No Matter What: Chapter Fourteen

‘We can stay here’ Jawad told Fajr and Hilal. He was friends with the hospital administration and managed to get an over night stay for the three of them. Fajr still continued praying and tearing as she held Noor’s hand. She wished more than anything if she could time travel to warn them both. She loathed being part of what is happening to her only close friend. She wanted to go back and discourage her from touching the DJ’s hand; the beginning of the very end.

‘Hurry you’ll be late’ she was rushed through the stairs. Time seemed to rush fast and she wasn’t ready mentally for what was to come. Out of her grand aunt’s place, she went to bid farewell.  She was heading to a journey not many people had the privilege for. She hopped into the 4x4 nervous but excited, it was her very first trip out of her country. The country where she was born and raised in, with the occasional forts, castles and petrol stations passing her by, she said goodbye to the land of her forefathers as she made her way to the holy land of Mecca. She was due to fly with her three brothers who were in the car with her. Noor never was ready spiritually for this big step, but she was forced into going the same way she was forced to be an Arabic teacher.

The back door opened, the cold dry air conditioned breeze mixed with the hot quite humid air. They arrived at the airport. Amazed at how it looked like inside, Noor found herself turning around in circles in an awe. She smiled a happy go lucky smile. It was her first; her first time witnessing an airport building let alone being inside it. ‘Passengers boarding Oman Air flight number A592 to Jeddah are requested to proceed to Gate 3’ she heard the airport announcement as her brothers led the way.  At the gate waiting to board the flight, a book was jostled at her. ‘Here, this book has everything you need’ one of her brothers told her. It was a self help how- to book on performing pilgrimage. She nodded her head absently as she laid her eyes on the beautiful afternoon sky. The illuminating rays reflected on something she never saw so close before; the gigantic glistening white and blue plane that was to take her up in the air. Her eyes grew bigger as her mouth opened in astonishment. She was in heaven she thought, in heaven indeed.

An hour and countless minutes later, Noor found herself inside a crowded cabin, sitting beside the window while beads of sweat started appearing on her forehead. Loud cries of toddlers started intensifying disturbing the quiet atmosphere, sighs of frustrations and complaints of anger erupted.  In less than a few minutes the plane turned to a circus, everyone almost grumbled and whined over their situation; they were 40 minutes behind schedule in a sunny humid afternoon. Glasses of cold water with ice were served while the cooling system seemed non-functioning; the air conditioning seemed inexistent even though the plane was powered and its engine running. Noor thought all of this was normal; she was embarrassed to ask any of her brothers who would turn her into a joke. She decided she would patiently wait like everybody else. ‘For crying out loud, what’s taking so long?’ one of the elderly passengers in front of her complained as she grabbed the flight attendant’s arm. ‘We are waiting for a passenger’ the attendant replied assuring the old wrinkled face she was looking at while grimacing with the signature stewardess smile. The long wait was taking its toll on those surrounding her. The yellow distant sun seemed like it was burning a few inches above their heads. The merciless sun shone its evil rays on them causing them to shed off more pints of sweat. The saltiness of the perspiration in her eyes was a blessing. Noor was drowsy and in an instant fell asleep.

Some loud commotion was going on, sighs of relief, and passenger prayers and pleas to their creator were accepted.

‘Finally’

‘It’s about time’

‘Alhamdulilah’

Some of the phrases going about in the cabin. Noor got awoken from her nap as she heard her brother argue with the attendant. ‘But this is my seat. We booked adjacent seats.’ he yelled.  The boarding pass the flight attendant held in his hand had seat number 15 B, only the steward didn’t know that Noor’s brother had an identical seat number in his pass. He just assumed, like the many ignorant passengers, that he sat at the wrong seat. The argument escalated when the attendant was adamant for Noor’s brother to move. ‘I am not moving’ her brother said firmly as he showed his pass. A heated dispute broke out as the late passenger made his way through to where he was supposed to be seated. The quarrels could be heard throughout until Noor thought it through.  She could easily give up her seat for the other one in front next to her other brother. ‘I can move to the front’ she pointed out innocently to them.

