“I like this story,” Catherine said.
“I would too, if it didn’t end so tragically.” Liam reached over and took a healthy share of sausage and peppers off the serving plate. “They dated solidly for the better part of a year. Safiya was their cover. She liked Jack and delighted in the intrigue. Then in the spring, things began to change. Alina graduated and Jack was informed that the Foreign Service was going to send him to Turkey. At that crossroads, they decide to get married. Neither of them wanted to move to Turkey, so they decide to move back to the States.”
“Uh-oh.”
“Right. Alina hadn’t told her parents about Jack. They didn’t know she had been dating anyone, let alone an American Jew. And Jack, he wanted to do the right thing. He told Alina he was going to ask her father for her hand in marriage. So the two of them travel to Alina’s home to see the father. Naïve as can be. Surprise. It did not go well.”
Liam offered the sausage-and-peppers plate to Catherine. She took a single green pepper and cut it into small bites. Liam shook his head.
“What does Sharon know about Alina’s father?” Catherine asked.
“We didn’t talk too much about the father’s background. Supposedly he comes from a very old and respected Arab family. He’s a doctor. A prominent man in his community. Alina’s family is well-to-do and lives in a large home in some West Bank city.”
“It must have taken enormous courage for Jack to petition her father.”
“Without a doubt. But he shows up at the front door with Alina. A manservant shuttles them into this fancy library with marble floors and Oriental rugs. A few minutes later, Alina’s father comes into the room and asks them to sit down. Not wanting to be rude, Jack waits to be recognized before he starts speaking. The silence is deafening. Finally, Alina’s father nods and gestures with his fingers in a rolling motion, as if he’s saying, ‘You may begin.’ Jack stumbles with an introduction, tells him how much he loves his daughter, tells him that he and Alina are very much in love and would like to make a life together. He would like his blessings for their marriage.
“The father nods his understanding. ‘You are Muslim?’ he asks. ‘No,’ Jack says, ‘actually I’m Jewish, but I have great respect for your religion and I would support Alina in the practice of her faith.’
“The father nods again. ‘Where do you think you will live?’
“‘In Chicago, sir,’ Jack says. ‘But I promise that Alina will visit you often. As often as she wants. Or, as you want.’
“Her father listens politely, rests his chin on his hand, nods, pauses, and then calmly announces that Jack is to leave, not only the house but the city. He is never to see Alina again. Alina is forbidden from ever contacting him. Jack tries to reason with him: they are adults, they are entitled to make decisions about their lives, they love each other.” Liam shook his head. “No dice. In comes the father’s manservant, like out of Arabian Nights, and takes Jack by the elbow and walks him out to the street. He says to Jack, ‘If I see you here again, it will not be good for you. Forget Alina.’”
“But he didn’t, did he?” Catherine said.
“Nope. He goes back to Amman in hopes that Alina’s aunt can intercede. Safiya says she has no chance of changing her brother’s mind, but Safiya is a romantic. She will contact the family and try to bring Alina to Amman, where they can see each other again. Weeks go by. Safiya says Alina is being watched and is confined to her home. Finally, Jack is informed that Alina is coming to visit Amman, but she will be chaperoned.”
Liam paused. “Are you sure you don’t want any more of the sausage and peppers? You’re missing out here.”
“No, Liam. Tell me what happens next.”
“Alina arrives at Safiya’s, but, as expected, she is watched very closely. Jack dares not show his face or Alina will be whisked away. But, as Sharon said with a devilish glint in her eye, Safiya is a romantic and a schemer. She arranges a secret rendezvous for them at the market. The reconnection is stronger than ever, and Jack and Alina vow to be together. There is a recital at the university and a plot is hatched. Safiya buys tickets for everyone. In the midst of the performance, Alina excuses herself to go to the ladies’ room. She dashes out the front door, meets Jack in a taxi, and the two of them hightail it to the airport, where they catch a flight to Rome and then to Chicago.”
“That’s so exciting,” Catherine said with a broad smile. “I almost don’t want to hear the tragic part.”
