I looked up at him. Since I was across from him I could see his face. I looked at his eyes and was surprised by what I saw.
His dark brown eyes were filled with an emotion I didn't know. It was like a mixture of peace, sorrow, joy, love, guilt, longing, contentment, and lonliness!
Finally, I knew that if I didn't ask him what tune he was whistling I was going to go crazy!
"Cassim?"
He stopped whistling and looked up at me.
"Yeah, Rajah?"
"What tune are you whistling?"
He heasitated for a moment. I tired to look into his eyes, but he lowered his head, refusing to meet my gaze.
"What tune is it? I won't tell anyone if you don't want me to, I promise."
He suddenly sniffed, reached up, and wiped away something.
"Cassim, are you okay?"
Cassim lifted his head, and I saw tears in his eyes and trickling down his face! I was shocked.
"Why are you crying?"
"I whistle the tune of the song I made for Carina, Aladdin's mother, the morning after our wedding. I tell of how I feel about her, how much she means to me, how much I love her, and more."
"If she's gone why do you still whistle it?"
"I whistle it to try to comfort myself and keep going, knowing that she would want me to live my life to its fullest."
"Does it work?"
"No."
Before I could say anything else Cassim burst into tears. I went over to him and nuzzled his face, where I could since his face was buried in his hands. He looked at me, still crying.
I pulled him to me and let him cry in my fur! I put my leg around him as he cried.
"Cassim."
"Yeah?" came the muffled and choked response.
"These past nights I've heard you crying softly."
Cassim pulled back and looked at me.
"What?"
"I've heard you crying softly at night. Is this why?"
Cassim nodded. He pulled himself together and finished making dinner.