Twice Upon Qadr - A Shot At Love **EDITING**

Chapter 49

“Because I don’t want to leave her. But at the same time this is something I have been aspiring towards for a really long time!”

“I don’t understand what the problem is.”

“What do you mean?”

“Why can’t you get married and both move to New York?”

Houssam sighed.

“Out of the eighty two games in a season, we have forty one of them away games. I would be leaving her alone in a strange place for half of a season while I go on the road. I couldn’t ask her to uproot her life like that and then leave her alone! That’s why when I decided I wanted to marry her, my only option was to stay in California. That way she would at least know people here when I have to go.”

“She can’t go on the road with you?”

Houssam shook his head.

“Families don’t usually come, it’s too much of a hassle as we usually stay two teammates to a hotel room. Plus I can’t ask her to travel with me. That would be so hard on her.

“But you don’t want to stay in California do you?”

“For her I do.”

“Houssam. Answer me. If Hana wasn’t part of the picture, would you move to New York?”

There was silence for a few seconds before Houssam nodded.

“I would.”

Amir leaned back in his seat, and regarded his brother for a few seconds.

“And this is something you really, really want?”

“It really is. I’ve wanted it for a long time. But I don’t want to leave her, and I can’t ask her to just leave her life in California for me!"

“Have you asked her to come with you yet? Maybe her hesitation is due to you not even asking in the first place.”

“I want her to ask me to stay.” Houssam said quietly. “If she asked me to stay I would in a heartbeat. But all she has done so far is push me away.”

“She just wants you to follow your dreams. You’ve already come this far, it would be horrible for you to just end where you are without even pushing yourself further.”

“What do I do Amir? I don’t want to leave her, but at the same time, it’s Michael Jordan you know?!”

“It seems you have already made your decision bro. Don’t forget you just broke up with Kalthoum.”

“What are you implying? Are you saying Hana is a rebound?”

Amir shrugged.

“You said it. I didn’t.”

“That’s not fair Amir.”

“Look, I love both of you. But it honestly felt too fast. Too forced. Like you just made yourself like her because you found out she liked you.”

Houssam’s mouth dropped.

“What!?”

Amir nodded.

“Yusra feels like it too. It seems like you went one day being totally infatuated with Kalthoum, to Hana all of a sudden being your ‘dearest heart’.”

Houssam blushed slightly.

“You guys think I invented these feelings for her?!”

“If you truly had feelings for her would you even be considering going to New York?”