أَمَامَ النَّاسِ

فِي مَسَاءِ الْيَوْمِ نَفْسِهِ، امْتَلَأَ مَكْتَبُ التُّجَّارِ بِالْكَرَاسِيِّ. وَلَمَّا لَمْ يَبْقَ مَكَانٌ، وَقَفَ بَعْضُ النَّاسِ عِنْدَ الْبَابِ. جَلَسَتْ لِينَا فِي الْخَلْفِ وَدَفْتَرُهَا عَلَى رُكْبَتَيْهَا.

That evening the traders’ office filled with chairs. When there was no room left, some people stood at the doorway. Lina sat in the back with her notebook on her knees.

جَاءَتْ صَبَاحُ وَجَلَسَتْ بِجَانِبِ ابْنَتِهَا. لَمْ تَقُلْ إِنَّهَا جَاءَتْ لِتُسَاعِدَهَا، وَلَمْ تَسْأَلْهَا أَنْ تَعُودَ إِلَى الْبَيْتِ. وَضَعَتْ فَقَطْ كُوبَ مَاءٍ أَمَامَهَا.

Sabah came and sat beside her daughter. She did not say she had come to help, nor ask her to go home. She merely set a cup of water before her.

كَانَتْ خَدِيجَةُ تَجْلِسُ قُرْبَ الطَّاوِلَةِ، وَبِجَانِبِهَا قِطَعٌ صَغِيرَةٌ مِنَ الْقُمَاشِ كَانَتْ قَدْ أَحْضَرَتْهَا مِنْ عَمَلِهَا. أَمَّا حَامِدٌ فَجَلَسَ بَعِيدًا عَنْهَا قَلِيلًا.

Khadija sat near the table, beside small pieces of cloth she had brought from work. Hamid sat a little apart from her.

بَدَأَ اجْتِمَاعُ التُّجَّارِ بِكَلَامٍ عَنْ افْتِتَاحِ السُّوقِ غَدًا. سَأَلَ رَجُلٌ عَنْ مَكَانِ الصَّنَادِيقِ، وَسَأَلَتِ امْرَأَةٌ عَنْ وَقْتِ فَتْحِ الْأَبْوَابِ.

The meeting began with talk about tomorrow's opening. One man asked where boxes would go, and a woman asked what time the doors would open.

ثُمَّ قَامَ رَامِي وَقَالَ: «عِنْدَنَا خِلَافٌ عَلَى الْبَابِ السَّادِسِ. وَقَدْ رَاجَعْنَا الْوَرَقَاتِ هَذَا الصَّبَاحَ بِحُضُورِ أَمَلَ وَحَامِدٍ وَشَاهِدٍ مِنَ الْجَمْعِيَّةِ».

Then Rami stood. “We have a dispute over Door Six,” he said. “We reviewed the papers this morning with Amal, Hamid and an association witness present.”

كَانَ صَوْتُ رَامِي مُرْتَجِفًا قَلِيلًا. قَرَأَ مِنْ وَرَقَتِهِ أَنَّ الْأَصْلَ الْمُوَقَّعَ كَانَ بِاسْمِ أَمَلَ، وَأَنَّهُمْ لَمْ يَجِدُوا مُوَافَقَةً مَكْتُوبَةً عَلَى تَغْيِيرِهِ.

Rami's voice shook a little. He read that the signed original named Amal and that they had found no written consent changing it.

رَفَعَ رَامِي الْقَائِمَةَ الْجَدِيدَةَ. «أَنَا كَتَبْتُ هَذِهِ الْقَائِمَةَ. أَعْطَتْنِي خَدِيجَةُ الْأَسْمَاءَ، وَلَمْ أَرْجِعْ إِلَى الْوَرَقَةِ الْأُولَى. هَذَا خَطَئِي».

Rami held up the newer list. “I wrote this list. Khadija gave me the names, and I did not check the first allocation. That was my mistake.”

