the hall. There was Noura’s back; he knew that figure well. She went into the sitting room behind her mother and his mother – it was enough to start the heat coursing through his body despite the biting February cold.
He stayed in his room leafing through another magazine, his ears straining for sounds from the other side of the house. He thought he caught the noise of a tob rustling near his room. He dropped his magazine and made for the door. Under it he found a meticulously folded piece of paper. He snatched the note, yanked opened the door, and saw Noura walking back to the sitting room. Before she disappeared into it, she snatched a surprisingly bold glance at him, giving him a smile that made him certain she still loved him. She had powdered her face. He unfolded the paper and read, ‘Tonight, same time, same place.’ Smiling, he tore it to pieces; she had understood his plan and fallen in with it. Hisham went out into the street and lit a cigarette, which he smoked feeling overwhelmed with happiness, then he went back into the house to count the minutes until evening should finally come.