Clueless Love

A week has gone by so quickly. I am exhausted from all the meetings we had. It is Saturday and I have been sleeping all morning, although I woke up for Fajr. I am trying to pretend that I can’t hear Emma banging on my door for me to wake up, but too late for that because I am already up. I walk lazily to my door and open it before she breaks it down.

“Umit, why are you not dressed,” Emma says walking into my room.

“Because I was sleeping before you decided to wake me up,” I answer going back to my bed.

“You can’t go back to sleep. Have you forgotten we have to go shopping today,” Emma says pulling me up.

“I didn’t forget, I just want a few more hours of sleep,” I try to lie back down.

“I know you are tired but today and tomorrow are the only days you are going to be free before the gala. So, please get your lazy body off the bed so we can go,” Emma says pulling me up with force while marching me to the bathroom.

“I don’t like you,” I tell her, trying to keep my eyes open while trying to stand straight.

“I love you too, now get in the shower,” Emma says pushing me into the bathroom.

After a quick shower I dress in a pair of black jeans, a white t-shirt, a blue denim jacket, a pair of black ankle boots, a shoulder handbag, a blue hajib, and a pair of sunglasses. Emma and I meet Fatima in the lobby and take a taxi to the mall.

Hours later, we are done shopping. We were lucky to find the dresses we liked today. We don’t have to come back tomorrow so I can sleep to my heart’s content. We are having something to eat before heading back to the hotel when a woman walks toward us. I don’t know her, but I am guessing Emma does because she speaks to her first.

“Oh, Emma, is that you?” The woman looks like a model. She has long thin legs. Her black hair is styled to perfection and she wears just enough make-up to enhance her beauty; she is a beautiful woman.

“Yes, it’s me, Anna,” Emma answers with disgust in her tone.

Wait. Is she the same Anna Emma told me about earlier? It might be her, but why would she show her face to Emma after what she did. Maybe she wants to apologise.

“How are you doing? I heard you got back with that lying cheating ass of a boyfriend of yours,” Anna says with a fake smile on her face.

Subhan Allah (Glory be to Allah)! What did this woman just say? Did she just insult Austin in front of Emma? I don’t even give Emma a chance to respond before I give her a piece of my mind.

“What did you just say? Because it takes two to tango and we all know who he was accused of cheating with. So, keep your filthy mouth shut!” I say making sure to emphasize the word accused.

“Who the hell are you to talk to me like that,” Anna demands angrily.

“Who the hell am I? I am the one who will put you in your place if you don’t leave with what little dignity you have left,” I reply with disgust.

“Aha! So rude,” Anna says flipping her hair while walking away.

“I’m rude? You have not seen anything. Come back here and I’ll make you regret ever speaking to Emma that way,” I hiss while she walks away.

“Umit, I don’t even know what to say,” Emma starts laughing.

“You don’t have to say anything. People like her, I know how to handle them,” I start laughing too.

“Umit, will you ever change,” Fatima joins in while shaking her head.

“What is there to change? Because as far as I am concerned, I did nothing wrong. I only made her know her place because she has no right to speak like that about Austin. Not when she is the one who framed him,” I chuckle, thinking I was able to hold my tongue as well as I did. If not for the sake of Allah, the words I would have said… Let’s just say they wouldn’t be pretty.

“You didn’t say anything wrong and thank you,” Emma says smiling.

“You don’t even have to thank me. I did it because it was the right thing to do. Hearing her say those words about Austin when they were clearly not true pushed me over the edge and made me say what was in my mind.”

“Aww thank you so much for been a good friend to both of us,” Emma says pulling me into a hug.

“You are always welcome,” I say hugging her back.

Today is Saturday, the day of the gala. I can’t believe another week has gone by so fast. I am trying to force myself out of bed before Emma gets here and drags me out. We are going to the salon to get our hair done and Emma also hired a makeup artist for tonight.

Alhamdulillah (Praise be to Allah) we have spent two weeks in France and that means business week is over, and only vacation week is left before we leave. We did not get the positive feedback like we did in Greece and Italy, but we still got a few to sign with our company.

I climb out of my bed and walk to the balcony. The sweet breeze of Paris greets me once I step outside. I can see the Eiffel tower from my balcony and it’s lovely. I can’t wait to go there next week and take pictures. I don’t have to wait long before Emma starts knocking on my door. I walk towards the door and let her in with Fatima.

“As salamu, alaykum,” Fatima greets walking in.

“Wa alaykumu salam,” I reply.

“Why are you not ready?” Emma demands.

“Because I just got out of bed,” I say, walking towards my bedroom to get ready.

“Sometimes I wonder how you ever make it to work on time if you love sleep so much,” Emma retorts following me.

“That’s because I know how to balance my sleep time,” I grin.

“Really? Because I am starting to think it’s just luck,” Emma teases.