سَأَلَهُ تَاجِرٌ: «هَلْ قَرَّرْتَ أَنْ تَأْخُذَ أَمَلُ الْبَابَ التَّاسِعَ؟» أَجَابَ: «لَا. لَمْ يَكُنْ ذَلِكَ مِنْ سُلْطَتِي. لَكِنَّ خَطِّي جَعَلَ الْقَرَارَ يَبْدُو كَأَنَّهُ صَحِيحٌ».

A trader asked, “Did you decide Amal should take Door Nine?” “No,” Rami answered. “That was not my authority. But my handwriting made the decision look official.”

قَالَتِ امْرَأَةٌ مِنَ الْخَلْفِ: «لَكِنَّ خَدِيجَةَ سَاعَدَتْنَا جَمِيعًا. رُبَّمَا هُنَاكَ سَبَبٌ». قَالَ شَخْصٌ آخَرُ: «وَرُبَّمَا يَجِبُ أَنْ نَسْمَعَ أَمَلَ أَوَّلًا».

A woman at the back said, “But Khadija has helped us all. Perhaps there is a reason.” Someone else said, “Perhaps we should hear Amal first.”

وَقَفَتْ أَمَلُ. لَمْ تَحْمِلْ مَعَهَا إِلَّا نُسْخَتَهَا الَّتِي عَلَيْهَا بُقَعُ الْمَاءِ. قَالَتْ: «وُعِدْتُ بِالْبَابِ السَّادِسِ، وَوَقَّعْتُ عَلَى هَذِهِ الْوَرَقَةِ».

Amal stood, carrying only her water-stained copy. “I was allocated Door Six, and I signed this paper,” she said.

«سَأَلَتْنِي خَدِيجَةُ بَعْدَ ذَلِكَ إِنْ كُنْتُ أُرِيدُ الْبَابَ التَّاسِعَ. قُلْتُ إِنَّنِي سَأُفَكِّرُ. لَمْ أَقُلْ نَعَمْ، وَلَمْ أُوَقِّعْ عَلَى تَغْيِيرٍ».

“Later Khadija asked if I wanted Door Nine. I said I would think about it. I did not say yes, and I did not sign a change.”

سَأَلَتْ خَدِيجَةُ بِصَوْتٍ قَصِيرٍ: «أَوَلَمْ نَتَكَلَّمْ مَرَّةً أُخْرَى؟» أَجَابَتْ أَمَلُ: «لَا. لَمْ نَتَكَلَّمْ مَرَّةً أُخْرَى عَنْ هَذَا الْبَابِ».

“Did we not speak once more?” Khadija asked sharply. “No,” Amal replied. “We did not speak again about that stall.”

رَأَتْ لِينَا يَدَ خَدِيجَةَ تَمُدُّ طَرَفَ قِطْعَةِ قُمَاشٍ عَلَى الطَّاوِلَةِ. كَانَتْ تُسَوِّي طَرَفًا مُسْتَقِيمًا أَصْلًا.

Lina saw Khadija pull the edge of a piece of cloth across the table, straightening an edge that was already straight.

وَقَفَ حَامِدٌ بَعْدَ أَمَلَ. قَالَ: «أَعْطَتْنِي أُخْتِي وَرَقَةً حَقِيقِيَّةً بِوَعْدٍ لِلْبَابِ السَّادِسِ. صَدَّقْتُهَا. وَاشْتَرَيْتُ خَشَبًا لِرَفٍّ يَنْقُصُهُ الْعَمَلُ حَتَّى الْآنَ».

Hamid stood after Amal. “My sister gave me a genuine written promise of Door Six. I believed her. I bought wood for a shelf that is still unfinished.”

«لَمْ أَتَكَلَّمْ مَعَ أَمَلَ قَبْلَ ذَلِكَ عَنْ تَغْيِيرِ بَابِهَا. كُنْتُ أَظُنُّ أَنَّ أُخْتِي قَدْ أَنْهَتِ الْأَمْرَ. أَمَّا الْآنَ فَقَدْ رَأَيْتُ الْوَرَقَاتِ».

“I did not speak with Amal about changing her stall. I thought my sister had settled it. Now I have seen the papers.”

