After the ball "Boo" was with Sami, now 75 years old, it stayed with him for a year after Hassan's death. Sami, who had an older son, now had two children: his younger son, Nasser, and his other son, Walid. Walid was in the army and was stationed in the same city, "Haymoor." Sami was also taking care of a girl, 11 years old, who helped him in the shop. She was an orphan and had no other family. In "Haymoor," there was no orphanage, so Hassan had taken care of her when he was 68, and the girl, whose name was Warda, was only 4 years old. She wore dirty clothes, and Hassan washed them and gave her new ones. He cared for her, and she stayed with him at this moment.
As the years passed, Warda grew older, and she began to want to help Sami. She started to take care of him and assist in the shop. She learned from him and through experience. Sami, now old, was assisted by Warda, a young girl who became his support. Nasser, Sami's younger son, delivered clothes using a cart. He lived far away, in the city of "Gorfend." Meanwhile, there was a problem between the city of "Castle" and "Haymoor" regarding a special pendant, which was the only one of its kind. The pendant, which belonged to Hassan's late wife, Meryem, had been passed down through her family and was considered sacred. After Meryem died of cancer, Hassan took the pendant with him and did not return it to her family.
As for Hassan's son, Badr, he had died at the age of 4. Hassan, deeply affected by the death of his wife, neglected his son, and the little boy suffered as a result. He had made the ball for Badr when Badr was 4 years old, and it was during a moment of anger that Hassan placed the ball on a high shelf. When Badr climbed up to retrieve it, he fell, and the ball fell on top of him, causing his death.
Hassan was a simple man, but he carried a deep, hidden sadness. He was a skilled tailor, and his work provided him with a sense of peace, but he used it as an escape from old traumas and a reality he refused to face. As he aged, he developed Alzheimer's, and his mind wandered between the past and the present, making it hard for him to differentiate between reality and illusion. He often thought he was still a young man in his thirties, though he was actually in his late seventies. This blurring of his age reflected the internal conflict he faced, a struggle between who he was and who he had become.
Chapter Two: Between Hope and Disappointment
One ordinary day, Sami sat resting, and Warda, the young girl, sat observing the empty clothing shop. No customers had come that day. Warda, speaking to herself, said, "Hassan's situation is tragic, and it's painful for Sami to see him like this. But he used to ignore me as if I wasn't there." She then glanced at the ball on the shelf. It was just an ordinary ball, not for sale, but now it seemed to be something more. When Sami entered the room, he said, "Come help me."
Warda replied, "Okay."
She then said, "Maybe, Father, we need to move on from the past a little, because it may hurt you and stop you from thinking about the present and the world."
Sami smiled and said, "You're right, it's important that you're with me now."
They both laughed.
During these days, the townspeople feared that the situation might deteriorate, because wishes made through the ball were often fulfilled in the wrong way, leading to destructive consequences. The town of "Castle" was particularly concerned about the pendant, which had a significant symbol to them. Hassan had refused to return the pendant, and there were rumors of a potential war between "Castle" and "Haymoor." However, neither side wanted a war. People were angry but also afraid, as the pendant might be the cause, and they wanted to avoid greater conflicts. So, they decided not to attack.
The king of "Castle" sent soldiers to ask "Haymoor" about the pendant, but they could not find it. Three soldiers were executed for failing to retrieve it. "Haymoor" had killed one of the soldiers, and two others had escaped, leaving the third dead. The situation was clearly dire, but no one was able to find the pendant. After the search, Sami took the ball, which had been found during the search, and placed it in the shop.
The people of "Castle" questioned "Haymoor," asking if they had killed or attacked the soldier's home. They admitted that they wanted the pendant, but Hassan had refused to give it to them. The pendant had been in the possession of Hassan's wife, who was from "Castle," and was not to be held by anyone outside the family.
Years passed, perhaps more than 15, and Sami had now reached 89 years of age. Warda, now 26, had grown up. She married a man named Karim, but they did not have children due to Warda's illness. Despite this, Karim stayed by her side. By the time Warda was 40, Karim had passed away, having been married to another woman. Warda was devastated, and as she grieved, she left "Haymoor" to start over. She was afraid but decided to live away from the city.
When she was 68, she found herself contemplating her life. "Why is this happening to me?" she thought. It was during this moment that she heard a whisper. She looked at the ball and heard a voice say, "Why are you crying? Isn't this your wish?"
Warda was shocked, feeling as if she had lost her mind. She threw the ball away, thinking it must be the exhaustion. She turned away, looked out at the strong winds and rain outside, closed the windows, and went to bed.
The next morning, she searched for the ball, but it was gone. Warda continued to live her life, and at the age of 130, she passed away.
This chapter, containing about a thousand words, may be short, but the next chapter will be longer.