“Isn’t it strange that you don’t pray and thank God yourself, but you still get all the rewards of the people’s prayers when they pray in your charity house?” He gazes at me angrily. “Fortunately, you are surrounded with seven angels, who guard you from us.” He pauses for a moment. “God made the arrangements for you in His seamless manner, answering all your silent prayers, and let you meet the woman of your fantasy. When you saw her, you never thought a woman could be so immaculate and perfect. God chose perfection for you, Adam Gibson.” He’s still walking around me, not taking his eyes off me.
“She told you how her beauty is cursed, how she possesses Kiya’s beauty. She told you how Khaldun doesn’t let her walk to your path. Still…” He looks at me in frustration. “She rebelled and walked down your path, Adam. You made her believe that there is no U-turn in your path, or in hers. She trusted you and walked toward you and when you were supposed to hold her hand, you left her in the darkness to stumble. You cut her deeply, Adam Gibson. She is still bleeding.”
If he’s talking about Khaldun, then it’s not him. I wonder who he is. He keeps walking around me. I just stand here mutely, listening to his bitter truth. But I don’t want to believe that I’m actually in their world, talking to them, seeing them with my own eyes.
“She was meant to be yours. You messed with the laws of the Universe with your stupid free will. It’s not what God planned for you. You are a gutless man who walked out like a fraidy-cat and never bothered to look back to see if she is even dead or alive.”
My heart skips a beat. I don’t want him to tell me any bad news.
“You are still a chicken, Adam. You don’t even dare to ask me if she is alive or not.” Shit! He can read my mind. “Yes, Adam Gibson. I can read your bloody mind.” He is shouting.
“Who are you?”
“You are in a place which is unseen to humans. What you are seeing in front of you is not humanly possible. I cannot even show you my original form, as God didn’t give humans the power to see us the way we are. This power was only given to His messengers, the Prophets.”
“What do you want from me?” I look into his light-blue eyes.
“I wish I could drag you down by your collar and make you confront her, so you could beg on your knees for forgiveness, but our powers fail before your guardian angels.” He walks around me again. “You lied to her that you believe in Allah’s existence.”
“I do believe in Him.”
“No you don’t, Adam Gibson. No you don’t. If you had believed in Him, you would have also believed her. This is not how faith works. Faith doesn’t work on logic. You don’t see Allah in order to believe in Him. You don’t see angels in order to believe in them. You don’t see Jinn in order to believe in them. But still, He made arrangements for you to open your eyes and to make you believe in Him and His creatures, only because you have a heart for humanity. You have both charity and kindness, two of the most important of the heavenly virtues. Although you are a cowardly lover—you were terrified to confront and accept the fact that we do exist, you broke her heart and crushed her soul—still, He allowed you to walk to the places where humans don’t go. He made you see our world.”
“Who are you?” I ask again in a whisper.
“I am Fadil, your Eve’s best friend. And welcome to my world, Adam Gibson.”
THE CONFESSIONS
Two more weeks have passed, but Adam still doesn’t have the courage to face Rania. What he faced two weeks ago was extremely paranormal. He cannot share his experience with anyone. Yet, he has no clue how he would find the courage to face her. He backed out when she needed him most.
After spending so much time with her, he knew she would never lie, and what she had shown to him was definitely not a lie. It was not a fantasy. It was not her imagination. The bitter truth was that it was all real, and whether he denied it or accepted it, the truth would remain the same. And after what he had experienced, there was no chance of not believing it. He couldn’t sleep, he couldn’t eat, and he couldn’t concentrate on anything. Rania’s pleading eyes are still in front of him. He can never forgive himself that he walked away from her when she needed him most.
All along, he had made promises to love her and worship her forever. All she wanted was him to confess his love in front of a powerful spirit who wanted to claim Rania as his wife, to let him know that Rania only belonged to Adam, that God had sent him only for her.
Adam’s mental and physical state is getting worse day by day. He isn’t focusing much on his business, either. Finally, two weeks after his dark experience, he decides to try to see Rania to apologize for his behavior. He knows Rania has a tender heart; maybe if he begs her, she will forgive him. He will remind her of all the good times they had. I promised to be with her under all conditions. I broke that promise. She was begging for my love and I walked out. Why do I even expect mercy from her? Adam is afraid that if he confronts Rania, she will back out like he did, and he knows that he’d deserve it. But deep in his heart he knows she loves him, and she may forgive him.
The next day, he goes to her office and walks toward her desk, hoping to find her. All eyes are on him, but he doesn’t care. When he reaches her desk, he sees someone else sitting at her place. He doesn’t ask any questions, just heads to Ben’s office. Ben is busy in a meeting with other colleagues, but Adam walks in without even knocking.
“Mr. Gibson. What can I do for you?” Ben looks at Adam with surprise. Adam gazes around the room, hoping to find Rania, but she isn’t there. He looks at Ben, and then to the others. Ben gets the idea that Adam wants to speak in private.
“Gentlemen, please excuse us for a moment. I will call you back in shortly.”
