He angrily left the office. It was not the first time he had gone there with other environmental activists, but their requests were always denied.
“The bird market won’t be closing anytime soon, you’re just wearing yourself out for nothing,” his colleagues often told him. However, he could not remain indifferent. The hunting season was about to begin, and soon the market trays would be overflowing with birds. Some were captured alive and sent to bird gardens, while many others ended up on restaurant menus. Aras was particularly concerned about endangered species. Thinking about these issues when he felt powerless to change anything deeply troubled him. He glanced at his watch; there were still a few hours until noon. He decided to visit his mother’s house. Mom Goli lived alone. After his father’s death, she had refused to live with them despite their insistence. Although she loved her son’s family, she did not want to impose on them. Whenever this was brought up, she would jokingly say “absence makes the heart grow fonder” and dismiss everything with a laugh. Lost in his thoughts, he arrived as his mother opened the door. A genuine smile from her cleared the frown from his brow. His mother’s large brown eyes expressed both love and concern. Her fair and rosy face, and henna-dyed hair, always parted down the middle, brought him peace. Moments later, he found himself in the safest place in the world. “Sorry, I couldn’t come by these past few days. I apologize,” he said.
Mom Goli ran her hand through her son’s hair and replied with a sad look, “What are you talking about, dear? I know you have your own life. I don’t expect anything from you.” She paused, then continued, “Your hair is turning gray. Talk to me, Aras! I can see the sorrow in your eyes, but your lips barely manage a smile. What’s wrong?”
Aras laughed, “Nothing, everything is fine, don’t worry about me,” and kissed her on the cheeks. Once again, he couldn’t bring himself to speak his troubles. He picked up a sugar cube to sweeten the bitter taste of the words he had just swallowed. “If you don’t need anything else, I should get going, mom.”
His mother stood up and walked towards the shelf: “Wait a moment!” She returned with a plastic bag: “I had set aside these bracelets for a rainy day. Take them, son.” Sweat of embarrassment beaded on Aras’s forehead: “Thank you, my love. Keep them for yourself, I’ll ask if I need them.”
“But I heard you talking with your landlord the other day…” Aras cut her off: “It’s settled, mom. Don’t worry. Thanks again.” He kissed her again and quickly left the place.
No one but the heart knows what tears carry. Sometimes they bear the coffin of sorrow, other times they gleefully slide down cheeks. This time, it was sorrow’s turn to lead; a circle of tears was set upon his eye, and despite all her efforts, she could not prevent its advance. In the taxi, he rested his head on his wife’s shoulder. Aras took her cold hand, “Don’t worry. You’ll manage. You’re my strong woman. We’ll break through this together.”
Shahreh looked at Aras with sad eyes, “I’m worried about the costs. Next month is the lease renewal, and it’s unclear how much the rent will increase. Now there are also the medical and hospital bills. What should we do?” Her sob stopped her from saying more. Aras embraced her, “Don’t worry about these things! I’m getting a loan. Everything will be sorted. Just focus on getting better. Leave the rest to me.” Then he whispered in her ear, “Can I have a coffee from your hands now?” Shahreh smiled: “Crazy,” and said no more. She knew nothing was alright; ever since they sold their house so Aras could start a business with his friend, everything had fallen apart. How could she have known that greed would change people so quickly and darken their days? Shahreh pretended not to notice, not wanting to break his pride, but she felt the torment he endured. After twelve years of marriage, she knew her husband well; like a book she had read over and over, now memorized. The green eyes that used to remind her of a wetland seemed dried up, with no birds of hope flying. If only it would rain a bit. If only…
When the school bell rang, she wished she could fly home. She quickly packed her things in her backpack and left the school. Her friend, panting, caught up to her: “Wait up, Shali, why the hurry?”
“I have things to do, if you can hurry we can go together, otherwise I’ll go alone, Mahta.”
“Coming, coming, what’s up? You’ve been
in a rush to get home these days.”
“Nothing, just…” A yawn cut her off, “I’m tired! I just want to sleep early.”
Mahta laughed, “You’ve been tired these days. Be careful not to fall asleep right here.”
…
She turned the key quietly in the lock. With minimal noise, she entered the house.
“Hello, my beautiful daughter.”
“Hello, mommy, I thought you were asleep, that’s why I came in quietly.”
