Clueless Love

While driving back to the hotel Ismail gets a call from Udar telling us that Fatima has fainted, and they are in the hospital. I ask the driver to quickly drive to the hospital, wondering what could have caused Fatima to faint. I pray the whole way to the hospital, hoping that nothing serious has happened to my best friend.Copyright Nôv/el/Dra/ma.Org.

We arrive at the hospital and quickly walk inside and ask for directions to the room number Udar gave us. We take the elevator to the second floor. That is where Fatima’s room is. We arrive at the room and Ismail is about to knock on the door, but I stop him. I can hear their conversation and I think we should not disturb them.

“Udar, you called me your love,” Fatima sounds very tired and rundown.

“Yes, my love. You are my love. Fatima, you are the love of my life. I have never loved anyone as much as I love you. I love you so much that seeing you faint in my arms was a wakeup call for me to tell you how much you mean to me. I don’t know why I waited so long to tell you, maybe it’s because I was afraid you might not feel the same way. I will understand if you don’t because…”

“I love you too,” Fatima sighs tearing up.

“You love me, my love?”

“Yes, I do Udar,” Fatima giggles while crying what I am sure are tears of joy.

“You have made me the happiest man alive Fatima.”

“I am happy too but Udar, what are we going to do about Liz?”

“I don’t know my love. For her to threaten you even when we weren’t together means she is really crazy. And for us to be happy and safe together, we must find her and put her behind bars,” Udar says.

“Yes, we have to.” Fatima replies.

“I think now we can go in,” I say to Ismail, knocking on the door before entering.

“Fatima, what happened?” I ask walking in.

“I fainted,” Fatima says.

“I know that, but I mean, what made you faint?” I touch her forehead, it’s a bit hot but not alarming.

“The doctor said she was just tired and needed to rest, nothing serious,” Udar replies beating Fatima to it.

“Really?” I ask looking at Fatima. She nods her head in agreement.

“In Shaa Allah, you will be better in no time,” I say hugging her.

“Ameen.” Everyone in the room responds.

Fatima is feeling much better today, and we have decided to take the opportunity and do some shopping in a nearby mall. While we are shopping, I notice something that feels a bit odd to me. I know it’s normal for paparazzi to follow you around, but I don’t find it normal that he is following Fatima and me to every single store we go to. I find that a bit too much.

I think I will talk to Ismail about it when I get back. I don’t like the way he is following me everywhere, and it’s not like I am a celebrity. I am just Ismail’s sister-in-law by marriage and employee. He shouldn’t be that interested in what I’m up to. As we’re sitting down to lunch, Fatima voices the same concern about the guy following us. “Umit, do you see that guy who’s been following us everywhere?”

“Yes, I have noticed him too. I am going to talk to Ismail and have him call his agency to make him stop following us.”

“Do you know him?”

“No, but I have seen him once before. He was the same paparazzi guy that followed Ismail and me around.”

“Oh, please tell Ismail to speak to his agency. I don’t like the way he’s following us around. It’s a bit creepy. I am not a celebrity, so I am not used to being followed around.”

“I will, don’t worry.”

“Alright and Umit, I forgot to tell you. Udar confessed his feelings to me two days back. I am so happy, and I told him I love him too,” Fatima smiles, looking very happy.

“My dear, that is old news. Ismail and I were at the door and heard him telling you. I am glad you finally both confessed your feelings,” I wink at her, sharing in my best friend’s happiness.

“How did you know he loved me?”

“The same way I know you are in love with him.”

“You knew I was in love with him before that day?”

“Yes, of course. I am your best friend, and I am hurt you would think I wouldn’t notice. I think you never stopped loving him. That’s why you were more hurt to find out he was your boss than angry. You were hurt because you still loved him, and you could not imagine how you were going to cope seeing him every day.”

“Wow, how did you know all these things?” Fatima looks at me surprised.

“As I said, I am your best friend. If I don’t know, who will?”

“What will I do without you?” Fatima sniggers.

“Nothing, nothing,” I retort smiling.

“Ya, Allah has given me such an amazing best friend. You truly know me for who I am.”

“Yes, I do, and that’s why I know that Udar feeling the same way you do makes you happier than anything else right now.”

“Yes, it does, Umit. Things are finally looking up for the both of us. In Shaa Allah, when we get back from this trip, we will find Liz and finally be together once and for all,” Fatima says with such happiness and hope in her voice.

“I am happy for you.”

When we get back to the hotel, I drop my shopping bags off in my room and pray Maghrib (Evening prayer) before going straight to Ismail’s room to tell him about the paparazzi guy. He is really starting to annoy me. He even followed us back to the hotel. He was about to enter and follow me to only Allah knows where, until I told security not to allow him inside. I don’t understand why he would want to follow me inside. I could understand that he wants to know which hotel I am staying at, but why would he want to enter? Does he want to know which room I am staying in? That is clearly overstepping his boundaries. I knock on Ismail’s door a few times before he finally answers.

“Yes, how may I help you?” Ismail says answering the door, looking surprised to see me there.

“I need to speak to you about something. Can we go to the restaurant downstairs and talk.”

“Sure, let me get my phone.” He comes back with his phone in his hand. We both walk to the elevator and take it to the hotel’s restaurant.

We arrive at the 1st floor, where this amazing restaurant is. The name of the restaurant is Katherine’s. The owner is this lovely lady. I think her name is Katherine Constanzo. She is the wife of Mr Lorenzo Constanzo, the owner of the hotel we are staying in. They are such a lovely couple.

“Aha, my favorite couple is here,” Katherine smiles, seeing Ismail and me at the entrance. Ismail and I have come here a lot during our stay, we are almost regulars here.

“Katherine, we have told you before we are not a couple. We are just in-laws,” I say smiling back at her.

“That is what you say now. The next thing I know, you’ll be sending me your wedding invitation,” Katherine grins.

“I don’t know about that, but please, can we have a table,” I chuckle while shaking my head, because I don’t see that ever happening.

“Sure, right this way,” she says walking Ismail and me to a table. We thank her before taking our seats.

Once we are seated, Ismail breaks the silence.

“So, what did you want to talk about?”

“It’s this paparazzi guy. I understand you are famous, and they want to know what is going on in your life. But I am your sister-in-law, and they shouldn’t be following me everywhere I go. And while he followed me, I never saw him take a single picture. The whole thing feels off.”

“I understand what you are saying. It can be a little annoying when they follow you everywhere, but I can’t do anything about that. That is just one of the things about been related to a prominent person.”

“Really, there is nothing you can do to stop him following me around?”

“I’m afraid not.”

“Wow, alright then. But I still find it odd that he followed me around and did not take pictures.”

“I will see what I can find out because I also feel that it is a bit strange.”

“Thank you.”

“You are welcome and what are you ordering,” Ismail says picking up the menu.

“Nothing, I already ate.”

“Alright then, you can just watch me eat,” Ismail smirks.

“I guess I will,” I say chuckling.

The last days in Italy were spent exploring the city. We ate amazing food at the Cantina Do Mori. We took a gondola ride to view the city from the water, and it was beautiful. We visited the Peggy Guggenheim Collection. The collection is an incredible modern art museum. The works of Picasso, Dali, and other visionary artists were displayed. The Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II was the finest oldest mall I have ever seen. The gorgeous glass ceilings, incredible architecture and luxury shops and dining were lovely to visit. I really enjoyed my time in Italy.