Hearts Afire

by Deborah Fletcher Mello

  Maitlyn liked Zak’s father. The man’s gregarious personality was engaging. He asked a lot of questions about her and her family and seemed genuinely interested in knowing more about her. There was no missing that Zak and his father had an incredible relationship, a solid bond and friendship. His father’s approval meant a lot to him. She didn’t think he felt the same about his mother. After a solid conversation, Mr. Sayed excused himself to go check on his wife and the progress in the kitchen.

  Zak let out a deep sigh. “Are you okay?” he questioned.

  Maitlyn appreciated his concern. She nodded her head. “I really like your father,” she said.

  “He likes you.”

  “I don’t think your mother likes me.”

  “My mother will love you. Give her time. She just finds it difficult to deal with things she can’t control.” Zak grabbed her hand. “Come with me,” he said as he pulled her along and up the short flight of stairs.

  “Where are we going?”

  Zak smiled as he rounded the balcony to a room on the other side. He opened the door and led her inside. Maitlyn smiled back as she turned in circles, taking in the view.

  His childhood room was covered in posters, a world map and the February 20, 1989, cover of the New Yorker. Most were badly faded, but they were still in place. A twin bed sat against one wall and there was an extensive collection of books on the built-in shelves. A child’s telescope sat on the center of the desk and an old boom box rested on the nightstand.

  Maitlyn clapped her hands together. “This is too precious,” she said as she examined the many titles in his collection. “Oh! Moby Dick, Treasure Island, Grimm’s Fairy Tales! You were a nerdy little boy,” she exclaimed.

  “I was not that nerdy,” Zak said with a laugh.

  She moved to the other side of the room and picked up a lined notebook that rested on the desktop. She found his childhood handwriting amusing. The printing was neat and orderly, and there was a circular rotation to his signings. She paused to read what he’d written, then lifted her eyes to his. “You wrote poetry!”

  “I tried to write poetry,” he said sheepishly.

  Maitlyn started to read out loud. “Roses are red—”

  Zak jumped to her side and snatched the book from her hand. “That’s not necessary,” he said.

  Maitlyn laughed. “I think you’re blushing.”

  “I’m not blushing,” he said as he dropped the binder back on the desk. He eased an arm around her waist and drew her to him. The laughter waned beneath the warmth of his touch.

  Maitlyn pressed her palms to his chest. Zak brushed his fingers along her profile, pushing her scarf off her head and back around her neck. They stared into each other’s eyes. Their connection was soul deep; the link between them was all-consuming, like nothing she had ever known. Dipping his head, Zak brushed his lips over hers, barely touching the soft tissue. He dipped once and then again before finally dropping his mouth against hers and kissing her hard.

  Chapter 13

  A voice from the doorway interrupted the couple as they stood enjoying their quiet moment together. Both turned at the same time, suddenly feeling like they’d gotten caught with their hands in the cookie jar.

  “Excuse me,” the young woman staring at them said. Her arms were crossed tightly in front of her and she looked uncomfortably nervous.

  “Aalijah.” Zak said. The hand that had been wrapped around Maitlyn’s waist dropped down to his side. “What are you doing here?”

  Aalijah smiled, her gaze narrowing slightly. “Hello, Zakaria. Your mother thought you might be up here. She asked me to call you down.”

  Zak nodded. His expression shifted into something Maitlyn didn’t recognize. He and the other woman staring at each other suddenly made her uncomfortable. She looked from one to the other as Zak suddenly remembered his manners.

  “Maitlyn, this is Aalijah Dar. Aalijah is an old family friend. Aalijah, this is Maitlyn Boudreaux.

  Aalijah nodded her head, tossing Maitlyn a quick wave of her hand. “Your mother says you should come down. Your guests are arriving.” She turned abruptly and disappeared from view.

  Maitlyn looked up at Zak. “What was that all about?” she asked.

  Zak shook his head. “We’ll talk about it later. We need to go down,” he said, ignoring her question.

  As they made their way back to the courtyard, they noticed a small crowd had begun to gather. Zak shook his head. “So much for a small affair. She’s probably invited half the town,” he snapped, clearly displeased.

