He didn't get the chance to get the car's number, or anything special about the car that could help catching her.. He took a look at the white roses around the guy's head, that started turning red from his blood.. All he could think about was that this life wasn't fair at all.. Why a guy full of life like that young man dies, while his murderer sneaks away enjoying her life..? The main problem in life was that you'd never know the reason of everything happing around you no matter what..There shall always be a missing piece in the puzzle that would prevent you from seeing the whole picture.. Understanding the whole picture..
Something was charming about that café.. He was sure about that..The moment he sat he felt curious about watching the people sitting around.. After all, if he didn't do that, he wouldn't deserve the title (author).. Maybe he could get out of here with an idea to finish the stupid short stories collection he was desperate to finish.. But which character of the surrounding was suitable to use..? The hot lonely brunette sitting by the window, who didn't stop tapping on her table while checking her watch every now and then..? Or that blonde that kept looking at him while crooning with the songs arousing from the phonograph and.. Just a second.. That blonde looked familiar.. Where did he see her before..?
- Did you order something, sir..?
The waiter cut his thoughts for a second..
- Double espresso please..
He answered him while looking at the brunette, thinking: who was the lucky one that had such a charming girl waiting for him..? If it was him, he would've never let her wait for so long.. He looked at her wavy brown hair and her attractive eyes.. Looked at her lovely lips and her charming way of holding the glass of juice in front of her..
But she was tense and didn't stop looking at the door of the café, then to her watch, then a look at the people around, her cell phone, then looked at the door all over again.. Besides she looked like she was waiting for someone already, which meant he would just get himself embarrassed if he tried to talk to her..
His eyes stopped at the blonde one sitting on the table between him and the sexy brunette.. He felt the blonde overreacting with too much makeup.. Not his favorite type at all.. But he just couldn't stop looking at her secretly, trying to figure out where did he see her before, and when he didn't get much success in that mission he looked at another table, located between his and the blonde's table.. There was a woman with her little girl.. Didn't seem interesting enough, so he went back to look at the blonde again, specially that she couldn't see that he was watching her with that woman's table between them..
The waiter brought his order then so he forced his thoughts to stop, because he felt his thoughts were loud enough for anyone close by to hear..
After the waiter walked away, he looked at her again thinking harder.. He took a sip of his coffee, narrowing his eyes and setting his brain loose to think freely.. Just a few moments and the scene was - slowly - appearing in his mind..
The same face of the girl sitting in front of him now, but at that moment the face was twisted in horror, because at that moment she was sitting behind the wheel of the car that hit the young man crossing the street steeling his soul for good..
He was sure it was her because she wore the same white dress with the red lines on the sleeves she was wearing now, he could see the dress through the car window clearly, although he was on the other side of the road.. He looked at her curved body in her elegant white dress, her sunglasses that were put back to hold her light blond hair, and finally the metallic keys chain she kept rolling between her fingers, before putting it down to catch the cup of water the waiter brought..
For a couple of seconds he kept thinking about the logical action to do in such situation..!!
He was considered the only witness for that murder.. Any normal human being will rise, go to the back where he will take permission from that fat guy behind the counter to use the phone, and the guy will give him permission, before returning to his newspaper..
He'll call the police station - while looking around to make sure no one is listening - when a miserable operator will answer asking him what he wanted..
- I want to report a murder..!!
Silence will be answering him for seconds, that he'll spend trying to imagine the reaction of the guy receiving the call.. Will he believe him..?
(They must be receiving tens of similar phone calls daily ...)
- Just a second sir.. I'll switch you to the homicide division..
Minutes of more silence will be his company, waiting for someone to pick up.. Minutes that he'll spend biting his nails and fingers and soul.. He'll wonder if the blonde chick is still sitting inside, or left already while he was standing here like a fool, but from his position behind the glass, he can see her still sitting in her place.. Still with the Edith Piaf song playing.. He can't tell which song was playing, because the confident voice rose from the other side of the phone at that moment..
- Hello..This is the homicide department.. How can I help you sir..?
- I want to report a murder..!!
He'll answer, struggling to make his voice clear..His throat is now dry like desert sands, and he wasn't expecting to be that nervous, but the situation itself made him feel uneasy.. He'll struggle to continue his confession, before he loses his courage.. He sees the waiters passing by him, uncaring, on their way to the kitchen to get their orders..
- ... a hit and run..
The sound of the guy will start to seem interested.. He'll ask calmly:
- Can you tell who the victim is..?
- No... I don't know him.. I was on the other side of the road when I saw it accidentally, in Emad Eldin Street, downtown.. But I saw the driver, and she is sitting now in café Bianca near the opera house.. Hurry if you want to catch her.. She's a thin blonde girl wearing white dress with red sleeves..
