“Freddy. It’s two in the morning. Go home.”
“I caaaaaaan’t” Freddy moaned from where he was laying facedown across Houssam’s couch, his feet dangling over the edge.
“Yes you caaaaan. I’ll even call you a cab! Or you can borrow my car!” Houssam exclaimed, and Freddy groaned, flipping onto his back, and pulling a pillow over his face.
“How can you expect me to ever do anything ever again in my life when I’ve met a real life angel?!”
Houssam rolled his eyes.
“An angel? Aren’t you overreacting?”
Suddenly Freddy was on his feet, pacing around the room.
“Overreacting!? OVERREACTING!? Dude, she was like sent from above. The perfect embodiment of a heavenly being!” he exclaimed and Houssam sat down in one of the chairs in amusement.
“I have never seen you like this before bro.” he said and Freddy groaned again, sinking to the floor.
“I know! I just can’t even tell you. It’s like I saw her face and my brain was like ‘oh my god there she is! Finally! After all these years of looking she is right there!’ it was like a slap in the face! But you know it hurt in a good way.”
Houssam threw his head back and laughed loudly, glancing down at where his friend was slumped against the couch. He got down on the floor next to him, and bumped his shoulder into his.
“You’re pathetic.”
Freddy scoffed.
“You’re one to talk. I half expected you to cut Hana’s meat for her.”
“Whatever bro!”
Freddy laughed before raking a hand through his hair and sighing in frustration.
“And what sucks is that just for a moment. Just for a tiny moment while I was talking to her, I forgot that I can’t be with her.”
“Why not?”
Freddy looked at Houssam with a ‘duh’ look on his face.
“I’m not a Muslim.”
“Oh.”
Houssam had forgotten that also.
“Well you know you could become Muslim.”
Freddy shook his head.
“If I do it, I’m gonna do it for me. Getting to be with her would just be the icing on the cake.”
Houssam felt his heart speed up.
“So you think you are going to do it?”
Freddy shrugged uncomfortably.
“I don’t know. So what are you going to do about Hana?”
Houssam sighed.
“I want to be with her. Like right this minute.”
“You would ditch me in my time of mourning to be with her!?”
“Hell yeah!” Houssam exclaimed, and Freddy laughed.
“Well stop dragging it out. We have this weekend off, fly home, ask her dad, pop the question, get married, and sit me and Ayah next to each other at the wedding!”
Houssam snorted.
“You wouldn’t even be in the same room for the wedding, let alone sitting next to each other.”
“Darn! Foiled again!” Freddy exclaimed. “Think Harold can hire her too?”
“What in the world would we do with someone who is studying toxic leadership on our team?!”
“It sure would make Harold nicer to use.”
Houssam laughed, and punched his friend in the shoulder.
“We are both pathetic you know that?”’
“I know.”
They sat in silence for a few seconds before Houssam sighed.
“I’m guessing you’re just going to crash here?”
“Yeah. No sense in leaving when we have practice in like three hours.”
Houssam stood up, stretching out his back before tossing Freddy a blanket from the hall closet.
“You think we are ready for the championship game?”
“I think so. Coach has been beating us pretty hard. I think we will do well.”
“InshaAllah.”
“Of course. InshaAllah.”
***
“Okay just stop where you are! Right there! Don’t move!” Hana ordered, and as Houssam and Freddy froze, she snapped a few pictures in succession before switching profiles, and taking a few more.
“Can we move now? Fred is standing on my foot.” Houssam complained, and Hana laughed.
“Yes go ahead!”
“You and your stupid clown feet!” Houssam grumbled as he pushed Freddy, and Freddy pushed him back before yawning largely.
“Dude I’m so tired. Hana, are we almost done?” he called, and she nodded.
“Another ten minutes.” She called back, and as the boys began to practice their free throws again, she hurried to change her camera lens, fumbling slightly as she yawned as well. She had been up almost the whole night. Half of it listening to Ayah talk excitedly about how amazing Freddy was, and the other half thinking about Houssam.
This was only the second day they were doing the photo shoot, so she didn’t want to get ahead of herself, but she could feel the intensity between them. She could feel the difference from the last time they had been together, and she couldn’t help but wonder, and hope, if he was going to propose soon.
“Alright, can we get a shot of the two of you lifting?” she asked, and they travelled over to the exercise machines, both of them looking a little like zombies, however, when she lifted her camera, they came to life, and she snapped another thirty pictures or so before they decided to call it a night.
Freddy immediately left, claiming he was going to die of exhaustion, but Houssam stayed behind, watching as Hana began to pack up her equipment.
“So I was thinking of going back home for the weekend.” He said, and she looked up from her bag.
“Oh yeah? That’s great MashaAllah!”
He nodded.
“Yeah you know, go over there, and check on Yusra and Amir and the babies. Spend some time with my parents.”
