Fire and butter.

"I'm sorry, Rami. You were right; I never should have gone to that University Ball," wailed Sasha.

Rami hissed as he dissolved Sasha's false ego, "That dress does not suit you!"

Rami's mind made a deep sweep through his memories of the events during the last week.

***

"Are you ready?" Rami asked Sasha as he watched her go through her familiar routine of slipping off her shoes and standing in her socks on the polished timber floor. She nodded in response.

"Gemini, play my ethno-music loop, please," Rami commanded as he counted his cash drawer. The strings of the Oud filled the coffee shop, resonating with a rich, melodic tune accompanied by the soft jingles of the Rigg, or tambourine and the rhythmic beat of the Tabla, or drums.

With her back turned to him and facing the drawn curtain, Sasha pretended to summon the winds of the desert as she released her long hair from its ponytail. Her golden mane seemed to come alive, swirling around her as if caught in an electrical breeze. Her ritualized choreography continued; she rose up on her toes and then dropped down to flattened feet, to press the backs of her hands against her kidneys, then arch her back in a warm-up stretch that always highlighted her graceful figure.

The music intensified and she twirled her limber body. The three instruments swelled in volume, introducing high-pitched notes from a synthesizer. "Ja, da, da, dada twer-woosh…," it repeated many times, as Sasha gyrated her hips with the rhythm. She always laughed loudly at that moment as she stretched out her arms, pointed her fingers like guns and pretended to shoot imaginary bullets everywhere.

Rami always enjoyed this spectacle, it relaxed him and it readied him for the day. Then the soundtrack seamlessly transitioned to the next track. Customer hearing the music cue gathered at the front door, as Sasha playfully blew on her fingertip signalling the end of a corny western cowboy scene and the song and placed her ‘smoking guns’ or hands in her blue jean pockets. 

Full of life, she approached the large, side window and reached for the velvet curtains, their deep maroon shade absorbed both the pulsating energy from her and the music. 

Flinging the heavy cloth open, she let the morning light crash into the coffee house, like an ocean wave, it was fast flowing and frothing as it illuminated the whole space.

The dark green walls awoke like they were splashed with ice cold water, but the framed photographic portraits, on them, of a misty cityscape, of a hotel with a welcoming veranda, and of a trio of elegant butterflies displayed in a line, did not flinch once.

A private paired arrangement of two-seater lounges nestled in the corner whispering and giggling. Behind the chairs, the potted arum lilies and lush plants spied on the early bird customers outdoors, mostly morning joggers, dog walkers and stealth bike riding groups.

Above the counter, the clock's second hand ticked steadily towards the opening hour, while a bust of a woman carved from dark stone gazed absently from her Gothic pillared pedestal. She listened intently to the shuffles and murmurs of customers and strained to hear the gossip from the loungeroom.

As Rami slid open the front door, he greeted his customers, "Welcome, welcome! Good morning everyone. Come in! Come in! They filed past trampling the crimson and earth-green diamond-pattern rug beneath them. He knew that his wild card, Sasha, who he had newly employed several months ago, was truly a money genie he released from the bottle every morning. Bowing to Sasha and acknowledging her magic, he said, "Our beautiful bird Sasha shall never be caged."

Sasha hurried to make herself respectable; she tied her hair back in a tight bun and buttoned and straightened her blouse.

That shop bustled. 

****

At 11 o'clock, Nadir hurried through the back door, jingling her car keys and frowning. “Who’s sick this time, Rami?” she asked.

Rami didn’t respond, as his attention was fixed on a few of his regular customers who happened to be walking in through the front door. “Sasha, could you please put out the lunch menus for the students?” 

Sasha toased her toastie onto a dinner plate and responded, “Sorry. Its my break.”

Tracey walked into the crowded kitchen knotting, then bowing her apron string at the front on her waist acknowledging Nadir, “Morning Naddy.”

Nadir bent over the dishwasher drawer and murmured, “As if you could call it a good morning, Trace!”

Rami interrupted, “Tracey can you clean up the tables and put those lunch menus out please.”

