“It was a late night, and we were up early forsuhoor,” Maryam said, debating how to bring up what she had just witnessed. “Are you disappointed Josh didn’t show up last night?” she asked.
Anna shrugged. “He had to keep filming, and the day ran long. It was nice of him to call and let me know.”
Maryam didn’t respond; then, unable to keep what she had seen to herself, blurted: “Actually, you just missed Josh. With Tenisha. They just walked past me, but I think they were in a hurry or something. They were holding hands. Someone snapped a picture of them as they left the inn together,” she finished. “I’m so sorry.”
“Oh. Wow. Well, I heard Snow Falls has their very own paparazzo,” Anna said faintly. Then, catching Maryam’s eye, she smiled. “It’s fine. They’re rumored to be in a relationship. We knew that already, right?”
“Right,” Maryam echoed, still worried. “You know what? I think helping the Holiday Hoopla will be a good distraction. For both of us,” she said.
“Will Saif be joining us today?” Anna asked, attempting to change the subject with a smile, but Maryam only shook her head. Thankfully, Anna didn’t push for more information. If Saima had been here, she would have demanded to know every detail, and then forced Maryam to hear her judgment. Maryam was grateful for this time to sit with her thoughts and figure out what she wanted to do, without anyone else’s input.
Once Dadu joined the women in the lobby, they made their way into town together, separating once they had reached Main Street—Anna and Maryam to the playhouse to help with the Holiday Hoopla, Dadu to the film set. They agreed to meet in the late afternoon to walk back to the inn together.
They arrived at the theater, and Maryam felt a leap of excitement as she pulled open the door. Inside this old brick building, with the fading carpet and cast photos on the walls,she wasn’t Bor-yam, dull older sister, dutiful daughter, and nerdy pharmacist. She could be something else, someone more: a writer of stories, a spinner of tales. Saif had seen that in her. He had listened to her confession on the plane and then helped her take a chance on an old dream. Maybe she was being foolish, not jumping on the rest of the dream he had offered. Yet when she thought about beginning a relationship with Saif, her heart flooded with panic, not joy.
This is not the time, she thought, and forced herself to focus on the job at hand. If there was one thing Maryam Aziz was good at, it was pushing her emotions to the bottom of her to-do list.
Inside, dozens of people milled around, Celine presiding over the organized chaos. Beside her, a woman in a fluffy white sweater and flared jeans sorted costumes into piles while an adorable blond-haired boy helped. Celine introduced her family—her daughter Hannah and grandson Shane—before waving Anna toward the stage, where a small crew were being lectured by a steely-eyed Teddy in full-on general mode.
“Don’t let his bark scare you,” Celine cautioned. “He really does live up to his name. Maryam can introduce you before she gets to work. We’ve set up a desk in a quiet corner backstage so you can start on that play,” she said, nodding at Maryam. “Where’s your handsome fella today?” When Maryam shrugged, Celine smirked. “I’m sure he’ll be along shortly. Couldn’t keep his eyes off you yesterday, that one.”
Trying not to blush, Maryam led Anna to the stage and introduced her to Teddy, who welcomed Anna warmly.
“Always happy to have another designer on hand,” Teddysaid. “These young ones can’t tell a jacquard silk from a linen blend. Have you done any set design in the past?”
“She’s a natural,” Maryam assured Teddy. Anna seemed slightly overwhelmed by the chaos, but based on the miracle she had worked at Saima’smehndilast night with just a few room dividers, borrowed textiles, and cushions, she would be a welcome addition at the playhouse.
Backstage was quiet, with only a few people wandering through the halls in search of supplies. The desk set up for her looked like it had been scavenged from the local school, complete with squeaky drawers that still held scrap paper and chewing gum. Maryam took a seat on the metal folding chair and looked over the outline Celine had put together, her notes neatly handwritten on lined paper. There wasn’t much, which meant Maryam would have total creative freedom. She had spent a few hours last night, when she couldn’t fall asleep, thinking up ideas for the play, and as she gripped her ballpoint pen, she felt the unfamiliar rush of focusing on a creative task. It had been so long, but as she shook off the cobwebs, she felt a glowing ember of happiness ignite in her chest, and she bent her head over the paper. Before she knew it, the morning had flown by. She couldn’t remember the last time she had felt this energized by work. Except this wasn’t work—it was a brief break from reality.
Someone tugged on her sleeve, and she looked away from her notes, to meet the inquisitive gaze of Celine’s grandson, who looked to be about four years old. He shyly pointed to her papers.
“What’s that?” Shane asked.
“I’m writing a play for the Holiday Hoopla,” she said. “Would you like to hear what I’ve come up with so far?”
Shane nodded soberly, sticking a finger in his mouth. Maryam set up a folding chair for him, then went through her plans, explaining them as if he were a colleague with the power to weigh in, and not a four-year-old with a limited attention span. Shane listened to her ideas and, after she was done, removed his finger from his mouth to chime in. “I like Christmas songs. My favorite is ‘Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer.’ What’s your favorite?”
“Definitely ‘Silent Night,’ ” Maryam said gravely.
Shane nodded. “Will Santa Claus be at the Howl-iday Hope-la?” he asked, the mispronunciation making her smile. “And Mrs. Claus? She’ll be sad if she’s not invited,” he added.
“Santa wouldn’t miss it for the world,” Maryam assured him, making a mental note to ask about the availability of a local Mr. and Mrs. Claus.
“There you are, you little scamp,” Celine said, sticking her head around the corner. “This one took off the minute his mom mentioned nap time. I hope Shane was behaving himself?”
“Shane is a vital member of the team,” Maryam assured the older woman. “He thinks my ideas show great promise.”
The young man in question ran off without so much as a backward glance, eliciting a fond chuckle from his grandmother. “My daughter and son-in-law took their time giving me grandchildren,” she confided. “One of life’s great blessings, now that they’re finally here. But they sure are exhausting. Do you have kids?”
Maryam shook her head. “Not yet,” she said.
“I bet that Saif fella would make a wonderful father,” Celine said.
“You’re as bad as the aunties back home, with their matchmaking,” Maryam teased.
“Plenty of auntie types in Snow Falls, too, and I’m proud to be among their number. I couldn’t help but notice you seem a bit down today. Is everything all right?” Celine said. Maryam was surprised to find herself wanting to confide about her bewildering feelings for Saif.
“Saif isn’t my ‘fella,’ ” Maryam started. “He’s a family friend. Someone I’ve known my entire life—and someone I’ve had a crush on for more years than I’d like to admit. Yesterday, after he brought me here, he said that he’d like to get to know me better. And I didn’t know how to answer him.”
