I finished cooking an hour ago. Ethan and I are at the dining table. I have to feed him his meal because his right hand is broken, but In Shaa Allah, we will have his cast removed by tomorrow. I can’t believe it’s been two weeks since Ethan had an accident. Alhamdulilah, he is recovering well. For the past two weeks, I have been staying at Ethan’s mom’s place. I wanted to stay at a hotel, but Ethan and his mom refused. Ethan wanted me to stay at his home, but we all know how much that is a terrible idea considering the feelings I have for him. His mom refused to allow me to stay at a hotel. I come to Ethan’s house every day to take care of him and go back in the evening to his mom’s place.
“Adina, I have meant to ask you, what are your plans once I get better. Are you still moving back to Nigeria” Ethan asks the one question I have not been able to answer myself.
The reason I was moving back to Nigeria was that I saw no future with Ethan. I could not stay in America, hoping things would get better between us, but now they did. Even though they have, Ethan and I don’t really have a future together. He is still a non-Muslim, which is a significant factor that prevents us from not having a future together.
“I don’t know, Ethan, because I have been thinking about it a lot, but I have not made a final decision.”
“Alright, but once you decide if you are staying or not, please let me know.”
“I will, and since we are done eating, I will get going,” I say, walking to the kitchen to keep the plates.
“Do you have to leave? You can stay here. The guest room is practically already your room,” Ethan says, following me into the kitchen.
“Ethan, we have talked about this before; you know why I can’t stay here.”
“You have, but I don’t understand. Why does your religion stop you from satisfying your desires towards me? It’s not like I don’t feel the same way towards you.”
“It stops us because, in my religion, any sexual acts done outside marriage is sinful, regardless of how we truly feel towards one another.”
“Yeah, you have said so before, but then I still don’t understand.”
“I don’t know how more I should explain it to you, but maybe you should ask a scholar. He might be in a better place to explain it to you.”
“I wouldn’t mind that”
“Alright, I will send you the email address of one of my favourite scholars. You can send him an email with all your questions about Islam. In Shaa Allah, he will have all the answers you need.”
“I hope he does.”
“In Shaa Allah, he will.”
Alhamdulilah, today Ethan is fully recovered. I couldn’t be happier about his recovery. We are currently at a dinner his father organized to celebrate Ethan’s recovery.
“You look beautiful tonight, mi amore,” Ethan says, whispering into my ears over the music playing in the background.
“Thank you, dear” I am wearing a Moroccan crepe fitted dress with a slit, a boat neckline and transparency detailing and embroidery. I am wearing a skin-coloured panty horse to cover my skin because of the slit. My shoes are black with a blue veil that matches the detailing on my dress.
“Aha! Look who we have here. I am surprised to see you here, Adina,” Patricia says, walking towards Ethan, and I
“Why should you be? Oh, I remember. You wished the plan with your son worked out, but let me tell you something, Patricia. The only thing you and your son achieved was making Ethan and I stronger than ever. You both can try a hundred ways to destroy Ethan, but you will only make him stronger.”
“Haha, nice speech; I am flattered. Now you listen to me, young lady, you think what we did was anything close to destroying him. You’re mistaken because, trust me; you have not seen anything at all. I will destroy Ethan into pieces that even you little miss amazing won’t be able to save him.”
“I would love to see you try because as long as I am still breathing. I won’t let you even make him drop a single sweat because of you. If you think I am joking, try me and see. You will regret the day you knew me.”
“Who the hell do you think you are to make such threats towards me? Do you know who I am?”
“I don’t care who you are, but let me tell you who I am. I am the lady who is going to put you in your place and make sure you stay there.”
“What did you say to me?” Patricia says, taking a dangerous step closer to me.
“I believe those two things beside your face work properly, so you heard me well.”
“Who do you think you are to insult me in such a manner,” Patricia says and lifts her hand to slap me, but before I can stop her, Ethan does.
“Patricia, it is one thing to threaten me, but don’t ever think you can lay your hand on Adina. The next time you try such nonsense, I won’t be so lenient with you. Get out of my face before I do something to you that I would regret,” Ethan says, dropping her hands like it’s garbage. Patricia does not say anything and angrily walks away.
“You were beautiful tonight,” Ethan says, smiling at me.
“In what aspect,” I say, chuckling.
“Defending who you love and care about,” Ethan says, smiling while talking about himself.
“Those are the things we do for the ones we love,” I say, smiling back.
“I love you.”
“I love you too.”
Ethan and I are having dinner at one of the best restaurants in town. Ethan says he has something essential to talk to me about. I genuinely have no clue what he wants to tell me, but I hope it is something good.
“Ethan, you said you had something to tell me,” I say while enjoying my dinner.
“Yes, I do, and I don’t know how you are going to take it.”
“Ethan, you are scaring me; what do you want to tell me.”
“Adina, you know, a week ago, my dad made me vice director of his company.”
“Yes, I do.”
“Adina, I have to go somewhere, and I want to ask you to fill in for me at the company while I am gone.”
“What! Why? Where are you going to?”
“Adina, I can’t tell you right now, but I promise you once I am back, I will explain everything.”
“Ethan, where are you going to that you can’t tell me?”
“I wish I could tell you, but it’s better I don’t. Would you mind helping me run the company while I am gone? I can’t leave the company at the hands of my stepmother while I am away.”
“Ethan, you are scaring me, is there something going on that I don’t know about. You know you can tell me anything.”
“I know, my love, but trust me. Once I get back, I will explain everything. Will you help me with the company” Ethan says, pleading with me, and I take a good breath before I answer.
“Ethan, I love you, and I trust you. I wish you could tell me where you are going and why you are leaving, but it’s your choice not to. I will surely look after the company while you are gone”
“Thank you, my love, and I know you barely have knowledge of running a company but don’t worry, my secretary will be there to guide you.”
“Alright, and I hope whatever you are going to do where you are going, I pray you come back safely and satisfied.”
“I also pray; I do.”