Mira was a gorgeous looking girl. With her dreamy, blue eyes and a long, natural blond, thick hair, her tall and proportional body, she couldn’t pass by un-noticed. Her graceful figure resembled of Queen Noir, the official Queen of Jordan and King Hussein’s second wife. For her resemblance alone, she would get noticed anywhere in Jordan, be it in a store, grocery shopping, plane, airport, walk in the park. People were gazing at her with an obvious interest.
Diana met Mira for the first time in the small photo gallery where they were both taking their pictures for passports and documents. What a coincidence that was! They were both getting ready to start the same job, preparing for their first flight to Jordan. Given the unique way those two met, one could not help but thinking that a dose of fate must have been involved for the two.
The photographer was an older gentleman who was in business for many years. He was an artist in photography and chose the exposure and the brightness of the image in the most meticulous way. While preparing for her photo shoot, Mira took her time. She fixed her hair and braided it for that occasion, with a little make up, just enough to brighten her smile and enhance her eyes. She wanted the old-fashioned, romantic look. Diana was in hurry but patient. They were the only two people at inside. They haven’t exchanged their phone numbers, but figured they would meet at the airport.
Diana could not remember seeing Mira at the airport. She with her later on at the Queen Alia hotel. All the girls had to share their rooms for the expense purposes. Diana hit it off with Mira better than with the other girls and shared the room with her. Somehow Diana was not too convinced that Mira wanted the same, but she agreed to it. Diana was not a party girl. She needed a solitude and time for herself. Mira appeared insecure, but curious and full of desires, willing to socialize much more, even though that occasionally scared her and threw her off-balance. Her real wish was to find a better job. She already knew that she did not like flying. She thought of her new job as of the opportunity to network and find the more exciting and promising career, perhaps in health industry, in which she claimed to have a degree. Soon she started to become friendly with people of influence.
Mira’s one and only dream was to find a way to move to the States and establish her own carrier as a dentist. This dream of being a grown up with a life and career was overwhelming and so far out of reach that Mira would often end up getting depressed. She either could not get what she wanted or she tried too hard. Nobody really knew her well. It started to feel that Mira had something to hide. Her actions appeared calculating, regardless of her dreamy, innocent eyes.
Diana noticed about Mira that she was always detached, but Diana often found excuses for people that she liked. Little did she know, Mira wasn’t into working as a stewardess for the Royal Jordanian. She wasn’t interested in traveling. She wanted to fly as least as possible, so she figured she would join the special unit called then Royal Crew. That was a chosen group of stewardesses that worked for the King and his family directly. Having no connections, Mira had to work hard to get to the Royal Crew, so she accepted to go for a date with one of the Royal Jordanian board directors.
Diana knew nothing about this adventure and only found out when the outraged wife who called her on the phone thinking that she was the girl. By the way she described the photo that she found in her husband’s wallet, Diana knew the girl she was looking for was Mira. Diana agreed to join Mira in meeting the wife, not wanting to let her friend down. They met at Al Amra hotel, a luxuries place in downtown Amman.
– How many times did you see my husband? , The wife insisted to know.
– It was only twice, really. He took me to Madaba for a day trip and once we went for a dinner.
– But you gave him your picture.
– He asked for it. I did not want to. He insisted that I give it to him. Mira was almost crying. We were, um, just friend. I wasn’t interested in him.
– Hmm…But he was interested in you and you knew that, said the wife.
– I don’t know. This is not my fault. Mira almost sounded innocent.
– I do want to tell you that whatever happened happen, I ask you to discontinue all contact with my husband. He is a very ill man and I need to protect my family. I need to protect my children and his honor. If I hear that you ever saw him again, not only you, but both you and your friend will be deported with no chance to return. I want to make sure that’s clear.
It was clear and they understood. The hotel in which they met was lovely, one of the most beautiful
hotels in Amman and had the most romantic lounge that one can imagine. Was that a coincidence? Diana was thinking. A wealthy wife, once loaded with money and fame, was losing her beauty in her late forties and wanted to feel important again. A husband was leaving her for a younger and prettier woman, the poor woman with no status that brings shame to the family. She felt helpless. She wanted to talk over and over again. She wanted to know everything what happened. She
insisted that Mira promised never to see him again, over and over. She threatened both girls, over and over. She wanted to cry, but she didn’t. She was neglected, middle age woman faced with her husband’s infidelity and yet trying to protect his honor. His job was at stake, his health deteriorating. And she begged the girl to leave him alone. She begged for her family and her children. A man in crisis can lose his mind in his vulnerability; poisoned by the newly found passion for the pretty girl. In her sad predicament, she was the one to lose the most.
Mira didn’t mind promising whatever she was asked to promise. She knew of his weaknesses. His reputation was not good and his position was shaky, now even more. Mira wanted from him one thing only, to get her to the special crew unit.
Diana felt bad for the wife. For the first time she saw Mira’s face that she didn’t like. It almost felt that she was secretly smiling. Mira realized that her plan might not have worked, but she already had a plan B.
Anthem Paralegal 