Omar felt that he needed to focus on something, and so he stared at the now-familiar wedding portrait. He found a spot—Del’s father’s necktie—and fixed his eyes on the small black triangle. Del’s father had started puffing on his pipe and a cloud of vanilla-scented smoke descended slowly upon them. A soft breeze blew in through the windows. Outside, there was a rustle of leaves, and a bird chirped loudly.

It would be the black bird, the one with the yellow beak. Like the ones that used to wake him up in the mornings. Omar remembered the tall palm tree that stood outside his bedroom window of his childhood home. When the tree had ripe red fruit, there would be scores of those birds pecking at the fruit. Chattering, yes. Endless chattering. The memory of the birds reassured him somehow.

“Sir, I’ve asked Del to marry me,” he started, then slowed down to say, “and she has agreed.”

Del’s father took another puff of his pipe and turned to look at the window.

“Beautiful day. The rain helped.”

“Yes, it’s not so humid…” Omar replied quickly.

“How will you live?”

“Sir?” The question rattled him.

“How will you live?” Del’s father asked slowly. His voice was gentle but firm.

“I plan to start a business, to go into partnership with Roslan Fairman. I believe you know his father, sir?” Omar asked.

“Bill Fairman?” Del’s father asked, cocking an eyebrow.

“Yes, sir,” Omar replied.

“Bill’s a shark. You should know that. Not to say that his son is the same.” Del’s father leaned back into his leather chair. It squeaked.

A sudden gust of wind slammed a wooden shutter in the study against the window frame. Omar jumped slightly in his seat. He became conscious again of his bladder, now uncomfortably full.

Del’s father let out a little laugh.

“I apologise for that. It’s not for me to judge. Bill was a good lawyer—once.”

Omar nodded. “Fairman, or Roslan, rather, and Del are close associates as you know, and I have come to think that he and I could go into business together. You see, I intend to use our skills, combined­, to form a company that specialises in the construction of roads, expressways, in Malaysia and beyond. There’s a lot of possibilities in Africa—Sudan for example.” Omar paused and continued, “I love your daughter, sir, and I want to be able to provide for her in the best way possible.”

“And you think this kind of business would be the way to go?” Del’s father shot back.

Omar felt a sudden surge of anger. He was being questioned by a man who had ceased to be anything. A man who had stopped being a father. A man who had given up his right to ask him how he was going to live—and provide—for himself and his future wife.