“Sounds wonderful!” she smiled. “I wish I could go back home too, but as I just got here two months ago, it might be too early to take some time off.”
“You are homesick already?” he asked, and she smiled.
“Yeah. I miss my parents, I really miss Ilham and Hisham and the children.” She gave a sigh. “I love Ayah, but it’s hard being away from all things familiar. That’s why it was nice to see you.” She smiled at him. “A touch of home.”
He regarded her for a few seconds before smiling.
“Let’s do something this weekend. Let’s go sightseeing!”
“Uh Houssam, we can’t exactly go out together.”
He shook his head.
“We wouldn’t be alone. I have five or six handlers whose jobs are to just accompany me when I go out. Three of them are women, and they don’t usually come but they would this time.”
She looked at him skeptically.
“What would we do?”
“Anything! Everything! Have you been to Times Square yet? Madison Square Garden? M&M world?”
She laughed, but shook her head.
“No I haven’t been anywhere yet.”
He hopped down from the bench excitedly.
“Let’s do it! Maybe Ayah can join us? And Freddy.” He said with a mischevious smile, and she squinted at him.
“What are you hiding?”
“Freddy is totally in love with Ayah!” he blurted out, and Hana’s mouth dropped.
“What?! Really!? Oh my God!” she frowned slightly. “But he isn’t Muslim. It wouldn’t work.”
“I know that, and he does too. But honestly I think he is close to it!”
“Really?! MashaAllah that’s great!” she exclaimed excitedly, and he nodded.
“I’ve been letting him go at his own pace, but I think he will get there soon.”
“InshaAllah!”
“So sounds good? We will do some sightseeing and lunch this weekend? How about Saturday? The city will be alive with lights and sounds and it will just be magical.”
She gave him a smile.
“Okay. Sounds great.”
He grinned broadly at her before clapping his hands together.
“Okay I have to get going but I’ll see you Saturday! I’ll send the car for you.”
“Oh you don’t have to. I’ve gotten used to the subway.” She said a bit proudly, and he laughed.
“MashaAllah! That’s awesome! But I still will send the car. Be ready by ten?”
“InshaAllah.”
“Salaam Hana!”
“Walaikumsalaam!”
***
“Okay do I look okay? Do I look like I’m trying too hard? My scarf doesn’t match does it? OH MY GOD WHAT WAS I THINKING WEARING YELLOW!? I LOOK LIKE BIG BIRD!” Ayah moaned, and Hana rolled her eyes.
“You look fine my dear. Calm down!” Hana exclaimed with a laugh, as she looked out the window, eagerly taking in her surroundings. Soon they pulled to a stop, and as they got out of the limo, Houssam came towards them, smiling widely.
“Salaam ladies! Hurry we’ve been waiting for you!” he exclaimed eagerly, and Hana peered around him.
“Where are we?”
“Central Park! We’ve set up an awesome picnic brunch for us but we have to hurry before it gets too crowded!” he exclaimed and without waiting for their answers, he started walking towards the crowds, Hana and Ayah hurrying to catch up. Eventually they spotted Freddy and six other people standing around a large blanket piled with food, and as he saw them approaching he beamed.
“Hello ladies! I am glad you could make it!” he said, glancing at Ayah with his eyes twinkling, and Ayah blushed slightly before turning her attention towards the spread of food.
“Everyone, this is Hana and Ayah. Hana and Ayah, this is George, Lila, Kennedy, Thomas, Casey, and Rose!” he exclaimed and after everyone had been made introduced, they sat down on the blanket, eating and talking happily and excitedly. It was interesting when a couple of times they got interrupted by fans taking pictures and asking for autographs, but other than that they had a wonderful time.
“Okay hurry we have to keep up with the schedule!” Freddy exclaimed as they finished cleaning up their picnic, and Hana laughed.
“Are we going to be rushing like this all day!?” she exclaimed, and Houssam and Freddy exchanged glances before nodding.
“Yes!”
Six hours later, Ayah and Hana came into their apartment, dropped on the couch and let out deep content sighs.
“I can’t believe how much we did today!” Hana exclaimed after a few moments, and Ayah laughed.
“I’m surprised I can feel my feet!” she slid off her shoes wincing slightly. “I feel like we walked for years!”
“I think climbing the stairs of The Empire State Building was the worst part! I so am not in shape!”
“Well Houssam would have carried you if he could!” Ayah teased, and Hana laughed.
“Yeah well Freddy looked ready to buy you all of Times Square! You practically broke his heart when you wouldn’t let him buy you that bracelet!”
Ayah laughed before her face grew somber.
“I wanted to. I really did. But I couldn’t. I mean I’m just setting myself up for heartache here. He isn’t even Muslim.”
“You never know what’s going to happen!” Hana exclaimed, and Ayah smiled.
“Yeah I guess. What was your favorite part of the day?”
