A Love Story

I pile up three pairs of scissors into a cup and roll up different coloured threads and I move the sewing machine to one corner of the table and slip the stray bits of cloth into a box and and wrap up the silks and cottons and linens into their roles and stand them against the wall and run a fabric down the table to clear off the threads. This is our work table.

Most students don't start their business ideas in reality while in the co-op program, they usually work at a company, finish their internship there and then start something or branch off another company. There are many ways to be innovative. Since Stacie, Jess and I started JSS Business Wear right away we got to book a spare professor's office for the entire year before renovations start. This is our headquarters. It may not seem like much, with the mess, but it became familiar in the late nights we would spend here. When we would work on the few orders we got.

And now we need to gather all our resources for one huge order.

Around 2:00pm the door opens. Jess walks in with a long white and black maxi skirt and one of our first white JSS top's and a black pashmina around her head.

"As salamu laykum," Jess says. (Peace be unto you.)

My voice catches in my throat, she is stunning.

"Walaikumalaisalam. I'm glad you came," I breathe. (And unto you Peace.)

Indeed Allah will spread His Deen, his Religion, even without the Muslims helping. Even without me helping.

"Of course," Jess smiles, her genuine sweet smile make me feel less useless. "So, what's up?"

Jess rests her purse on a small bookshelf by the door and pulls up a stool next to me. I roll out the quote for material that I ordered last night.

"Whoa, 20 yards of purple lace? What did they order? How long do we have?" Jess leans into the table and examines the paper intently.

"We have 70 pieces to deliver for June 15th. I talked to the client, and she's the owner of a small boutique in New York. Her name is Anaya Syed. She wants seventy pieces to just try our designs out!"

"Okay, okay. Okay, so. Okay, we can do this. Sunny! Is she asking for specific pieces or what?" Jess drapes her cardigan on a coat hook and pulls up her sleeves.

"Okay, the designs she wants are all from our site," I look into her blue eyes and she raises an eyebrow.

"So, how many of each?" she says and perches on the seat.

"She wants seven of each. She's willing to give a 50% deposit of $4000. That's $100 for each item and then 1K for the rush order."

Jess eyes widen and she counts on her fingers.

"It's April 17th today, we have two months. About eight weeks. Ten tops a week. Sunny, ten tops a week! At least one week to get all the materials together, and then maybe another week as an air cushion. So that's 6 weeks and 12 tops a week. Oh God," Jess looks down at the quote. "help us. The most I've made in a week with school is five."

"Jess, I'll help you sew," Stacie glides into the room and places three coffees onto the table.

She's wearing a green off shoulder dress from our line. I smile. That was my third design that went into production. It has three quarter sleeves with a black cloth over the shoulder and the off shoulder design is embroidered with petals.

"Stacie," Jess stands and they embrace.

"Now that we have our musketeers together, let's do this!" Stacie proclaims and her heel slams the floor in her excitement.

I pull out the colour copies of each of the chosen tops and the fabric cuts measurements that Jess sizes and sewed together to make them. Ten different styles, but all ours.

"We've made them before. Jess, you and Stacie can start on three of these tops this week, I've already bought the material yesterday. The rest will be coming in next week after I pay the deposit to Andrew our supplier."

"Saina, how much dough do we have to fork out?" Stacie's eyes widen.

"Okay, since we aren't Jimmy Choo our designs don't cost $1200 and sell for $3500. We don't have any stakeholders, R&D or 65% taxes in France. Our overhead costs are basically out. So everything that we've got up until next week for this order will be about $500."

"That's it?" Stacie stares at me.

"That leaves like $6000," Jess says.

"It leaves $7,500 and that's more than enough for another sewing machine," I say.

Stacie grins.

Things are coming together.

We cut material until 11:30pm and then slip out of the office for a late dinner at Boston Pizza.

The next day is Friday and reader, you know that this weekend I have to go home. So after a hard push for our orders and everything settled material wise I think I can actually go home without worrying Stacie and Jess. I just have to tell them.

"Girls, there's something I have to tell you," I say when Jess comes back into the office with some smoothies for our break.

"Saina, we already know we get minimum wage," Stacie says flipping her french braid over her shoulder. "Jess, you'd think she'd stop rubbing it in eh?"