سَأَلَ تَاجِرٌ: «وَهَلْ تَرْضَى بِالْبَابِ التَّاسِعِ؟» أَجَابَ حَامِدٌ: «أَسْتَطِيعُ أَنْ أَعْمَلَ فِيهِ. لَكِنَّ هَذَا لَا يَمْحُو الْمَالَ الَّذِي دَفَعْتُهُ».

“Can you accept Door Nine?” a trader asked. “I can work there,” Hamid answered. “But that does not erase the money I spent.”

حِينَ جَاءَ دَوْرُ لِينَا، لَمْ تَقُمْ فَوْرًا. نَظَرَتْ إِلَى صَبَاحَ، فَوَجَدَتْ أُمَّهَا تُحَرِّكُ كُوبَ الْمَاءِ نَحْوَهَا. ثُمَّ قَامَتْ.

When it was Lina's turn, she did not stand immediately. She looked at Sabah, who moved the cup of water closer to her. Then Lina got up.

قَالَتْ: «أَنَا أَكْتُبُ اللَّوْحَاتِ فَقَطْ. لَكِنَّ عِنْدِي دَفْتَرًا يَحْفَظُ تَوَارِيخَ الطَّلَبَاتِ. طَلَبَتْ خَدِيجَةُ لَوْحَةً فَارِغَةً جَدِيدَةً لِلْبَابِ السَّادِسِ قَبْلَ الِافْتِتَاحِ بِسِتَّةَ عَشَرَ يَوْمًا».

“I only paint signs,” she said. “But I keep an order book with dates. Khadija ordered a new blank panel for Door Six sixteen days before opening.”

«وَخَدِيجَةُ تَقُولُ إِنَّ أَمَلًا وَافَقَتْ بَعْدَ ذَلِكَ بِأَرْبَعَةِ أَيَّامٍ. لَا أَعْرِفُ لِمَاذَا طَلَبَتِ اللَّوْحَةَ مُبَكِّرًا. لَكِنَّ التَّارِيخَيْنِ مَكْتُوبَانِ».

“Khadija says Amal agreed four days after that. I do not know why the panel was ordered early. But the two dates are recorded.”

قَالَتْ لِينَا: «الْوَرَقَةُ الْأَصْلِيَّةُ وَالْقَاعِدَةُ الْمَكْتُوبَةُ أَوْضَحُ مِنْ تَخْمِينِي. أَمَّا عَمَلِي فَلَا يَجِبُ أَنْ يُغَيِّرَ حَقَّ أَحَدٍ». ثُمَّ جَلَسَتْ.

“The original paper and the written rule are clearer than my guesses,” Lina said. “My work should not change anyone's rights.” Then she sat.

بَقِيَتْ خَدِيجَةُ صَامِتَةً. سَأَلَهَا عُضْوُ الْجَمْعِيَّةِ الَّذِي حَضَرَ مُرَاجَعَةَ الصَّبَاحِ: «هَلْ نُقِلَتْ وَرَقَةُ أَمَلَ مِنَ الْمَلَفِّ الْحَالِيِّ بِعِلْمِكِ؟»

Khadija remained silent. The association member who had attended the morning review asked, “Was Amal's paper moved from the current file with your knowledge?”

أَجَابَتْ خَدِيجَةُ: «كُنَّا نُحَاوِلُ أَنْ نُنْهِيَ الِانْتِقَالَ. حَامِدٌ خَسِرَ مَكَانَهُ، وَأَمَلُ كَانَتْ قَدْ قَالَتْ إِنَّهَا سَتُفَكِّرُ. ظَنَنْتُ أَنَّنَا سَنَجِدُ حَلًّا».

“We were trying to finish the move,” Khadija said. “Hamid lost his place, and Amal had said she would think about it. I thought we would find a solution.”

سَأَلَ الْعُضْوُ: «وَلَكِنْ هَلْ وَافَقَتْ بِالْكِتَابَةِ؟» نَظَرَتْ خَدِيجَةُ إِلَى أَمَلَ، ثُمَّ إِلَى حَامِدٍ. أَجَابَتْ: «لَا».