Hana smiled. She couldn’t pick just one part. The whole day had seemed like a dream. She had thought it would be weird having Houssam and Freddy’s handlers with them, but it was actually really a good thing. They were never left alone, but at the same time, it wasn’t awkward of uncomfortable.
In addition to going to The Empire State Building, they had stopped by the Central Park Zoo, and taken a ferry ride to see The Statue of Liberty. They had passed through Madison Square Garden, taken quick pictures at the Chrysler Building, the MET, and Washington Square Park, before having lunch at The Hard Rock Café, wandering around Times Square where Hana had bought little presents for everyone back home, and stopping at M&M World for some chocolate. All and all it had been an eventful and long day, and Hana still was feeling like it was a dream
She had no doubt in her mind now that she wanted to be with Houssam, and even though he acted silly around Freddy, she could see that he really had matured. At first she couldn’t pinpoint what was different about him. But there was something in his eyes. When he looked at her, there was a wisdom that hadn’t been there before, and she wondered what had caused such a change in him.
“I can’t just pick one moment. There were so many.”
Ayah smiled.
“I know. Me too. Well I’m beat. I’m going to go to sleep!”
“It’s only five in the afternoon!” Hana exclaimed with a laugh, and Ayah shrugged.
“Yes but I feel like we’ve been out walking for years.” She said with a laugh, and once her friend had gone into her room, Hana booted up her laptop, intending on catching up with her emails, and finishing the article that was due on Monday.
As she clicked on her inbox, she smiled to see an email from her brother, from Ilham, from Yusra, and…from Houssam.
She clicked on Hisham’s first.
Salaam baby sis!
How are you? How is everything? Nothing new here just at home with the kids. I never realized how hard it is to deal with them, especially when Hamoudi gets into the candy! SubhanAllah may Allah swt reward my wife because she is an angel! So tell me more about your new job! Is Houssam’s manager paying you well? Will you get royalties when the magazines pick it up? How is Houssam doing? Is everything settled? *insert teasing winking face* Say salaam! I have to go now, Hamoudi just threw a handful of crayons in the microwave!
-Hisham
Hana laughed loudly, before clicking on Ilham’s.
Dearest Hana,
Ya Allah how much I miss you! I feel so lonely! The children miss you as well. Layla is always asking why you aren’t here to take her to class. She would now be in your age level, and she said she wishes you were here to be her teacher. But Alhamdulillah your replacement is doing well, even though no one can compare to you! So Hisham told me about your new photography job! That’s amazing MashaAllah! How’s it going with Houssam? Shall we expect an announcement anytime soon!? Just kidding….well sorta. Hurry it up please, I want to take wedding pictures before I get too big :) MashaAllah your brother has been a big help around the house, although he can be kind of clueless. For some reason he let Hamoudi microwave crayons! I tried to clean it but I think it would be better if we just get a new one! So anyways, write back soon, I can’t wait to hear about everything!
Lots of Love!
Ilham, Dawud, Layla, Hamoudi, and baby girl Ismail <3
Okay. Now she was in tears after hearing about the happenings. She knew she shouldn’t open Yusra’s but well…
Lovely Hana,
How are you habibti?! I haven’t heard from you in so long! We all had dinner the other day, and agreed that it wasn’t the same without you! Kareem misses you too. I had to take Ayyoubi to the doctor, and needed a babysitter for Kareem. He kept shrieking for his Khaltu Hana, and gave poor Maria such a hard time. Lol it was kind of funny in retrospect. Anyways, Houssam told me that you are taking pictures for him and Freddy. That’s awesome MashaAllah! By the way, even though he would kill me for telling you this, you totally made his life by showing up at that stadium. It was so hard for me to keep your arrival a secret from him, but his response made it all worthwhile. InshaAllah I hope things are going well between you guys, and things get settled soon. I have always thought of you as a sister of my heart, let’s just make it official.
Love you lots, and Amir and the babies send their salaams.
P.S. Eman wants to know how your new roommate is doing!?
Hana felt a small pang at the thought of someone else babysitting Kareem, but she was glad to have heard from Yusra. It had only been two months since she had left, but she missed them all dearly.
Now for Houssam’s email.
Hana,
Today was amazing.
Freddy sent me this picture to send to you.
I think it’s awesome.
See you Tuesday.
-Houssam.
As she clicked on the attachment, her eyes widened in surprise. She hadn’t even realized Freddy had taken the picture, she had taken thousands today, and it surprised her to realize how nice it was. It was a picture of Hana and Ayah standing on the bow of the ferry looking eagerly towards The Statue of Liberty. The wind was blowing their Hijabs, they had their arms linked, were smiling largely, and just looked like they were having the time of their lives.
It had been a wonderful day.
As she began to type her response, it didn’t escape her notice that every single one of the emails from back home had mentioned her and Houssam settling things, and she herself couldn’t but hope that it would happen soon.