The Romance Adventure

Chapter 9

Reni texted and video chatted with Zak almost every day, but it wasn't the same. Their future stalled. She still had time before returning to school and decided to take a leap of faith, appease her doubts, and visit Morocco. She was on the plane in early August.

The flight was tedious, turbulent, and tiresome, and Reni was elated when the plane bumped to the ground. Disembarking took a while, and twenty minutes passed before the door cranked open. She descended the narrow steps onto the long tarmac that led to the terminal and to her love.

At customs, the loud click of the stamp on her passport signaled a new life waiting. When the man behind the counter handed it back, she stared at the black ink for a few seconds before walking, each step significant.

Zak met her inside the hub of the Menara airport with a bouquet of red and white roses. "I missed you so much."

"They're beautiful." Reni aimed her gaze at the ground like an awkward teen. She had traveled thousands of miles, but how well did she know this man? Had she made the right choice not getting engaged but then taking a leap of faith and coming here? Was she living out some romantic fantasy in her mind rather than embracing reality?

"Enough talk." Zak pulled Reni tight against him, but only for a moment.

His firm arms around her, the gentle kiss on her forehead, and the wild escalation of her heart, confirmed everything she intrinsically believed before others made her doubt.

A smile spread across her lips as he whisked her through the crowds. "I'm so happy to be here."

"And I've never been so thrilled waiting to pick someone up. I wish I could take you in my arms and kiss you until the sunset, but public affection is frowned on."

"Really? Why?"

"It is our custom. It is not hard to live with once you understand more."

An inkling of worry entered Reni's thoughts, but Zak began to explain some of the designs that decorated the interior of the building. The airport paid homage to Morocco's history. Islamic patterns adorned the walls and high glass-domed ceilings surrounded her with light. She tugged on Zak to stop as she admired the geometric shapes.

"It's so beautiful."

He stared. "You're the beauty here."

She swatted his arm. "Stop. You're going to make me blush."

"All the better." Zak grabbed her hand and pointed to the interlaced design on the wall. "Islamic art focuses on the spiritual. It's meant to represent objects and beings, not show them as they appear in the physical world."

"Is the art symbolic?"

"Muslim artists don't try to replicate nature. They want to represent it on a deeper level. There is something divine in its abstract beauty."

"Absolutely." Reni followed behind Zak in her lightweight, dusty rose, long sleeve t-shirt and tan slacks, her backpack snug and sweaty, pressing into her spine and leaving her wondering what she'd put in there.

Waiting for her baggage, she took in the people around her. Some women and men wore long-sleeve flowing clothes, a few in djellabas. Locals mingled easily with tourists from various nations, many casually dressed in comfortable jeans and t-shirts. A couple of women wore hijabs matching their abaya.

Luggage commandeered after long minutes at the slow-moving carousel, Zak whisked her away to Marrakesh. She inhaled the sights and sounds from within the taxi. In the city's center, their car stopped at a curb, unable to enter Jemaa El-Fna square.