Clueless Love

“How are you doing my dear? I hope you are doing okay? Have you eaten? Have you found somewhere to pray? Do they have a mosque so you can pray? I hope where you are staying now you are not finding it too hard. My baby girl, I hope everything is fine?” There is only one person in the world who will fire all these questions at once.

The woman who made me into the wonderful woman I am today, my number one person in the world, my mother. She was the first person I called because apparently when no-one knew where I was, Waheeda decided to call my mother, crying that I had been kidnapped and How she didn’t know what to do, and she didn’t know if I told my mother anything before I went missing. I laughed when I heard it because how will my mother in Nigeria know my whereabouts, when I am staying in America. I am sure Waheeda was just confused and did not know what to do and that’s why she called my mom. I don’t blame her; I probably would have done the same.

“I am fine, mummy. I have prayed and eaten. You don’t have to worry yourself, everything is fine,” I tell her, smiling over the phone even though she can’t see me.

“Are you sure? I hope everything is fine.”

“Yes, everything is fine.”

“Alhamdulillah (Praise be to Allah), when your sister called crying, I did not know what to think but Alhamdulillah (Praise be to Allah) everything is fine. How is Ismail doing? I hope he is fine also?” she asks, sounding relieved.

“Yes, he is fine also, he is doing well.”

“Alhamdulillah (Praise be to Allah) for that, and Waheeda explained to me everything that is going on. Don’t worry, we are praying here for both of you, and praying that man will go to jail. You and Ismail will be able to go back to your normal lives as soon as possible.”

“Ameen. And mummy, how is everyone doing back home?”

“We are all fine. We were just all worried about you but now that we know you are okay, we are all at peace again.”

“I am sorry I made all of you worry about me,” I say feeling a bit sad I made my family worry for me.

“It’s fine, my dear, because if your family does not worry about you, who will worry about you.”

“It’s true mummy,” I say smiling feeling very loved by my family.

“It is, and I will leave you to get back to your business. Do make sure to call me and keep me updated. I will tell your brothers that they can call you now that you have your phone back. Bye, my dear.”

“Okay, I will be waiting for their calls, and bye mummy. Love you.”

“Love you too,” she says and ends the call.

I finished talking to my mom an hour ago. I also spoke to Fatima, Emma, my brothers, my dad, Waheeda, practically everyone, even the kids. Everyone asked how Ismail and I were doing. They are all worried about both of us, but I told them In Shaa Allah (If Allah wills) everything would be over soon, so they should not worry themselves. I also prayed Dhuhr (Afternoon) prayer making sure to pray for the success of today’s plan.

I might be telling others not to worry about us, but that does not mean I am not worried sick about Ismail. Ismail and David went out not too long ago to see if they can place the tracker on Mr. Alberto’s car. I am praying deeply that everything goes as planned because if it does not, I don’t know if I would be able to live without Ismail.

I told Ismail and David to call me when they are done, but for the past hour I have not heard anything from them. I am beginning to get more worried, but I don’t want to think the worst. I would have called them to find out what’s happening, but I can’t risk it and will have to wait for them to call me. Maybe I should call Lisa to find out if she knows anything. Or maybe I shouldn’t, Lisa is currently at work. I should not bother her while she is at work. I should wait till she gets back. I will ask her then.

Lisa is staying in the safe house with us while her children live with her mother for the meantime. I asked Lisa to stay with me because it’s not right, or even Islamic, for me to stay in a house with only two men who are not related to me. In LA, David and Ismail were not the only people in the house. David had many staff, including several female staff, so there were other women in the house with me. I would have preferred to go and stay in a hotel or something, because I can’t go back home. Going home is too dangerous and a hotel is also out of the question. Mr. Alberto is into the hotel business, so he has every hotel and motel on alert for Ismail and me. The man is really out to get us. There is no guarantee if he finds us that we will come back alive. Ya Allah, I hope we find something fast to put him away so we can go back to our normal life.

