"The best place in the world is in the arms of someone who will not only hold you at your best, but will pick you up and hug you tight at your weakest moments." - Unknown. 

~ Sleep. I need sleep. I hope whatever I just wrote was good. Vote and comment please.  

Chapter 30 - Ruined moment.

“3 months?!” I asked, disagreement lacing my tone. My mother gave me a sharp glance from across the table and I cleared my throat. “Err, three months? I mean, that’s totally fine,” I said lamely. 

Just remember. Whatever makes mum happy.

Zach and I, along with our mothers, were discussing the upcoming wedding over some breakfast, in a stunning restaurant situated on the beach. It was a beautiful sunny day, with a perfect cool breeze to balance out the heat. The sky was clear blue, not one cloud about and the sand was packed with people, mostly families, who were out to enjoy their weekend.  

My patience was wearing a bit thin with all the suggestions my mum kept coming up with, but I constantly reminded myself that I had already upset her once, so following through with her plans was the least I could do. Not all her ideas were bad, but she was getting a little too excited, I think. 

“Zach, what do you think habibi?” Auntie asked him, as she took a sip from her tea. 

“Hmm?” I snorted. Zach was much more interested in the plate of food in front of him, than the conversation at hand. He’s always been like this - as soon as the food’s served, he becomes as quiet as a mouse. 

His mother sighed. “The wedding - what do you think, if we have it 3 months from now?” 

He swallowed the bite in his mouth, before contemplating his answer. “I think three months is a bit long, to be honest. But if you guys believe you need that much time to plan everything, then I don’t mind.” Wrong answer, Zach! Argh.  

“Do we really need a full 3 months to plan everything mum?” I asked, trying to sound innocent.  

“Probably not three months…” she trailed off. “But just to be safe.” 

“I honestly think a month is good.” 

“OK how about we make it two months from now, and that’ll be final?”  

“I feel like I’m at a market. You’re haggling over my wedding!” Zach quipped, laughing at his own joke.  

“Our wedding,” I said, flicking his ear, before smiling warmly at him. 

“Our wedding,” he repeated in a mumble whilst staring off into my eyes, as if he couldn’t fathom what he was saying. 

“OK love birds, snap out of it. We’ve got a lot to plan,” my mum voiced, clapping her hands in front of her to gain our attention.  

“Sorry,” we both said, sheepishly. I could feel my cheeks tinging red and I tried to appear casual, as I picked up my fork and shovelled some salad into my mouth.  

“I love it when you blush,” Zach whispered into my ear.  

“Zachhh,” I groaned, blushing even harder. “That didn’t really help.” 

“That was the point,” he said, chuckling deeply. I shook my head at him with an amused smile on my face, before resting my palms against my flaming cheeks in a futile attempt to hide the burn. We both faced our mothers again, to find them watching us with endearing expression on their faces.

And that’s pretty much how the rest of the evening proceeded. Us woman trying to organise what need be for the wedding, Zach embarrassing me or making me blush furiously, me then pinching or flicking him, him laughing and then our mothers eventually getting fed up. 

“Zach, next time you’re not coming,” his mother huffed, as we got up to leave.  

“What? Why not?” he asked, acting guiltless.  

“Because we got nothing done, that’s why.”  

“I wouldn’t say nothing got done…” He grinned cheekily at his mother, then looked at me suggestively. She just sighed and shook her head at his antics. I laughed and gave Auntie a sympathetic look.  

“OK well, I’m headed off to meet the girls. I won’t be too long.”  

“Right now?” Zach asked, looking a little disappointed.  

I nodded my head. “Is that OK?” I asked, skimming my eyes over his angular features and meeting his green eyes.  

“Of course - I just thought we’d stroll on the beach since it’s such a nice day. But I know you miss your friends, so you should go,” he urged, giving me a dimpled smile.  

“Aww thanks Zuzu.” I beamed at him and slightly hesitated but then, in a rush of adrenaline, I kissed him on the cheek. He wasn’t expecting it, but judging from the look on his face, from which I even sensed a bit of longing, he was overjoyed. 

“Salam mum, salam Auntie,” I said, frantically hugging them and waving, before power walking to uni, where I’d be meeting the girls. Even though it was the holidays, we loved to go there and sit in our favourite rose garden, especially in this kind of weather. 

Instead of sitting on the grass like we usually did, I found the girls seated on one of the old wooden tables, with chairs attached. Since I still hadn’t seen them since my return, they all looked at me eagerly, anxious to know the latest news with Zach. 

When I told them what really happened and that I was now, technically married, their reactions were absolutely priceless. Shaymah choked on her drink and I mean, seriously choked. Somehow, Miriam nearly fell off her seat and Salma squealed so loud, I was a hundred percent sure I was now partially deaf.  