And then there was silence, a solution and outlet to the problem was provided. It was an easy fix to something the flight attendant could have easily thought of. ‘If that wouldn’t be much trouble to you Ma’am’ the flight attendant said masking his mistake with the signature steward smile. Picking up her notepad where she scribbled down her thoughts, she scooted out of the tiny leg room available. Noor made her way to the front. She now headed forward only for her coffee brown eyes to meet with the late passenger’s honey hazel eyes. Her heart skipped a beat as she grasped and hugged her notepad tight. It was him, the DJ in front of her.  ‘Here you go’ he gave her space for her to head to her new seat.

He sat and stood, he nervously got clumsy after seeing her. He tried to place his luggage at the over-sized compartment on top only for his hands to lose balance and shake. People started chuckling at his unsteady hands. He would be better off to place his suitcase under the seat in front of him, he though to himself. He took a deep breath as he tried to relax but then she sat right in front of him. Could it be fate or was it a test?  He didn’t know. All he knew was the girl in pink who touched his hand was here. She was even more beautiful and radiant adorning the black abaya. His heart pounded so hard he was scared she could hear. He felt jumpy, he couldn’t stay still. Pressing the inside button on the left of the seat arm, his body inclined backwards along with the chair as his eyes were still fixed at her. The soft delicate scarf brushing off of her hands as she tried to fix it over her head made him remember how her hand felt when their skin touched. Soft, supple and filled with warmth, he grinned. He smiled even wider when he remembered how he prayed day in and day out for them to cross paths again. At least this time he can put a name to the angelic image of her in his mind, he thought. With his eyes catching glimpses of her hand and the plane in the sky, he had his head in the clouds and went off to a fairytale land.

He was the knight in the king’s castle, and she was the princess, the heiress to the throne. He was the son of a blacksmith who lived a tough poor life while she was a lonely daughter of a mighty king wishing for her savior and prince charming. Shihab the knight would set out to fight off all demons and dragons invading the kingdom to win her father’s heart. He becomes the kingdom’s hero and gets the approval from the king to crown his daughter as his wife. And they would live happily ever after, the typical fairytale ending.

PING...

The seatbelt sign blinked bright waking all those who were asleep, it was time for landing. She felt happy yet sad; happy that she was close to stepping foot in another country, yet sad that she would part ways with the mysterious DJ. ‘Shihab’ she thought to herself as his name rang in her ears. She knew his name when he didn’t. He was her favorite DJ and radio show host, she’d always make sure to call just to hear his deep husky voice up close and personal. She reminisced on the ridiculous sums of money she wasted for phone credit to call and dedicate a song to her girlfriends or answer a quiz question on air. Ever since the moment they exchanged gazes at the beach, Noor was captivated. She knew everything about him from Fajr and the radio show he hosted every weekend.  ‘Hi this is Bee calling’ the favorite cue phrase she used on air. ‘He only knows me as Bee his favorite caller and number one fan, but I know him as Shihab, my…’  her thoughts got interrupted by the flight attendant asking her to buckle her seatbelt. She sat praying and scared as she felt her insides reaching up her throat like clothes tumbling in a washing machine from the plane’s descend but then butterflies in her tummy overtook her sensations, she was glancing at his face. He was leaving the lavatory and heading back to his seat. He looked at her and smiled, blushing she smiled back a bashful smile then looked away.

