“7achait obouy,” 3azeez said.
“3an shno?” Dalal asked worriedly.
Both Dalal’s mother and brother listened attentively.
“3anna,” 3azeez smiled.
“E7na eshfeena?” Dalal’s heart slowly started pounding. ‘Ambaih laykoon 3azeez yabeeni, laa please 3azeez laa’ Dalal thought to herself.
3azeez breathed out, “Ga3adt omy w obouy w 7achait’hum w fahmt’hom eny mabeech.”
Nasser gasped but Dalal smiled, “E7lf?” Dalal asked.
“Walla,” 3azeez smiled, “6ab3an ana 9arle esbou3 aqani3 feehom la2na ely abeeha ga3deen yetqademoonlaha fa mabe athay3ha men eedi.”
“3azeez? W ekhty? Lek wayh teyey baitna wetgoolaha hal 7ache??” Nasser was furious! “Ehya tabeek!!”
“Laa Laa Nasser! Ana mabeeh!! A9lan 3azeez 7esbat okhuyy!!” Dalal was so relieved and filled with joy that she jumped on 3azeez and hugged him.
“Thank you 3azooz thank you so much!!”
3azeez chuckled, “your welcome Dalal.”
“Bas la7tha, kalamt obouy?” Dalal asked.
“La obouy ely be7acheeh enshalla.” 3azeez said.
“La7tha ana mu fahem ely ga3d e9eer. Youma fahmeeny?” Nasser asked with a very confused look.
“Walla 7abeby 3elmy 3elmk. Obouk ma7achani wala gali shay.” Om Nasser gave 3azeez a questioning look.
“Nasser men e7na e9ghaar obouy w obouk qareraw ena ana w Dalal netzawaj 9a7?”
Nasser nodded.
“7liw, al7een ana w Dalal kebarna, w la ana abeha wala ehya tabeeni ba3d mu qa9eb. W ana el9ara7a abe bent ma3ay beljam3a w youm darait ena fee wa7d ebytqadamlaha zar 3agily fa 7achait omy w obouy. 6ab3an et3arf 3amek shloun 3aneed, awal shay maretha ba3dayn kther el7ana yebt rasa w retha.” 3azeez stopped to catch his breath but Dalal took over, “Nasser 7abeby, 3azeez e7b wa7da w yabe yakh6b’ha w ana a7b...” Dalal bit her lip because she said too much.
“Na3am??” Nasser replied in anger. “Entay shno?”
Dalal looked at her mother for help. In their family, Nasser and their dad were the only two with closed minds.
“Fee wa7d metqademly w emkalmeen omy w ana abeeh.” Dalal blurted out.
3azeez nodded. Half of what Dalal said was true, but he had to play along for Dalal’s sake.
“W Mino hal wa7id ha? Men wayen et3arfeena???” Nasser voice was cold and loud.
“Nasser lat9arekh!! Walla everything’s official!!” Dalal shot her mother look, “Mama goleela!!” Dalal begged.
“Shagoola?” Her mother asked.
“Goleela 3an Faisal.” Dalal pleaded.
“Wet3arfeen esma ba3ad?? Walla hathy mal athba7haa!!” Nasser got up to get a reach for his sister when their Mother stood up in between them.
“Nasser 3aib 3alaick et7ache ekhtk chthy w ana ga3da. Wayen haibty w e7teramy??” She gave him a stern look.
Nasser breathed out angrily, “Youma shofay shtgool!! Etgool et3arf wa7id!!”
“Eeh akeed bet3arfaa!! Mu kha6eebha???” His mother said.
Nasser backed down, “Ya3ne betfahmeeni ena 9ar ako 7ache rasme?”
His mother gritted her teeth, she didn’t want to lie, but she had to. “Eeh 9ar.”
“Meta? Laish e7na manadre?” Nasser questioned his mother.
“9ar men gabl sena, bas ana magelt 7ag obouk la2na shayel elfekra men rasa, w al7een madam 3azeez kalam obouh ya3ne khalas obouk beghayer rayah.” His mother replied sternly, ‘atmana ena eghayer rayah.’ She thought to herself.
Nasser studied Dalal for a while, deciding on whether to believe his mother or not. Dalal stood behind her mother, confidence not leaving her face.
3azeez realized that he had to say something, in order for Nasser to fully believe that there was an official engagement, “Nasser eshfeek? Tara ana kent dari lama 9ar kel hatha.”
Nasser turned and looked at 3azeez, “Shno ya3ne kent tadre?”
“Ya3ne lama teqadam Faisal 7ag Dalal, khalti dagat 3alai w galtly. Tara omek tadre ana w Dalal manabe ba3ath, bas mategdar etgool shay jedam obouk wala obouy.”
“Enzain w laish magetly?” Nasser asked.
“La2nk kent ebtarf’9 elfekra, fa magelna shay.” 3azeez said as he got up to leave, “Nasser haad baleck, tara mu kelshay bela39ab beyamshi.”
Nasser breathed out and looked at Dalal, “Walla endarait ench etkalmeen hal Faisal wela te6l3een weyaha gabl laet9eer khe6ba rasmeya matlomeen ela nafsch, fahma??” He gave her a threatening look.
Dalal nodded, “Enshalla.”
Nasser kissed his mother’s forehead and got up with 3azeez and they both left the house.
Dalal turned to her mother, “Mama mashkoora.”
Her mother turned and faced her with a serious face, “Shofay, al7een akeed 3amich kalam oboich w khala eghayer fekreta, w 3a6ay Nasser youmain telgaina gayel salfat Faisal 7ag oboich w yeg3ad efur rasa,”
“Enzain?” Dalal asked.
“Golay 7ag Faisal 3nda youmain,”
“3ala shno youma?” Dalal asked nervously.
“Shno 3ala shno ba3ad?? 3ashan eyoun el7areem w yakh6boonch rasme!!” Her mother replied.
Dalal couldn’t hide the smile on her face, “Enshalla youma bagoola ba3d shway.”
“Latbosemain wayed, 6al3a ma3a Faisal mako.” Her mother said.
Dalal’s smile faded and her heart sank, “Laish youma??”
“Bas ana gelt, mako 6al3a ela lama eyoun eryayel w et9eer khe6ba rasmeeya!”
“Bas youmaa ohwa berd America ba3d thalath asabee3!! Meta e9eer kelhatha?” Dalal almost cried.
“Mu ohwa yabeech? Eeh 3ayal ohwa edaber omoora.” Her mother got up and as she walked out of the living room she turned and looked at Dalal, “Mako 6al3at weya Dalal, wala mukalamat zayda, mafhoom?”
Dalal nodded.
She went up to her room and got into a pair of comfy sweats and a pullover. It was early December and the weather was starting to get really cold. She checked her phone to see if Faisal called or left any messages but she didn’t find any, so she called her cousin Mariam and told her what happened. Mariam was really happy for Dalal and suggested that Dalal should call Faisal and tell him the good news.
Dalal waited for Faisal to text her but he didn’t so when it got to midnight Dalal began getting sleepy and she had to talk to Faisal before sleeping so she messaged him,
“Faisal a7taj aklmek tharoori, please call me.”
Seconds later, Faisal called.
