Ajla joined the beekeeping course because she had inherited a small plot of land, not because she was brave. When she first put on protective clothing, she decided to spend the rest of the day breathing shallowly and following every instruction. The woman beside her had a calm voice and a small hole in a glove that the instructor immediately replaced. Ajla remembered the voice. The face was barely visible behind the veil.
During the lesson they stood together. The woman was named Ema and did not try to look more experienced than she was. Whenever she missed something, she asked again. Ajla liked that more than any amount of knowledge. After the lesson they remained by the fence for a few minutes, still behind their veils, waiting for others to retrieve their bags from a locked room.
Ema said she shared her land with a brother who expected her to do everything that did not involve a tractor. Ajla laughed and told a similar story about her uncle. In passing, Ema mentioned a former girlfriend. Ajla listened to the remainder of the sentence with unexpected attention. She was already preparing an invitation for coffee when the instructor called them to return their equipment and Ema's phone rang.
The following week Ajla arrived early. She approached a short-haired woman standing beside the same cupboard and asked whether their old coffee arrangement still stood. Confused, the woman said a new one certainly could. Ajla began explaining their conversation about a brother, a tractor, and a former girlfriend. The woman laughed. "I have a husband and sell tractors," she said. "I think you're looking for somebody more interesting."
Ema stood behind her carrying two empty buckets. She had heard enough to understand. Ajla wanted to put her veil back on and remain beneath it until winter. Instead, she turned and invited the right woman for coffee, this time by name. Ema accepted, and the tractor seller recommended somewhere that supposedly served the best pie in the area.
Without the suit and gloves, Ema looked different from how Ajla had imagined her. She had freckles, a quick smile, and a habit of tucking one leg beneath her chair. The voice was the same. They talked until the waiter began clearing empty tables. Ajla admitted she had been sure she would recognize her eyes. Ema said Ajla's own eyes had been closed in fear for almost half the first lesson.
At the next class, the tractor seller asked how their division of land was progressing. Ajla replied that they had not reached such serious questions yet. Ema passed her gloves, both the same size. That day, for the first time through the veil, Ajla noticed the colors of the flowers around her instead of watching only where she could put her feet.