As soon as the men leave, Adam closes the door behind him. “Where is Rania?” Ben stands up, watching him. He walks toward the windows and faces the city. He doesn’t want to respond. “Ben, I am asking you, where is Rania?”
“Why are you asking me, Mr. Gibson? Don’t you know?” He turns around and glares at Adam. “She doesn’t work for me anymore.”
“Has she started working somewhere else? I’m sure you know.” Adam’s voice is full of frustration.
“Your interview in the Tribune has shaken her, Gibson. What were you thinking, when you were talking to that reporter?”
“I didn’t lie. I am in love with her, damn it! And I know she loves me too.”
“Oh, so this is love—when her father came here the next day and took her back, you were not in the picture at all?”
“What? Her father was here? Where is she, Ben?” He is yelling at Ben.
“Mr. Gibson, I know you own this building, but currently I have paid the rent for this floor. I would appreciate it if you don’t create a scene in my office.”
Adam rakes his fingers through his hair. “Ben, for God’s sake, please tell me where she is. I need her address.”
“You know, when she was leaving, my son asked her, ‘Why aren’t you letting Adam know that you are leaving? He might look for you.’ She said, ‘He can find me anywhere.’” Ben takes a deep breath. “She has faith in you, Gibson. She knows you can find her anywhere she’d go, so go find her on your own.”
“This world is too damn big. I have no bloody idea where her father has taken her. Is she in Dubai?”
“I’m afraid I can’t tell you. My friend Bari has asked me not to disclose her whereabouts. You can use your power or money or anything; I’m going to keep my promise.” He faces the window again, informing Adam that he no longer desires further arguments.
Adam walks out of his office and calls Rania’s phone. It is turned off. He tracks the last location, and it is the apartment that he gave her. He wonders how she would leave the country when he has her passport. It’s pointless to go to the apartment and search for her, when Ben has already informed him that Rania’s father has taken her away. He has lost her once again. He goes straight to the police station where Mike works. He is hoping to find Mike, hoping that Mike will help
him out.
He is lucky; Mike is there. “Adam? What are you doing here?”
“Where is Rania?” He speaks without even noticing his surroundings. Mike looks around to see many people’s eyes on them.
“Let’s talk about it in private. This is not the right place.” Mike stands up from his seat and heads to a private meeting room. Adam follows him.
“Where is Rania?”
“You’re asking about her now? Where were you the last month and a half?”
“Fuck off, Mike. Just tell me where she is.”
“Why do you even want to know?” Mike folds his arms over his chest and sits at the corner of the dark brown conference table.
“Mike, please, you know where she is. Ben told me her father took her away.”
“Do you have any idea what you’ve done, Gibson?” Mike stands up from the table and grabs Adam’s collar. “I wish I could kill you. What you did to her, I swear I would have killed you, if I didn’t know how much she loves you.”
“Did she tell you she loves me?”
“Why? You don’t know she loves you? After all she did, she trusted a man after five years, she tried her best to come out of her shell just for you, Adam, and you’re asking me if she loves you? What more do you want to know, dammit?” Mike is shouting at him. “First you sneak into her life pretending to be a friend to occupy a little space in her heart, then you save her from obnoxious people to create more space for you, then you hurt her in front of people and then apologize in front of the nation to create more space in her heart, and after confessing your love, what did you do, Adam? You walked out of her life!”
“What did she tell you?”
“The problem is, she doesn’t trust anyone. Not even me. She trusted only you, Adam, and you turned out to be a bastard. I don’t know what went wrong after the therapist came that day, but knowing that she spent nights with you, that tells me she gave you her life. You have killed her. Do you know that? You have bloody killed her.”
Adam looks at Mike fiercely.
“When she was leaving, she was almost dead. There was nothing in her eyes. Your interview in the paper enraged Uncle Bari and he came immediately here to confront her. He asked Rania to call you so he could talk to you in person, but Rania told him that you are no longer in her life. Don’t you understand? She has thrown you out of her life just like you did to her.” Mike walks toward the door. “Just forget her, Adam. She’s starting a new life. Have mercy on her.”
“I am her life, Mike. What do you mean she’s starting a new life?” Adam grabs the doorknob from Mike and shuts the door again.
Mike sighs and glares at Adam. “Her father has arranged a marriage for her, with a highly respectable, political Arab family. She—”
“She said yes to the marriage?” Adam’s eyes go wide.
“She was not consulted. After what you did to her life, she was not in a position to argue.”
“No no no...you don’t understand…she can’t marry anyone, Mike.” Adam looks straight into Mike’s eyes. “She loves me, I know she does.” He rakes his fingers through his hair aggressively. “She’s mine. She can’t marry anyone.” He thinks for a moment. “How could she leave the country? I have her passport.”
“She is the UN secretariat’s daughter. You think she would have issues with travel?” Mike speaks sarcastically. “What difference does it make, Adam? She can’t marry you. First, you haven’t proposed to her, and second, she won’t go against her father’s will.”
“I don’t care what her father thinks.” Adam drops his gaze. “I can’t live without her, and I know she can’t accept any other man. I am her soul mate.”
“Oh! You’re pretty confident about that, aren’t you?” Mike chuckles with sarcasm. “You think she would accept you?”