After the initial shock wore off, the girls began cooing and commenting on how romantic Zach’s proposal had been. I couldn’t disagree with them there and I felt light-headed, just at the memory. 

“So where’s your ring?” Miriam asked, gesturing to my naked finger. 

“We decided he can just give it to me on the wedding,” I said, noting that was one of few points we successfully managed to discuss at the breakfast.

“Why would you do that?” Shaymah asked, furrowing her eyebrows. 

“Yeah,” Salma added. “No one will even know you’re married now.”  

“I don’t need a stupid ring to symbolise my marriage. I know I’m married. If it were up to me, I wouldn’t even have Zach waste his money on it.”  

“OK OK, woman. Don’t go all ‘it’s just another stupid invention of society and culture’ on us,” Shaymah mocked, holding up her hands in defence. I shrugged my shoulders and grinned at the annoyed expressions on the girls faces.

“You’re getting married,” Salma slowly uttered, breaking the comfortable silence we had all fallen in. Looking up, I caught the tears in her eyes and the saddened look on her face. She was now hunched over, struggling in ensuring she didn’t shed her tears. She sniffed and then looked up fiercely.

“You’re not going to suddenly disappear on us now, are you?”  

“Never,” I said, grasping her hand over the table and giving it a squeeze.  

“Every girl says that though,” Shaymah spoke, looking a little heartbroken too. 

“But I’m not every girl,” I laughed, trying to lighten up the mood. Looking at all their somber expressions, I frowned. “Hey, look, just because I’m getting married, it doesn’t mean I’m going to forget my friends. Zach knows how much you guys mean to me and I’ll always make sure to create time for you all. If I don’t, I give one of you permission to come and slap me really hard.”  

“Please, we won’t need permission,” Miriam scoffed and we all laughed in agreement. 

****

“I wonder what McDonalds taste like,” Noah randomly pondered out loud. I raised my eyebrows and looked up at him from over the book in my hand. 

“It’s a big hit in the Western countries. Anyway, it’s Zionist so who cares.”

“Mmm true.” He looked bored senseless, as he lay across the foot of my bed.  

“No work today?” I asked. 

“Nope. Since you guys are on holidays, there’s not much to do. My shifts have been cut down.” I hummed in response, then proceeded to focus on the juicy book in my hand. “Well you’re boring, so I’m going to head down and play on the xbox.”  

“It’s called reading! It’s actually fun, you should try it one day.” 

“Nah. Nerdy.” He got up, flattening my poor feet in the process and started to walk out. 

“It’s on Roman emperors!” I called out after him.  

“Bo - ring. Goodbye lil sis,” he said, dismissing me with a flick of his hand.  

“God help you Salma,” I mumbled under my breath. 

“What did you say?” He questioned, swopping back around, eyes narrowed suspiciously. 

“Absolutely nothing.” He obviously didn’t believe me but walked out anyway, without further questions. Yes, I was still set on hooking Salma and Noah together. Don’t ask my why though, no poor soul deserved to live with him. 

After an hour, I got up to make the kids something to eat, since they were all complaining. 

“Min, I want chocolate.”  

“I want a tuna sandwich please.”  

“Me too.” 

“Me three.”  

“Make that four actually.”  

I stared down at every single one of my siblings with a deadly glare. “Do I look like a slave to you?” I then turned to Adam and picked him up, since he’s been tugging on my pants the whole time, so I can hold him. “And you young man, can have some chocolate after you eat proper food.” 

“Noooo,” he whined, resting his head in the crook of my neck. Thankfully, he didn’t start crying, so I handed him over to Noah whilst I began making the sandwiches. I ordered Rida and Nadia to get up and help me. With strained sighs, they lazily emerged like the dead and began cutting the vegies.  

“What do you want in your sandwich princess?” I asked, pinching Deana’s cheeks. She looked adorable today in her peach dress coupled with two ponytails on the side of her head. She was swinging her legs from side to side and bouncing on her seat excitedly.  

“Lettuce, tomato, cucumber, olives and pickles please,” she spoke, pointing to each choice.  

“Coming right up.” 

“Hey where’s Zach? He hasn’t been over in like, two days. That must be a record for him.” I looked up at Noah and laughed as he pinched Rida on the arm, just to annoy her. 

“He said he’s been busy working some things out. He’s also trying to look for a job but he should be coming over in about twenty minutes actually,” I said, checking the time. 

“Insha’Allah he finds one.” 

“Insha’Allah,” I repeated, washing my hands and drying them with the hand towel. “I’m going to the bathroom, watch over the kids,” I ordered to Noah and he just nodded his head, before lifting a cup of water to Adam’s lips and helping him drink properly.  