  Maitlyn found Zak’s tone disconcerting. Something had him upset and she didn’t think it had anything to do with the family members who were throwing their arms around his shoulders to welcome him home. But rather everything to do with the teary-eyed young woman at his mother’s side. Maitlyn stole glances toward Dr. Sayed and Aalijah, who were huddled together in the corner. Aalijah was clearly distressed, and Dr. Sayed was trying hard to console her.

  Aalijah was a pretty girl with an air of innocence about her. Her head and chest were covered by a hijab, the traditional veil worn by a Muslim female beyond the age of puberty in the presence of adult males. Her crystal clear complexion was free of makeup, and she looked much younger than Maitlyn imagined she really was.

  Zak’s father suddenly grabbed her hands and pulled her along to meet Zak’s family and their host of friends. Everyone was warm and welcoming. His aunt and cousins were in deep conversation about their planned trip to the Hawaiian Islands. As his aunt was bemoaning her fear of flying, Maitlyn stole a glance around the room. Zak had joined his mother and Aalijah. His mother was talking with her hands; her limbs waved erratically back and forth. She wasn’t happy, and, judging by the expression on Zak’s face, neither was he.

  A soft bell chimed through the room. Zak’s father gestured for his son’s attention, waving him to his side. Zak turned an about-face, leaving his mother in midsentence. He paused at Maitlyn’s elbow.

  “I’ll be back,” Zak said.

  “Where are you going?”

  “Mosque. The men have to gather together for the afternoon prayer. We won’t be long,” Zakaria said.

  She nodded. She had gotten comfortable with him practicing his daily prayers. They’d had many conversations about their respective religions. She knew that Zakaria had once struggled with his faith. They had even talked about her converting to Islam, and she had promised to give it serious consideration if he would do the same with Catholicism. They had discussed that with love and dedication they would find a happy medium for themselves and if not, they would agree to disagree.

  After the men had gone, Dr. Sayed moved to her side. “Maitlyn! I do hope you are enjoying yourself.”

  Maitlyn smiled. “Yes, I am. Thank you so much for your kind hospitality.”

  Dr. Sayed nodded. “We will sit down to eat as soon as the men return. I’m sure you’re famished.”

  There was a moment of awkward silence before Dr. Sayed tossed her next question at Maitlyn. “So, tell me, dear, what is the nature of your relationship with my son?”

  Maitlyn’s eyes widened. “Zakaria and I are very good friends and we’ve grown very close.”

  “But you both just met—is that correct?”

  “Yes, ma’am. We haven’t known each other long, but I care deeply for your son. I guess you can say it was love at first sight.”

  “You’re saying you love my son?”

  “Very much. And he loves me.”

  Dr. Sayed stared at her with an appraising gaze, her jaw tight. It was a moment before she spoke. “Zakaria has always been impetuous. There are many decisions he’s made that he’s come to regret.”

  She hesitated as though she expected Maitlyn to respond, but then she continued. “Has he told you about Debra?”


  Maitlyn nodded. “Yes. He’s told me everything.”

  Dr. Sayed’s eyebrows lifted slightly. “Well, that was a disaster on many levels, and unfortunately it cost that young girl her life. But she was not a good fit for Zakaria. He needs a woman who understands him, who knows his culture and is familiar with his background.”

  “A girl like Aalijah?” Maitlyn blurted out.

  Dr. Sayed met her stare, and the two women eyed each other as if a gauntlet had been tossed down and battle declared. She finally broke the silence. “Exactly. I see you’ve met Aalijah?”

  “Zak introduced us briefly. I know she’s an old family friend.”

  His mother’s mouth lifted into a slight smile. She called out to Aalijah, beckoning her over.

  “Yes, Mother?” Aalijah replied.

  “Come sit with us, dear. I was just explaining things to Zakaria’s friend.” She spat the last word out as if it were clobber in her mouth.

