Page 29 of The Mismatch

‘Food is ready!’ Parvin called.

Their dad went straight to the fridge. He took out a large bottle of Diet Coke that no one else was allowed to drink and poured himself a glass. He only filled the glass halfway; by this point his obsession with having Diet Coke with every meal was not out of pleasure, but compulsion. He had to have Diet Coke with every single meal. Soraya often wondered whether he even liked the taste anymore, or whether he gave himself as little as possible because he didn’t actually want it. His habit at this point was so regimented, and his willpower so weak.

He refused to eat at the dinner table, preferring to watch television while he ate than talk to his family.

So once more only four of them ate together.

‘This tastes lovely,’ her mum said.

‘You cook well,’ Amir said between bites. ‘It’s a good skill for a woman to have. Especially when she marries.’

Soraya rolled her eyes.

‘You should learn how to cook too,’ her mum said to him, smiling devilishly. It was strange, but also delightful, how the only fully practising Muslim in the family was also the most feminist in some ways. ‘So that when you and your wife come home from work, you can take turns cooking for each other. Unlike me and your dad …’ Soraya thought she heard her mutter then, ‘Who doesn’t even work.’

‘Mum’s right, stop being such a misogynist.’ Only Parvin could say this to Amir without him flipping. ‘It should be equal.’

‘Sorry,Paris.’ He gave her a look.

Parvin pressed her lips together and pretended she hadn’t heard him.

Amir had heard her friend call her Paris once, and had played it against her ever since.

‘Like Paris Hilton, isn’t she famous because of a sex tape, like that Kardashian?’ Amir continued.

Soraya wanted to interject that actually Kim Kardashian was an intelligent businesswoman, but Parvin spoke before she could.

‘English people don’t know how to pronounce my name, it’s easier to call myself Paris,’ she said. ‘You don’t have to mention itall the time.’

‘You should be proud to be Iranian. Why do you want to be named after a European city? A racist European city at that.’

‘It just makes my life easier, it’s really not that deep,’ Parvin said. Soraya noticed she had stopped eating her food and was now using her fork to push it around her plate.

Despite the obscene amount her job paid, it was clear she didn’t enjoy her time spent abroad, having to behave and be a certain way around her friends there. Appearance was crucial, and she often lamented not having meaningful conversations with anyone or making any deep friendships.

‘We shouldn’t be changing ourselves to maketheirlives easier,’ Amir said. ‘And on the topic of transgressions, you two need to dress more modestly.’

A collective internal eye roll from both Parvin and Soraya.

‘It’s no wonder that boy cheered for you in the crowd, Soraya, you proper had your legs out. Even if you say he was gay, I bet Mum was embarrassed.’ Why couldn’t he just sayhewas embarrassed? To which Parvin and Soraya could, in some alternate universe, say they were embarrassed byhimwhen he voiced his misogynistic views.

Soraya was about to defend herself when her dad shouted, ‘What boy?’ from the other room.

Soraya put her fork down.

‘No boy, Amir was joking!’ her mum replied quickly. Soraya wasn’t sure if it actually happened but she could have sworn her mum kicked Amir under the table. His body jolted slightly. ‘Just eat your food.’ She gave Soraya a look then that said:You’d better be careful and not be talking to any boys.

Soraya felt a flicker of guilt. Normally their speculations were groundless. But not anymore.

CHAPTER 12

Soraya

London, 2014

They met at the V&A Museum. It was Magnus’s idea. At first when Soraya asked him what his plans were for the weekend he said he was going there alone, and invited her along seemingly as an afterthought, but she got the distinct impression that this was his way of inviting her on a date, without actually inviting her on a date.

Walking through each room, Soraya struggled to concentrate. She wasn’t quite sure what she was doing or why she was seeing him again.