Abigail – The Avenging Agent: The agent appears again by Rose Fox

chickpeas?”  Abigail asked.
                “No, we haven’t forgotten
anything. I will put the chicken legs in the pan on top of the chickpeas and
the garlic, and you can add the spices.”
    Abigail sprinkled the
salt, black pepper, paprika, added the halved lemon and bay leaves while the
water bubbled and boiled in the kettle.
                “Ah, should
I add water?” Abigail asked.
                “Yes, but first pour water
over the tea bags in the empty cups,” then added, “I hope there are four cups
of boiling water left in the kettle for our dish.”
    Abigail poured two cups
of tea and then measured four cups of boiling water and poured them into the
simmering pan.
                “Oh, I almost forgot,” Aisha
exclaimed, “we have to add the eggplant cubes in the oven to the skillet.”
    Just then, they heard
knocking on the door and apprehension spread on Aisha’s face.  It was one hard rap
followed by three weaker ones, and then a key turned in the lock.  Barak
entered and called out:
                “Wow, what
a great smell!  It’s torture to come here without being invited."
                “What do
you mean by uninvited?  We’ve been waiting for you.  Come and sit down and
enjoy some genuine Persian cuisine.” Abigail exclaimed.
                “So Abi…,
Rania, are you already an expert in Persian cooking?
                “Of
course.”
                “I am
overjoyed, but wouldn‘t it be a pity not to let San try out a Persian meal?”
                “San? With
a name like that he should be eating Japanese food.”  Aisha stated.
                “Chinese
food,” Barak quickly corrected her and called San.
                “Come, San, you won’t
believe what a great meal awaits us here,” and ten minutes later the four of
them were sitting around the table.
    After the meal, Barak was pensive.  He
pursed his lips and fantasized how this might be the dining table in their
shared home, his and Abigail’s. They would enjoy eating delicacies and living a
family life and, without realizing it, he stared at her.  She screwed up her
eyes, trying to fathom the meaning of his gaze and blushed when she thought she
understood.
    In the evening, when they were alone and
prepared for bed, Abigail removed her blue contact lenses and placed them in a container
with transparent liquid.  Aisha glanced at what she was doing but said nothing
and Abigail wondered how it was that Aisha never expressed any interest in
Abigail’s past. 
    On the following day, Aisha informed her
that they were to travel to Beer Sheba.  She spoke in Persian, and Abigail
answered her in Arabic, because she still found it difficult to hold a fluent
conversation in Persian, even though she was familiar with and had learned that
language.
                “Why to Beer
Sheba of all places?”
                “You’re
going to travel there as Rania and leave as a Muslim woman.  Trust me.” Aisha
said in Persian and added:
                “Till we get there, I agree
to listen to you speaking Arabic.  But, from the moment we leave the store –
your appearance will be that of a genuine Iranian woman, and you will speak
only Persian to me.”
    That day, Abigail bought two galabiyas;
one was of rough black material with a black lace collar and the other made of a
shiny gray suede fabric.
    From that day on they
ate only Persian cuisine.
                “Rania, you
are an unmarried woman.”
                “What does
that mean?”
                “It means
that you will never initiate a conversation with a male stranger, especially
not in public.”
                “Ah, and if
he approaches me?”
                “Firstly,
you must lower your eyes modestly; Secondly, you must never find yourself alone
with a man.  Period. Is that