  Maitlyn tossed Aalijah an easy smile, but the woman didn’t smile back. She suddenly became sick and tired of the attitude. She didn’t have a clue what she’d done for Aalijah to be so cold toward her. Aalijah calling Dr. Sayed “Mother” also raised her eyebrow.

  “Zakaria was less than forthcoming with you, Maitlyn. Aalijah is much more than just a family friend. Mr. Sayed and I have been acquainted with her parents for many years, even before our children were born. When Zakaria and Aalijah were very young, they were promised to each other. Her father and Hassan negotiated their marriage contract.

  “After going to school in London, Zakaria turned from our ways and I have not been happy with some of his behavior. But, like some men, he needed to sow his wild oats and with there being so many Western women like yourself indulging that bad behavior, it was easy for him to disregard his responsibilities. After Debra’s death, Zakaria realized the mistakes he’d made and had recommitted himself to Aalijah. I’m confident that the two will soon be married as Allah has willed.

  “You are only a diversion, of sorts, and I’m certain that now that Zakaria is home, my son will come to his senses and fulfill his obligation. Aalijah is the only daughter-in-law his father and I will recognize,” she finished. Her words stung.

  Dr. Sayed looked from Maitlyn to Aalijah, then stood up. “The men should be returning shortly. I need to ensure the food is ready.” She moved back toward the door into the home’s kitchen.

  Maitlyn lifted her eyes to look at Aalijah, who had been staring at her since Dr. Sayed’s rant.

  “I love him,” the young woman whispered. “And it hurts me to see him with other women. But I will be a good wife. Faithful and loving. I know that soon Zakaria will only have eyes for me. You are cheap and easy, and he will not want that type of woman to bear his children.”

  Maitlyn shook her head slowly. She stood up, her gaze still locked with Aalijah’s. “I wouldn’t hold my breath waiting for him if I were you. And there’s nothing cheap or easy about me. In fact, I’m a tad high maintenance, but Zak loves me anyway. And I love him. And no one, not you or his mother, can change that. You better think about asking that daddy of yours to find you another man. Zakaria is mine, and I don’t plan to give him up without one hell of a fight.”

  From where she stood, Dr. Sayed stared, her mouth open in disbelief. Moving across the room, Maitlyn extended her goodbyes to the women of Zak’s family and, with an easy wave toward Dr. Sayed, she exited the Sayed home.

  * * *

  Zak had been watching Maitlyn sleep, sitting on the bed beside her for over thirty minutes. He’d been staring at her, completely enamored with the woman.

  After returning to his family home, he’d found his mother in a complete funk. She had been unhappy that Maitlyn had abandoned them so casually. His aunt had tattled about the exchange between the women. Everyone else had been dismayed by Grace Sayed’s conduct toward her guest. Zak should not have been surprised, but he was. He’d hoped that his mother would have been on better behavior. He had nothing to say to Aalijah, having already told her before that he had no intentions of honoring the agreement between their two families. Their arranged marriage would be a figment of everyone else’s imagination because he was not having any part of it. Aalijah had always been like an annoying little sister, and there was nothing about her that moved his spirit the way Maitlyn did. Both women had been appalled by Maitlyn’s response and even more dismayed when he and his father both had laughed, clearly amused by Maitlyn’s boldness.

  As Maitlyn stirred, swiping sleep from her eyes, he gently caressed her hip and side, reclining his body against hers. He felt her stiffen beneath his touch, and he knew that she was angry. “I’m sorry,” he said softly, his warm breath whispering against her ear.

  “You should have told me that you were engaged,” Maitlyn snapped.

  He laughed. “I am not engaged. Not to Aalijah. The marriage was arranged when I was ten years old. I had nothing to do with it.”

  “Someone forgot to give your fiancée that memo.”

  “I think you took care of that.”

  A pregnant pause swelled between them. Maitlyn took a deep breath before speaking again. “You’re mother hates me.”

  He shook his head. “My mother actually likes you. She admires your strength and your—” He paused. “What’s that word?” He suddenly nodded. “Your chutzpah! No one has ever challenged her like that.”

  “She still wants you to marry Aalijah.”

