SOAP 8

A month later, electricity crackled between Pamela and Parvana, an English teacher. After a smoking hot weekend, they requested MQ unit.
Pamela confided to Charlie, "had no idea, with women, just goes on forever."
"Sis," gently, "be very kind, easy-going with her. Bad luck, abusive partners who beat her up."
"Women actually do that?"
"Yeah, lotsa courtmartials offa domestic abuse."
"Thanks for cluing me in. You and Sonali, I see the love, tenderness. First real love for you?"
He wiped a tear, "you're right."
Pamela and Parvana had a good couples friendship with Nooria and Adela, visit, picnic.

Tasma asked Parvana, "so, how is she?"
"Kind, loving, gentle, fun to be with."
"Yeah, just like her brother is to Sonali, must run in the family. Hold onto her."
"I'll try."

Pamela had been so broke, always borrowing small sums, that when her salary arrived, it looked huge in relation to tuck shop prices. She started to realize she was the rich kid on the block. After all, poverty in Bangladesh is very different from poverty in London, a relative, not an absolute condition.
She knocked on Sonali's and Charlie's door, repaid the cash, gave a little parcel.
Sonali hugged her, "you are so kind, even noticed what brand of chocolate and cigarettes. Thank you so much."
Parvana had remarkably similar tastes in literature as Pamela, so there was plenty to talk about outside of bed.
After a few months, they opted for a ring ceremony, Adela and Nooria the proud official witnesses.
In fact, with her large (relative) salary and low (relative) cost of books, they were soon regularly ordering book parcels from HQ.
When both were done reading a book, they'd circulate it around.
One day as Pamela opened a parcel, she started to laugh. Parvana asked what was funny.
"Books are so expensive back home, I just realized I couldn't afford a parcel this size back in Britain."
Parvana joined in the laughter.
As Pamela felt Parvana's warmth and love, she thought how meeting some nice lesbians had changed her mind. As for the not-so-nice ones, guess that's the CO's problem.
Another realization washed over Pamela. Parvana isn't after my big salary. My partner or not, she'd still see all the books. No, she wants what I do: warmth, love, togetherness.
As they entered the mess, Pamela could clearly read the expressions. Not Parvana snagged the rich doctor. No, more like happiness two people had found each other.
That night as they snuggled, Pamela told Parvana how glad she was to be here.
Parvana smiled, "thank your brother."
"Him?"
Parvana told the chronicle of 3 Kabul, how it originated, how Charlie had led them out of the wilderness.
Pamela gasped, "so he really earned the decoration? Not just a showpiece?"
"Twice over, Salima is very stingy on awards, ask anyone. 3 Kabul as you see it is his creation."
Parvana paused, go for it, "he isn't just a British sgt, no way, only a cover story. Got CO experience somewhere."
After a moment's thought, Pamela realized she could trust Parvana, told her.
Parvana grinned, "explains a lotta the undercurrents floating around this place. But Salima, may the almighty preserve us." Parvana stared into space, "and to think he won the Iron Cross for saving her whole darn company. A month later, what does she do?"
"You're Muslim, never drank, no concept of what 2 bottles of brandy does."
It dawned on Parvana, "he does understand, that's why he can shrug it off."

Midafternoon in a dingy gray pod in a Revenue Canada office in a major city. Gentle little Indira was crying quietly. Her podmate and longterm friend Savitri rolled her chair into Indira's workstation, "what's the matter? Coffee with Salma again?'
Indira nodded, dabbed at her eyes.
"Tell me about it."
"Just can't manage anymore. All that hate and fury in one place. Now my concentration is shot, can't do difficult transcripts. First it was once a fortnight, then once weekly, now twice. "
"Indira, the whole office knows how bad she is. You're the only one left who'll coffee with her. How'd you first meet her? She's on the other side of the complex."
"Sitting out by the flowers one day, needed someone to walk her to the doctor's office."
"Just cuz you once walked her to the doctor, doesn't make you her legal guardian."
"I know but."
"But you can't. Tell you what, every time she wants to go, just say you already have a coffee partner. Then I'll go with you. Eventually, she'll wise up, leave you alone."
Indira wrapped her tiny arms around the solid Savitri, "thanks, I owe you."
"Ok, buy me a coffee first time and we're even." Pause, "now give me those 2 transcripts."
"Can't, wouldn't be fair to you."
"Make you a deal. I do the transcripts, you enter the send function and bring forward my letters 30 days. Take you about the same time, least it's something you can do upset."
"Thank you so much, you're a real friend."

Salma stormed out of the Tech Advisor's workstation in total fury. She shovelled the papers into her overhead. Her hands twitched so bad, she couldn't lock it. "To f*** with it," she thought , "just one more thing to fight over if they do a security sweep," rarely done.
As she rode the elevator, she sensed she couldn't drive in this state, could have an accident. So, being a non-drinker, she went to the coffee house next door and had - what else - a double espresso. The cup in front of her she pondered.
The whole of Revenue was one giant pustule of pestilence upon the face of the earth. That b**** of a TA was nit-picking her to death. The Team Leader raised arseholeism to an art form.
The Visible Minority Committe executive had ceased answering her phone calls and e-mails.
She had some 3 dozen grievances outstanding and the Management toads were stalling.
The arseholes in Finance had taken 5 kilometers off her travel expense claim and those in Personnel had reduced her overtime from the trip by 1/4 hour.
Her car was playing up. Maybe $300 repair she couldn't afford.
Ever since her mother had switched from real Muslim to Ismaili, they'd been at loggerheads.
Her nephew, that improvident pharmacy student, had borrowed $20 again. When would he ever grow up?
She suspected her niece was lesbian - which the niece denied.
Those morons in the condo assocation were stalling - preventing her glassing in the balcony.
Visa had phoned - again - asking about payment.
Her sort-of friend Fatima had stopped by last night, crying her eyes out about boyfriend problems. Didn't Fatima know, all guys were total jerks? Why should hers be different?
And now that stupid mousy Indira was dodging her. Should stop wearing those silly modest schoolgirl dresses. Well at least Indira wasn't lying, she was going with someone else for coffee. That elephant Savitri, her husband should spank some sense into her, put her on a diet.

Calmed down, (relatively), Salma went next door to the convenience store, bought $30 worth of lottery tickets. Drove to the supermarket, bought macaroni and cheese, eggs and coffee.
Came home, sank into the sofa and groaned, "take me away from all this bulls***."
After a bit, she went downstairs to check the mail, it being at the front door.
Cable company doing heavy breathing.
Internet service provider politely pointing out arrears.
Statement from the oil company - come on that thing isn't an armored personnel carrier.
Reminder from the banker about mortgage renewal - ouch - interest rate higher.
Drained, she channel surfed. Found an interesting National Geographic on an island.
After supper of mac and cheese and eggs, she crawled under the covers, TGIF.
Tomorrow, race track, she knew when to quit, she'd only take $400.