The cannelloni was served and the two ate in silence for a while, commenting only on the superb quality of the pasta.
FOURTEEN
SOMMERS WALKED SLOWLY FROM the sand toward the hotel lobby. He was spent. Drawn to the Hilton to visit with his memories, he had underestimated the pain. He would not come again. As he approached the lobby, he noticed a sign on the kiosk.
Hawaii—A Photographic Essay
An Island Journey Captured Through the Lens
Marcy Grant, Artist
Rainbow Tower Lobby
Pictures Available for Purchase
10–5
The lobby was crowded. The show appeared to be running successfully. Several framed prints rested on easels; others were propped against the walls. Unframed prints, covered with acetate, were arranged in plastic crates. Marcy sat behind a table, cheerfully chatting with tourists who were busily thumbing through the prints. With his hands clasped behind his back, Sommers meandered around the room, admiring the photos. Memories made him pause and stare at a picture of the Pali Lookout.
“Are you going to buy that one, Jack?” Marcy said from behind him.
“You do very nice work.”
“Thank you. The one you’re looking at with the frame is only two hundred and fifty dollars.”
“If I buy the picture, will you have a cup of coffee with me?”
“No. You should buy a picture because you like it, not because you want me to have a cup of coffee with you. Besides, I won’t let you buy the picture, I’ll give it to you.”
“I’d like to make amends for the other night.”
“With a cup of coffee? Pretty cheap amends. I thought you said it was better for us not to be seen together.”
“That’s probably true, but I’ve had a real bad day. Besides, I’m still ashamed of myself. The other night was totally out of character for me.”
Marcy laughed hard. “Not entirely. I seem to remember the six of us sitting in your living room getting quite shitfaced when you closed your first merger.”
Jack smiled. “Everyone except Alina.”
“That’s right, of course. She didn’t drink. But I was sure drunk enough for the two of us. You have nothing to apologize for.”
A woman’s loud laughter and the sound of broken wood quickly grabbed Marcy’s attention. She spun around to see a large man in a bathing suit and a tank top lying on top of framed pictures and broken easels. His tropical drink had spilled all over his shirt and Marcy’s pictures. He was trying to control his amusement.
“Whoops,” he slurred. “Guess I didn’t see that stop sign, Officer.” He and his girlfriend broke into sloppy belly laughter. He wiped his nose with the back of his hand. “Y’know, lady,” he said to Marcy, “you shouldn’t have all those fuckin’ pichurs lying around the floor for people to trip on. Y’know? Iz a fuckin’ hazard.”
“You’re right, Randy,” his girlfriend said. “We should sue this stupid hotel.”
“Right, baby.” Then to Marcy, he said, “You owe me fourteen bucks for a tequila sunrise. It was practically full. I only had a sip or two.”
“Owe you?” Marcy said angrily. “You broke four of my framed sixteen-by-twenties. At four hundred and fifty dollars apiece. That’s eighteen hundred dollars.”
Randy stood and puffed out his chest. “I wouldn’t pay eighteen cents for this shit. I want fourteen bucks for my drink or I’ll take it out of your cash box.” He pushed Marcy aside and moved toward the table. Jack blocked his advance and, without thinking, nailed
him flush with a hard right cross. Randy stumbled backward, falling onto the stairs.
“Down goes Randy,” his girlfriend said, laughing.
Randy scrambled to his feet and bull-rushed Jack, forcing him back through the doors of the lobby and onto the floor, where two security guards finally separated them.
“Fuckin’ guy cheap-shotted me,” Randy said, rubbing his jaw.
“This is the second time we’ve had a problem with you, Mr. Webster. You need to find another hotel. Now!” The security guards walked him out to the front desk, one on each side.
Jack returned to the lobby, where Marcy was salvaging what remained of the broken pictures. The hotel staff was picking up broken glass. The lobby had been cleared of customers.
“Are you okay, Jack?” Marcy pointed to his chest. “Your shirt is ripped.”
Jack shrugged. “I guess so.”
“What were you doing? Are you crazy? That guy was twice your size.”
