Thirty-four
[Adam]
I go to bed immediately after the conversation we had in the kitchen. Leen knocks on the door and walks in quietly, "Adam?"
I ignore her and close my eyes. "You can't be sleeping already!" she exclaims. "We need to talk! You can't go to sleep while you're mad at me."
I sigh and sit up, "Do you really care?"
She looks taken aback by the questions, "Of course I care! Why would I be here begging you to talk if I don't care?"
"Why would you hide something so important and dangerous from me if you care?"
"I already told you why! I called you before I left but you didn't pick up so I assumed you were busy and I had to leave quickly. And when it happened I didn't tell you because I didn't want you to panic or think of it as something greater than it actually was, plus Abed took care of everything."
"Do you know how it makes blood boil in my head picturing what happened that day? Picturing you get in an accident and a man keeps shouting at you and God knows what he had in mind! And you being in that state-horrified and worried yet totally on your own on the street at such a late hour!"
"We should at least be thankful to Allah it's over!" She walks toward me and sits on the bed. "Nothing big happened, Adam. And I really missed you and I couldn't wait till you come back so you can't be this cold to me when you're finally here." Her eyes start to tear and it immediately shatters my anger away. I take a deep breath and clear my throat. Sometimes it's really awkward when you're no longer mad and you don't know how to get back to normal so abruptly. I tilt my head her way and she looks at me. I look for something to say when she hugs me.
"You're no longer mad," she says.
"H-How did you know?"
"It's all over your face." I hug her back. God, I missed her so much.
"So, will you eat now?" she says breaking apart. "You shouldn't go to bed hungry after such a long day."
"I've seen rice-stuffed vine leaves on the table a while ago," I smile at her. "Good that you came after me because I would've been really disappointed if I didn't get to eat it."
She laughs, "That's the only reason you're happy I came after you?"
"Mmm, yes," I tease her.
"Oh! How could you be so heartless!"
"I'm not heartless yubo, I'm hungry."
"Well, the vine leaves are waiting for you."
The next morning, I wake up at nine to find Leen has already left for work. A faint memory of her telling me she's leaving earlier comes to my mind. I lay on my back and stare at the ceiling, appreciating the time I get to rest and not think of something productive to do. The phone beeps with a message from Leen, I slide it open and read.
It says: Adam, Jenin has called and she wants me to go shopping for the baby with her, so i will be a little late. I'll buy dinner on my way home. I'll call you when my classes are over. Love you xxx
I reply with an 'okay' and 'love you more' then put the phone back and throw my head on the pillow again. Maybe I should go see my family today.
I change quickly, grab the phone and keys and leave.
Aya opens up and asks about Leen.
"She's at work," I reply.
"Oh right, come in."
I go the living room to find mom watching tv. I kiss her head and take a seat. "How was your trip habibi?" she asks turning the volume down.
"It was tiring," I say.
"And how is everything going on with Leen?" I remember what happened yesterday and I hope my face expressions doesn't show off any signs because she will immediately know.
I smile, "Great. Alhamdulillah." The last thing I'd want now is mom thinking Leen doesn't take a good care of me.
I leave for home at 7 in the evening. Leen calls once I'm inside the car.
"Are you home yet?" I ask.
"Yes, I just arrived. Adam did you really leave all the windows and balconies open?" she sighs in disappointment.
"I don't remember," I say starting the car.
"Seriously, Adam! We're in summer, do you know how many insects and flies could get into the house?"
"You're starting to sound like a true Arab wife, Lee."
"You're unbelievable," she sighs again.
"Is leaving the windows open that big of a deal that you're calling?"
"Yes it is, I'll kill you if I glance a single fly, okay?"
I laugh, "okay."
I walk inside and close the door after me, "Lee?" I call.
"I'm in the kitchen Adam, come!" she calls from the kitchen.
"What are you doing?" I say coming in.
"Pop corn," she smiles pressing the buttons of the microwave. "We'll have a movie night, alright?"
I smile back, "Let it be a kdrama night."
"Really?" she gasps. "Really? Really? Really? You're the best Oppa!" I laugh. "Look there's this drama I wanted to start, called Sensory Couple."
"Let's watch it then," I say taking out two Pepsi cans from the fridge.
We bring the lap top to the living room and cover the coffee table with snacks and drinks.
"This is exciting!" Leen says clapping her hands together.
"What did you say the drama is called?"
"Sensory Couple," she says and crunches on her pop corn.
We watch three episodes in a raw until we run out of snacks.
"Adam can you bring some more from the kitchen?"
"Okay," I say getting up. I turn the lights back on and walk downstairs.
I grab a pop corn packet from the cardboard, shove it in the microwave and wait for it.
I empty the pack in a bowl and head out of the kitchen when I hear Leen screaming; I run upstairs.
"What's wrong?" I ask Leen who's standing on the couch. I approach her and she screams again.
"A cockroach!" she says grabbing me from the t-shirt. "There under that table!" she points at a table at the far end of the living room.
"Seriously Leen?" I roll my eyes. "That's all because of a cockroach?"
"It is a COCKROACH!" she says exaggerating the last word. It starts moving and she screams and wraps her arms around my neck, letting my back face her. "Kill it! Kill it kill it kill it!"
"Calm down Leen! And how will I kill it when you're strangling me?!"
"I'll let you go, but you immediately run and hit it okay?"
"Ah you're really being silly."
"This is the scariest and most disgusting thing ever! Kill it!"
She unwraps her arms and I walk toward the the table where Mr Scariest And Most Disgusting Thing Ever is hiding under.