As Nadir stacked the clean plates, "Aunty was at Mom's, Rami. She told me to tell you, she would be coming here soon to wrap up the books for you.” 

Rami caught himself and folded his hands apologetically. “Oh Sorry, Nadir. You've been put out because of me. How are the kids?” 

“Rashi is home from school with a runny nose, and I'm in the middle of potty training Leila, so Mum’s got her hands full today!” 

Rami’s reassuring presence seemed to dissolve the chaos caused by the absence of his staff member. He spoke softly, "I've asked Sasha to stay a little longer to help out too.”

Sasha had planted herself on a round, vinyl barstool, near the kitchen sink. She busily browsed a selection of ball gowns and evening dresses on her phone, while she stuffed her mouth full of cheese and tomato toastie. 

She thought to herself, "They’re all too extravagant; I could never rewear them!" 

She continued to scroll and eat. Suddenly she sighed with relief, she had stumbled upon a stunning, knee-length black chiffon formal dress. It looked great. It had a high neckline with a pussycat bow, and the boston sleeves hugged the model’s upper arm and then at their base, puffed and sunk over the wide cuffs. Just as she was about to say, Perfect, she noticed the price: AU$2,000.

Nadir zipped by and noticed the image over Sasha's shoulder. “Nice!” she exclaimed.

Sasha pointed to the price and replied, “I’ll have to sew it myself.” 

Nadir slowed down, focused and grinned to ask, “What 2000 macaroons? I bet you need a hand fitting that dress?” 

Sasha shot back, “Yep and can you do my hair this Friday night too?”

Nadir was gone.

Looking around she saw Nadir near the oven, "Well, "Sasha insisted, "Can you do my hair this Friday night?"

Nadir shot back, “Where are you going?”

With her mouth full, Sasha tried to say, “University Ball.”

Tracey walked in with a tray of dirty dishes. “Sash, I’ve had no time. Can you put out the lunch menus?’

Sasha picked up the heap of menus mumbling, “Yep, break finished.”

Rami, while cutting an order for club sandwich, felt something unusual. He instinctively glanced through the serving hatch. Sasha was handing the menu very slowly to a regular customer - a male student. “Here alone?” she asked as she kicked a mat with her foot.

Daniel avoided eye contact and replied , “Not exactly.”

Onions crackled in the fry pan. A rush of heat rushed up Rami’s neck as he watched the two. He called out to Nadir, “Can you handle that?”

Nadir caught his tone, and as she stirred the onions and starred at the spectacle. She chimed, “She’s young, Rami; let her have some fun!”

Caught off guard, Rami muttered, “She’ll just get hurt!”

“So what! Anyway you’re her boss and it’s none of your business!”

He arranged the club sandwich on a plate. “Waitress, table number eight is ready!”

Nadir wiped her hands on a tea towel, huffed and grabbed the plate as she sang, “Guess who’s jealous!”

Rami snapped back, “Wasn’t it Shakespeare who said, ‘Young men fall in love with their eyes?’”

Just then, a tall, slender woman, heavily scented from rosewater, emerged from the restroom. She passed the kitchen and seated herself near Daniel. Sasha didn’t recognize her and looked wary. Daniel answered, “Oh, this is Sasha, Jezza. Sasha, meet Jez, an old high school friend of mine.”

Jez disregarded the introduction and pointed at the menu in Sasha's hands. “Can I?”

Sasha automatically handed her a lunch menu. “Thank you,” Jez replied in a refined accent.

Jez scrutinized Sasha with an intensity that felt like a spotlight, while Sasha barely managed to balance the stack of menus on the edge of a nearby table. The sight caused Jez to lean back in her chair in surprise. Inhaling deeply, she took in the unfolding scene: Sasha wore very little make-up, although she had a hint of mascara on her eyelashes, nicely shaped eyebrows, but her lips were dry and cracked. She breathed through her mouth and looked lost, almost derelict.

