Affianced By Force

CHAPTER TWENTY-SEVEN - An Awkward Proposal

Faisal grinned and moved to stand in queue to present their boarding passes. Their flight number had been called.

Umamah was running out of patience, yet Faisal wasn't giving her any responses, but she wasn't about to give up.

"Faisal, I am talking to you. What is in Egypt?"

Her impatience was threading it's mill now and her voice was slightly raised. The official who took their pass raised a questioning brow and Umamah smiled half-heartedly, sending her apologies.

They took the entrance to the restricted area with Faisal dragging both boxes cheerfully, leaving the still  bewildered Umamah to follow behind.

"Did you not hear me?" Umamah asked, practically running to catch up with his long strides.

Faisal ingnored her question until he dropped their luggages in the cargo hold and found their seats in the 1st Class section of the aircraft.

She wasn't angry. Just frustrated and since he refused to tell her anything, she decided to not push anymore. Besides, the airsickness was already kicking in.

She hated it! She hated the weakness it caused.

Gently, she pulled her seatbelt on and turned to the window, shut her eyes and began to count.

"Here. Take this." Faisal passed her something.

"What's it?" She asked, not opening her eyes.

"Something to ease the uneasiness. I got it yesterday at the pharmacy."

She was tempted. She really was. She needed it. So much. But, she settled herself more into her seat and continued to shut her eyes.

He tried to take her hands to take the medicine, but she pulled them away from him, folding them in front of her.

Faisal sighed. "Come On. You need this medication and you know it."

She scoffed. "I can't even trust where I am headed, forget if I die here."

"Umamah!" He exclaimed at her drama. "Now that's too much. You know, I will never harm you."

Again, she scoffed and turned slightly away from him. But she dared not open her eyes, lest she saw the planes of the terminal as the airplane was just beginning to move. Despite her anger, she clutched onto Faisal's hand.

"Okay, You win. You drama load stubborn one. We are going to see that painter your brother likes."

Umamah taught she had misheard him, but he repeated. "I scheduled an appointment with her under your name."

Quickly, she opened her eyes, and sat up straight. The speed of the movement made her head reel and the nausea rushing up her oesophagus.

Faisal took a tablet of the pill from it's satchet and placed it in her mouth, then he handed her the bottle of water. Patiently, he watched her gulp the pill down.

Umamah began to feel really better almost immediately.

Then she turned to him. "You had better explained yourself more clearly, husband."

When Faisal just grinned, she glared at him.

"Start-talking!"

***

"Assalaam'alaykum. Are you the one who scheduled a meeting with me?"

She was beautiful, Ma Shaa Allah. Well, she had to be. That voice and those eyes behind the burqa spoke volumes. Umamah smiled.

"Yes. Wa'alaykumussalaam  Wa RahmatuLlaahi Wa barakaatuh. You must be Anisa." Umamah turned to her slowly extending her hands. She took it. But even through her niqab, Umamah could tell her confusion and uncertainty.