Then he'll put the phone down nervously,
(To give them the impression of seriousness of the situation and make them move fast..)
feeling some guilt for telling on someone, but he soon tells himself that it's not a sin, it's just turning a killer into justice, or else the killer of that guy will go free unharmed to do it again and again.. He'll repeat this in his head several times, taking deep breaths to get rid of his nervousness.. After that he'll go out, thanking the smiling guy behind the counter, before returning to his table innocently, pretending he didn't do anything to be guilty about..
And if he was just another bastard, he will go straight to the blonde, to ask her directly for the price of his silence.. Some of her money as an example, or her nice body..!!
But because he wasn't this or that, he acted completely different.......!!
*****
The author's instinct was controlling him too much..
That's why he found himself cutting a piece of paper from his note, deciding to try a different punishment.. He took his pen, and on the small white paper, he tried to be as confident as possible, writing:
Your crime wasn't without a witness..!!
Signature: None of your business......
No blackmailing.. No threats to turn herself in.. He wanted to know where will her imagination take her.. He wanted to know what effect his words will have on that attractive snake sitting in front of him, smiling and enjoying herself as if she didn't just end the life of a human being..
But unfortunately his nervousness made his handwriting shaky, almost unreadable.. Didn't succeed before the third try in making his words clear.. Strong, and most important, cruel..!! The black ink he used on the white piece of paper seemed cold and cruel enough.. If he was the one receiving the paper, he would probably have a heart attack..
When he looked at her again, she was watching the TV which had a silly comedy program on.. He waved at the fat waiter who was going to a near table, when the waiter came he asked him a little weird favor..
- Can you give this paper to that girl sitting alone..?
He pointed secretly to the blonde, continuing...
.
- And off course never think of telling her who sent you.. Tell her a guy gave it to you and left, and this to make you remember..
He gave him a 10 pounds bill, which made the waiter smile answering:
- What paper.. Did we even talk today sir..?
Good.. Not more stupid than usual and he can depend on him.. He watched the fat waiter as he carried the piece of paper, walked away, passing by the not-lonely-anymore blonde after that guy in the blue shirt came to her table and their laughs broke out loud.. He watched the waiter as he continued his way till he reached the first lonely girl in the same line, who was the brunette sitting by the window.. Shit.. !!
He saw him putting the paper in front of her, and saw the girl picking it surprised, before he could say or do anything.. "Yousry" felt at that moment as if time stood still, then started moving again too slowly.. The paper as it moved from the waiter's hand to the girl's hand.. The girl's delicate fingers as they unfold the message nervously, then her frowning on reading what was written..
The problem was that he couldn't call him stupid, because the brunette was the only lonely girl from the angle he pointed at.. He thought about going to her quickly to tell her that it was a mistake and she wasn't the one, but seeing what happened to her face after reading his words changed his mind.. What mistake could've that angel done to make her that afraid from his words..? He watched her as she looked around insanely trying to guess who did this.. He pretended it wasn't him and just kept playing with his cigarette lighter, before looking at her again to see what would she do.. She must be spending her worst time ever now as long as she was that scared from being told on..
The look in her eyes were like those in an injured lion's eyes, surrounded by a group of Hyenas..
He saw her standing up, and walking through the tables quickly carrying her bag.. Her eyes were blood red and she seemed like she'd burst into crying at any second..
He watched her as she passed by him, trying to decide whether to follow her or not.. He saw her as she disappeared behind the door of the lady's room.. Good.. She'd go cry a little till she calms down, then goes out again.. No big deal then..
But she never came back again..!!
So he found himself getting up nervously, and going towards the bathroom where he saw her disappearing.. He must know what did this lunatic do.. On his way he passed by a column that had a signed black and white photograph of Edith Piaf, before entering the hall which had a sign telling that the bathrooms were inside..
And in front of the only lady's room stood a fat lady frowning and knocking on the white wooden door roughly..
- That's inappropriate.. You've been inside for about 15 minutes..
She looked at "Yousry" on spotting him coming near, then turned to the door again talking to whoever was inside..
- This isn't home if you know what I mean..
- Excuse me..? I guess the girl in there is hurt or something.. I'll try to push the door open..
She looked at him as if he was harassing her, before realizing that she was ugly enough not to get the attention of a handsome guy like him, and that he was really trying to help.. She stood back, while "Yousry" tried to push the door as much as he could.. Once.. Twice.. Three times.. His shoulder hurt and the damn door wouldn't move from its place..
But the noise he made got the attention of two waiters, that understood the situation quickly from the fat lady, and he quickly found three men helping him, opening the door finally revealing the tragedy inside..!!
****
-7-
"Nadia"
1- She’ll take the kids to the swimming lessons..
2- She'll pass by the laundry to leave some clothes to be washed there..
3- She'll pass by the grocery to pick-up few stuff for home..
If she found time after this maybe:
4- She'll go to the coiffeur to do her hair like that actress from the Turkish series.. Definitely after dying her hair to hide the signs of years.. Maybe have some nail polish too..? That way she'll feel like a woman again..