  He shrugged. “She wants what’s best for me. But she still thinks I’m that ten-year-old little boy. She doesn’t know me well enough now to know what’s best for me.”

  Maitlyn sat up, pulling her knees to her chest as she wrapped her arms around her legs. “Am I what’s best for you, Zak?”

  “Without a doubt,” he said as he sat up beside her and wrapped his arms around her shoulders.

  Maitlyn leaned her head against his shoulder. She closed her eyes tight as Zak held her for a good minute.

  “I have a surprise for you,” Zak suddenly said.

  Maitlyn eyed him suspiciously. “A surprise? What kind of surprise?”

  “Come see,” he said as he extended his hand and pulled her from the bed.

  Zak led her to the rooftop patio of his home. The midnight air was warm and welcoming. The space had been strung with white lights that shimmered against the night sky, adding to the wealth of stars that sparkled overhead. A table had been set in the center of the patio: two place settings anchored a centerpiece of pillar candles and freshly cut flowers. Maitlyn smiled as she stared out over the landscape and the lights shimmering in the distance.

  “It’s so pretty!” she exclaimed, her eyes widening.

  Zak pressed a hand to the small of her back and leaned in to kiss her cheek. “I thought you might be hungry. Solomon made us a special dinner.” He pulled out a chair for her. Once she was settled, he poured them both a cup of mint tea.

  Zak prepared their plates, ladling a beef and apricot tagine into a bowl and couscous piled high with steamed vegetables onto their plates. After Maitlyn was done with her plate, Zak revealed a delicious crème brûlée with orange blossom water. With the meal finished, they sat beneath the twinkling lights, lingering over their mint tea.

  “I do apologize again for my mother,” Zak said.

  Maitlyn shrugged. “I understand your mother. You are her baby. If you marry a nice girl from here, the chances are more than likely that you will come back here to Meknes and she will have you around every day. My mother’s not much different. She hates when her children aren’t around. And now that she has grandchildren, she’s even worse.”

  Zak nodded. “You will be like that one day.”

  Maitlyn laughed. “I probably will.”

  Zak shifted his chair to her side of the table and set it directly in front of her. He leaned forward in his se
at, his elbows resting on his knees as he took her hands in his. “Do you trust that I love you?”

  Maitlyn met his intense gaze. “Trusting, that is why I’m here.”

  He nodded. “Promise me that you won’t ever let anyone, not even my mother, put any doubt in your mind about how I feel about you.”

  “I promise,” Maitlyn said.

  Zak leaned in and kissed her mouth. Still holding on to her hands, he stared up at the shimmering sky, the bright stars and twinkling lights, and he whispered a prayer of thanksgiving.

  * * *

  The taxi pulled up in front of Riad Sayed, and Zak asked the driver to wait. “We won’t be long,” he said to the man, his native language rolling off his tongue. Standing before the wooden door, Maitlyn took a deep breath and then a second, fortifying her nerves before having to face Zakaria’s mother one last time. His parents were sitting in the courtyard, enjoying their morning meal, when they stepped through the entrance hand in hand.

  “We came to say goodbye,” Zak said, leaning down to hug his mother.

  “I hope you won’t stay away so long the next time, Zakaria,” Dr. Sayed said. She wrapped her arms around her son’s neck and hugged him tightly.

  He and his father shook hands. “Thank you, Baba,” he said.

  Mr. Sayed kissed his son, hugging him tightly. “It will all be well,” he said. “And I am proud of you, son.”

  “We will cross paths again soon, Baba,” Zak said.

  Maitlyn smiled, the tender moment between Zak and his father warming her spirit. As she watched them, Dr. Sayed caught her attention. She shifted her smile in the woman’s direction.

  “Thank you for welcoming me into your home, Dr. Sayed. Your hospitality was greatly appreciated.”

  The woman nodded. “I regret that some unpleasant things were said yesterday. I hope you’ll accept my apology.”

  Maitlyn nodded. “I appreciate that,” she responded.

  Mr. Sayed wrapped his arms tightly around her, kissing one cheek and then the other. “You are welcome here always, Maitlyn,” he said. “Assalamu alaikum.”