Clueless Love

We ate dinner not too long ago. I prayed Isha (Night) prayer and went outside to the backyard. I am sitting down, looking at the stars. While I am admiring the stars, someone comes and takes a seat beside me.

“What is this beautiful lady doing here all by herself?” Ismail asks.

“I am just looking at the stars wondering how it would feel again to live with less worries in the world,” I say clearly affected by the compliment, but I have a lot on my mind right now.

“Don’t worry, In Shaa Allah, everything will be over soon” Ismail says smiling reassuringly.

“Ameen,” I say smiling a little, understanding that he is trying to cheer me up.

“Speaking of over… I am sure that by the time you are able to go back to work, you will have finished your internship at my company,” Ismail says, sounding a bit sad.

“Most likely,” I say also feeling a bit sad. Because now I know he is not only sad about the fact that I am leaving because he likes spending time with me, but he is also sad because he does not want the love of his life far away from him. It makes me want to take up his offer, but I can’t. I want to start off on my own.

“Is there nothing I can do to make you stay, my love?” Ismail asks, knowing full well that when he calls me his love it has a deep effect on me.

It is funny how months ago, Ismail calling me his love would have made me want to break something over his head, but now it makes my heart skip a beat every time he says it. How a word can change from meaning nothing to meaning so much.

“Nice try, but there is nothing, Ismail. You know why I turned down your offer for a seat in your board of directors. I want to start off fresh on my own, and you already helped me a lot. The couple you introduced me to agreed to invest with me. For me, that is more than enough. I am more than grateful for your help,” I say smiling because I am very happy Ismail wants to keep me by his side and is doing everything he can to help me start my own company. What a lovely man Allah has blessed me with.

“Alright, if you say so, but if at any time you change your mind my door is always open to you.”

“I will remember that, and I wanted to ask you… What happened to that video I watched the other day? Why can’t we use that against Mr. Alberto?” I remember I was going to ask about it when we were talking about ways of getting evidence against him, but it must have slipped my mind.

“I did not record it. And even if I had, his face was not showing so it won’t be usable in court, or even usable to get us a warrant for arrest.”

“Oh, that’s true, but how did you know about that location? Why can’t we just scout around there ’till he comes back again to make a deal?”

“It was the same place I told David about. I was lucky that day. I have been keeping tabs on the place, but I did not get anything until that day. But that is not a bad idea, I will tell David about it.”

“Yeah, we should. And maybe with the tracker we can get an idea of where he is heading and get there before him, and this time make sure to get his face on the recording.

“That’s a brilliant idea, Umit. Remember to tell David when we see him.”

“Umit, I have been meaning to ask you where you learnt how to fight. That day when I saw you beating up that guy, I had chills. You were awesome. I was so proud of you that day.” Ismail says smiling.

“Awww, thank you, Ismail, I am happy you think my skills are awesome. I learnt from an assassin,” I answer with a smile.

“From a what?!” Ismail asks sounding very confused.

“I am only joking. Well not really, because she used to be an assassin but isn’t not anymore,” I say laughing at the way his expression changed from excitement to shock.

“I don’t understand why ‘assassin’ is still in your sentences, Umit. You are scaring me,” Ismail says putting his arms in front of him in a protective way, which only makes me laugh more at his reaction.

“You are not serious. I call her an assassin because that is what she was before she became a Muslim.”

“Wow, you don’t hear that every day. It’s good that she became a Muslim, but may I ask how she became a Muslim.”

“She became a Muslim because she was an assassin. She was sent to kill someone who is a Muslim. When she pointed the gun at the person, the person did not move an inch. She did not understand how someone can have a gun pointed at their head and not move. Apparently, the person didn’t move because they were praying. She did not end up killing the person but rather wanted to find out what gave this person such courage while praying.”

“Wow, her story is so amazing.”

“I know, right. I love telling her story to people. After she became a Muslim, she opened a program for Muslim women to learn martial arts and self-defense. I took her martial arts program and that’s how I learned to fight.”

“I am happy you did because it made you more amazing than you are already.”

“Awww thank you, you flatter me too much,” I say blushing.

“I am serious, my love, you are an amazing woman.”

“Thank you,” I say smiling.

“Don’t thank me because it’s the truth, my love.”

“The way you keep calling me your love is like I am your wife or something,” I say jokingly.

“Not yet, but soon.”

“W-W-W-H-hat?” I stammer shocked to the bone by what I heard.

“Yes, Umit. You are not my wife yet, but you will be soon,” Ismail replies, smiling, sounding very happy while saying the words ‘my wife.’

“Ismail do you know what you are saying? You only just told me about your feelings a day ago,” I say perplexed by what he is saying.