Crowded as ever, white and black was seen everywhere. They were at Jeddah airport waiting for their luggage which delayed for a good half hour. He was in front of her, this time she gathered the courage to stare at him and smile longer. His heart was overwhelmed with warmth. He was happy and determined that he would ask for her name today.  ‘Noori?’ she got called out. Shihab kept on searching hoping that he didn’t mean her. ‘Noori..!!’ her brother shouted this time. Shihab hoped and prayed for it not to be true, but she turned around. Her brother signaled for her that he is heading to the restrooms as Noor waited for the luggage.  She nodded back smiling as her brother gave her a wink and left.  Noor giggled and turned back to face him again. But Shihab felt sick to his stomach, he was disgusted by the whole affair. How could she look at him and exchange flirtatious looks and smiles with him when she was involved with someone else? He couldn’t understand this and felt rage taking over his body. Walking over to her, Noor thought that this was her chance. All her brothers weren’t around and she was all alone standing and waiting. She was ready to confess that she was Bee, that she was his ultimate fan, that she was indeed attracted to him. ‘Make your move Mr. DJ’ she said under her breath while laying her eyes on his nearing presence. She was nervous, her knees felt weak, her palms sweaty as he came closer. He then stopped and looked at her big eyes and her heart just stopped. She prepped herself to speak but soon stopped after seeing his reaction and frown. Shihab looked at her in the eyes then from head to toe as if she was a piece of trash covered with filth and then walked away. Little did Shihab know that he mistook Noori for a pet name when it was her actual nickname. 

No Matter What: Chapter Thirteen (2)

It was a busy day as always, working as a geologist always entailed her being on her feet busy and moving. Sketching and discussing with clients about seismic survey findings and the likes. Fajr always loved a busy life and an eventful schedule. She was so used to it that if an element of her hectic life was missing, she managed to squeeze in something to challenge herself into doing more.  But ever since she knew Taimur and got to know him better, her life took a turn to a more enjoyable one. She never dared to do half of the things she did since she met him. Horse racing, helicopter flights, scuba diving, and skiing, all unveiled the adventurous side of Taimur which made her fall for him harder every time she landed on the land of reality.

‘Once you are done with your meetings, we need to talk’

She received a text messages from Tee, his name in her phonebook. She was a little bit amused on how he typed it. He always started a message with darling and ended it with a virtual kiss but this time, it was different. It was as straightforward as a contractor e-mailing his client.  Taken off guard, she decided to dismiss her hectic schedule and attend to him. ‘He must be going through a rough patch’ she thought to herself as she informed her boss of her early departure for the day.

‘We can meet now’

‘Aren’t you busy?’

‘It’s okay I took care of everything’

‘Okay I’ll pick you up in a few?’

‘Waiting’

A few minutes later and Taimur was at the door. Opening the door to the car, she saw he wasn’t in his jolly mood. He seemed lost, confused and sad. ‘Honey, what’s wrong? Everything okay?’ she asked concerned as she placed her hand on his forehead. ‘Oh my God, you are burning up. You are scorching hot’ she said as she turned his face opposite hers. ‘What’s wrong? Tell’ she started asking more questions while he just stared at her eyes with sorrow filling them. ‘Let’s get out of here shall we?’ he said in a tired voice as he changed the gear and drove off.   

He parked at the parking lots with the beach facing them. It was empty with only a handful of Europeans walking their dogs in sight. Reaching for the handbrake, he leaned his face on the headrest as he took a deep breath then sighed. The whole drive was silent. He heard all her concerns and questions at the beginning but chose to ignore; he didn’t know what to say. He was gathering up courage and trying to stop himself from breaking down. ‘How can I tell her this?’ he asked his conscious with no answer. He was hurting, he felt his heart breaking and aching. But he knew that as soon as he talked to her, her heart would be even in more pain. Fajr remained quiet and angry after the silent treatment she had received from him. She didn’t know what was wrong. ‘Why isn’t he talking to me? What did I do wrong?’ she kept on thinking and recalling every single memory since the last time she met him. She couldn’t place her hands on why he suddenly is ignoring her and not talking to her. ‘I’ll just walk out, maybe then he’ll talk’ she told herself but wasn’t brave enough to open the door and climb out of the car. She loved him so greatly and didn’t want to regret missing the chance of a second with him.  They remained silent but for his deep breaths and sighs.

