All NBA related trivia, including rough salary figures, has been researched, and is all true :)
"Do you have any other questions?"
Houssam stared at Coach Hoffman, his pulse racing, and his whole body tensed with anxiety. He was here. On the Lakers team. About to be drafted.
It was a dream come true. One that he feared he would wake up from any minute.
"I don't think so." He said his voice coming out a bit hoarse, and the Coach regarded him for a few seconds.
"Alright. There are eighty two games a season. Your starting salary will be sixty one thousand per game, and at your year contract negotiations you can move up to at least a hundred thousand, though with your talents, I am sure you could get around two million eight hundred thousand. After six years your paycheck goes up to insane amounts, like we are talking at least seven million per game, but we will get into that later."
After six years it went into insane amounts!?
Sixty one thousand per game was already an insane amount to Houssam! Imagine making more than two million per game! Seven million! Seven million dollars per game, times eighty two games...
Wow.
Houssam sat in his car, staring up at the Masjid, a small ball of anxiety in the pit of his stomach. He had just had his first meeting with Kalthoum, and in all honestly, he was feeling a bit, disappointed. It had been a tad bit awkward. It's not like she wasn't nice or anything. Because she was. But she was just a little bit, well, for lack of a better word, ditzy. He wasn't sure if she just wasn't bright to begin with, or if she was just nervous. Or maybe she thought he wanted her to be like that. Whatever the case may be, he had found it a little bit annoying.
He kept trying to remind himself that it had only been their first meeting, and that everyone had that awkwardness in the beginning. But then he remembered that Hisham and Ilham had gotten engaged right after their first meeting, and Yusra and Amir had been so comfortable around each other, that they started building a puzzle together!
But then again he couldn't compare his own experience to that of Amir and Yusra. They had had their own difficulties they had to endure before they could be together, and he wouldn't want to go through the pain they did.
He just hoped that maybe after a few meetings things would get better, and he would be able to open up to Kalthoum, and talk with her the way...
Well the way he could with Hana.
Speaking of Hana, he was on his way now to take over Kareem duty, and as it was the first time he was seeing her after their fight, it was sort of the main reason for his angst. Not a second had gone by since he had walked away from her that he didn't regret his words. She was the furthest thing from fake, she was kind and gentle and genuine from the way she spoke to her laugh.
She was beautiful inside and out and was such an amazing person that sometimes he was astonished that someone could be so big hearted. He had only said what he did, because she had hurt him so badly, even now her words were still floating around in his head painfully.
This whole friendship or whatever the heck it is, is a joke.
You and I both know that once Yusra has finished her infusions, we would have nothing to do with each other.
Houssam wasn't usually a prideful person, he didn't hold a grudge, nor did he take to heart the things people said. But he was having a hard time swallowing his ego this time, and it was unsettling to say the least.
He drove in tense and reflective silence on the way to Yusra and Amir's, pulling his car up next to Hana's blue bug, and slowly pulling up the brake, his whole body buzzing with nervousness. As he got out of the car, he straightened out his shirt, tied his hair back at the base of his neck, and strode up to the door, hesitating for a moment before knocking. Those few seconds between when he knocked, and the door opened were the longest of his life, yet he was to have no relief for when the door was finally opened, it revealed Layla, and not Hana.
"Layla?" he asked in surprise, and the little girl gave him a grin.
"Hi Amu Houssam!" she exclaimed, and though he caught her when she threw herself at him, he was still confused.
"What are you doing here?" he asked.
"Hamoudi is sick again, and Mama didn't want me to be sick so I came with Amtu!" she exclaimed.
"Oh. Why did you open the door?"
"Amtu told me to."
Houssam frowned slightly.
"She told you to open the door?"
Layla nodded.
"Yes. She said that she didn't want to have to deal with anything. I didn't understand what she meant." The little girl put a hand on Houssam cheek. "Do you know what she meant Amu?"
Houssam looked into her innocent little face, trying to control the conflicting feels that were tearing him up inside. She didn't want to have to deal with anything!? What the heck?!
"No habibti, I don't." he said quietly. "Where is Amtu?"
