As the clock struck six in the morning, the Hiace bus moved quietly from the front of Abu Ahmed's house, making its way through the streets of Sana'a, which were still slowly waking up. The morning air was cool and refreshing, and the sky leaned toward a clear blue, suggesting the start of a long day, yet one full of promise.
After two hours of driving, they left Sana'a completely. The towering Yemeni mountains began to surround the road, their colors ranging from brown to gray, interspersed with water dams shimmering under the sunlight, and small, scattered villages like pearls strewn on the mountainside.
The children were pressed against the windows, their voices filling the bus with excitement:
"Look! A house on top of the mountain!"
"How big this dam is!"
"Do people really live here?"
Mr. Haruki's daughters were pointing their fingers in every direction, taking pictures and laughing with genuine amazement, while Ahmed's brothers took pride in explaining every sight, acting like little tour guides.
After three more hours on the road, Abu Ahmed stopped the bus in front of a local restaurant by the roadside. He stepped out with confident strides and returned after a while carrying many bags filled with food. Ahmed tried to help him, but Abu Ahmed insisted with a smile:
"Let me carry it; I am still young."
They headed to a nearby farm, where there was green land and pleasant shade. Um Ahmed spread a simple table on the ground, without pretension, but warm with love. Everyone sat in one circle, eating breakfast, their laughter mixing with the sound of the light wind.
After finishing, Ahmed stood up quietly, gathered the trash carefully, and put it in bags inside the bus, saying:
"I will throw it in the right place later."
Everyone returned to the bus, and Ahmed said confidently:
"I will drive now."
Abu Ahmed looked at him for a moment, then nodded in agreement.
Ahmed drove the bus, and as time passed, he began to speed more than he should. The speed increased, and the children began to scream with laughter and fear, some clapping and others clutching the seats.
But the joy did not last long.
Abu Ahmed shouted sternly:
"Ahmed! Slow down immediately!"
Mr. Haruki added in a serious tone:
"This is not a race."
And Um Ahmed turned with firm eyes:
"We are traveling; do not terrify us."
Even Misaki said anxiously:
"Ahmed, please."
As for Mrs. Sayuri, she just gave a long, silent look that was enough to make Ahmed feel guilty.
He slowed down immediately, took a deep breath, and said shyly:
"Sorry... I got a little excited."
He continued driving for another three hours, quietly this time, until only three hours remained to reach Aden. At that point, Mr. Haruki took over the driving, and the bus moved steadily until the features of Aden began to appear, and the smell of the sea seeped into their hearts before their noses.
They arrived in Aden, tired... but with unmistakable smiles, and everyone realized that the journey itself was the beginning of the story, not just a road.