Daughter of Sheena (50)

2015-9-27

Daughter of Sheena-50
Memories of Qadamkheyr Mohammadi Kanaan
Wife of Sardar Shaheed Haj Sattar Ebrahimi Hajir
Memory writer: Behnaz Zarrabizadeh
Tehran, Sooreh Mehr Publications Company, 2011 (Persian Version)
Translated by Zahra Hosseinian

Samad came back home a month later. This time he wanted to stay in Hamadan for two weeks. Unlike before, he himself realized that I was pregnant. Seeing my discomfort, he said: “These things shouldn’t make you upset. You should be very happy. God hasn’t given an incurable disease, but he has granted blessing. We must be grateful. Come on, get ready, we want to celebrate.”

He himself dressed babies. He even readied Somayeh and said: “You also get ready. We want to go to the market.”

It was hard to believe. That Samad who never took his children’s hand and took them even to the alley up, now insisted us to go to the market together. Although I was down, but was pleased too that my kids would get happy. We went to the Hamedan’s Mozafariyeh market. By kids’ preferences, he bought toys and clothes for them. Whatever I said: “This is not good or that is shoddy”, he said: “Take it easy. Let the kids have fun. We want to celebrate.” Finally, we went to a shop and he bought Chador and scarf for me. Also, he bought a long and loose dress which has small pink flowers with a buff and white background. “This is the last pregnancy dress we buy. It’s over.”

 I bit my lips, and wanted him to lower his voice; although the shopkeeper was a lady, who had gone to the back to bring a blouse and skirt and didn’t hear our voice, yet I felt ashamed.

It was noon, when we got home. Samad went out again to buy something for lunch. Children happily showed us their clothes and played with their toys. After lunch, they were tired enough that fell asleep with toys in their hands and their new clothes over their heads.

The day after in the morning I had a good feeling, when Samad went to the Army of the Guardians. I thought how happy I am. How good life is. I wasn’t upset anymore. So, I got up and swept and dusted everywhere, after a couple months of boredom and sadness. I cooked Abgoosht. I bathed children. I swept the courtyard and sprinkled water around. I washed the kitchen and cleaned cabinets. Our house was cleaned completely and everywhere was shinning. Samad came home for lunch. He entered into house laughing. Kids ran toward him. Reaching to the hallway, he sat down, hugged kids and kissed them. Then he said: “Bravo! Lady Qadamkheyr! What a good smell.”

I laughed and said: “It’s Abgoosht that you like it very much.”

He got up and said: “You are so good that Imam Reza (AS) has summoned you.”

I looked at him in surprise. “We want to go to Mashhad?” I asked in disbelief.

As he was caressing kids, he said: “Do you want to go to Mashhad?”

I came into the hallway and said: “In God’s name! Please tell the truth.”

He hugged Somayeh, stood up and said: “Today, out of blue, I heard from a colleague that they arranged a Mashhad tour for women. I went and got the bottom of it. It was a good opportunity. So I registered you.”

I said: “Well, what about you?”

He kissed Somayeh’s hair and said: “You know mommy, this trip is just for women. Dad should stay home.”

I said: “I don’t go. Or we go together, or… forget it. How I can go there with these kids.”

He put Somayeh on the floor and said: “First bring our Abgoosht, I'm very hungry. I have written your name, you must go. It’s good for your mood. I’ll take care of Masumah and Khadija. You take Mehdi and Somayeh. I also have registered Sheena.”

I said: “Sheena cannot come. You know that after her stroke, traveling is very difficult for her. She comes to Hamedan forcefully. Then, this long way to Mashhad! No, Sheena can’t.”

He said: “Therefore I’ll ask my mother to come with you. You’ll be not single-handed in this way.”

I said: “But it was better if you could come with me.”

He said: “Pilgrimage of Imam Reza (AS) shrine requires bliss and competence that I don’t have. Good for you. Recommend me to Imam Reza (AS). Ask Imam Reza (AS) make your husband a good man!”

I said: “Do you see my luck? Now, when you are in Hamadan, I have to go!”

Suddenly he laughed his head off and said: “That’s right! Either I should be in this house or you.”

To be continued…