The sun was bright and the clouds were nowhere in sight, the blue green sea was withdrawing as the low tide timing neared. The air conditioner never helped in cooling off his body and turning his sweat to vapor. With his hands still on the steering wheel he turned to her for the first time after the long silent drive and wait in the car. She was looking at her hands and fiddling with the threads she managed to pull out from her jumper. He tried to open his mouth and speak but he choked up and couldn't speak. He felt himself torn at what he was about to tell her. After all, she was the one he believed to be his soul mate. Reaching out his hands now to hers, he needed to feel them to calm himself down. He knew that it was the last time he’d ever be able to hold them. Fajr surprised turned to him and looked him in the eye. She now noticed how tired his eyes were, how much of a wreck he must be but couldn’t understand why. ‘Did I do something...’ he hushed her by placing his hand on her mouth. ‘Don’t say a word, let me finish first then talk okay?’ he pleaded her as she nodded her head. Removing his hand, her patted her head and said ‘Let’s go for a walk.   

Walking through the cold sand towards the water, she felt at ease and calm. Peace and serene she was overwhelmed with every time they took a stroll at the beach.  He was nervous and shaking but he knew what he had to do. Sitting on the sand as their feet got immersed in the salty warm water he started talking, ‘I still remember how rude you were before’ he smiled lightening up the mood. ‘You were a stalker, you stalked me everywhere’ she said replying to his statement. ‘Well people say love at first sight exists but I say love at first tear exists’ he looked at her as he smiled wryly. She looked back with a wide grin and responded sarcastically, ‘My tears are magical’. He felt weighed down with emotions that all he did was embrace her tightly. He never wanted to do this to her; to cause her pain. ‘I love you’ she whispered in his ear as he squeezed her closer. ‘I love you too’ those three words were smothering him that he could hardly breathe. He had to break the news to her and tell her everything. ‘Fajr we need to talk’ he said as he let her go. Unsure of what he was about to say, she sat there nodding her head.

‘I still remember the first day I saw you and how amazing you were. How we accidentally bumped into each other right after that. I still remember how I tracked you down and got your phone number from your car plate number, how I kept on annoying you with my calls just to hear your voice and how I kept on following you in hopes you’d smile at me. But it paid off when we started courting after your brother’s permission. I still remember every single detail of our life together’ he said as he took a deep breath not knowing how to continue. Fajr remained silent as she smiled shyly. 

‘I was a lonely stupid rich guy with no purpose in life. But, you changed that and made me see that life had so much in store for me. I had you and you became my life. I changed to a better person because of you. I conquered and pursued my dreams when you opened my eyes to reality. But now …’ he paused as he memorized the contour of her smiling face for the last time. ‘Now… it… changed…’ he stuttered and drew near her placing his hands on her cheeks. ‘My family is going to my future wife’s house to ask for her hand in marriage’. Fajr jumped out from the shock, she was happy and thrilled. She couldn’t believe the fast turn of events. She felt a jolt of high spirits run into her blood. ‘Why didn’t you tell me before? I have loads of things to do. I have to tell my brothers, clean the house, buy frankincense, make finger food. Gosh  I need a to-do list’ she took out her phone to type down what she needed to prepare for one of the most anticipated moment she has been waiting for. Taimur just looked at her with compassion. He wasn’t happy; he wasn’t sharing her emotions, he wasn’t joining in the celebration dance she was performing in front of him. He felt his heart drowning deep; it was too late to be rescued. He was dying a small death when he knew that those cheers would soon turn to sobs. That the love she had for him would turn to hate in a span of a second. ‘You should be happy, our dream is coming true. We’ll be together FOREVER’ she shouted gleefully as she leaned down to him and their noses touched. ‘IT’S NOT YOU ALRIGHT?’ he shouted back in anger at what his family forced him to do. ‘It’s not you Fajr’ he lowered his voice. ‘It’s not you. I’m not marrying you’ he said as he pushed her away breaking down as he buried his face into his hands.

Shocked at what she heard, she collapsed on the golden smooth sand speechless. She felt like crying only she couldn’t. She felt like slaughtering him only she couldn’t. Her whole universe revolved around him and now it came crashing down. She had lost him. He’s not hers anymore. Forever was now how long they won’t be together rather than the time they were going to be. Their love story was written on the sand. It was now being washed off by the looming waves. It was over.

