Jays POV
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Girls that wear prada are actually right up my street, silly Matthew. He's just made this the biggest game of my life. I stride through the streets of Dubai with my mother, she's clasped onto my arm, hooking hers around my own. And I'm thinking. It is not unusual for me to think about girls; especially ones that Matthew likes. Ones that I want to take from him.
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But girls I've never even met, a girl that could be anybody in this world should not be taking up this many of my thoughts. Maybe it's her name, it's different. Perhaps that's all it is. She different and I'm curious.
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"Jay, thankyou for the sushi" mom explains. I know that she misses my dad. He doesn't stop working. Not at all, he's always on. My mother however, she shoulders all responsibility for keeping our family alive.
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"Not a problem" I say and she chuckles.
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"Just like your father" she smirks and I resent her saying it. I will not be like him, firstly I will not have a family in the first place. That way I don't have to disappoint them continually like he does. I won’t be a daddy. Or a husband. I won’t have a cute little wife that I adore. I will be a business dude that surfs on the weekends.
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"My darling the yogi is just down this way" she says softly guiding me down yet another high street. Dubai is busy, it's bustling and it disagrees with my need to be alone with my thoughts. There is always some kind of noise or commotion. Like the quad bike tearing around the corner behind us, and heading off down towards the beach.
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We enter what can only be described as a run down shack, with different coloured boards hanging off the window. I eye my mother and she laughs telling me to open up. I'm aware of my surroundings at all times but being here I'm glad I didn't wear my Rolex.
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With drapes over the walls and the scent of burning incense we enter the building and I scoff slightly at the memorabilia on the walls and the little ornaments.
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"Very good" I smirk looking at the Buddha which sits proudly on the centre of a small table.
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"Shh" she smirks.
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We take a seat on the sofa facing the Buddha and not long after we've got ourselves settled in the most flea ridden chairs I’ve ever seen. A woman appears, walking out from a back door and glancing at us. A look of peace on her face as she regards my mother. Her expression changes to a wry smile when she glances at me.
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"Welcome" she says softly. She takes a seat on the opposite side of the Buddha, facing us. My mother completely enthralled by the theatrical display.
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“You madam, first please your aura is pure” she explains and I snort.
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“Have you got a problem?” The old lady looks at me, I notice her grey hair, and beg myself to take care of myself before I get this old. I smile sarcastically and she turns her attention back to my unsuspecting mother.
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“Your palm” she explains softly.
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“Is absolutely fascinating” she glances one look at my mother and smiles.
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“Your cards here” she indicates sitting back and looking at the tarot she has laid out.
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“This one here looks scary honestly but in your spread it just means change” she says pointing at a card that has a skeleton on it.
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“It means a new beginning, something you’ve always wanted. And this may not even mean concerning yourself. She says glancing up at me” she explains softly, looking at my mother’s cards laid out in a circle.
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“A new life, a next generation. New considerations” she explains softly.
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Mom begins crying and it agitates me that this old lady has clearly picked up on the fact that she is a mother with a coming of age son. The natural assumption is that I will meet and marry somebody. And of course produce my own family. It angers me that she assumes that’s what I want from my own life. And even more that she is feeding my mom false hope. It just will not happen.
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“Mom” I say softly and she shrugs me off holding onto the ladies hand.
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“Your son” she says simply.
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“Needs guidance” she whispers and I snort again.
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She turns to me with an exquisite disarming smile.
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“So sure of yourself, and quite rightly so” she smiles at my mom and my mother nods. It makes me uncomfortable. I’ve never seen my mom look so free and enchanted.
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“Wonderful lifeline. A strong stoic husband. A wonderful passionate individual with life set up before him.” She says and I can’t help but to think of the business. The place my father expects me to run. One day. Not a chance.
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“Understand” she says to mom
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“This is in his cards but he must choose it” she smiles and my mother nods.
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“Just an excellent life” she smiles broadly looking down at the cards and then up at me again. I see her game, this lady is trying to tell me what I want to hear, I think about demanding our money back. There will certainly be no tip, old lady. I warn her with my stare.
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“Everything falls into place when you allow it too”
She says to me, imploring me to listen.
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“No manipulating, scheming or planning needed” she adds. I balk slightly, that is me down to T, isn’t it?
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"People who refuse their hearts die alone. Lonely and unwanted." She begins sadly.
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"Denial is deadly, soon you will find space to fill all of your lonely and unwanted parts with love and adoration, completely boundless and unwavering. And eventually unconditional, Jay” she finishes.
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My mother gasps, the idea of these things is not to give over any of your personal details including your name. Mom must have told her, there is no other reasonable explanation. Either that or it’s a coincidence. Let’s put it down to her being a good guesser.
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The lady draws a line through the cards, my cards. A horizontal one and then a vertical one looking at me pointedly. Almost like a capital T, I shrug her off. Crazy old lady that she is.
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