Chapter Text
With a groan, as if a heavy weight had fallen from him, Ramin dropped onto the sofa. Naomi sat down next to him and leant back, resting her head on her husband's outstretched arm on the back of the sofa. The other family members had also returned to the cosy part of the living room after Jamshid and Kanta's dramatic exit.
‘My goodness, I didn't think we'd have to nag him so much until he caved in,’ Ramin lamented, rubbing his eyes with his free hand. ‘Sometimes I really think it would be better if Jammy wasn't such a handsome bastard and more the type of sharp intellect.’
‘Ramin! You literally look the same,’ Naomi reminded him, playfully swatting at his chest.
‘Nah. He's the better looking one with that permanent charming smile and flirtation.’ Ramin waved it off nonchalantly. Apparently, it didn't bother him that his brother was clearly the more popular man of the two of them with most people.
‘He was nervous,’ Naomi said soothingly.
Ea and Taneh sat on the armchairs next to each other, Ea gently holding Taneh's hand in his and stroking it. He thoughtfully took a sip of tea. ‘Well, luckily our dear guest had the presence of mind to see through our little game and was wise enough to play along.’ He chuckled quietly to himself.
Suddenly Sahar, Jhanni and Yashar stumbled in from the balcony and frantically moved away from the window. Daja had stayed outside and was waving enthusiastically to someone.
‘Who could have guessed that they would see four dark figures standing on the balcony right in front of a lit room?’ asked Shirin sarcastically, taking a sip of liqueur. The family had switched from tea to Shwyps, a fruit liqueur that was very popular on the Curna Peninsula and came in different flavours and percentages. Today they were sharing blackberry shwyps, which was hard to come by and very expensive. To celebrate their hopefully successful matchmaking operation, it was appropriate.
The family members who hadn't been curiously lurking on the balcony for Jamshid and Kanta giggled with her; the others sheepishly looked here and there while Taneh poured them all liqueur.
Daja came in beaming with joy and accepted the fruit juice, which she clinked glasses with everyone. ‘I think it really worked. They're heading for the beach. I'm sure they're going for a romantic walk.’ The girl tried to sound sarcastic, just like her father, but she clearly liked the idea of walking along the beach in the evening with a date more than she wanted to admit.
‘If Jammy is lucky, then-’
‘Babe!’ Naomi interrupted Ramin with a poke in the side before he’d say anything inappropriate.
Everyone was lost in their thoughts for a moment, then Sahar cleared her throat.
‘So,’ she dragged out the word, ‘Five bucks Jamshid fucks up on the beach and comes back alone.’
‘I'm with you on that one,’ Ramin exclaimed with a laugh.
Naomi and Shirin bet against it; the others stayed out of the bet this time.
Daja then returned to her observation post on the balcony, while the other family members finally turned their attention to something other than the matchmaking of their two love birdies.