‘We can stay here’ Jawad told Fajr and Hilal. He was friends with someone in the  hospital administration and managed to get an over night stay permission for the three of them. Fajr still continued praying and tearing as she held Noor’s hand. She wished more than anything if she could time travel to warn them both. She loathed being part of what is happening to her only close friend. She wanted to go back and discourage her from touching the DJ’s hand; the beginning of the very end she thought to herself. 'Soul mates never end up together' Fajr though to herself as she recalled the pain she shared with Noor. The pain of a lost love.  

No Matter What: Chapter Thirteen (1)

‘Yes it’s my fault I mistakenly braked out of the blue’ she heard him say to the police officer after the police arrived at the scene.  His long tanned fingers were being flicked and waved up in the air as he explained the foul version of what really happened at the roundabout. She couldn’t help but feel confused and lost. She stood there like a royal guard from the turn of events. Leaning onto the car, she waited for him to finish off with the policemen who came to document the accident scene.

‘Alright everything is fine I have insurance and it will cover the costs of the damage’ he told her in an assertive tone. She still couldn’t understand his sudden act of generosity. Was it all because of her now dried tear ducts? Could it be possible those salty tiny beads of water were the sole reason for the role reversal? ‘It is all set’ he said as he handed her the accident form she had to fill. ‘You don’t need to fill it here’ he said as he reached out for his pocket. ‘This is my business card, just give me a call once you are done’ with a wide smirk, he placed it in her hand and winked. Fajr found herself in jumbles; she couldn’t place her finger on where it hurt the most. Was it her dignity when he thought he could give her his digits making her an easy catch? Or was it her integrity when she cried and let him take the fault and lie? With blood rushing and boiling in her veins, she walked up to him in her pale baby pink ballet flats as fast as she could and looked up. He was easily six feet tall when she was nothing but five feet. ‘What? All of a sudden you think I am cheap?’ she bawled like an angry villain. ‘You can take your card and shove it down your esophagus’ crumpling the card; she shoved it on his chest. Her cheeks were twitching from fury and heat she felt was crawling up her skin. She was all red and her feet started moving away from him leading her to her car. She climbed into the car, closed the door shut and drove off. The accident form placed on the bonnet flew away and dropped in front of his feet. Taimur was surprised; all he could get his mind to register was 8338 RW, her plate number.

‘Visitation hours are over’ they were told as they sat each of them in a corner praying for her. Fajr looked into her brother’s eyes with a sad pleading look only for him to leave the room. Shihab wasn’t anywhere in sight nor was Noor’s family with the exception of Hilal, who now blamed himself for Noor’s situation. ‘If only’ he kept on repeating it in his mind. His heart pierced in pain as his guilty conscious plunged deeper into his being.  ‘If only I never opened my mouth and uttered a word that day’ he said in a low voice with sadness filling his core.  With her jaw dropping to the floor, Fajr was overtaken by surprise at the words being said. The same surprise when she knew the inevitable truth about Taimur.

No Matter What: Chapter Twelve

‘We will still keep her under observation’ he was informed.  Noor was rushed to the hospital by Hilal, her first cousin. After a series of diagnostic strategies, the doctors diagnosed her as a drug overdose case. Hilal was told that chances were that she tried to commit suicide.  ‘Is she going to be okay doctor?’ Hilal worriedly inquired. ‘She did ingest a large quantity of hypnotics, we would have to wait and see. We will try the best we can’ the doctor placed his firm heavy hand on Hilal's shoulder reassuring him.  Noor was kept under observation and left to rest her tired body in one of the wards at the hospital. Fajr and Jawad arrived as the doctor was speaking. They luckily overheard what the doctor said before he left, saving themselves the hassle of asking Hilal. 'And her parents?' Jawad asked worryingly. Hilal had a sarcastic smile on his face yet filled with hatred 'They'd want her dead for all they care'. Jawad was shocked at Hilal\s statement. He turned to Fajr only for him to see that she seemed unsurprised by what was just uttered. She knew Noor's family pretty well and for them, what Noor did was a crime that deserved a punishment more than death.  ‘Like you wouldn’t want her dead?’ Fajr bursted out in anger in front of Hilal’s face.  ‘I know what I did was wrong, but I have changed ever since’ he replied calmly as he welcomed Fajr’s accusations. ‘Yeah right, I’d die before I’d believe THAT’ she replied back with disgust filling her insides. ‘I brought her in didn’t I? If I wanted her dead I would have left her to rot and decay’ he answered back with words that were like a slap to Fajr’s face. ‘But that doesn’t change the obvious’ Fajr replied back wanting her say to be final. Jawad pulled his sister aside to calm her down ‘Don’t make a scene; we are here for Noor not him’.  She was sad and crushed, grasping her denim overall strap tight; she remembered the vow she took. Storming into the ward, she paced her way following the doctor. Her walking tempo increased as it turned to jogs. She was now running towards where Noor was.

