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Syafika gave up trying to sleep when she heard birds chirping outside. She reached out and opened the blind so she could watch the sky change colour as the sun came up. The excitement she’d felt the night before had given way to sadness. As she enjoyed the sunrise she couldn’t help crying. How was it that she only managed to appreciate the beauty in everyday things when she was feeling miserable?
A Noisy Miner landed on the window sill and looked judgmentally at Syafika. She couldn’t help asking “Did Vincent send you, little bird?” and in reply the bird flew away.
Then Syafika cried some more because she had finally realized that Vincent was not going to call her again.
“What am I going to do now?” Syafika asked herself. Then she realized that it was Tuesday and she was going to Fanta’s place for morning tea.
“How was last night?” said Rose when Syafika walked into the kitchen. She was a bit confused by Syafika appearing so early in the morning when she didn’t have to go to work. Then Rose looked a bit closer and noticed that Syafika looked really tired and had red eyes, as if she had been crying all night.
Rose rushed over to Syafika and gave her a cuddle and asked “What happened?”
“Vincent isn’t going to call me ever again, is he?” answered Syafika quietly.
“Don’t worry about that!” said Rose. “He doesn’t deserve you.”
Syafika smiled and started to feel better. She decided to have a cup of tea.
A few hours later Syafika swished out of the front gate on her way to morning tea at Fanta’s house. She was wearing a pretty dress and carrying a bunch of jasmine.
Evan though Syafika was a bit worried that Fanta wouldn’t approve, the first thing Syafika did when she arrived at Fanta’s house was to tell Fanta about her date with Anthony. Fanta had never liked the sound of Anthony, but for some reason Fanta wasn’t particularly angry and seemed more concerned that Vincent still hadn’t called Syafika. John and D’arby arrived while Syafika and Fanta were discussing it.
“John! What can we do to make Vincent realize that he won’t find anyone better than Syafika?” asked Fanta
“He still hasn’t called?” asked John
“No” said Syafika. Despite the sudden change in topic from Anthony to Vincent, Syafika was feeling sad enough at being reminded that Vincent hadn’t called for tears to start rolling down her cheeks.
“Don’t cry! Leave it up to D’arby and me” said John
“What are we going to do?” asked D’arby.
“We are going to remind Vincent of Syafika” said John
“How?” asked Fanta
“Yeah, how?” asked D’arby
“Do you have a special song? A song that will remind Vincent of the times he spent with you?” John asked Syafika
“I don’t think so” said Syafika
“Nothing? Didn’t you share music? Didn’t you listen to music together?” asked John
“Yeah…Vincent did give me a CD.I took it to work with me but hardly listened to it. Wait! It’s in here somewhere” said Syafika and she started rummaging around in her handbag.
“Here” said Syafika, and handed a CD to John
“The Very Best of Cat Stevens!” said John
“Yeah, Vincent things he is great but I found it sort of boring” said Syafika
“I know this song – The First Cut is the Deepest” said Fanta
“Did Cat Stevens write that?” asked D’arby, looking at Syafika
“Don’t ask me!” said Syafika
“That’s a good song to play Vincent” said Fanta “But how are you going to get him to listen to it?”
“I have an idea, but I’ll have to discuss it in private with D’arby first” said John. “What I need to know is where Vincent lives, works and the places he likes to go in his spare time” said John
John and D’arby seemed to be pretty excited by their new assignment. Fanta thought it would be better if she didn’t ask what they were planning in case she disapproved. Syafika didn’t really care what they did. She’d be happy if Vincent called her again but she would also be happy if Anthony called instead.
The Inkling 