"She's in Kareem's room changing his diaper. I didn't want to stay in there it's icky!" Layla exclaimed, and Houssam had to laugh, before he squared his shoulders, and started up the stairs. As he entered Kareem's room, she was standing at the changing table, buttoning up Kareem's onesie, her back to him.
"Hana?" he said quietly, and her shoulders tense, and her hands stilled over the baby. It was a good few seconds before she pulled Kareem's pants back on, and picked him up, turning to face Houssam, her eyes flashing.
Okay, he could do this. He would just apologize and tell her how he was just talking in the heat of the moment, and he didn't mean it. And she would forgive him because she was Hana and was sweet and kind and all that was good in the world, and everything would be okay, and back to the way it had been before.
However he didn't even get a chance to open his mouth for she stepped forward, handed him the baby, and walked out of the room without a single word.
***
Amir unlocked the front door, trying to balance the three dozen roses he was carrying, and the large pan of double chocolate brownies.
"Habibi!" Yusra exclaimed as she came rushing into the room and as he placed what he was holding onto the table, he gave her a kiss before letting out a long whistle, holding her at arm's length, and looking her up and down. She was wearing a short green dress, and her long hair was let down over her shoulders, and her eyes were lined in kohl.
"Wow! What is this beauty!?" he exclaimed, and she blushed slightly.
"Oh stop, I look a mess." She said, fluffing up her hair, and he shook his head with a laugh.
"You look stunning, and you know it. But then again," he said in a whisper as he gathered her into his arms, "you always look beyond gorgeous." He bent to give her another kiss, before straightening out, and cupping her face in his hands. "Happy anniversary love."
She smiled, and turned her face to kiss his hand.
"Happy anniversary habibi. Eight years down, and InshaAllah a hundred more to come."
"InshaAllah." With sparkling eyes, he pulled her against his chest, holding her tightly. A few minutes later he let her go, extending the sweets towards her.
"Ooh are you trying to make me fat?!" she exclaimed as she took the pan from him, and he smiled.
"I thought we decided that the 'f' word isn't allowed in our house? We don't want our kids to grow up thinking the worst thing a person can be is fat."
She smiled and kissed him on his cheek.
"You're right. I'm sorry."
He followed her into the kitchen, smiling brightly as he saw the array of food on the dining room table, including, much to his delight, a large plate of grape leaves.
"Stop it!" she exclaimed smacking his hand as he went to grab one, and he pretended to pout.
"You hit me! But I'm Amir!" he exclaimed, and she laughed.
"Go wash your hands first before we eat."
To her amusement, he grumbled all the way to the kitchen sink, and grumbled as he dried his hands, and grumbled as he made his way to sit down at the table, pausing to kiss her neck as he passed by. She sat down across from him, and after they said the Du'aa together, they began to eat.
"How was your day today love?" he asked as he began to pile his plate with grape leaves.
"Alhamdulillah good. Are you going to save any for me?" she asked in amusement as his plate began to disappear under them.
"No." he replied and she shook her head, pushing his arm away and taking a few for herself.
"What about you? How was work?"
"Good Alhamdulillah." He paused to take a large bite. "How are you feeling? The infusion still making you feel nauseous?"
To his surprise, she blushed slightly.
"Um yes I'm still sort of nauseous."
He frowned slightly.
"Maybe you should tell the doctor to increase your nausea medicine. I mean I know he said the infusion might make you feel sick to your stomach, but to this extent might be a side effect!"
"I think I'll be okay." She said with a smile, and when he looked at her questioningly, she turned her attention back to her plate. Amir watched her for a few seconds, before shrugging.
"So where is Kareem?"
"Oh Houssam took him for a few hours. He said he would keep him overnight but I doubt he can handle it. I expect the baby to be back by ten thirty."
They both laughed.
"So how is Houssam doing? You know with Kalthoum."
Yusra made a face.
"He hasn't told me anything yet honestly."
"You don't like her?" Amir asked with a raised eyebrow, and she hesitated for a second.
"It's not that I don't like her. It's just..." she trailed off, pushing around her salad with her fork.
"What is it love?"
"I just don't think they are right for each other."
"How come?"
"Kalthoum can be a bit," she paused, as if she was trying to find the right word, "silly."
Amir's lips twitched as if he was trying to stop a smile.
"What do you mean?"