“She would have to. She has no other choice. She knows God has made us for each other.” Adam’s confidence moves Mike’s heart.
***
It has been almost forty-five days since Rania had any news from Adam. She cries every night, realizing what a mistake she had made to trust Adam. After all the time she spent with him, she started believing that God had sent Adam just for her. She thought he was her soul mate, and he was always there in their world to look after her. Fadil’s assumptions about Adam made her believe that he could be the one who would break the curse that has been cast on all Kiya-faced women for all those thousands of years. If, and only if, Adam had shown some courage and confessed in front of all the Jinn that he truly loved her and that he would always be there for her, then things would have been so different.
She looks around her room in her father’s house, and remembers her past, how she left this room so suddenly when her father told her that she was going to finish her studies in Toronto. Everything in the room is untouched. The only difference in all these years is that when she left, she left with painful memories of Jibran, and now that she has come back, she has sweet and painful memories of Adam.
Tears fill her eyes when she thinks about Adam. She cannot even blame him for escaping in his fear, as he was confronted with something that doesn’t happen in a normal life. Adam would never have thought that the woman he fell in love with would be cursed by a Jinni. She would never blame Adam for his behavior, as what he did was truly natural. It was her curse that came between them.
Her father appears in her room with bridal garments and jewelry.
“You need to try on these clothes and decide which one you will wear for the wedding.” Ahmed Bari puts the clothes on the corner of her bed. She looks at her father with blank eyes.
After that incident with the Jinn, when Adam left her, she hasn’t spoken to anyone other than Mike, when he asked her to tell Adam she was leaving, and she said he would find her. Other than that, she has not spoken a single word.
“Your Nikah is fixed after three days from now. Your groom wants to meet you tonight, over dinner, so make sure you talk to him.” Bari’s tone is commanding. She nods silently, looking blankly into his eyes.
He can’t look back at her, because he knows what happened was her own mistake. She fell in love with the wrong person, who walked out when she needed him most. His interview in the Tribune has already spoiled Bari’s reputation, and Rania has no room left to argue. There is no point in fighting for the one she loves, when she knows he is scared of her. She would never want to scare him off again; she loves him very much.
The only fear that pesters her mind is how she will start a new life with a stranger, knowing that she could never give herself physically and spiritually when Khaldun will be standing between them. How will she ever make her new groom believe that she has been cursed? The only person who said he would believe her got scared of the fact that Jinn truly exist, and that they exist in her life. If the person she trusted most ran away, then how she would expect a stranger to believe her?
She can never explain everything to her father, because she knows he would never understand. Her father is about to say something, when they both hear the doorbell.
“Who would come in the middle of the afternoon?” Bari checks his watch and heads to the main door. Rania follows her father quietly.
When he opens the door, he is shocked to see Adam Gibson standing at his doorway. Adam ignores Bari and cocks his head toward Rania, who is standing at some distance behind her father. As soon as their eyes meet, she feels weak and falls on her knees. He walks toward her, but Bari grabs him by the arm.
“Where do you think you are going, Mr. Gibson? This is my house. You cannot enter without my permission.” Bari sounds annoyed.
“You can’t do this to your daughter, Mr. Bari. How could a father be so cruel to his only child?” Adam looks straight into Bari’s eyes.
“That’s none of your damn business.”
“It is my damn business, Mr. Bari. Anything concerning Rania is my goddamn business. I love your daughter and I won’t let you throw her in a dark well.”
At the back of the room, Ad
am hears Rania trying her best to suppress a cry. She can’t even look at him.
“She is my daughter, and I have the right to take the decision for her. Mr. Gibson, keep in mind that we don’t belong to this western culture of yours, where kids marry on their own.”
“But I am sure your religion allows the right to ask a girl before she is pushed to a marriage.” Adam withdraws from Bari’s grip and continues. “You should know that she is still under Jibran’s name. She can’t marry anyone, according to Islamic laws.”
“If that’s what you are talking about, then I have Jibran’s death certificate from the court. I already had it when she left the city. She has been free of Jibran for five years.”
Rania looks at her father with shock. Bari looks at her apologetically and says, “You were free all those years.”
“Why didn’t you tell her that?” Adam is almost yelling. “You purposely kept her in a cage?”
“I was trying to protect my daughter. I didn’t want her to get involved with another wrong man. She doesn’t know how to identify the right person.” Bari moves from the door and stands beside the couch, looking out the window. “Anyhow, her marriage is fixed now. I don’t know why you are here, Mr. Gibson. What exactly do you want from us?”
Adam looks at Bari for a moment and then kneels down to face Rania. Her eyes are closed, and she isn’t able to focus on anything.
“I am so sorry, baby. I left you when you needed me most. Look at me, Rania. Just look at me once.” Adam is begging her, but she can’t open her eyes. Instead, tears keep flooding her face. “I know I was a jackass to run away from there. I know you were not lying, my love. I was a thick-head that I couldn’t accept it, at that moment. I know I’m the one who created all the mess, and I promise I will clear it all away.”
A Prayer Heeded Page 18
