Tempted by Temptations

Revised Epi Nine

Although I was taken aback, I quickly composed myself and noticed that he only raised his eyebrow, showing no signs of shock. It was clear that he was not easily surprised.

Mr. Dedhari's outfit unmistakably sets him apart from the rest, with its distinct gold linings adorning every edge, making it the most exceptional attire amongst the crowd.

He simply told me, "I didn't know you were Arab!" He spoke to me and gave me a scrutinizing look with a smirk.

I exclaimed, "I am not Mr. Dedhari!" while rolling my eyes in frustration. "And you Mr. Dedhari, do not appear to be an Arab. So, may I ask what brings you here?" I demanded, crossing my arms and fixing him with an unwavering gaze."

"Sorry, that's a secret I can't share, Khadija," he said in a friendly tone, pronouncing my name in a way that was different from how others, including Ahmed, said it. "You seem quite curious about my presence here," he added with a playful smile, poking my nose like I was a cute little toy.

Why would he think it's okay to poke my nose? I immediately shot him a stern glare, and he responded with a smile and a manly chuckle.

"You look absolutely adorable in that dress, and people inside will be wondering why you're attending!" His deep voice grew serious as he handed me a triangular cotton fabric with a unique design and quickly fashioned it into a circle on my head. "Don't take it off, you look stunningly cool!" I was about to object, but he simply smiled and winked before opening the door and walking in. He might be right, I just let it be placed on my head as it turns out to be my head dress.

When I entered the hall, I noticed that everyone was already there, and they seemed to be in the middle of a ritual. Although I felt a bit unsure and embarrassed, I took a deep breath and scanned the room for a place to sit. As I found a spot, I reminded myself that it's okay to not know everything and that I can always ask someone for guidance if needed. Based on my estimation, there were only 60 Arab nationals in the crowd. Moreover, I noticed several female Arabs wearing dresses with a design identical to the one provided to me by Mr. Dedhari, which I then wore on my head.

As I scanned the area, I immediately noticed two different thobe designs. The first row had someone wearing a thobe with black and gold lining, while in the second row, everyone wore a white thobe with only gold linings. The third row was filled with people wearing plain white thobes. It's clear that there are distinct differences in the thobe designs.

I'm having trouble finding Ahmed as everyone is facing forward. However, I did spot two Filipina women while sitting on the couch to the side of the convention hall.

The friendly Filipina woman approached me and politely asked, "Excuse me, are you here with your husband?"

I smiled and replied, "Actually, I'm here with a friend."

Her face remained expressionless, but I could sense her hesitation. "I'm here with my husband and his second wife!" she said with a hint of sadness. She drew in a deep breath and continued with more conviction.

I am not okay with this. I just responded with, "Wow, that's great!" It is completely unacceptable to have a husband with another wife.

I distinctly saw the lady who approached me with a warm smile on her face, her unwavering attention focused on the ceremony. Witnessing this different tradition was nothing short of enchanting, and the diverse crowd of people from various nationalities left me in awe and brimming with gratitude. As the event progressed, they formed a symbol and knelt down, which I assumed was their way of praying in Islam.

I feel slightly drowsy and let out a big yawn when no one was paying attention. Suddenly, I noticed Mr. Dedhari turning his head towards me and winking at me with a playful smirk, followed by a sweet smile. I was taken aback by his actions. After the event, other Arab nationals slowly dispersed in the convention hall to attend to other formalities and meet other people from Oman. However, I'm still searching for Ahmed and haven't found him yet.