The smell of sanitizer filled the air, the grayish green flawless glossy corridors were crowded by white lab coats and blue scrubs, the cries of sadness and chuckles of laughter and joy were all mixed up in the atmosphere. Her heart raced as she took a left to another less busy corridor, she was walking up to see her. Behind a door she lay on a bed looking helpless, as pale as the color white with lips as purple as dawn, Noor was still unconscious.  ‘Oh My God’ Fajr said as she placed the palm of her hands on the door pushing it away. She was reciting little prayers under her breath as she slowly moved forward approaching Noor.  A tear managed to getaway looking at the nurse replacing Noor’s empty IV bag with another.  ‘She needs all the rest she can get’ the doctor checking Noor’s chart told Fajr. She nodded her head and sat on the bed’s end patting Noor’s feet when she still kept on reciting prayers and verses she knew from the Qur’an.

He found the phone he was looking for on the bed. He sighed in relief and went on reading what was on its screen. It was still on the same message it was left on. He looked around making sure she wasn’t around,

‘^{♫♪☻♥♫♪☻♥} Happy Birthday My ₣ajr ^{♫♪☻♥♫♪☻♥}

I Miss You

Love, Taimur’

He smiled as he read it. He was certain that she would smile knowing he remembered her birthday. He had a wide grin but then soon turned to a frown. He wondered why she never replied back like she always had. ‘She must have someone else?’ he asked himself but soon dismissed it. ‘No no no, she’s just busy’ he chose to think the way he wanted to. ‘Or maybe yet, she didn’t save my new number’ he went on contemplating finding an excuse to calm his nerves. ‘But my name was at the end, no no she must be busy’ he finally settled on that thought as he heard a cry from the next room. He panicked and pressed the red hang up button on the phone a bunch of times to make sure the screen went back to an image that portrayed his life now. An image watchfully placed as the wallpaper of his phone. An image that would forever remind him that he has lost Fajr forever. It was a digital portrait of him wearing a fake smile in a dark green turban, a dishdasha and a black besht. His hands were carefully laid on another pair of fair rosy hands that were adorned with henna. With a matching green gown to his turban, her lips drawn with scarlet red smiled next to him. It was his wedding day photo.

She woke up to the sound of his voice not aware of where she was at the beginning. She was a mess, depressed and felt more like a bottomless pit. Unable to keep her composure she burst into tears as she felt like a helpless corpse that was hit by a train. Her body was screaming in pain; she has been sitting on the same chair for the past few hours. Checking through her digital wrist watch, the digits displayed 18:03 hrs. Getting her eyebrows close to each other, she scowled at the reality of Shihab not being there.  She was sure to leave him a message but now doubted if she ever did. Grabbing her phone, she flicked a few buttons and saw that she actually did; her message status was delivered at 10:27 hrs. ‘He never answered back’ Fajr turned to her brother. who woke her up, worried. ‘Maybe he is on his way’ he paused ‘or maybe he didn’t receive anything’ he paused again thinking ‘or maybe…’ Jawad grew silent in fear that something worse has happened to him. ‘Maybe what?’ Fajr asked in panic. ‘No nothing maybe he wasn’t allowed to enter?’ he tried calming his sister down by dismissing his thought with a silly excuse. ‘No this cannot be happening’ Fajr said as she rushed out of the room trying to dial Shihab’s number. Fajr realized how heavy the piece of news in her text must have been, but then she remembered that she didn’t actually mention anything but Noor being involved in something. ‘He shouldn’t be in shock’ she said to herself as she heard the ringing tone, of the other end of the line, in her left ear.