I'm a few centimetres away from it when I suddenly see wings unravelling and the black thing flapping them as it flies higher.
"It flies!" I exclaim, followed by Leen penetrating the atmosphere with a terribly high-pitched shriek.
In less than a second all I know is Leen grabbing my hand and we're running.
"Can you see it?" she asks in horror.
"No."
We quickly enter the bathroom and slam the door shut behind us, and honestly, only then I breathe. A cockroach is a cockroach until it develops wings miraculously and flies then it's The Scariest And Most Disgusting Thing Ever like Leen said.
Both of us sit on the edge of the bathtub and catch out breath.
"Well, there's only the three of us in the house," Leen says. "You, me and the cockroach."
"Which is the most powerful for the time being," I point out to her.
"Exactly."
"This is why I hate summer."
"I told you you can't leave the windows just wide open! You invited insects then you're wondering why they came! Now where are we sleeping? I have to go to work tomorrow!"
"It's 2:00 a.m already," I sigh.
"Oh my God! What?" she gasps. "I'll never be able to wake up."
We stay inside for fifteen minutes just staring at the walls.
"Why do you men like acting like nothing scares you when you get scared sometimes?" she asks out of nowhere.
"Well," I rub my chin, "I don't think a man can say that he fears nothing, it's just that we prefer to hide our own fears sometimes especially when we're responsible for others so we can make them feel safe."
"So what are your fears?" she asks softly.
"I should hide them from you because I'm responsible for you, you know," I tease her.
"We were brought together so we can be each other's security, you're not only responsible for me, I am responsible for you too."
"You always know what to say," I smile at her. "Well, since I was a child all my fears revolved around losing another family member, or not being able to prove myself in front of Omar. He's always been the one I'm trying to impress and to show that I'm capable of succeeding my own way, in my own choice of career." She puts her hand on mine reassuringly. "After we got married, my biggest fear was that this happiness is a dream, or a temporary reality. I'm afraid I'll have to wake up one day and find out you've stopped loving me, I'm afraid there would come a day when this spark is gone. Also whenever I'm away from you, all my mind is right where you are, especially when you're alone. Mom and my sisters are staying with Omar, but you refuse to stay with your parents and it keeps my head on fire, worrying about you." I breathe. "When you told me about that accident I almost had a heart attack although you are right in front of me. Just the mere thought of you being in danger is not even comprehensible. Now I'm scared to leave you for a single day so I don't know how I'm going to carry out that job anymore."
She stays silent for a while, I can almost see gears rotating in her head, searching for words that don't come. I smile and pull her closer, inhaling in the scent of her.
"I'm so thankful we were meant for each other," I say. "I will never let you go. And please don't make me worry again."
"Okay," she smiles at me.
Another fifteen minutes later, I slightly open the door and take a look outside, "Do you think it's gone?" I ask Leen.
"Maybe," she says. "Let's take the insecticide with us and look for it. I need to sleep."
"Okay," I say as she clutches the back of my t-shirt.
We exit the bathroom and walk through the hallway cautiously expecting it to attack.
"This is really stupid, we're supposed to be grown-ups," I say suppressing the urge to laugh.
"That has nothing to do with being grown-ups, all insects are scary and disgusting!" Leen objects.
"Only flying cockroaches are," I point out, and she snorts.
We slowly walk into the living area and some black thing flies across the room quickly; Leen screams and hides her face in my shirt.
"Let me go so I can kill it!" I exclaim.
"No, no, no! What if it attacks me?"
"For God's sake Leen, it's just an insect." She hardly lets me go and I take the chance to spray the insecticide. I spray way too much and not only the cockroach starts getting dizzy but so do us.
"Let's close this room for today, and when we wake up it should be dead," I say.
"Okay," Leen says covering her mouth and nose.
We throw our bodies on the bed after the exhausting battle with Mr Scariest And Most Disgusting Thing Ever.
"I hate insects," Leen breathes out.
"Yeah I perfectly noticed that," I say sarcastically.
"Like you weren't scared."
"I wasn't! Everything was fine until it flew, it turned gross."
"Whatever," she says in a sing-song tone.
I snort.
The next morning Leen gets ready for work while I lay lazily on the bed.
"I'll pass by and drive you today, so don't take your car."
"I know I already asked Dina to take me on her way now, her house is ten minutes away from here."
"Okay, take care."
"Okay."
We planned this once we woke up. After Leen is done with school we'll go to the movies then have dinner outside. And she decided that we need to stay out late so after dinner we're calling my siblings and hers and hanging out. Sometimes she's just way more hyper than she actually looks.
I walk to the bathroom when Leen is almost done getting ready.
"Adam I need to call Dina and I don't have credit, I'll use your phone okay?" she shouts so I can hear her from the bathroom.
"Okay!" I shout back.
I come out and find her putting her shoes on.
"Did she arrive yet?" I ask.
"Umm," she smiles, but I can feel something is wrong.
"What is it?"
"Nothing; I'm just late," she smiles and hurries out of the room. "See you later!"
"Okay," I say suspiciously.
I lay back on the bed and unlock my phone, I go on whatsapp to text Ahmed to hang out with us, because he might be still sleeping before work so I can't wake him up.
I find a message from a number.
Hi Adam! I got your number from Abdulrahman. I'm texting to invite you over for my engagement this weekend. Everyone is invited so try to come! Bye xxx
Reem.
Damn.
Did Leen see this? Is this why she was upset?
She can't just misunderstand.
Another message comes immediately.
Don't forget to bring Leen with you!
~~~
I'm really sorry for the late update guys, I'm just done with the chapter :(
I hope you enjoyed though!
Nouran <3