Chapter 3- Truely Loved

   "Come on Lina, we must get to our section." Mama said to me. There was a mens' section and a womens' section in a mosque. It was optional for us to pray, but we always prayed.

   "Bye Lina. See you later." Majd said to me.

   "Bye Majd." We started to walk to our section. When we got there, we had to wash our hands and make sure our hijabs were on right. Praying then started. We had to do all thr right moves and say all the right things. Auntie prayed with us. After it was over, we decided to get some lunch from a resturaunt near. It was the last day of Ramadan yesterday.

   "I'll buy." Uncle said.

   "I'll pitch in." Mama said.

   "I will too." Auntie said. The resturaunt was great. The food tasted good and the entertainment was great. They got us to get up and dance. Of course, Majd danced with me. After, we decided to go to Uncle's and Auntie's house.

   While we drove to the house, I saw those same people, the light-skined ones. I guess they saw me too because they looked at me.

   "It's just a coincidence." I thought.

   We neared the house. Majd was in the passenger seat of one of Uncle's cars. Mama was the driver and Hamada was sitting on the left side of the back seat. I was sitting on the right.

   After we pulled up, Majd said "Don't open your door. I'll open it fo you.' I smiled thinking he was a gentlemen. He closed his door and came to open my door.

   "Thank you." I said. He went to go open Mama's door because she was expecting it.

   "Thank you." she said after he opened her door. Hamada opened his himself. We walked to the door.

   "Don't worry. I have a key." Hamada said. Uncle, Auntie, and Nour weren't there yet. Hamada opened the door.

 

   Dinner was great once again. That time, Majd sat next to me. It was the happiest feeling in the world to know that someone cared about you like Majd did. When I had to get up from my chair, he pulled the chair from under the table and let me get out. When I came back to sit down, he did the same thing, but pushed the chair back to the table. It was nice.

   "That was nice of how Majd treated you tonight." Mama said to me as we were walking home after dinner.

   "Yes it was."

   "I think he really cares about you."

   "I know. The best feeling in the world, huh?"

   "Yes. Your father used to treat me like that. Then, it all changed. He probably left us for his three other wives. That was probably his excuse." If you were a Muslim man, you could have up to four wives. The Qur'an said that the man had to treat them all the same.

   "Well, he's gone now and we don't have to worry about him."

   "You're right, Lina. We should forget about the past."

  

   "Lina, Majd's here!" Mama called me from the living room.

   "Coming!" I called from my room. I looked in the mirror and smiled at myself. I was excited and I thought my hijab looked pretty.

   I walked slowly to the living room. Mama and Majd were talking on the couch.

   "Hi Majd." I said with a smile.

   "Hi Lina. You look pretty." he said with a smile.

   "Thank you."

   "Jirna, is it ok if we stay out for the whole day?" Majd asked Mama.

   "Sure." Mama replied.

   "We should be going now." I said.

   "Yes. Have a good time Jirna." Majd said. We walked to the door.

   "Bye. Have fun!" Mama said. We closed the door and walked outside.

   "Where are we going? Are we walking?" I asked him.

   "I can't tell you yet and no, we're not for long." We came closer to the main road. Majd put up his hand and called a taxi. One pulled up to us. Majd went up to the window and whispered to the taxi driver so I wouldn't hear the location.

   "Let me open the door for you." Majd said after. He opened the door and let me go first. I sat on the left side of the back seat and Majd went to the middle seat.

   "Where are we going?" I asked Majd once again.

   "You'll see." he said smiling. It took about ten minuets to get to the location. It was just what I was picturing, the beach.

   "Thank you." Majd said to the taxi driver and handed him money. He went to open my door for me.

   "Welcome to the beach!" Majd said to me.

   "Great!"

   "I want to show you a beautiful spot on the sand."

   "Ok." The walk was short. The spot was in the dunes and it was beautiful.

   "Great, right?"

   "Yes." We sat down and he held my hand.

   "So, I'm taking you to other places after this."

   "Let me guess, another secret right?"

   "Yes."

   "So, how long have you lived here?"

   "All my life. I'm half Egyptian, half Moroccan. And you?"

   "Same, but I'm half American, half Moroccan."

   "What happened to your dad?"

   "He left us after I was born. He had three other wives and my mom thinks it was because of that. He said that he ould leave because he couldn't handle having a child."

   "I'm sorry."

   "It's alright. So, is your mom or dad Egyptian?"

   "Dad. He came here to do a job for two weeks. He saw her one day and couldn't stop looking at her. He got the courage to ask her on a date and she said yes. A year and a half later, they had me. Also, of course your mom is Moroccan, right?"

   "Yes." We started to talk for hours about everything possible.

   "Let's get lunch." he finally said.

   "Sure." We took a taxi to the nearest resturaunt and had a good time.

   "I have a surprise for you." he said as we were getting a taxi.

   "Where?"

   "You'll see." As we got a taxi, he whispered to the taxi driver. It took fifteen minuets. We were at the animal shelter.

   "Why did you take me here?" I asked smiling.

   "Come with me and you'll see." We walked to a room filled of dogs in cages. "Pick one. Any one. I already paid for it."

   "No way!" I yelled and hugged him.

   I looked around and picked a four month old Labrador. His name was Mustafa. 

   We looked in the store in the shelter and I got him a blue collar and leash. I also got him food and two bowls; one for water and the other for food.  

   We rode to my house.

   "Thank you." I said when we got out of the taxi and hugged him very hard.

   "You're welcome. I'll meet you at your locker tomorrow morning." he said and walked off. I knew I was truely loved. 

  

  

  

  

  

Author's Note

ignore spelling problems

Reviews

[Coyote Poetry]

Story is very good. The description and detail is excellent. Your story allow me to get a understanding of the young girl mind in her world. Thank you.
Coyote