Chapter 3
Meeting Freddie
The plane ride was very tiring. I slept most of the way there. Of course, the stuartess came over to offer drinks and food, which I readily accepted, but I fell asleep some more. I guess I was preparing for the action I would receive when I’ve arrived. When I finally did arrive, my legs wouldn’t move from sitting there for so long. I almost fell off the stairs going down, but a hand stretched out to meet mine. “Watch your step there girly! Are you alright?” “Oh yes. I’m okay. Just a bit clumsy I guess from sitting so long.” It was anahita. Someone else got my bags. A man’s voice spoke to Anahita. “I’ll take her bags to the car and I’ll be there to help out if she needs it. She might need two hands to steady her with the way she walked off.” “Dad!” she protested. “She’s fine. I’ll take care of her, and you get the bags. Okay?” “Okay. Fine with me.”, he laughed. Her dad had a slight accent. I wondered what nationality they were. Not wanting to be rude and press the subject on her, we walked on to the car, where she and I got safely inside. Anahita’s dad asked me how the flight was and many interesting questions about America. I supposed that he’d never known what it was like there. Maybe he’d read about it, but had never been, just as I’d never been anywhere out of America myself. “Well, the weather in some parts of America is nice, some of it is awful and some isn’t too bad. You just have to go where the climate suits your needs.” I explained as he asked me about the weather there. He asked many other questions, which I tried to answer as best as I could. Finally, we reached the house, which stood on a hill top. As I walked inside, I noticed a warm atmosphere and I knew that these people, who lived here, were genuinely friendly and I told myself not to be frightened. New places sometimes gave me the creeps if I didn’t know anyone, which I guess is normal for a lot of people. Her father took me to a chair in the living room, where I sat patiently as she came in the room with some tea, which I had requested when the offering was made of course. As I took in my surroundings and sipped the steaming hot liquid, two other female voices came in and sat down. Anahita graciously got up and introduced me to her mom and sister. “Mom, this is Jacqueline Ware, the girl I have been telling you about from America. Jacqueline, this is my mom. Mrs. Jer Bulsara.” “It’s a pleasure to meet you Mrs. Bulsara...” I said, as I shook her tiny soft hands. “This is my sister, Kashmira. She’s a bit shy, but she’ll talk to you once she gets to know you a bit more.” she said. “Hello Jacqueline. It’s nice to know you.”