Then the realization hit Jez like a thunderbolt. “Daniel, what were you thinking?” she exclaimed. Waving her hand dismissively like a queen, whike in a sweet but sadistic tone, she called out, “Sasha, darling, could you bring us both a cold glass of water?”

Sasha doe-eyed, blinked and nodded, ready to fulfil the request. As she turned to leave, Jez yanked at the hem of her blouse. “And tell me, what’s the house’s signature salad like?” she added sarcastically.

The back door to the kitchen rattled again. Rami gave the older woman a distracted cuddle, “Ma-ta-gee!” They kissed and she noticed the yelling customer outside, shook her head, "If I wasn't you Mama!" and continued to the office, or far back room to slam the door shut.

Gritting her teeth Jez stiffly snarled, "And she's not our sort Daniel!" 

Rami cranked up the music volume. He pushed two glasses of spilling ice water into Tracey's waiting hands. “Take these out to table two and tell her about our house salad too” he instructed. 

Waving Sasha over, he leaned into the counter and fill her in. “Be careful around her, Sasha,” he warned. “I’ve had her here before; she’s one of those wannabe social influencers. She’ll snap pictures of the place and maybe even post another one of me or even one of you. One wrong look or word, and she’ll be out to ruin my business reputation.”

While Rami and Sasha whispered, Nadia snuck to the back room and closed the door quietly behind her. "You should see the look in his eyes. He's jealous!"

"It's about time he showed some interest, even if its just jealousy, in someone else. I've been worried about him," Rami's mother replied as she quickly opened Sasha's employment file and jotted down her birthdate.

Nadia conspiring, wrote a series of numbers on a piece of paper and pressed it flat on the table with her hand. "Shh!" she urged.

Her aunt dowsed by holding a pendulum over the numbers. It suddenly swung in a circle around the number 3. She whispered, "Good, we know her birth time—3 a.m."

Nadia replied, "Too easy, I will ask her when I fit her dress where she was born."

"Yes, soon we will find out if they are compatible!"

***

"Ah, Sasha, you're so beautiful," Nadia said. Sasha's round face and swept-up hair was adorned with sparkling rhinestone hairpins, and her black outfit was classic.

Susha hugged Nadia. "Thanks!"

Nadia replied as she set the camera timer, "Now remember the drill? I’ll pretend to be sewing a button on your blouse cuff. 3... 2... 1... Smile!" FLASH. FLASH. FLASH.

They both agreed that the last picture was their favorite. "Can you send the pic to my phone, please?"

"Yes, sure! Are you still okay with me posting the picture on Facebook and sending it to my family Sasha?"

"Yes, go ahead!"

The Uber horn beeped in the driveway.

Nadia waved while holding Leila on her hip. "Bye, enjoy yourself!"

***

Rami looked at his clock. It was twenty past nine. He called out, "Mama, do you want a coffee?"

His mother distracted, entered the kitchen , "No." Changing the subject, " You know, I managed to get that woman Sasha's birth date from her employment files, and Nadia helped with the other details."

Rami rolled his eyes at how interfering the women in his family could be.

His mother touched his hand and continued, "She's such a mystery and very lucky for you."

"And?"

"To learn more, I had to ask Nadir's father, your Uncle Mahesh, to draw and analyse her astrology chart. You know that is one of his professions and of course, he was very pleased and interested to help. "

Rami shook his head in disbelief.

"You must listen to me, Rami," his mother insisted. "He discovered something about her sexuality related to her moon sign, that dancing she does stirs up kundalini. But she has been directionless for most of her life and unconsciously is searching for a home, a place to belong and ground. When she marries she will ground and make her husband very wealthy!

Her Ketu is in the fifth house, which means her karma from past lives has weighed on her heavily till recently, making her feel discontent with any of her previous partners. However, last week, her Jupiter Mahadasha began, bringing blessings her way..." His mother clapped her hands joyfully. "...And she will be ready for marriage!"

Rami gasped, "You women gossip too much!" He added, in a disgusted tone, "When will you finish the books?"

Ignoring his bad mood, she replied, "Soon, soon," still smiling.