She smiled mechanically at her children as they stormed out of the car as soon as she stopped near the club, waited till they closed the door behind them, and saw them walking through the gates quickly, wearing their back bags..
She watched them holding each other's hands in love, because they knew she was watching, as much as she knew that this love will evaporate as soon as she disappears round the corner.. She watched as they greeted the security guy at the gate, who smiled at them, then looked towards her and waved his hand, as he knew them well for being in these damn lessons for more than a year now and.. Vrooooom.. Here she goes again..
Will she find time after all these missions to:
5- Pass by the next clothes shop to try that sky blue dress that got her attention..? It's supposed to look great on her.. She hoped to catch it before anyone buys it and.. Boom..!!
Great, just what she needed.. The damn tire exploded just in the right time.. Now she can say goodbye to going to the coiffeur and the clothes shop.. This way she'll be lucky if she just fixed her car, delivered the laundry and went to the grocery..
She called the mechanic she used to deal with, and he told her that he would come to pull her car as soon as he can, but practically she had to wait for two hours before the man he sent appeared.. A wicked guy whom she didn't like at all, didn't like the way he looked at her..
His alibi for being late was that the road was like hell.. She had to hold herself together, or else she would've killed him, but for special reasons, she preferred to stay in her car while being pulled to the mechanic, because she wasn't sure she could trust him..
At the mechanic-shop, the guy told her almost right away after checking the car fast, that it wouldn't take more than an hour.. But she got the message, the car wouldn't be able to move again before tomorrow.. He advised her to go to the near café and have a cup of coffee till he finishes.. He must've realized she was intending to stand beside him the whole hour till he finishes.. That solution seemed appropriate, so she decided to go to drink a cup of black coffee - that suited her mood now - while eating herself as a dessert..
For the first time in many weeks she decided to do something fun for herself and that was her reward..?
She went out, and headed towards the nearby café, waited for a couple of seconds at the end of the sidewalk among few people, before one of them decided to cross the crowded street, so the rest decided to follow him, and among them was "Nadia" who pretended she didn't hear the horns of the many cars that had to slow down till the group crossed, she felt the air playing with her hair and face as she crossed the street, before stepping over the opposite sidewalk, and passed through the café's glass door, and made her way to the first empty table..
The waiter came, So she ordered an ice-cold coke without even looking in the menu he brought her.. She was already boiling, and drinking coffee won't do her any good.. A cold coke would make her feel much better, especially in this hot weather..
While waiting for her order to come, "Nadia" watched the people sitting around her..
The brown haired girl sitting by the window, and looking towards the door every minute..
The mother that shouting at her girl every five minutes if she just breathed..
And finally the chick that was singing with the songs playing, while listening to her companion, and maybe answer him with a word every once in a while..
She looked at her watch again, to find that only five minutes passed..
Dammit.. The time till her car gets fixed will pass like long hours.. She thought about finishing her drink, then go look in the surrounding area to see if she finds a store where she can buy the stuff she was planning to get, to take advantage of her time here instead of sitting uselessly like this..
Her order came then, so she looked at the refreshing bubbly drink for a second, before raising the glass to her lips and taking a sip that revived her
senses and made her calm a little..
She looked at the dark haired girl with the scarf that was sitting alone jealously.. Maybe if "Nadia" had her beauty or body she wouldn't have been that angry at her life..? At least that girl wasn't responsible for taking care of three little devils who won't leave her except by the end of the day to sleep, leaving her lifeless and unable to do a thing other than sleeping..
She took another sip from her drink then, she found her eyes going towards the blond girl.. Maybe if she took care of herself like her..?!
Then her eyes fall accidentally on the guy sitting with the blonde.. Although his face didn't appear from her angle, his back seemed a little familiar.. The blue shirt he was wearing seemed familiar too.. Looked like her husband's shirt that came out from under her iron just this morning..!!
It seemed like destiny was resisting her, because his face didn't appear from her angle at all.. The only way to see his face was to stand up and go near them, and she wasn't really sure she wanted to do that now.. She wanted to identify him first, then take her time to decide what to do.. Didn't want to go and make sure it was him, then just stand there like a fool not knowing what to do.. She was the think-quietly type, the brain set that froze her in her place thinking over and over again, go take a look or not..?
She stood up, then she shortly sat down again.. She'd never been the courageous type who faced people.. She hated unpredictable events that took her plans and expectations down.. Like when the car's tire exploded, and like when she saw her husband with a much more attractive woman than herself, but she couldn't be brave enough to go and face them both.. Not with that number of witnesses, because she couldn't face the humiliation in front of others.. She stood again thinking: on the contrary, that was exactly what the bastard deserved.. A scandal in front of people, besides he won't have the guts to deny, because she caught him in the act, and won't be able to say a thing, while on the other side if she waited till they are home alone, he can simply deny everything and she won't have a proof then.. He can say it wasn't him or any other shit to prove she was wrong and it couldn't have been him..