Page 9 - Issue-24

Vol.1 Issue 24, October 2020
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Piece By Piece
*By: Prof. Nevine Mossaad, FEPS Political Science Professor

Translated By Ruqayyah Mamdouh

Together they walked down the Champs- Élys ées avenue after a
knew that he had to be the one taking a step, so he asked the lady in
tiring day of periodic checks and medical tests that she has to go
French with a noticeable foreign accent if he could take the
through since she was diagnosed with cancer. This walk was their
necklace, she affirmed. He held the necklace and pu lled her thin
way out after a restless day to check whether she was cured or not.
hair backwards and put it on her neck, and then he took a few steps
She leaned on his shoulder to find warmth and shelter, thinking that
back and looked at her with admiration. Before she even could
if it hadn't been for him, she wouldn't have continued her journey. It
comprehend the surprise, he was already asking abou t the
is the ray of memories that he projects to her that makes her feel
possibility of buying piece by piece of the set, an d the lady said
capable of fighting till the end. She remembers how he was there
yes.
every time she lost hope, how he pulled her of her misery into a
realm of beautiful memories that joined them once and still does.
He looked at her and said "this time we will buy th e necklace, and
For when she felt that her illness caused her elegance to go dull, he
next time the earnings and the ring, and finally th e bracelet." He
would bravely drizzle her with complaints that wipe out her
paid for the item and gave it to her in a beautiful black box
shyness.
When one is ill, they often become as fragile as an autumn leaf.
Suddenly few drops were pouring from her eyes, whic h soon
As they intentionally slowly moved along their path, her eyes were
turned into a weep. He calmed her as he always does and said "Is
caught by a famous jewelry shop, so they stopped. Even when one
the lady who bought the most elegant necklace in Pa ris crying?!"
isn't certain if they would survive or not, one could do nothing but
She tried to smile, and when she opened her mouth t o say
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show desire to the beauties of life. Here they are dazzled by the something, she couldn't, but she knew that her pray ers ……
shiny stones, and among everything, she heard her heartbeat rise Six months later on their next visit while they wer e taking a walk
when looking at a four-item set of a necklace, earnings, a ring, and
on the same street, she wished inside that Mahmoud wouldn't
a bracelet, all made of white gold all shaped like a lotus flower and
remember his promise, but he stopped on front of th e same shop
inlaid with diamond stones that you can hardly see. She couldn't but
and got her the ring and the earnings.
faintly express how beautiful this set is,as she imagined herself in a
black dress with her hair pulled backwards and the necklace on her
Was the lady in the store telling the truth when sh e said that she
neck, as beautiful as it could be. She suddenly came back to Earth
kept the rest of the set for them, that she knew th at they will come
as Mahmoud was pulling her gently into the jewelry's, she resisted
back, or was it just mere words? How could she know for sure, she
as once, not helping but remembering how much it costs every time
couldn't, but she is certain that the ring and the earnings belonged
they are to travel, how she surrounds herself with all the numbers,
to her.
On their third and last visit to Paris, as she hope d, and as they
the tickets, accommodation, and doctors. It is a dilemma that only
crossed the Champs- Élys ées avenueshe was hoping that no one had
pushes her further to refuse to cost Mahmoud with more expenses.
bought the last piece, she hoped that the bracelet is waiting for her
All she could think of at that moment is how foolish she would be
return, and she knew from that moment that she foun d hope again.
if she even showed any desire to buy anything from that shop, how
She found the last piece awaiting her, and maybe af ter all the lady
irresponsible she would be to even think of that!
didn't lie when she said she kept the set for her, and only her.
She found herself helpless under his insistence and they entered the
shop and sat in front of the saleswoman. On a grey velvet piece of
Among all her jewelry, even the most precious of th em, this
cloths, the lady gently put the diamond set and offered her to try
diamond set had a special place in her heart. It wa s special for so
them on. She refused knowing that the black dress and the diamond
many reasons, it was patience, and it was love, gre at endless love
necklace are only castles in the air, they could never afford it, she
that this Parisian set reminded her of, that's why she added in her
could never do that even in a million years, and if it is not the
will to her only daughter that come what may, she s hould never
money, it is her illness that prevents her. Mahmoud
lose it.
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Vol.1 Issue 24, October 2020