Fajr calling…

The phone went on flashing bright to lighten the dark room. Black was all you could see, the bed, dresser’s doors and drawers, the plasma screen TV to the walls were in a complete opaque black color.   The mixture of cologne with sweat was the fragrance lingering in the air. Stacks of dirty unclean clothes furnished the floor and treadmill.  It was dark and cold. The door wasn’t completely shut, leaving a slight opening with the light of the living room peeping through. A loud shove swiftly swung the door open for it to collide with a wall producing a loud ‘THUMP’. The sound of the TV has now made it through inside the black cold room. Two toddlers walked in with their quick baby steps and headed towards the queen sized bed. Shihab nudged from the shock of his nephews’ little cold hands touching his cheek. Giggles and laughs from his twin nephews made Shihab laugh when his eyes rolled back into focus. The twins always enjoyed seeing their uncle in fright. Something about his fright amused them, it was their daily ritual. They always woke him up from his afternoon siesta when they were visiting. The only purpose to this was for them to climb up with their uncle on the bed and play with Shihab’s fluffy bee toy which was Noor’s birthday gift to him. ‘You naughty boys’ he tickled both boys and played with them.  It was nearing sunset and the time for dawn prayer was soon, so he rushed to carry his siblings out of his room. Locking the door, he went on to sniff out a clean dishdasha out of the stack hanging on the treadmill. After selecting the cleanest and least stinky out of the stack, he rushed to the shower and gussied himself to head to the mosque, all the while his phone was on silent. 

No Matter What: Chapter Eleven

Being the equestrian person he was, the stables were his favorite place to be. Horses and hay filling the large field, the place was magnificent. His piercing black eyes and sharp Arabian features were distinct to one certain family. He had an amazing touch and attitude with the horses. His skills and god given talent caused a stir in the community of horse lovers. Rumors around the stables surfaced that he was a horse whisperer. It helped a lot when time came for horses to be put down or treated for some disease and even when time came for a mother horse to give birth. Taimur's relation with everyone was that of sincerity and kindness. He made a special connection with the head veterinarian Jawad. He was Fajr's closest and favorite sibling out of them all. Jawad pampered Fajr a lot and would do anything to see a smile on her face. Fajr entrusted Jawad with her secrets and vice versa. They had one strong unbreakable bond which many of her friends envied. Given that the culture and norms around were that of a brother scolding a sister, every girl who knew Fajr adored and loved how she was treated by her older sibling. She was thankful to be blessed with such a brother regardless of how tough and fast they had to mature. ‘We don’t have but each other’ was always the slogan they followed. Ever since their parents passed away when Jawad was just in his last year of high school, he took it upon himself to ensure that the family remained united and as loving as they always have been.  

With Fajr being a horse lover herself, she always whined to her brother for not taking her with him to the royal stables. The place where the most attractive beautiful horses were kept. ‘Those are royal horses Fajr, I can’t risk my job for you’ she always heard those words during her times of whimpering and bawling. She tried to convince him so many times she lost count, but he never budged into her pleas nor give in. Until one day Jawad decided to surprise his loving sister with the biggest birthday surprise of all. Driving his car, he smiled unable to hide his amusement and imagined how Fajr’s reaction would be to the surprise.  ‘I’ll just go in for a sec to grab something okay?’ he said trying not to sell his plot. ‘Okay’ Fajr replied frustrated that they were going to be late for the so-planned lunch with their family. 

