Part 14.

         No one was at home when the girls got to Rawan’s house. Her father was at work, her mother was out and her siblings were out as well. The only people that were home were the house staff and her one and a half year old nephew, Soud.

“Nani!” shrieked Soud when he saw Rawan enter the house.

Rawan’s sad and embarrassed face immediately turned into a happy smile.

“Sa3oodi 7abeby ta3al” Rawan kneeled down and opened her arms wide. Soud ran into Rawan’s arms and gave her a hug and a kiss on the cheek. He smiled to Dalal and hugged her as well and ran back to his nanny.

“Christina where’s mama?” Rawan asked Soud’s nanny.

“She gone out,” Christina nodded, “Sir also gone out, and Baba Nasser make telephone asking about you.”

Baba Nasser was Rawan’s brother, Soud’s father.

“Did he say what he wanted?” Rawan asked

Christina shook her head, “Only asking if you are home with sa’oodi.”

Rawan nodded and motioned to Dalal to follow her.

They went up to Rawan’s room, and Dalal sat on the couch. She was quietly waiting for Rawan to breakdown and vent about this morning incident.

“So?” Dalal whispered.

Rawan breathed out and knew that Dalal wanted to talk about Bader, so she quickly put a smile on her face and said “so goleeli how you and Faisal happened again?”

Dalal frowned, she could see the pain in her friend’s eyes. Rawan was trying to be strong and show Dalal that she’s okay, but Dalal could see right through that fake sad smile.

“Rawan, latghayreen elmawthoo3.. 7acheeni? Let it out now a7san men ba3dain.”

Rawan looked away, “Dalool magdar..”

Dalal squeezed Rawan’s hand, “I’m here for you,”

“9arla exactly sbou3 edig 3alay, esbou3 e7n egouli ardla, bas ana mabeeh.. mabe ardla, oo when I finally got over him, he comes back into my life? He comes back and he makes me feel so worthless.” Rawan’s voice was chocked by her tears. Dalal moved closer to Rawan and hugged her tight.

“You’re not worthless. Rawan you’re amazing, w ohwa 7maar! He lost you, never look at it any other way!”

Rawan buried her face in Dalal’s shoulders and started weeping, “Dalal manii 3arfa shloun atkhalas mena!! He’s crazy, 3adi I leave the house w alga 9afe6 jedam baitna!! Sheftay shno gal elyoum? He said no one would ever want me.”

“Rawooon!!! Don’t let it get to your head!! Rawan you’re an amazing and wonderful person and you were more than great to him and you forgave him!! Ohwa shno sawalech? He broke your heart twice, Rawan twice!! While there were so many guys who wanted you, you fell for the bad one, and that happens babe you can’t control it. Bas al7een khala9, awalan you shouldn’t care what Bader thinks or says, you’re a better person now, without him. 9adgeeni if you give other guys a chance, 9adgeeni you’ll see how they’re different than Bader.”

Rawan shook her head and breathed out, “Laa Dalal, I told you I don’t want to be with anyone at the moment. A7taj waket 7agi broo7i. I need to look after myself, I need to love myself, 3ashan I don’t hurt myself again.”

Dalal nodded, she understood Rawan’s point, “shofay, don’t worry about Bader, ana baklem Faisal and I’ll tell him to deal with Bader. Oo ba3dain lazem etghayreen your number, 3ashan Bader maydig 3alaich!”

Rawan nodded and wiped her tears, “Dalool you’re the best wallah! And I’m sorry I snapped at you gabel shway.. Wallah I’m really happy for you and you deserve the best! Jad atmana ena kelshay tabeena et7a9leena la2na you’ve been through so much and you deserve to be happy.”

Dalal smiled so happily, “I love you Rawan!!”

“I love you too, now tell me everything!!” Rawan’s eyes lit up.

Dalal told Rawan about every little detail that happened with Faisal, and they would both giggle and talk about wedding details not knowing that Faisal was going through a bit of a pickle with his mother.

“Faisal 7abeby, elbent ely tabeeha mat9la7lek, walla ahla ebyerthoun! Fa laish tabe ta7rejni ma3a elawadem?” Faisal’s mother said boldly.

Faisal looked at his sister in desperation, “Mama Faisal e7bha!” Haya protested.