“He was a jerk. And he picked the wrong day to fuck with me.” Jack looked down at the mess, shook his head, and bent down to pick up a couple of pictures.
Marcy leaned over and gave Jack a simple kiss on the cheek. “If you wait a few minutes while I pack up, I’ll have that cup of coffee with you.”
Jack smiled, and when he did, he grimaced at the mouse growing under his right eye.
As they wheeled the cart with her stacked pictures toward the parking lot, Marcy looked at Jack and liltingly mimicked, “Down goes Randy.”
They laughed.
“Actually, Jack, I’d prefer something stronger than a cup of coffee.”
“I wasn’t going to suggest that, for obvious reasons.”
“It’s okay. Let’s put these away and go back to the Tiki Bar.”
Jack shook his head. “I don’t want to stay here. I’ve had enough of the Hilton for today. Can we go somewhere else?”
FIFTEEN
THE DINNER PLATES WERE cleared and the dessert cart appeared. Catherine shook her head and ordered coffee. “Tell me the rest of the story,” she said to Liam.
Liam pointed at the cart. “What about the cannoli? Aren’t you going to have cannoli? Sorrento’s makes the best.”
“You have it. I want to hear the story.”
“Two cannoli, please,” Liam said to the server.
“I don’t want cannoli,” Catherine said.
“We always have them. You might change your mind.”
“No, I won’t. You always order two cannoli and I never eat mine.”
“Okay, so then we’ll take it home. But you might change your mind.”
“The story.”
“Okay. Jack and Alina fly to Chicago, Jack’s hometown. They rent a place on Roscoe while Jack interviews for an attorney’s position. In a few weeks, he lands a job at J and F in their transactional department. Meanwhile, Alina finds work teaching piano while she takes classes to be a social worker. All in all, Sharon describes quite the love story. Sommers is totally devoted to Alina, and she to him.
“Although Alina had never been to the US, she’s very social. She finds things for them to do together. She’s a musician, so of course they attend concerts. They subscribe to the Lyric Opera. And she gets Jack involved in the Chicago Shakespeare Theater.”
“Shakespeare? They’re actors?”
Liam shook his head. “Nah, they just like Shakespeare. Apparently, that was Alina’s passion; she studied it in college. In Jordan. Go figure. In fact, they had a plaque hanging on their living-room wall with a Shakespeare quote. She told Sharon it defined the moment that she and Jack decided to take the plunge.”
“Really? What was on the plaque?”
Liam shook his head. “A quote from Julius Caesar. About the ‘tide in the affairs of men.’”
Catherine smiled. “Of course! It would define the moment they decided to disobey the father and run away. If I’m not mistaken, it goes, ‘There is a tide in the affairs of men, which, taken at the flood, leads on to fortune. Omitted, all the voyage of their life is bound in shallows and in miseries.’ I think I’m getting a pretty good idea of who Alina was.”
“You know that quote? Word for word?”
“You’re too easily impressed. It’s not obscure. Tell me the rest of the story.”
“Well, Alina was looking for ways to build a social life in Chicago and came across the Chicago Shakespeare Theater. That was something they could do together and meet people. She became a board member.”
Catherine shook her head. “I’ve never been to Chicago Shakespeare Theater. And I’ve lived here all my life. She comes from Jordan and within weeks she ends up on the board. That’s pretty cool.”
“You think that’s cool? Every year, Jack and Alina would hold a Shakespeare-themed party. All the board members would come dressed as their favorite characters. Sharon described one of their parties where Alina was Cleopatra and Jack was Marc Antony. Sharon dressed up as Brutus, which was pretty funny if you saw Sharon, a skinny, little redhead. Sharon said it was so cute how they were always quoting Shakespeare.
“Anyway, back to the important stuff. Jack and Alina bought a little brick bungalow up in Logan Square, and six years ago they had a little girl. They named her Sophie.”
“After Safiya?”
“Could be. Makes sense.” Liam took a small picture out of his pocket and handed it to Catherine. “This is a copy of a picture that sits on Sommers’s desk. Alina and Sophie are standing with him on a beach.”
