Work Text:
2010
When Fatin was seven she convinced her babysitter to take her to the playground. Her mom thought the playground was for children who didn’t have better things to do and Fatin definitely had better things to do. Cello. Cello had started as a hobby not long after her fifth birthday but soon developed into a career goal. That didn’t mean that she didn’t like it, cello, she actually loved it. It was fun and it made her feel nice and in control, neither of which she ever felt at home.
The babysitter, Kahina, is pretty cool and believes in children having fun so it only took a few minutes for Fatin to convince her. So, there they are, Kahina with her heels that made her easily 5’10” and Fatin hanging on to her hand, terrified of the other children. Kahina sits down on a bench, setting her purse down next to her, she takes Fatin’s hands in hers and looks her straight in the eyes.
“Listen kiddo,” Normally when adults called Fatin kiddo it made her angry but when Kahina said it it just made her feel safe, “You’re pretty awesome and if any of the kids don’t think so they’re not nearly as awesome. If anyone is icky you come find me and I’ll take care of it, okay?”
Fatin nods, “Okay.”
With a nervous wave Fatin turns and walks towards the playground. She decides to climb the small rock wall first because her mom never lets her, she says it’s too unsafe. Her walk melds into a trot as she moves towards the wall (it’s more of an arch than a wall really) but when she’s only a few feet away from her brand new experience she notices a girl around her age sitting in the shadows under the arch. The girl is poking at the ground with a woodchip and looks a little bit lonely. For a second Fatin considers just going ahead and climbing but this girl looks so alone and Fatin also wants a friend so here goes nothing. She crouches and walks under the arch. Mystery girl looks up and her eyes follow Fatin as she sits down. Fatin is trying to think of something to say but is saved from the task by mystery girl handing her a largish bit of woodchip. They sit under the climbing arch for a few minutes in silence, poking at the ground, making little drawings that didn’t look much like anything because they’re drawing in woodchip but are still pretty cool. Not that Fatin knows a whole lot about friendship but aren’t they supposed to talk? She can’t help but think this is getting boring so she lightly tosses her woodchip and the figure next to her. This is met with insanely blue eyes meeting hers and it feels like there’s just been a tremor but behind her eyes.
“What do you want?”
“I.. I don’t know.”
This girl looks thoroughly exasperated right now, “You threw that at me, are you sure you don’t want anything?” She gestures to the fallen woodchip. Fatin feels a slight pressure on her shoulder as the girl opposite her pokes her with a woodchip.
“I guess, your name. Kahina says that names are important, like my name means charming and her name means prophetess… Even though I don’t really know what that means.”
“I’m Leah, I don’t know what my name means but I know what prophetess means.”
Fatin expects Leah to tell her what prophetess means, that’s what any normal person would do after saying they know what something means or who someone is, but she doesn’t.
“Are you going to tell me what it means then?”
She looks like she’s thinking about it for a moment before she answers, “I’ll tell you what prophetess means if you can tell me what my name means.”
This is rather irritating to Fatin because she doesn’t know what Leah’s name means but she does want to know what prophetess means rather badly. “Hmph, okay then, we can just sit here in silence I guess.”
Leah nods, “Okay.”
The silence envelopes them for another few minutes until Fatin can’t take it anymore, “Kahina might know what your name means, would you tell me what prophetess means if I can find out what your name means from Kahina?”
Once again she’s stunned by just how blue those eyes are, “Okay.”
“C’mon then.” Fatin extends her hand and Leah takes it. They crouch until they get out from under the arch and Fatin leads the way across the playground to Kahina. Kahina waves and scoots over slightly so they can sit next to her.
“What’s up, kid one and kid two?”
Fatin doesn’t let go of Leah’s hand when they sit down but Leah doesn’t let go either so it’s okay. “This is Leah, she wants to know what her name means.”
Kahina takes a deep breath and leans back against the bench, “Leah is a beautiful name but it means something a little sad, you sure you want to know?”
Leah nods and both children lean in almost imperceptibly.
“It means weary.” Seeing the minor confusion on their faces Kahina quickly rephrases, “Tired, it means tired. Like, the kind of tired where your body is so heavy that you can’t move.”