His mother wasn’t convinced at all. “Ba3dain enta shloun tabeeni akh6eblik elbent bedoun la as2al 3anha, w bedoun la aklm khalatek w afker bel mawthoo3? Latgooli ashoof shno Khaled sawa! Khaled 7a6na kelna jedam el amer elwaqi3, w el7emdalla kel 2omoora meshat! Ama enta 7abeby mara7 akhaleek etsawe ghal6at Khaled o5ouk!”

“Youma ana hathy elbent ely abeeha!” Faisal demanded.

His mother shook her head, “7abeby tawek e9gheer 3alzawaj.. takharaj awal ba3dain ana akh6eblik elbent ely te9la7lek w te9la7lena!”

Faisal was furious with his mother, “Entay mu rathya tefhmeen ena mabe atzawaj ghair Dalal???? Youma abeehaa w mabe ghairha! W ahalha ratheen!!”

“Mama walla Dalal khoush wa7da!! Youma eshfeech entay mara shefteeha ma3a Mariam refeejtii belshalaih? Mama khalas Faisal w Dalal e7boon ba3ath latogfeen eb wayhum!” Haya said.

Faisal’s mother looked at him sternly, “ana mu rathya. W mani merta7a eny adig w akhe6blik elbent eb hal sur3a! Ent betrd America ba3d esbou3ain, w ebtensaha.”

“Ghair Dalal mani metzawej.” And with those words Faisal left the house filled with anger.

He drove around the block for a while but couldn’t go back home. So he decided to go to the Shalaih, a quite place where he can figure out a way to convince his mother.

But the problem was, he couldn’t tell Dalal that his mother disapproves.

Haya looked at her mother, she hated how stubborn she can be. She hated how she made Faisal feel.

“3ajbech ely 9ar?” Haya said. “Al7een mara7 erd elbait law shno!”

Her mother looked scornfully at her, “Ya bent e7tarmay nafesch w 3adlay esloubch! Hatha esloub hatha?? Qelat adab!”

Haya got up, “Youma laish matabeen Faisal yestanis?? Ana ams kalamtech w geltlch shno yabe! Laish matsaween ely yabeeh w khalas??? Tabeena erd America w ohwa za3lan?? 3ad shofay ba3dain meta berd!!!! Youma hal 7akra elzayda 3ala Faisal ga3da taqmeta!!! Kelna nadree ench et7beena w ench etkhafeen 3alaih 3ala bona ohwa yadrs bara w elwalad le9gheer! Bas youma, Faisal rayal! Faisal ma3ad yahel et7ateen kel7araka esaweeha! Tara wall youma zain mena ena 7a6lech e3tebar w yay ekalmich belmawthoo3! Mu methl Khaled, tezawaj ely yabeha w yabha w 7a6na jedam elamer elwaqi3! Tara walla youma kether ma et7awleen etmasheen Faisal 3ala mazajech, kether ma ohwa bekhish walla el3atheem!!” Haya teared up and looked at her mother, “mama adre kalamy kbeer, w mu mafrooth a7achi omy eb hal 6areeqa, bas youma e7na ga3deen ensoof shay entay matshofeena! Walla kelna nadree ena hal 7akra elzayda la2nch et7beena wetkhafeen 3alayna, bas youma lazem etkhafefeenha shway..”

Haya sat next to her mother and kissed her forehead, “asfa w 7agech 3alay mama..”

Her mother had a disappointed look, “7abebty walla mani 3arfa shloun at9araf ma3akum.. ma3edtaw methl awal 9ghaar w 7awalay ana oo obouch.. kebartaw w kelwa7id menkum yabe e3eeesh 7ayata 3ala kaifa w bas khofi enkum telhoun 3anii. Ana adree eny wayed 9aka 3alaikum entay w Faisal, la2na bas entaw ely bugaytooli, Khaled allah e7aftha tezawaj w kawan nafsa, w al7een Faisal esmallah 3alaih yabe yetzawaj, w ba3dain entay tetzawejain w etkhaleeni broo7i” Her mother teared up.

“Laa laa youma latgooleen chthy!! Ana mara7 akhalech law shno! A9lan shar6 eny kelyoum ayey atghada ma3ach!” Haya cheered her mother up.

“Entay omna elghalya w e7na enmout feech w layomken enkhalech!” Haya said

“Ya ba3ad galbe ya hayaa, allah e7afethch w yarzigch ebkel khair.”

Haya smiled, “Ameen! Al7een goleeli, betkha6been Dalal 7ag Faisal??”

“Bafker belmawthoo3,” Her mother said.

To be continued…