“But did she agree in writing?” the member asked. Khadija looked at Amal, then at Hamid. “No,” she answered.

لَمْ يَتَكَلَّمْ أَحَدٌ لِبُرْهَةٍ. ثُمَّ قَالَتْ خَدِيجَةُ: «وَعَدْتُ أَخِي بِالْبَابِ السَّادِسِ قَبْلَ أَنْ يَتِمَّ التَّغْيِيرُ. وَخِفْتُ أَنْ أُخْبِرَهُ أَنِّي لَا أَسْتَطِيعُ الْوَفَاءَ بِالْوَعْدِ».

No one spoke for a while. Khadija continued, “I promised my brother Door Six before the change was agreed. I was afraid to tell him I could not keep that promise.”

«نَقَلْتُ وَرَقَةَ أَمَلَ إِلَى مَلَفِّ الْأَوْرَاقِ الْقَدِيمَةِ، وَطَلَبْتُ مِنْ رَامِي أَنْ يَكْتُبَ قَائِمَةً جَدِيدَةً. وَقُلْتُ إِنَّ أَمَلًا وَافَقَتْ، وَهِيَ لَمْ تُوَافِقْ».

“I moved Amal's paper into the old-records folder and asked Rami to write a new list. I said Amal had agreed, and she had not.”

أَنْزَلَتْ خَدِيجَةُ رَأْسَهَا قَلِيلًا. «لَمْ أُزَوِّرْ تَوْقِيعًا. لَكِنِّي أَخْفَيْتُ الْوَرَقَةَ فِي مَكَانٍ يَجْعَلُ النَّاسَ يَظُنُّونَ أَنَّهَا لَمْ تَعُدْ مُهِمَّةً. هَذَا مَا فَعَلْتُهُ».

Khadija lowered her head a little. “I did not forge a signature. But I hid the paper where people would think it was no longer important. That is what I did.”

نَظَرَتْ لِينَا إِلَى حَامِدٍ. كَانَ وَجْهُهُ ثَابِتًا، وَلَكِنَّ يَدَيْهِ كَانَتَا مَشْدُودَتَيْنِ. لَمْ يَنْظُرْ إِلَى أُخْتِهِ فِي تِلْكَ اللَّحْظَةِ.

Lina looked at Hamid. His face was still, but his hands were tense. He did not look at his sister then.

قَالَتْ أَمَلُ: «لَا أُرِيدُ أَنْ يَعَاقِبَهَا أَحَدٌ مِنْ أَجْلِي. وَلَكِنْ لَا أُرِيدُ أَيْضًا أَنْ يُطْلَبَ مِنِّي تَرْكُ بَابِي لِأَنَّ شَخْصًا آخَرَ وَعَدَ بِهِ».

“I do not want anyone punished for my sake,” Amal said. “But I also do not want to be asked to give up my stall because someone else promised it away.”

تَكَلَّمَ بَعْضُ التُّجَّارِ عَنْ بَدْءِ الْعَمَلِ غَدًا، وَعَنْ حَقِّ أَمَلَ فِي وَرَقَتِهَا. اخْتَلَفُوا فِي الْكَلَامِ، وَلَكِنَّهُمْ رَجَعُوا إِلَى قَاعِدَةِ الْجَمْعِيَّةِ الَّتِي اتَّفَقُوا عَلَيْهَا مِنْ قَبْلُ.

Some traders spoke about starting work tomorrow and about Amal's signed paper. They disagreed in their comments but returned to the association rule they had agreed upon earlier.

فِي آخِرِ الِاجْتِمَاعِ، أُقِرَّ أَنْ يَبْقَى الْبَابُ السَّادِسُ لِأَمَلَ، وَأَنْ يَأْخُذَ حَامِدٌ الْبَابَ التَّاسِعَ. وَطُلِبَ مِنْ رَامِي أَنْ يُصَحِّحَ الْقَائِمَةَ بِحُضُورِ شَاهِدٍ.