For some reason that makes a lot of sense to Fatin, when she first saw Leah she did look tired, tired in a way that a kid shouldn’t be… it was actually a little unsettling. Currently this isn’t what’s on the forefront of Fatin’s mind.
“Will you tell me what prophetess means now?”
“It’s someone who can make predictions about the future.”
Kahina watches Fatin nod with a thoughtful expression on her face and thinks, ‘ When the hell did kids get so philosophical?’ The girls decide to go on a walk and the last thing Kahina hears before they turn to conversation and she distracts herself with her book is, “I know we just met but I think we should be friends.” followed by a soft, “Okay.”
2030
Fatin sets the notebook down on their table with just a little too much force and it makes a noise loud enough that it actually makes her flitch.
“Fatin, if you want a baby you’re going to have to learn how to be quieter because loud noises will probably make a baby cry.”
Fatin runs her hands through her hair, “Fuck, yeah. Sorry, I forgot. ” Leah reaches out and runs her fingers down Fatin’s jaw. It’s become a very comforting gesture over the last ten years, what with the island and everything. Despite arriving on the island as friends they had their fair share of fights but came out much closer than before, much closer. There was a first date (they decided not to count the ones that happened on the island), a coming out to the friends speech, a proposal, and eventually, a wedding. And now a baby apparently. There was a fifteen year old who got pregnant and she decided to give it away and they happened to be looking to adopt right in that time zone. When the birth mother said she wanted them to name the baby Fatin was ecstatic but that seems to have not lasted very long. Leah leans down and kisses Fatin’s forehead.
“We’ll find a good name, promise.”
“I can’t believe we wasted a whole nine months planning our house out and we haven’t even picked a name. Lee, that child could be born in like, five minutes and we don’t have a name picked out!”
Leah raises her eyebrows, “I don’t think that’s how it works, babe, plus a whole bunch of people wait for long periods of time to name their kids.”
Fatin sits up, looking horrified, “But those are hippie parents, I am not a hippie parent!”
“What about Kemar, after your brother?”
“That’s actually a good idea, shit Rilke, who knew you had so much brain power!”
Leah chuckles and writes down ‘Kemar’ in the notebook, “You did, weirdo.”
“Yeah but I’m your weirdo, now on to girl names!”
2052
“What was her name again?”
The two of them are sitting at the dining room table waiting for Kemar and his girlfriend from college to arrive. First meetings are stressful.
“I don’t remember.”
“Fuck, Leah, you’re supposed to be the smart one here!”
“Found it! Why does our son still use Facebook?”
“That kid, I don’t even know what to do with him at this point, but the name. What is it?”
“Her name is Ruth and she’s basically me. What the fuck.”
Fatin leans over to look at the screen, “Oh my god, she is. What can I say, us Jadmanis really have a thing for intellectuals.” She peppers the side of Leah’s face with kisses.
Leah fails to hide her smile and lightly pushes Fatin away from her, “I thought you had a thing for insane conspiracy theorists, I feel slightly betrayed now.”
Fatin walks to the other side of the table to retrieve their french press and pours herself more coffee, “You’re not an insane conspiracy theorist, you’re a genius.” she takes a sip, “Actually now that I think about it there’s not much of a difference but-” the doorbell sounds. “I’ll get it.”
Fatin opens the door to see her son and his girlfriend, holding hands and shivering despite their coats. “Please, come inside darlings!”
They step inside and shed their layers, warming up slightly. Leah joins the three of them with a smile.
“What, no hug for mom?”
Kemar smiles and hugs Leah, then Fatin before pulling Ruth towards them, “Moms, this is Ruth.”
Ruth nervously shakes hands with both of them, “It’s nice to meet you Mrs. and Mrs. Jadmani-Rilke.”
“Please, Leah and Fatin will suffice. Shall we move to the livingroom and yall can catch us up on the goings on at college.”
As Kemar and Ruth walk down the hall he points out little things, his parent’s wedding picture, a painting he made when he was ten etc. Fatin pulls her wife down and gives her a slow kiss.
“Look at us Babe, we’re doing okay aren’t we.”
“Mmm, we certainly are.”