We laugh.

"Once we get our business started I'll start paying you, got it? Anyways, I actually have to go home this weekend. My mom is expecting me," I say and watch their expressions.

"Oh, is everything okay at home girl? If you need to talk I'm here for you," Stacie says.

"Yeah, we are here for you Sunny," Jess says and gives me a quick hug.

I giggle. Reader, I giggled right into her ear and gave myself away.

Stacie gives me a fierce look that's made ferocious with her perfectly sharp eyeliner.

"Woman, spill or so help me God I will not let you go," Stacie grabs my wrists and Jess edges to my side.

Okay, so now what?

I pick up the smoothies after shifting out of the death grip that is Stacie and head to the courtyard. Jess locks up and rushes to catch us.

Stacie stays hot on my heels.

It's a cool evening, but my face is feeling warm with the work and the bottled up news. Stacie and Jess quickly sit across from me on some rocks. The pine trees surround us on two sides and the patterned bricks on the ground catch my eye.

"So, my mom wants me home this weekend," I say.

"Okay, and?" Jess says and grins.

"And I dunno," I say and gulp some smoothie down. "I guess she's having guests over and stuff."

Stacie and Jess glance at each other.

"Oh my God Saina! This is just like Parineeta! She had some strange guests over and wham, she's out of commission, married in the temple and no more school for her. I hear marriage bells. Ting! Ting! Ting!" Stacie jitters excitedly.

"Well, no it's not like that. We already had dinner with him last week, so-"

"Him! You already met him! So there is a guy!" Stacie grabs her smoothie and looks at me intently. "Kay, go on."

I run my hands over my jeans and try to think of something to say. I look over their shoulders.

"Is it Riaz? Riaz Malik?" Stacie stares at me intently.

"Uhh," I told her about Riaz in the first two weeks of meeting her.

"Whose Riaz?" Jess asks.

"Okay, so there's this guy back home and Saina has been totally crushing on him since forever. So he probably has the hots for her and she obviously can't see it, but anyways, he's always talking to her, and he was in her university classes and he's totally hot. I saw a picture. Seriously, that guy's eyes are like they can see into your soul."

Okay reader, it's true. My crush didn't really settle down when I came to McGill, but what was I going to do? He was always on my mind. I had to talk about him to someone!

"Wow," Jess grins and takes my clammy hands. "So they are coming over? So, how does it work?"

"Actually," Stacie and Jess look confused. "Actually, I met Riaz last week when I went home, he saw me and asked me to dinner. In the car, I tried to get away,b-but he kissed me."

Jess can't hold back her surprise and Stacie's smile falls as a rain drop hits my knee. I glance up, but the sky is clear. I touch my face to feel the wetness of tears.

"Hon, you didn't want him to?" Stacie says with a soft voice.

I shake my head.

"I thought I did, but it felt so wrong. What's the point of getting married if we do everything intimate beforehand. He just took everything. What's left? What if every guy who likes me kisses me and I tell them my secrets and I just, just am free with them. What would be left after they leave me?"

"Aww Sunny honey, come here," Stacie gathers me in her arms and pulls my head to her shoulder. "You don't have to be with any man whose going to treat you like a second rate woman."

After a few moments my breathing eases and I wipe my face with my hands.

"His family is coming this weekend."

Jess's voice cracks as she speaks.

"So, what are you going to tell your parents when Riaz comes over?"

"They don't want me to marry him," I say and smile softly. "He has a brother."

"Oh," Jess breathes in relief. "How does he treat you?"

"With respect," I breathe. "He's very sweet and respectful and good natured."

"But is he hot?" Jess says and winks.

I can't help but laugh and the tension dissipates around us. Stacie hi-fives Jess.

"Whoa! Jessica!" Stacie laughs.

Jess grins mischievously.

"Actually, I changed my name. My name's Khadijah now," She says. "Khadijah Jessica Neal."

Stacie and I stare at her and she waits. Khadijah. The name of the Prophet's wife, who was a business woman and very supportive of her husband and confident. What a namesake.

"It suites you," Stacie says and she hugs Khadijah like a sister.

Like always.