I decide to do the only thing that can lessen my worry right now. I look for a laptop around the house. I find one, and I hack into the CCTV cameras of Mr. Alberto’s office building complex.

I get the footages of the parking lot, but I can’t see the car Ismail and David used or Mr. Alberto’s car. I look around a bit and finally find the car Ismail and David were using. I can’t really tell if they are in the car or not. I look around where they are to see if Mr. Alberto’s car is close by, but the problem is I don’t even know which is his car.

I don’t have to wonder which car is his for long because I can understand why Ismail and David have not called to give me any updates. Mr. Alberto just arrived at the office. Ismail and David were probably waiting for him to arrive. He gets out of his car and walks into the elevator. After a few minutes, Ismail and David step out of the car and walk over to Mr. Alberto’s car. I can’t see what they are doing from the CCTV camera I am watching. I decide to change the CCTV camera I am watching from, but mistakenly, I click on the wrong one. But Alhamdulillah (Praise be to Allah) I did. I quickly pick up my phone and call Ismail to warn him before it’s too late.

While I was trying to click on the footage to see what Ismail and David were doing, I mistakenly clicked on the one for the elevator. The same scary guy that captured me last time is taking the elevator down to the parking lot. If he sees Ismail or David, I don’t even want to imagine what will happen. I quickly change the footage to see why Ismail is not picking up my calls. I have called him three times, and he has not picked. I also make it so I can see both inside the elevator and what Ismail and David are doing. He is not answering the phone because he is helping David put the tracker on the car. I call for the fifth time before Ismail finally picks up, Alhamdulillah (Praise be to Allah).

“As-salaam alaykum, Umit,” Ismail says picking up.

“Ismail you need to get out of there. One of Mr. Alberto’s men is coming down to the parking lot.” I say rushed, standing up from my chair not feeling comfortable sitting down anymore.

“How do you know that?”

“Does that matter? All that matters is that someone is coming down to the parking lot and you need to leave there now!” I urge pacing up and down the living room while talking as fast as I can.

“How close are they?”

“Does that matter? Ismail, please leave! I don’t even want to think about what will happen if he sees you and David. You guys can put the tracker on another time. Please leave,” I am on the verge of tears and fearing what could happen if that man sees them.

“Alright we are leaving.”

“No, no, no, go back. He is already there, hide, hide, hide, somewhere. Hide under the car he won’t see you there. Hide there,” I am so scared I can feel my heart rate increase. I even think I am sweating, Oh Allah, please make that man not see Ismail or David.

Ismail and David crawl under the car and hide. The scary man walks around the parking lot like he is looking for something. After looking around for a while, he walks back to the elevator. Alhamdulillah (Praise be to Allah), he did not find them.

“Ismail, you guys can come out now. It is safe, he has gone,” I say relieved he did not see them. Ismail did not cut the call even after he hid.

“Wow, that was close, thank you Umit,” Ismail says coming out from under the car.

“You are welcome, but you have to be fast and leave. He might come back soon because he looked like he was looking for something.”

“Alright, we will. Bye.”

“Bye,” I say, hanging up the call but I still watch Ismail and David. They placed the tracker while hiding under the car. They get into their car and drive out of the parking lot. Alhamdulillah (Praise be to Allah) that went well. They should be heading back now.

Ismail and David arrive back safe and sound. Alhamdulillah (Praise be to Allah) no one saw their faces because if anyone got even a glimpse of David’s face and recognized him, our whole plan will blow up in flames. When Ismail got back the first words he said to me made me almost forget the entire problem we are facing. He told me, ‘thank you, my love, for saving me today.’ All I could do was smile. He also asked me how I knew the man was coming. I explained to him how I found a laptop and hacked into the CCTV cameras, and he wasn’t even surprised that I had. He told me that is why he is more than happy Allah put me in his life. That Allah put me in his life not just to love him back, but also to look out for him. The whole time Ismail was telling me this, I was just blushing like a schoolgirl who got asked to the prom by her crush. I could feel my heart about to explode due to how happy his words made me.