Emeralds

Twenty-six.

“I seriously hate you so much,” she says checking her phone.

I give Aisha to Hend, and we get going. We arrive at the house to find Leen already there. She looks even sleepier than Mariam.

“Have you been waiting for long?” I ask her.

She tends to answer but yawning interrupts her, then she slightly shakes her head and says, “No, I just came.”

“So, no one came yet?”

“No, no one is here,” she says taking a sip from a cup she’s been holding. “Ah,” she remembers, “I’ve brought you coffee on my way here,” she says motioning to the kitchen and coming back with two more Costa cups.

“Thank you,” Mariam and I say.

“Are you really drinking coffee?” I try not to laugh. Is she really that tired that she’s giving in and drinking coffee?

“Of course not,” she scowls. “It’s hot chocolate.” Aha, now it makes sense. One of the things I’ve learned about Leen is that the only hot drink she takes is hot chocolate, and green tea only when she wants to lose weight.

“Did you bring any food?” Mariam says leaning her head on the doorframe, probably trying not to collapse to the floor.

“Abed will bring breakfast on his way,” she says checking her watch. “He should be here soon. Ah there he is.”

Abed pulls his car in front of the gate and comes in holding two bags in his hands. I can almost smell the delicious contents. “You’re our savior, Abed,” I say greeting him.

“I’m that good of a person you know,” he teases me and hands the two bags to his sister. He takes off his jacket and breathes, “The weather is too good, surprisingly.”

“It’s late February, the winter is almost gone.” says Leen disappointedly.

“What’s wrong with that?” I ask. “This winter has been too harsh.”

“But I love winter,” she says. “Winter and autumn are my favorite seasons; I hate when it’s hot and humid.”

“Spring isn’t that hot actually,” Mariam joins the conversation sleepily.

“Egypt is more beautiful in the cold weather, spring isn’t that beautiful here like winter,” Leen explains.

“Not like you’ll be spending it here anyway,” I say, and she looks at me, puzzled. “Spring is sure beautiful in Paris.” She still looks in bewilderment for a couple more seconds then her eyes widen in disbelief.

“The–” she starts to say but loses her voice. “You mean we’re going to Paris?” I love that huge smile.

“Yess,” I say playfully. “We’ll be travelling after tomorrow morning inshallah. We’ll stay there for a week. I already told you parents, and they loved it.”

“Of course anyone would love that!” she laughs. “Oh my God, thank you so much, Adam!”

But this isn’t the only surprise anyway.

A short while later, the people who’re supposed to deliver the dining room arrive. Abed and I actually help the workers take it off the truck and into the house. I have been working with the workers since the very beginning. Not because I enjoy torturing myself, or spending my days off work also working, but because this is my home. I want to participate in building every part of it, and in placing every piece of furniture. I even painted the walls with them, and it’s been a hell of an experience and a lot of fun, and I really did learn a lot.

This was the last room to furnish, and the house is all ready now. We even transferred some of our belongings from home. I brought the clothes I won’t be needing until tomorrow, all my books and work stuff, my toys, video games. But I left a lot of memories in my old room. I’ve left my college books, my favorite blanket and my towels. I left my blue mug that I have been drinking in since mom bought it fifteen years ago. She bought us all matching mugs with different colors; mine is blue, Mariam’s is pink, Omar’s is green, and Aya’s is purple. It has been a sacred habit since that day that each one drinks in his/her mug and no one ever uses the others’.

In the evening, I go shopping with Ahmed, Omar and Abed for a tie and a shoes because they are the only missing things. But the real reason is having fun for the last time as a bachelor.

“Remember this is the last day you’re totally free,” Omar laughs as we’re having dinner.

“You’re not to be envied for your situation, bro,” Ahmed adds.

“But we,” Abed gestures at Ahmed and himself, “we have a long life of freedom and happiness.”

“Happiness can be also in finding the perfect person for you,” I roll my eyes and they burst up laughing.

“Ohh, look who’s gotten too romantic,” Abed says raising an eyebrow.

“It’s too gross, I’m gonna throw up,” Ahmed grimaces.

I wake up the next day with overwhelming excitement and nervousness. Today my own life begins, and my own new world builds up in front of me. I’ll start my own family, and for a while it’ll consist of Leen only. Leen and our new home is my new world. Even when I’ll walk in the streets with her, when we ride the car, visit our parents, or go shopping, everything will look brand new. Everything will take a new shape and have a new glow. Even the sky, that I’ve been living in for days, will light up with new rays beside the sun’s.

Time is passing; hours, minutes, seconds are going by. I feel like if I closed my eyes and concentrated I’d hear all the clocks ticking in the world. Each country has its own timing, each clock ticks differently, and numbers on digital clocks are constantly changing, even two mobiles in the same room would have a minute or two difference, but every time-measuring device indicates just one thing, and two devices wouldn’t differ in that, time passes. The time remaining until I’m married to Leen is getting shorter; minutes are decreasing to the point of vanishing. Seconds are rushing out of our hands. You can stop someone from loving another, you can stop an accident from happening, you can stop water from spilling, you can stop a person from crying, you can stop too many things, even if it’s difficult. But you can’t stop time from passing, although time can stop you from doing so many things.

Before I get the chance to realize what has been happening to me all day long, I find Leen holding onto her father’s arm. They’re walking towards me. She’s wearing white. She’s breathtaking. She’s too beautiful I want to cry, and my eyes do sting. I don’t care how childish it is to want to cry at the mere sight of something. But the truth is, the mere sight of her dazzles me, and takes my breath away.

All the music, and the gossips I’ve been hearing so clearly a minute ago while standing nervously waiting for her, are all fading away. All the blinding lights are blacking out. There’s a spot of light that my eyes have created, which Leen is sparkling under. Suddenly the day when I first saw her flashes in front of me; seeing the emeralds in her eyes for the first time, I lost my heart to her. It wasn’t love at first sight. It was just being taken away from yourself by someone, and that someone happens to mean to you later. 

~~~

And finallyyy. I'm sorry about the very late update, but i've been too distracted I couldn't write. I hope you love this chapter. Please leave your beautiful votes and comments.

PS. I know this chapter shows a small glimpse of the wedding, but the details will be in the next chapter inshallah, from Leen's point of view. 

Get ready for some surprises in the coming chapters, and enjoy reading. <3