Through The Dark (Al-Ameen Family #1)- An Islamic Love Story

Missions

 "What are you going to do Saf?"

"I don't know yet. But you're the most pure-hearted person in the world and I'm not going to let you give up the only thing you've ever wanted for yourself. Now let’s go back to boring ourselves to death"

"What were you guys doing out there for so long?" Mehnaz apaa asks us.

"I needed to redo my hair" I lie smoothly.

 "It looks the same" she says just as my phone buzzes.

"Exactly" I mutter, opening my buzzing phone.

 It was from Ayaan. That was something else out there. I'll be glad to help.

I hit reply, you better be.

 

"I can't anymore apaa" I groan and sit back in my chair. Mehnaz apaa shakes her head and continues to feed her baby.

 "Bird portions, how could I forget?" she says and everyone breaks out into chuckles.

Her dad always says I eat portions fit for a bird rather than a human. I mimic her and leave the table to wash up. I set my plate in the sink and scrub my tikka-covered hands clean.

As I'm heading into the living room to grab my phone I left there, I hear arguing from the dining room. I snatch my phone and hurry back to where we were eating.

"I don't want to marry her apaa, it's as simple as that."

 "I don't know what to say to you Omar. Abu is locked in his decision. It'll be better if you say yes and learn to be happy."

 "Easy for you to say, you and jeeju knew each other before you got married!"

"Omar, watch your tone" Mehnaz apaa's husband butts in. He motions to his little sister to take the baby upstairs and we wait in silence till she's upstairs. "Now, Omar, I understand how you're feeling but there is a simple solution to this. I will speak to Abu and we will have you two meet before you get engaged. Don't get your knickers n a twist" he jokes.

Jeeju, the eternal joker.

And thanks to the joker, I’ve got a plan.

“That’s ridiculous. Don’t get Zayed involved in this”

“He won’t know. You meet her and do everything you possibly can to disgust her so she rejects you. Then I get Zinat to come in as my friend to organize the engagement. Everyone will meet her and leave the rest to me. Just be repulsive, shouldn’t be too hard.”

“Thanks” he scowls. “But I still don’t think this will work”

“And they call me cynical” I mutter. “Then you can happily marry Alia and I’ll find Zinat an Arab prince” I hurl a pillow at his face. “Stop freaking out. If it’s meant to be, it’ll happen” I stand up and grab my glass of juice from the table. “Have faith in Allah”

“I do. You on the other hand, not quite sure”

“Fuck you Omar”

“Safiyana” Mehnaz scolds me from the other room.

“Always the guilty one” Omar shakes his head.

“Amee, can I ask you a question?”

“Kya beta?”

“When are we going to have Zayed’s engagement?”

“As soon as we can. Why?”

“I was talking to a friend of mine who’s an event planner. I was wondering if we could have her plan the engagement. She was saying she wanted to build up her portfolio so I thought it’d be nice to help”

“That’s great Safiyana. If you say she’s good, then I have no issue. It’s just a matter of when Zayed says yes”

“Great. Then plan it for two weeks from now”

“He said yes?”

“He’s about to” I pat her leg and run to Zayed’s room. “Brother, good news”

“What?”

“Your engagement’s been planned for two weeks from now”

“Who said?”

“Mother of course. Is it okay with you?”

“Um, sure. I guess”

“No guessing. Yes or no?”

“Yes” he still says it as a question.

“Fantastic. I stole her number off of mum. I’ll text it to you” I give him a wave as I leave the room. He yells wait but I don’t bother. Waiting means being caught.

“Mum, we’re good to go” I yell as I walk past her room.

“He’s still staring. Fucking creep” I hiss, turning around. Enzo Muccetti, the Italian mob member has been watching us for the past 20 minutes. Either that or his eyes are frozen in place.

“Ignore him and focus on this one” Emma ribs me while jotting down the answer the guy just gave her.

He was in for theft over $5000 but he didn’t seem like a bad guy. Just a desperate one.

“Alright. I think we’ve got everything. Thank you so much Mr. Hall. We appreciate your time” Emma closes her book and stand up. I follow her lead and we head into the common waiting area. Ayaan and Liam are already done and waiting for us.

We all head to the closest coffee shop and sit down with our notes sprawled around us. “What did she do?” I point to a picture paper clipped to a file of a very sad looking woman.

“Convicted of murder. She didn’t say much” Liam answers me.

“Murdered who?”

“Didn’t say. But her file says it’s was someone from the mob.”

“There’s a member of the mob there” Emma’s eyes go wide.

“Yeah, we looked into that. She was convicted after him because during his trial they found evidence of her crime”

“Think she’s innocent?” I ask him.

“I know she’s innocent-”

“You should’ve heard the way she spoke” Ayaan interjects. “She was so empty” He grimaces.

“Did you ask her if she was?” Emma frowns.

“Yes. And she stood up and left” Liam runs a hand through his hair. “I think we’ve found our case guys”

 “And a hell of a case it’ll be”