“No, it’s not. I am just really tired from all the work we had these past few months,” I say stretching my arms above my head.

“Oh, sorry love, now go and shower,” Emma says pushing me into the bathroom.

“And please don’t take forever, I am very hungry. We are getting breakfast on the way to the salon,” Fatima says.

“I will be back in a jiffy,” I say, walking to the bathroom.

I finish showering and dressing in record time because Fatima keeps shouting for me to hurry up. I am wearing blue jeans, a striped button up shirt, white converse sneaker, a black bag, and a white hajib. Once I am ready, we all take the elevator to a restaurant downstairs in the hotel to eat breakfast before going to the salon.

At the salon, we don’t spend much time because we are getting our hair styled after our makeup later in the evening. We just wanted to wash it and dry it ready for tonight. I wanted to braid my hair, but they did not have anyone who could braid the hairstyle I wanted. After the salon, we went to get our nails done. I painted mine black. I don’t usually paint my nails even though we have halal nail polish. I want to be safe while I am praying. I only paint my nails when I am not praying like now. I have my monthly visit, so no prayers for me at the moment. When we are done at the salons we go back to the hotel to rest before tonight’s event. I use this opportunity to sleep some more but remember to set the alarm to wake me three hours before the gala.

I am sleeping peacefully when I hear an annoying sound that wakes me up from my beauty sleep. I pick my phone up to find Emma is calling.

“Hello Emma,” I answer the call.

“Hi Umit, were you sleeping?” Emma asks.

“Yes, I was,” I say rubbing my eyes.

“Oh, sorry for waking you up.”

“It’s fine, what’s up?” I ask getting up from the bed.

“The makeup artist will be here any minute. Could you come to my room so that they can do the makeup here?”

“Sure, I will be there in a minute.”

“Thanks, see you soon,” Emma says hanging up.

I quickly shower before going to Emma’s room. I also carry my dress so I can get ready in her room. I take the elevator to her floor and a second after knocking she opens the door. “Finally, you are here,” Emma says.

“Sorry, I took a shower before coming over.”

“It’s fine, the makeup artist should be here any minute,” Emma says.Text property © Nôvel(D)ra/ma.Org.

“Alright then,” I reply.

“Umit, is that you?” Fatima says from the kitchenette.

“Yes, bestie it’s me,” I answer.

“Finally, what took you so long,” Fatima says, walking into the living room with a bowl of fruit while taking a seat on the couch. I tell her I took a quick shower as I join her on the couch, taking a grape from her fruit bowl.

“Emma, I have been meaning to ask you?” I turn around while popping a piece of pineapple in my mouth. I love fruit.

“What do you want to ask me?” Emma asks joining us on the couch.

“Did that Anna woman approach you again?” I ask, recalling I saw Anna’s pictures on Instagram. She is in Paris because she is attending a fashion show.

“Yes, she did. And you won’t believe what she said to me,” Emma chuckles.

“What?” I ask.

“It was two days ago. Austin and I were at a restaurant. She was there with a group of her friends. I did not talk to her, look at her or even approach her. I acted like I didn’t see her, but that didn’t stop her. I went to the restroom and as I was coming out, she was waiting for me. At first, I was just going to ignore her and walk past her, but what she said stopped me dead in my tracks,” Emma says.

“What did she say?” Fatima asks.

“I am sure she said something that annoyed you,” I can already picture it.

“She said, ‘I see you don’t have your bodyguards with you, today.’

I replied, ‘what bodyguards are you talking about?’

She says, ‘Those two black things you were with last time.’

That was when I just lost my cool and put her in her place, as Umit likes to say,” Emma says.

“Tell us, what did you say?” I ask.

“I told her that, ‘They are not things. They are human beings and most importantly, they are my friends so watch the way you speak about them.’

She said, ‘I can’t believe you call those black things friends.’

I told her, ‘For the last time they are not things, and they are not black. They are more human than you will ever be. And yes, they are my friends.’

She said, ‘Emma, I know you are desperate for friends, but I didn’t think you’d stoop that low.’

I gave her a pitying look when I told her, ‘I am not desperate, I just have real friends. Not like you. And if anyone should be called black it should be you. You might be fair of complexion, but your heart is darker than charcoal.’ and I pushed past her and walked out,” Emma tells us grinning.

“You go, girl!” Fatima cheers.

“You told her the truth, plain and simple,” I say smiling.

“I surprised myself because, most times I don’t answer her, I just walk out. I don’t like confrontation,” Emma says.

“There is always a limit to one’s patience,” Fatima nods.

“Yeah, and you reached that limit and finally spoke back to her,” I say.

“Yeah, I guess you guys are right,” Emma says while someone knocks on the door. “That should be the makeup artist,” Emma gets up to open the door letting three ladies in.