Colette and the Silver Samovar Read Online Free PDF

thinking he should not go. I don’t think my mother wants him to go either. But I can’t tell him this. And neither can she.
    I heard the door to our apartment open, then my mother’s excited voice calling out, “Hamid!” My father was home.
    I stuffed my journal under my pillow. My mother was right. It was wrong to think bad thoughts.
    After dinner, my father put on Iranian music. As my mother lit the flame under the samovar and put out a tray of desserts, people began to arrive. There were pastries filled with nuts called baagh-lava and my favorite, a sweet made from rosewater, pistachios and saffron called halva . Mr. Singh and his wife brought some sweets called boondi ke laddoo . Auntie Graves brought bananas fried in butter and covered in brown syrup, which she said was how they ate bananas back in Louisiana, where she had grown up.
    I poured endless cups of tea.
    â€œYour parents are very lucky to have so much happiness,” said Mr. Singh. He handed me his cup.
    I nodded.
    â€œIf you and your mother need anything at all while your father is away, you must come to us,” he said.
    Mr. Singh always made me feel as relaxed as a sleeping cat. It was good to know that he was just down the hall.
    By nine o’clock, everyone had put their teacups in the sink and said their goodbyes. I stood between my mother and father at the door and shook our guests’ hands as they left.
    â€œOff to bed now,” my father said as he closed the door behind Auntie Graves. “We all have an important day tomorrow.”
    I crawled into bed and waited for my father to come and tell me good night. It wasn’t until I was almost asleep that I felt his weight on the side of my bed.
    â€œSleep well, Colette,” he said in his softest voice.
    I opened my eyes. He was excited to be going, but he looked tired too. I wanted to ask him to tell me the rest of the story of Bahram and the Snake Prince , but he gave a giant yawn, then leaned forward to whisper in my ear.
    â€œI will see you very soon. And while I’m gone, you must be very helpful to your mother.”
    â€œWill you tell me the rest of the story of Bahram when you come back?” I asked.
    â€œOf course,” he said. “It will be the very first thing I do.”
    He pulled up the covers and tucked them around me. An airplane flew by my window, and he pointed at it. “I will wave to you from the sky tomorrow,” he said.
    I hugged him tight around the neck. “I will miss you.”
    â€œAnd I will miss you. But I am carrying many pictures of you with me, so I will have your face to look at all the time. And I will introduce you to my parents.”
    â€œWake me up tomorrow before you go,” I told him.
    â€œYes,” he said.
    â€œPromise!”
    â€œI promise.”
    When he was gone, I turned on my side and stared at my posters. I wanted to fall asleep and dream about the beautiful mosque.

Chapter 5
    Rain pattered against my window. The white and blue tiles of the mosque were washed out in the gray light. I pulled on a sweater and went out into the hall. Maybe I would start the tea and surprise my father and mother in bed with a tray.
    But when I went into the kitchen, I saw my mother sitting at the table, her sketchbook in front of her.
    â€œWhere’s Dad?” I asked.
    â€œHe has left for the airport,” she said. “His friend, Marco, came and picked him up an hour ago.”
    â€œGone?” I said. “ Gone? ”
    â€œYes. You knew he was leaving this morning.”
    â€œHe promised to wake me up and say goodbye,” I told her.
    She held out her arms. “Come here,” she said.
    I folded my arms over my chest.
    â€œColette,” she said, “he didn’t want to wake you. He thought you needed to sleep so you would be able to concentrate this morning in school.”
    â€œ School! ” I said. “He promised!”
    My mother dropped her hands.