By the end of the meeting, it was agreed that Door Six would remain Amal's and Hamid would take Door Nine. Rami was asked to correct the list with a witness present.

قَالَتْ خَدِيجَةُ: «لَنْ أَرْأَسَ عَمَلَ الِانْتِقَالِ غَدًا. لِيُكْمِلْهُ غَيْرِي». لَمْ يَطْلُبْ مِنْهَا أَحَدٌ أَنْ تَقُولَ أَكْثَرَ فِي تِلْكَ اللَّحْظَةِ.

“I will not chair tomorrow's move,” Khadija said. “Someone else should complete it.” No one asked her to say more at that moment.

قَالَ حَامِدٌ بِصَوْتٍ وَاضِحٍ: «أُرِيدُ أَنْ أَعْرِفَ مَنْ سَيَدْفَعُ ثَمَنَ الْخَشَبِ الَّذِي لَا يَنْفَعُ لِرَفِّ الْبَابِ التَّاسِعِ». لَمْ يَكُنْ فِي صَوْتِهِ غَضَبٌ صَاخِبٌ، بَلْ تَعَبٌ.

“I want to know who will pay for the wood that cannot be used for the Door Nine shelf,” Hamid said clearly. He sounded tired rather than loudly angry.

أَجَابَتْ خَدِيجَةُ: «أَنَا الَّتِي وَعَدْتُكَ. وَلَا أَطْلُبُ مِنَ الْجَمْعِيَّةِ أَنْ تَدْفَعَ عَنْ خَطَئِي. سَنَتَكَلَّمُ عَنِ الْمَبْلَغِ بَعْدَ الِاجْتِمَاعِ».

“I was the one who promised you,” Khadija replied. “I am not asking the association to pay for my mistake. We will speak about the amount after the meeting.”

عِنْدَمَا خَرَجَ النَّاسُ، بَقِيَتْ خَدِيجَةُ تُرَتِّبُ قِطَعَ الْقُمَاشِ الصَّغِيرَةَ. مَرَّتْ لِينَا بِقُرْبِهَا، فَرَفَعَتْ خَدِيجَةُ عَيْنَيْهَا وَقَالَتْ: «لَمْ أَكُنْ أُرِيدُ هَذَا».

As the people left, Khadija remained arranging the small pieces of cloth. Lina passed her. Khadija looked up and said, “This was not what I wanted.”

أَجَابَتْ لِينَا: «أَفْهَمُ». وَكَانَتْ تَعْرِفُ أَنَّ الْفَهْمَ لَا يَعْنِي أَنَّ الْخَطَأَ قَدْ اخْتَفَى. لَمْ تَعِدْ خَدِيجَةَ بِأَنْ يَعُودَ كُلُّ شَيْءٍ كَمَا كَانَ.

“I understand,” Lina replied. She knew understanding did not mean the mistake had vanished. She did not promise Khadija that everything would be as before.

خَارِجَ الْمَكْتَبِ، وَجَدَتْ لِينَا صَبَاحَ تَنْتَظِرُهَا. قَالَتِ الْأُمُّ: «غَدًا عِنْدَكِ لَوْحَتَانِ لِتُكْمِلِيهِمَا». أَجَابَتْ لِينَا: «نَعَمْ. وَحَرْفَانِ سَيَأْخُذَانِ وَقْتًا طَوِيلًا».

Outside the office Lina found Sabah waiting. “You have two signs to finish tomorrow,” her mother said. “Yes,” Lina replied. “And two letters that will take a long time.”

سَارَتَا إِلَى طَاوِلَةِ الشَّايِ دُونَ أَنْ تَتَكَلَّمَا عَنِ الِانْتِصَارِ. لَمْ يَنْتَصِرْ أَحَدٌ بِسُهُولَةٍ. وَلَكِنَّ الِاسْمَ الَّذِي سَيُكْتَبُ فَوْقَ الْبَابِ السَّادِسِ صَارَ مَعْرُوفًا.

They walked to the tea table without speaking of victory. No one had won easily. But the name to be written above Door Six was now settled.