“It does not change the fact that I want you to be my wife. Umit, I might have just told you about my feelings, but that does not mean I don’t love you enough to want to marry you. I love you, and I wish to marry you one day,” Ismail says, causing tears of joy to form in my eyes.

I have never thought about marrying Ismail, but now that he brought it up, I am starting to see it as a wonderful thing happening to both of us. I am not going to think too deep into it right now, because it’s not like he is asking me to marry him now. When the time comes and he pops the question, In Shaa Allah, I will have the right answer.

“I love you too, Ismail,” I tell him while wiping away tears of joy.

“Before I forget, how are your face and hands today?” Ismail says, checking my injuries and changing the subject.

“They are feeling better,” I say smiling, feeling very cared for because even this morning before he went out, he asked after my injuries.

“That’s good, and next time don’t break a mirror with your hands.”

“Ismail you have been telling me that every day, I won’t do it again,” I say rolling my eyes.

“I just want to remind you,” Ismail says sounding very happy to nag me.

“I can see you are happy you are the one nagging me.”

“Yes, I am,” Ismail grins.

“It’s funny how when you look for trouble with me now, I don’t feel like killing you anymore,” I say recalling all those years I pictured myself smacking his head. Ismail used to get me all worked up before. I don’t even understand why he liked picking a fight with me, and I am talking about before our coffee incidents. I could literally be sitting down minding my own business, and Ismail would say something he knew would annoy me. I always had my comebacks ready for him, though. Now, I can’t believe he is the one man I want to make smile more than anything when years ago I loved seeing his frown more than anything.

“I am happy to hear that. I don’t have to worry about you taking my life every time I upset you,” Ismail teases me. I am starting to think I was right when I figured he doesn’t annoy me because he dislikes me, but rather the opposite.

“Ismail, why do you look for my ire, and don’t tell me it’s because of the coffee incidents. I know you have another reason, so tell me,” I say eager for him to finally confess.

“I love annoying you because I love you,” Ismail says smiling.

“Ismail, I am being serious, tell me why,” I reply pretending to be unaffected by his words.

“Alright, it’s because even before our coffee incidents, I loved vexing you because I love it when you are all worked up.”

“Why do you like it when I am all worked up?” I ask surprised, not understanding him at all.

“Because you look cute when you are provoked.”

“What! Are you serious?” I cry out in total disbelieve.Published by Nôv'elD/rama.Org.

“Yes, every time I got you all worked up, or annoyed, you looked cute to me, and I love it when you looked cute.”

“Ismail, I don’t even know what to tell you right now,” I chuckle while shaking my head, because there is actually nothing I can say to that. I don’t know if I should be happy because he always found me cute or be annoyed that he just likes to annoy me.

“There is nothing you can say, just say you love me,” Ismail says, sounding pleased with himself.

“I don’t know what I have fallen in love with,” I reply in mock exasperation, shaking my head.

“That is not what I told you to say.”

“I know. But does that mean you have liked me all along?” I ask noticing he said he always loved it when I looked cute. Does that mean he always liked me? Oh my God? Is it even possible to like someone for that long, and not say anything? I am sure that is not the case here.

“No, I did not like you back then, but the thing is Umit, you are a beautiful woman. From the first day I saw you at your sister’s wedding, I found you beautiful. I realized a beautiful woman like you could look cute. I annoyed you and teased you for the fun of it at the wedding, just to get you all worked up and looking cute. It always left me dumbstruck that a beautiful woman can manage to look cute at the same time. Umit you are a beautiful woman, and I know that better than anyone,” Ismail says smiling broadly.

“Thank you, Ismail. And I know you just did it to annoy me, and still do it for the fun of it,” I say feeling very loved, knowing Ismail finds me beautiful. I also know he annoys me just for his own amusement.

“That was in the past, my love, not anymore.”

“Don’t ‘my love’ me” I pretend to be hurt, but I am far from it. If anything, I am happy he has always found me beautiful and cute.

“Umit, my love, I am sorry. I won’t try to tease you again,” Ismail says, sounding very sincere. I don’t know why I just feel so good right now. But making Ismail apologize for all the times he has teased and annoyed me, is making me feel good. Even though I forgave him months ago, it still feels good. I am about to speak when someone beats me to it.

“I think you love birds should continue your chat later. I think I have found something,” David announces, walking into the backyard.

“Really?” Ismail asks getting up.

“What did you find?” I ask also standing up from my seat.

“Come with me, I will explain inside,” David says walking back into the house.

“Alright,” Ismail agrees, walking inside with me following.

I wonder what David found. I hope we can finally put an end to this chase of finding evidence against Mr. Alberto.