Part 6
As Asgar picked up a ripe plum to eat and wrapped his hand around it, the plum slipped straight out of his hand and flew at Asal's face

October 18, 2005
iranian.com

Maryam sat in the emergency room with her head tilted back and a tissue held against her nose. She had been waiting for several hours and she was tired. If things hadn't gone so wrong with Amir she would have been able to go straight to the Harley Street clinic and got her nose fixed straight away. She squeezed her fathers hand tightly and he looked at her with affection.

His daughter had grown up so quickly, he could still remember the first time she had worn makeup. She had applied her lipstick with great skill considering she was only nine at the time. She always got the best grades for her art work and was the best tracer in the class. Tracing her pouting lips with black lip liner had helped her develop her artistic talent. She could have been a great artist, but now his little girl was getting married and was going to leave home. He shed a solitary tear for the loss of his little girl and then smiled at the woman that sat next to him with tissue paper stuffed up her broken nose; she would always be beautiful to him.

Asgar stood in the living room surrounded by Maryam's mother and predatory aunt. Both of the women had their eyes fixed on him, he was used to Asal staring at him, but not Maryam's mother. Perhaps she too now wanted him; he could not blame her for wanting him as he was very handsome. He ran his fingers slowly through his hair while looking straight in to the eyes of Maryam's mother.

"Afsaneh Khanoom, vere is Maryam... ?"

"She just vent out vid her father to pick up a few tings I needed, she vill be back soon, have some fruit... " Afsaneh responded

As Asgar picked up a ripe plum to eat and wrapped his hand around it, the plum slipped straight out of his hand and flew at Asal's face. He had forgotten to wipe his hand on his shiny black trousers, after he had run it through his slicked back hair. He watched helplessly as the projectile plum flew towards her, everything was moving in painful slow motion, he dove forward to stop the plum, but he was too late. The plum smashed into Asal's full lips and ricocheted off them crashing into a black and white framed photograph of Maryam hanging on the wall. The frame fell and the glass shattered as it smashed to the ground.

For a moment the room was filled with silence as they all stared at the broken photograph of Maryam. It seemed a bad omen of things to come; Asgar felt a heavy sense of foreboding as he looked apologetically towards Asal while combing back a few stray strands of hair from his forehead and back into their rightful place. He hated it when his hair was out of place, it was important that his hair remained in place as he had an image to maintain. As his green contact lenses met Asal's hazel eyes he saw that blood and collagen was seeping slowly out of her now deflated lips.

The silence was broken by Afsaneh piercing scream. "Asal your lips, your lips, your lips, vat has happened to your lips... ?"

Asal was still deathly silent, as frozen as the collagen in her lips had once been. Slowly she regained her senses and walked towards the mirror and examined her lips. She was eerily calm and serene while her sister panicked and ranted. She stumbled as she walked and looked as though she might faint, Asgar rushed to her side and put his arm around her and helped her towards the mirror. He apologised profusely and offered to make it up to her. She looked at him pleadingly, tears welling in her eyes with a painful smile, but behind her bloody lips her mind was calculating and scheming.

"Asgar, vill you take me to de hospital please, I need to fix my lips?" She lisped through her injured lips, it pained her to speak but it was worth the pain. She would make him feel guilt, sympathy and passion for her.

"Of course I vill take you to the hospital, I am responsible and I feel very bad. It was an accident and I am very sorry," Asgar responded sheepishly.

"I know Asgar joon, don't vorry I don't blame you and I am sure you vill take good care of me. I vill tink of a vay for you to make it up to me." She purred.

She leant on Asgar and let him guide her as she used his shoulder as support as they walked to his BMW; he opened the door and helped her in. She sat in the bucket leather seats and breathed in the heady scent of Old Spice, leather and cigars. She could get used to being driven around like this she thought to herself. Asgar got into the car next to her put on his Gucci sunglasses and gave Asal a mischievous smile. He slipped his key into the ignition, revved his engine and switched on the CD player. The smooth sound of Barry White blasted from the speakers as they sped of towards the hospital.

Maryam's nose had stopped bleeding and she had her head buried in her hands while she sobbed inconsolably. Her father had his arm around her and was desperately trying to comfort her.

"I vill buy you a new Lui Vuitton handbag my darling."

As Maryam heard those beautiful and comforting words, she sobbed a little less and wondered what else her father might buy her.

In the distance stood a tall and dashingly handsome doctor, slowly he walked towards Maryam and her father. At first he was hesitant and shy, not wanting to interrupt this touching father and daughter moment. Eventually he summoned enough courage to interrupt; he spoke with a hushed polite tone.

"Excuse me Maryam; I believe we have met before my name is Doctor... ."

Maryam slowly looked up at the deep voice she had just heard; first she saw a beautiful pair of soft white leather loafers and then his handsome face. She interrupted him mid sentence.

"Yes I remember you are Golnaz's friend..."

To be contionued
Persian romance index