A quarter of an hour later, ‘So you aren’t coming with me?’ Jawad asked. ‘Where? Here?’ Fajr pointed to the stables’ entrance. Smirking he nodded his head and awaited Fajr’s screams deafening his ears. ‘No way. Are you serious?’ she replied all happy and screaming as she ran to the stables.   Jawad brought her to meet Al Fahl. With his white long hair, a long contour and the body of a strong young juvenile, this white Arabian horse was Fajr’s love. She has adored Al Fahl from the moment she laid her eyes on him two years ago in a magazine. Al Fahl was the feature of that issue and he was a horse racing champion in the country.  ‘Can I take him for a ride? Please pretty please?’ she asked as her puppy eyes blinked in front of him. ‘You can sniff, touch, brush his hair and do whatever you want to, but taking him out of the stables is something I’m not authorized to do’ Jawad said firmly. ‘But, it’s my birthday and I...’ Fajr got interrupted. ‘Anything for Jawad’s sister, she can take Al Fahl for a ride if she wants’ an anonymous strange voice she heard speaking. Turning around as she grinned happily hearing the pleasant news, their eyes met. She suddenly felt her stomach turn so many times that she lost count. The happy dance she was about to perform was drawn to a halt when she saw him in front of her.  Feeling light headed while cherry red colored her cheeks she opened her mouth to speak. ‘Thanks but… but no thanks’; she walked away as fast as she could. He froze in his place and couldn’t move it was her again, the girl with the most amazing smile and eyes.  Jawad surprised at what just happened followed his sister to ask what took place in Al Fahl’s stable. ‘He’s the guy’ her face turned white as she gulped her spit nervously. ‘What guy?’ he asked confused. ‘He’s the guy that’s…’ Fajr stopped talking as she remembered that her brother knew nothing about this; she hadn’t talked to him about what happened yet. ‘That’s?’ her brother asked again. ‘Who is he again?’ she asked trying to change the subject even though she knew that her insidees would turn again from the mentiong of his name. ‘My friend Tamur’ he said as her cheeks started twitching.  ‘The so called horse whisperer I was talking to you about?’ Jawad said chuckling about Taimur’s nickname. ‘Oh no’ her brain started screaming as she realized. ‘He’s the owner of Al Fahl’ her bag fell to the floor from the shock. She understood everything. She now could identify with his actions and approaches to her. He was royalty and could do what he wanted. Growing tenser by the second, Fajr left her bag laying on the floor and excused herself to go home. ‘I can’t believe this. All this time and I didn’t know’ she kept blaming herself under her breathe as she paced to the car.

Chirping birds, bright rays of light, and the barks of the neighborly Labrador was always the way people of this household woke up. Lovely smiles, happy faces and good spirit were always the motto.

'Good morning'

 'Morning'

 '9aba7 el 5eir'

 'Assalam aleikum'

The greetings of everyone who were gathered around the dining table for breakfast. A family they were where every individual always made sure to have time for family gatherings and their normal chit chats around their dining table. Though one of them was missing, 'Where's Shihab?' everyone asked as they saw him coming down the stairs. In threadbare clothes coupled with an unshaved rough beard and unclipped long dirty nails, he sat down after greeting everyone a quick hello. Shihab didn't feel as happy as he was once upon a time; he was in agony but promised himself not to cut off his family regardless of what happens. The entire family understood his frustration and have offered their shoulders for him to cry on, but Shihab was stubborn and the type who kept everything inside. He did not want to share his misery with anyone, especially his siblings who all had their own troubles behind their happy faces and smiles. 'We made you French toast with strawberries' his sisters told him as they passed on his plate. It was his favorite breakfast meal, a meal he would most happily have forever if he could. He smiled and thanked his sisters as he dug onto his plate, he was starving. Everyone was glad and happy to see him finish his plate and ask for a second helping. This was a first, Shihab usually never ate a second serving at breakfast, but today was different; he was famished to the extreme. He felt like he hadn't eaten for what seemed like days, which was true. The only time he would eat was when he was at the café writing to her.

'Sir, your phone is ringing' the housemaid came down to inform Shihab. Knowing that it could never be Noor calling he dismissed the idea of answering the phone and continued eating and making small talk with his siblings. It was Fajr on the other end of the line trying to inform Shihab about Noor.

'Shihab once you get this, give me a call. It's concerning Noor'

She sent him a text message as she hurried to the hospital hallway with her brother, Jawad.