Her mother, drying her hands with a towel, gave her daughter a loving smile: “Thank you, dear. Finish your chores so we can have lunch with dad in a few minutes.”
Shali nodded and headed to her room. She opened her wardrobe. In the past few days, she had made only forty-nine paper cranes and still had nine hundred and fifty-one to go. She picked up the book ‘Sadako’ from the table, which she had borrowed from the school library and finished quickly. A thousand paper cranes, and then her wish would come true. A beautiful smile adorned the girl’s face.
Her father had been home for a few minutes, but Shali was nowhere to be seen. He quietly opened the door to her room. The girl, immersed in her own world, didn’t notice him. Her short chestnut hair puffed up like the feathers of birds in winter, and her lips smiled. She held a book that seemed to only be looked at as her thoughts rode a carpet of imagination. At the sound of her father’s cough, she looked up: “Daddy, when did you come? Sorry, I didn’t notice.” And she threw herself into his safe embrace.
Aras stared at his source of peace. It was as if he saw the reflection of the sky in the lake of her eyes. “It’s okay, what were you thinking about, little sparrow?”
Ummm… well, I’m doing something. I have to make a thousand cranes so my wish will come true. Aras thought of his own train of wishes that no longer had a station to reach. He looked at his daughter’s laughing eyes, “What’s your wish, my darling? Can you tell me?”
“Yes, but let’s keep it between us. I wish for mom to get better soon. Her beautiful hair to grow back quickly. I’ve seen her crying quietly in front of the mirror several times. Daddy, I think mom really misses her hair!”
Aras swallowed his sob: “We need to give mom courage. We’re a team. These days will pass quickly, my daughter. Do you want me to help you?”
“No, I have to make them myself. I learned how from our teacher. Besides, daddy, our teacher said cranes also come here.”
“Yes, my love, but from that flock that used to come from Siberia, only a pair remains…”
The voice of the mother inviting them to lunch left their conversation unfinished.
He stayed up all night. The doctor’s words, Shali, the landlord, the bank manager, all paraded in his mind. He could no longer endure it. Before dawn, he took his lantern and headed to the wetland. Darkness had besieged him from within and without. He could no longer pretend everything was fine. He clenched his fist. He didn’t know whether to be angry at himself for the wrong decisions he was making or to blame fate which never seemed to show him a friendly face. No matter how much he ran, he couldn’t reach, and this failure made him tired and frustrated. He placed the lantern on the ground and yelled from the depths of his heart. Then it began to rain through his eyes. He took a deep breath and moved forward. He had made up his mind; he had to prepare himself for the fight in the ring of life, he had to fight for his loved ones even with eyes bruised from the blows of fate. An hour later, he put on the mask of a strong husband and father and headed home.
Aras, along with the bird of his thoughts hovering above, was patrolling around the wetland. A thought brought a bitter smile to his lips: “There are so many air traps around that I must be careful not to let the bird of my imagination get caught.” At that moment, a voice from the radio pulled him out of his reverie: “Aras, come quickly to the crane area. I think they shot the female pair…”
Aras was shocked but quickly composed himself: “My God.” As he ran, he thought of Shali, the wish she had, the cruelty of people, the loneliness of hope… Just yesterday, they named them Hope and Wish, and now only Hope was alive…
Tired and dispirited, he reached home. His mother had come to visit. After an hour, Shali and Shahreh left them alone, and Golbanoo began to speak:
“Aras, I have a favor to ask of you, swear
on your father’s soul that you won’t say no.”
“Tell me, I’m here. When have I ever opposed you?”
Golbanoo looked at her son. Seeing his troubled face made her more determined. “I want to sell the house.”
“Mama!…”
“Shush! Don’t interrupt me, son, let me finish. That house is too big for me, it’s become difficult to maintain. I want to sell it and buy a smaller one closer to you, to keep an eye on Shahreh and Shali. You take the rest of the money, I don’t need it. I just can’t manage the paperwork, can you handle it?”
Aras was stunned; he couldn’t believe that the words he found so difficult to say were coming from his mother’s mouth. He bowed his head. He didn’t know what to say. He felt overwhelmed; in front of his mother’s greatness, his wife’s patience, and his daughter’s kindness, who stayed up late making paper cranes. A smile lit his face; the crane of hope was singing in the sky of his thoughts: “Dawn is near…
Darkness loses to light…
There is still hope…
There is still hope…
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