Kidnapped by the Arab

Jamil said goodbye to Ibrahim, then hurriedly walked down the hallway. Ibrahim leaned against the wall, his face showing deep sadness. Aisha approached him, knowing she shouldn’t, but she couldn’t bear to see him like this.

“Ibrahim,” she said, startling the young man. How long had she been there? He worried at the thought.

“Aisha, it’s not what you think.”

“Don’t worry, I didn’t see anything. I’m just concerned to see you like this.”

She asked to come in, sat down on a chair, and put her face in her hands before starting to talk.

“Please don’t say anything about what you’ve seen. We met just to talk, there’s never been anything more between us than what you saw. We said our goodbyes; my mother has arranged my engagement with a girl of her liking here in this country. People like Jamil and me have to suppress our feelings. If we’re exposed, it won’t matter that I’m the Sheikh’s brother; the Grand Tribunal would impose severe punishment, maybe even hormonal treatments in an attempt to find a possible cure.”

“I’m sorry, I don’t know what to say. I know so little about your customs.”

“Jamil has given up. In a few days, he’ll be married. It’s better this way; if it were known, they would consider us criminals. A relationship considered ‘unnatural’ is punished with public disgrace and up to fourteen years in prison.”

Aisha couldn’t comprehend the severity of their laws. Ibrahim was still so young; at twenty-two, he had the right to live his life as he pleased, at least that’s how she saw it.

Ahmed wanted to change many things in his country, but there was still a long way to go. It wouldn’t be easy to change deeply rooted traditions that had been imposed for centuries.

After talking for a while and seeing that Ibrahim felt calmer, Aisha returned to her room. If anyone noticed she had been in the boy’s room, they could face serious problems. She remembered that she had noticed tension between the two, but hadn’t thought much of it.

In the morning, Amira came to get her for breakfast. Ibrahim apologized for not being able to join them.

“It will be just you and me, sister-in-law,” she said with a smile.

“Thank you for looking after me and keeping me company.”

“There’s nothing to thank for; I enjoy your company. It’s not just because my brother asked me to do it.”

In New York, Cambell had insisted that Thara move in with him. After much insistence, the Cuban girl accepted, and Caroline moved in with them too; she would continue her studies in the city.

Carlo was getting more desperate each day; he couldn’t fathom the idea of Mía disappearing. He had people following Thara and Caroline, but the girls led a quiet life, as if nothing had happened. They must have some information about her, he was sure of that; otherwise, they wouldn’t be so calm.

The day of the hammam arrived. Amira arrived on time, as always. Ahmed had rented a very exclusive spa just for the bride and the female members of the family, as tradition dictated. They gifted peshtemals to all the women. They enjoyed the Turkish bath, cleansing their skin with aromatic soaps, and received massages with essential oils. The groom sent food for all the guests.

Aisha told Amira that some people still followed the tradition of the bride leaving her house escorted by female family members who carried incense and candles. They sang and danced, alluding to the bride’s beauty and the process she was about to go through. It was a preparation for her physical and spiritual purification. Ahmed had spared Aisha from many things to avoid overwhelming her, as there was a clear clash of cultures, and she might not enjoy all of it.

After the Turkish bath, they returned to the palace. Básima had been absent from all of it. Ahmed had forbidden her from getting close to Aisha, and she would only be allowed during the henna night because it was necessary. Only two days remained for that ceremony and three for the much-anticipated wedding celebration.

If there was something the couple found difficult, it was sleeping. Nightmares woke them up in the early hours, and they had gotten used to keeping each other company. Soon, they would be together again.

The day of the henna night arrived, and Aisha looked beautiful in her flowing red dress. Amira adorned her head, neck, and hands with beautiful jewelry. Aisha wasn’t fond of wearing gold, but she had realized its importance in that country.

Upon arriving at the celebration venue, Amira accompanied her to a beautiful spot, a special throne-like chair. Among songs and dances, they decorated her feet and hands with henna drawings. Aisha couldn’t get used to all of it, but she noticed that they also decorated the hands of unmarried young women for luck and to ensure they would marry soon.

Later, Básima approached the bride and handed her a tray with keys, bread, and milk. This represented the welcome to the family, nourishment, and abundance. Aisha felt uncomfortable; she knew that if that woman didn’t attack her, it was only because they were surrounded by all those other women. She realized that it was like a traditional bachelorette party.

She wondered what Ahmed was doing. Her sister-in-law had told her that in some places, the henna night was also celebrated for the groom, while others celebrated it together.

When she returned, she felt extremely tired. Part of it was also due to the fact that the next day was finally the wedding celebration, and the night with her future mother-in-law would be complicated.

Carlo was surprised not to have received an invitation to attend the Sheikh’s wedding. After all, he was one of the most important partners in the corporation. Moreover, he was intrigued by all the rumors surrounding the mysterious bride.

All that was known about her was her name, Aisha, and everything else about her remained unknown. Carlo imagined she must belong to some Arab family, possibly from an influential background.

Cambell, Thara, and Caroline had flown to Dubai, wanting to surprise the couple. They knew it would please them to see their friends there. Carlo didn’t find it strange for them to attend; after all, Thara was Cambell’s partner and the groom’s best friend. As for the men who were constantly following them, they would figure out what to do about them later.

On the day of the wedding in the morning, they headed straight to the Sheikh’s palace. Ahmed was delighted to see them and informed the girls that the bride was at the other palace. They immediately went there.

Aisha woke up still tired, feeling low-spirited, and just wanting everything to be over. When she heard a knock on her door, she thought it was Amira. To her complete surprise, she saw who was standing in front of her.

“Girls, I can’t believe it, awww!”

“Friend, we’re finally together.”

“Sister, I missed you so much.”

“And I missed you too, little one.”

They had breakfast together, catching up on everything that had happened. They were astonished by everything Mía told them, especially about the name change.

“I never expected that, changing her name; that’s extreme,” commented Caroline.

“And you were thinking of conquering an Arab, Caroline.”

“Nooo, definitely not. For starters, I really like my name.”

They laughed at Caroline’s comments. Shortly after, Amira arrived, and Aisha introduced her to the girls. They went to the room to get things ready for the night. Amira ordered that the girls’ belongings be brought, so they could be made up by the professionals she had hired. They needed to look spectacular that night to accompany the bride.

At the Sheikh’s palace, Cambell and Ahmed were also catching up.

“I couldn’t believe it when you told me you’re going to be a father, especially the way it happened.”

“That’s right, my friend.”

“It’s incredible, considering it’s you, and that you’ve decided to leave your bachelorhood behind. You, a confirmed bachelor. Now I believe anything hahaha.”

“Don’t even start, you fell head over heels too.”

“I thought she would hate me when I told her what really happened.”

“The fact that she didn’t speaks highly of her; she must have a big heart.”

The time was approaching, and both palaces were bustling. The receptions would be held at a very exclusive hotel. The halls were decorated with utmost luxury, and the most important people from the United Arab Emirates would be present.

Ahmed wouldn’t have wanted it this way, but his mother was right about one thing – if they didn’t invite them, it would be considered an offense.

Aisha took a relaxing bath, knowing that when she told the girls what her mother-in-law intended for the wedding night, they would be outraged. That woman was insane, but she trusted Ahmed, and she was sure he would know how to handle it.

She poured some essences into the water, closed her eyes, and focused on the gentle aroma, trying to clear her mind, making everything else disappear in that moment.