Rami slumped on the couch, waiting for his mother to finish the accounting. He had missed a text from Nadir that showed Sasha's outfit. Opening the file, his mouth fell shut in irritation and he frowned. He didnt need this. He was so tired. He had tossed and turned Thursdsy night, arrived late for work this morning, and the day had only gotten worse from there.

Exhausted, he dropped off to sleep and began to snore. His mother hearing him snore, quietly approached the cash drawer and felt underneath it. "There you are!" she exclaimed, retrieving a yellowed place card that read:

"Please take your seat, Papa and Mama.  

We are so glad you shared our special day with us.  

Our wedding day, July 16th, 2004.  

Your son and daughter-in-law,

Mr. and Mrs. Shehaad Jnr."

His mother held a charcoal block with tongs above a burning candle in the kitchen, when it glowed red-hot she placed it in an incense burner. She watched the old wedding card ignite into flames before gently blowing the ashes away. Next, she piled frankincense and myrrh resin into the burner and waited for it to bubble before adding dried rose petals and rosemary and set it on the altar near where Rami slept.

She muttered a mantra. The incense spiralled like a snake around the polished antique, polished, obsidian mirror then blanketed over the fruits, herbs, photos of passed on relatives and gold coins left to honour their ancestors.

Rami tossed and turn trying to get comfortable. Dreaming of wind blowing fiercely as dark storm clouds rolled in, crackling with energy. In the midst of the chaos, he spotted Sasha dancing naked. A black flowing veil obscured her face; it was her, but it wasn't her! The wind whipped her harshly, bending and tossing her and lifting the veil just enough for him to glimpse an unearthly presence. It howled, "When a wise man gives, he purifies himself!" 

***

The University ball was boring. Drunken and drugged people stumbled around in various stages of inebriation and delirium.

Sasha had not followed Daniel and his friends toward the river; she didn't feel safe with them.

Rami's warmth suddenly filled her hurting heart, she recalled his warning: 

"Nothing much has really changed over the last twenty years since I took over my father's business. It still feels hedonistic; people open up their passions, insecurities, and act out plethoras of wild and mixed emotions during one wild night of debauchery. By morning, they wake up squashed back in their cages, struggling to recall much of anything, gearing up for a cut-throat world.

Some of these individuals will rise to the elite. Just remember, don’t attract attention to yourself. Be humble, approach them only to serve."

She looked at her phone; it was 11:50 PM. She heard Jez hysterically giggling and noticed another girl leaving and heading for the River too. 

Nadir's words echoed in her mind and gave strength to her throat: 

"People like Jez are like trapdoor spiders; their welcoming entrance is covered in charm, but their sticky web ensnares everyone's imperfections and insecurities. They have a back door, an exclusive exit, allowing them to escape their bad deeds without being troubled by their own flaws."

A very drunk man wandered near Sasha. Slurring his words, he announced, "I baptize thee, Cinderella," and poured a full jug of beer over her head. Drenched, shocked and humiliated, Sasha tried to stand, but her feet gave way from her muddied small-heeled sandles. On her bottom, shocked and humiliated, she removed her her shoes.  Confused, she ran like a refugee to Rami's coffee shop. 

***

Rami, groggy and disoriented, stood with his hands in his pockets, gazing at the street outside his establishment. A flash of lightning illuminated the sky and he saw her silhouette — soaked to the bone, dirty and clutching her sandals tightly in her hand.

***

"I'm sorry, Rami. You were right; I never should have gone to that University ball," wailed Sasha. 

Rami hissed, as he disolved Sash's false ego, "That dress does not suit you!"

For a moment, Rami's mind made a deep sweep through his memories. 

Seeking comfort, Sasha buried her head in his chest, crying, while he held his arms up and palms outwards from her, praying for strength not to get involved. His guru words enlivened in his mind. "Women are fire. Men are butter." She melted him as she cuddled against him. He leaned down to kiss her wanting, open lips.

Note:

1. "A wise man who gives" from Bhāgavata.

2. "Women are fire. Men are butter." I heard quoted by Swami Prabhupada from Hindu scriptures.