“What a pretty family. She’s lovely and the child is precious. Look at that smile. Where are they, in Brazil?”
“Could be, but I don’t think so. I don’t think he ever went to Brazil, then or now, and I’ll tell you why in a few minutes.”
“You’re getting to the sad part, aren’t you?”
Liam nodded. “Until a couple years ago, everything went fine. Sharon says they were the ‘quintessential American family.’ Her words. Wonderful friends and neighbors. She described a very close neighborhood group of friends.
“Then, about a year and a half ago, Alina got word from Safiya that her mother had suffered a heart attack. She was in critical condition and was scheduled for open-heart surgery. Alina tells Jack, ‘I’ve got to go back.’”
“Had Alina been in touch with her parents during any of this time?” Catherine said.
“Only with her mother. But secretly. Her father had disowned her. When she snuck out of Jordan with Jack, he washed his hands of her. To him, she didn’t exist anymore. Alina would send letters and pictures, especially of Sophie, but her father never acknowledged them. Her mother would send private notes to Safiya, who would forward them to Alina. Her father never knew.”
Catherine shook her head. “I can’t imagine. How does a man disown his daughter? And how does a daughter deal with that pain?”
“Sharon could tell you. She spent many a night consoling Alina, who loved her father and suffered through tremendous guilt. She begged him in her letters to accept her family and reestablish a relationship. But he never answered. Safiya said that he forbade Alina’s name from being spoken in the home.”
“Defies comprehension.”
Liam nodded. “So, Alina goes back to Amman. Jack stays behind with Sophie.”
“Wasn’t Alina afraid to return? I mean, her father kept her prisoner. How could she risk going back?”
“She had to chance it. Alina leaves in June, a year and a half ago. She’s gone a month. First to Amman, where the surgery takes place, and then back to her parents’ home in the West Bank to help her mother recover. She stays with her mother until July, and only returns to Chicago when her mother is up and about.”
“What about the father?”
“Her father was distant to her, but not imperious. Again, Sharon’s words. He spoke to her from a distance. He’d look at her and shake his head in disapproval. He never asked about Jack or Sophie. Any conversations between the two of them focused on Alina’s mother and the care she needed. But A
lina told Sharon that toward the end of the visit she thought his demeanor was softening. Right before she left, Alina saw a framed picture of Sophie sitting on the mantel. She looked at her father, right into his eyes, and he acknowledged her. He nodded with a little bit of a smile. Alina thought that was a big break in the ice.”
“So then Alina returned home to Jack?”
Liam nodded. “But she was not well. Sharon told me that, when Alina returned, she looked a little thin and sickly, which was unusual for Alina. She was a healthy woman, very fit. Sharon figured Alina was exhausted, but that wasn’t it. Apparently, she had picked up something on her trip. In her weakened condition, she began to run a fever and she couldn’t shake it. One afternoon, Sharon called Jack at the office and told him to come home. ‘Alina needs to see a doctor right away,’ Sharon said. ‘She can’t hold her food down.’
“Jack took her to Northwestern Memorial, where she was admitted and seen by a team of specialists. They pumped her full of antibiotics and fluids and sent vials of her blood to infectious-disease centers, but the disease was very aggressive. Despite their care, she just wasn’t getting any better. Jack practically moved into the hospital. Sophie stayed with Sharon.
“The doctors tried everything, but Sharon said it was like trying to hold a handful of water. No matter what they did, she just kept slipping through their fingers. Too much damage had been done. Then she started bleeding internally. Five weeks after she returned home, Alina died.
“Jack was overwhelmed with the suddenness of the loss. In a moment, his life had changed. Nevertheless, he and Sophie did their best to carry on. They were great for each other. At Sharon’s urging, Jack and Sophie attended some therapy sessions. That helped somewhat. Then he went back to work and Sophie went back to preschool, and that helped as well. By Christmas, Jack was on his feet. It seemed like he and Sophie were standing on a stable platform. And then the second wave hit him.”
Catherine sat mesmerized. “What second wave?”
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