After going to the bathroom, I decided I might as well shower, whilst the electricity was still on. I couldn’t be bothered to run back into my room to grab some clothes, and since I’d be no more than ten minutes anyway, I wasted no time in hastily jumping under the hot water.  

After I felt sufficiently refreshed, I wrapped a towel around my dripping body and opened the door a tad. I popped my head out and made sure no one was around, before running into my room and slamming the door behind me. 

Turning around, I saw a body laying on my bed and I instinctively shrieked out loud. When I realised who it was, I slammed my hand against my mouth. Zach rose from his sitting position, confusion etched across his face, but as soon as his eyes landed on my dripping form, clad in only a towel, the confusion was replaced by shock. 

Eyes widened, I watched as his eyes scanned me from head to toe. “Wow,” I heard him breathe. 

“Zach!” I screeched, trying not to die from embarrassment. He had drifted off into lala land it seemed and before he could analyse me any further, I ran to the bed and grabbed a pillow, using it against him. 

Hitting him with it, I began yelling in frustration. “This isn’t how you were supposed to see me for the first time Zach! You ruined what was supposed to be a special moment! Argh! What are you even doing in here?!” To my dismay, he began laughing but made sure to cover his eyes.  

“Oh my god, I’m so sorry Yasmine,” he said in between laughs. “Actually, I’m not sorry but seriously, Noah said you were in the bathroom, not taking a shower!” He cracked up laughing again but I didn’t really see what was funny. I was truly upset this was the state he had seen me in for the first time without my scarf on. The first time was supposed to be significant and intimate. Definitely not like this.

I hit him with the pillow again. “You’re an idiot. Can you please leave now, so I can get dressed and regain some of my dignity?”  

“Fine, fine, I’ll leave.” With his eyes still covered, he smirked and headed to the door. 

“Don’t take your time!” I knew he was holding in his stupid laughter.  

“Leaving now…but seriously Yasmine, can I just say, your hair is super long. Did I ever tell you how much I love long ha-, OW!”  

“Out!” I yelled, getting angrier as the seconds passed. Once he was gone, I locked my door and immediately got dressed. I was embarrassed but more than anything disappointed. With my mood in a bit of a wreck now, I walked downstairs twenty minutes later and went straight to the cupboard to grab chocolate for me and Adam. When I walked back into the living room, I avoided eye contact with Zach. I was thoroughly angry with him. 

“Min, can I have ice cream too?” Adam asked, as he chomped on a bite of milk chocolate. 

“No Adam, that’s too much sugar. It’s not good for you.”  

“Pleaseeee Min!” He put on his big doe-eye look but I wasn’t falling for it, especially with my sour mood. 

“No Adam. That’s final.” 

His lower lip began quivering and within seconds, a full blown cry emerged from him. “I hate you!” he yelled. “Noah is better than you Min!” With that, he ran into Noah’s arms and cried into his chest. Hurt, I just watched his back and let the tears form freely. I knew it was silly - letting the words of your four year old brother affect you like this, even when you knew he was just saying it out of sadness. I couldn’t help it though.  

Locking eyes with Noah’s empathetic ones, then Zach’s slightly worried ones, I got up and headed back for my room. I heard footsteps behind me and I didn’t bother shutting my door as I fell headfirst onto my bed. A few moments later and the door was clicked shut. I was in foetal position now, clutching a pillow to my chest. The tears still hadn’t fallen and I desperately willed them not to.  

The bed dipped from behind me and to my surprise, I felt Zach’s strong arms encircle my waist and pull me closer to him. 

“Hey, don’t be upset Yasmine. You know Adam didn’t mean that.” I just nodded my head and leaned back comfortably against Zach. He sighed, before asking me to turn around so I could face him. Reluctantly, I did so. 

“I’m sorry about before - I didn’t take it as seriously as I should’ve. I know that’s why you’re really distressed but it was honestly unintentional.”  

I nodded my head and he wiped off a stray tear. “I know Zach - I just wanted it to be special and for me to look a bit more awesome than that.” With a shaky laugh, I sniffed and wiped off the rest of the tears. “And I know what you’re going to say - that I don’t need to do that. But I want to.”

“OK. You know I’ll think you’re beautiful either way.” He traced his finger over my nose and around my lips, his eyes following his own movements. 

“You better,” I mumbled and snuggled into his chest. If Noah or my dad saw us now, they’d absolutely kill us. 

Zach burst out laughing. “Is it that time of the month again, Ms. Bipolar?” 

“Probably,” I said, smiling.  

**** 

Definitions: 

Insha'Allah: God willing 

Salam: Peace - greeting