"I mean she can be sort of superficial. Houssam needs someone who challenges him. Who can make him think, and can put him in his place. Allah knows he needs someone to keep his head from getting big with his celebrity status and all."
Amir put a hand to his chin thoughtfully.
"Did you tell Houssam this?"
"No," she said with a shake of her head, "this is what he wants. I can't tell him not to. If he had told me not to be with you, I would have disowned him as my brother!"
Amir laughed, and leaned forward to kiss her.
"Well I'm glad that he didn't tell you not to be with me, and I'm glad you decided to give me the honor of being your husband."
She gave him a smile, squeezing his hand.
"Did you have someone else you thought would be good for Houssam? You seem almost disappointed."
When her eyes turned down to her plate, and her cheeks flushed slightly, he knew he had hit the nail right on the head.
"Um, maybe."
He smiled.
"Who?"
"Hana."
He set his fork down before clearing his throat.
"I thought we had gone through this already, and decided it wasn't a good idea?"
She nodded.
"We did. But that was before she told me that she liked him."
Amir's eyes widened.
"She did!? Woah!" he exclaimed, sinking back in his chair in disbelief.
"Yeah she did. She has it bad. I haven't seen her yet since he decided to talk to Kalthoum. I hope she is okay."
He frowned slightly, picking up a grape leaf and biting into it absently. They ate quietly for a while, Amir reaching over every so often to touch her face or squeeze her hand. Their anniversary was always a special time for them, for they recreated the time they spent in the library during their wedding. They danced to The Way You Look Tonight in a room that was lit with candles and roses, they resaid their vows, and he got down on his knee and proposed again with a different ring. She still wore the original engagement ring and wedding band he had given her when they first got married, but the ring on her right hand changed every year when he presented her with a new one.
"So when can we do presents?!" he exclaimed as they cleared away the last of the dishes, and she gave an excited squeal.
"Now! But I want to wait until after we dance for yours okay?" she asked and he smiled.
"Whatever you want love." He said pulling her hands until she was standing up, and he pressed his lips to her forehead, before pulling her towards the family room that he had set up before he had left for work, leaving her with strict instructions not to go in there. As they did now, he scurried around lighting all of the candles, and spreading out the roses he had bought on his way home, adding them to the others he had already put in there before. He pulled her to the center of the room before kissing her again, and bending down on one knee.
"Yusra," he began, and he gave a laugh to realize she was already tearing up, and all he had said was her name! "Love, if eight years ago on the day of our wedding someone would have told me that I would experience that same level of happiness every day for the rest of my life, I wouldn't have believed them. But today, as I kneel here before you, I am a man who has such happiness in his heart, I am surprised I am not floating! I may have provided you with a roof over your head, but you made it into a home. Everything I ever gave to you, and everything I will ever give to you, will pale in comparison to the fact that you gave me a family. You gave me my little boy, and every single day I fall deeper and deeper in love with you whenever I think of how amazing you have made my life. I pray that Allah swt keeps our hearts united, and blesses us with many more years to come."
"Ameen." She whispered with a teary smile, and he laughed, reaching into his coat pocket and pulling out a box.
"So my love, will you still be married to me?" he asked pulling out the ring, and she gave a choked laugh, swallowing deeply before nodding. As he placed it on her finger, he kissed her hand, before standing up and kissing her on her head, and bringing her against him in a tight embrace. Once he had let her go, she looked down at the ring, smiling as she twisted it around to look at the band. Every ring over the years had been engraved with a single number, and as she glanced down and saw the number eight, she smiled, looking up at him, and putting her hand on his face.
"I love you." She murmured softly, and he stroked a finger down her cheek, smiling.
"I love you more. Shall we dance?" he asked, extending his hand.
"It would be my honor." She said, waiting until he had turned on their song, before stepping closer to him. He brought his arms around her waist, and she put hers around his neck, and they swayed to the music, their eyes never leaving each other's.
When the song finally ended, he leaned forward to kiss her, and when they pulled away, she kept him in place with her hands around his arms, her forehead pressed against his.
"Can I give you your present now?" she asked softly, and he nodded.
"I can't wait."
She kept her eyes locked on his face as she took his hands in hers, and slowly, too slowly for his curiosity, brought them down and placed them on her stomach.