Aslan didn't sleep a wink the night before after Najmah had woken him up, he sat behind the desk of his office rubbing at his temple tiredly. Bags were visible under his eyes and the mug of coffee he kept on his table wasn't helping matters, the caffeine wasn't strong enough to ward off the effects of the nightmare.
He shuddered as events of his nightmare kept replaying on his mind, he still remembered that dreadful night; the night that cost him the life of someone close to him, and almost cost him his sanity. It was a night he'd never forget.
"Sir? You have a meeting in five," his secretary knocked at the door of his office, interrupting his thoughts.
"Why didn't you tell me this earlier?" he grumbled, picking up the file on his desk. He straightened his tie, slipped on his suit which was hanging on the chair then walked out of the office with strides that demanded authority.
Every employee scrambled up from his seat greeting him, while he gave a curt nod as he passed them. He strolled into the boardroom, apologizing to the board members for his tardiness.
The meeting passed by in a blur with Aslan's mind still hung up on his nightmare. He knew without being told that he had to see his sponsor. There was no putting it out any longer even though he was going to come face to face with one of his nightmares, it was a sacrifice he had to make for the greater good of his health and sanity.
When the meeting ended, he went into his office and dialed the number of his sponsor, wishing he was doing anything but that.
"Can I come in today?" he queried, once the Dr had answered the call.
"Yeah, you can. Is everything okay?"
"No, I'll be there in a few." With a click, the phone went dead.
"Hold off all my calls and cancel my meetings for the day, reschedule them to the day after. If anyone asks after me, tell them I've gone out to take care of something," he addressed his secretary as he walked out of his office.
"Yes sir," she nodded, going through the diary, she knew not to object or ask about what he needed to take care of. She thought the deal with Kartal Industries was more important than anything right now, but she kept shut lest she lose her job. She bit the end of her pen in nervousness as she dialed the secretary of Asil Kartal.
"Hello," she cleared her voice. "I'm calling to tell you..."
"Oh, Thank God you called," the secretary sighed in relief. "Mr. Kartal wouldn't be able to make it to the meeting today, I'm apologizing on his behalf."
"That's okay, we can reschedule the meeting. I'll send you the details when I talk to Mr. Sadek," she hung up the call with a smile on her face as she began to reschedule Aslan's meetings.
{••}
"So, this is your fourth day in Istanbul and I know how boring it gets, sitting in one place without moving out. I've thought of a remedy for that. We're going out today, a girl's outing. You and I," Lale rambled, interrupting Najmah who was busy reading.
"I'm totally fine with sitting at home," she shrugged, not taking her eyes off the book she was reading.
"Like seriously? I can't keep still at home, I'd feel suffocated," Lale shuddered at the thought of sitting at home all day and not being able to ransack a boutique or a mall, she'd die of boredom.
Najmah didn't reply her and continued reading, totally ignoring her presence. Didn't lale know that it was rude to interrupting a person reading? It's like one of life's fundamental rules.
Apparently, she didn't as she continued talking, oblivious to the fact that Najmah wasn't listening to her. "You and Aslan are totally perfect for each other. You both are antisocial and take joy in being alone, loners even."
"You're not listening to me are you?" she pouted, snatching the book away from Najmah.
"You really aren't gonna give up right?" Najmah threw her hands up in surrender.
Lale gave her a toothy grin, squealing like a five-year-old who was given a piece of candy.
"Fine," she huffed, rolling her eyes.
"There, that's the spirit," Lale cheered.
"But I have a condition."
"See I told you that you and Aslan are perfect for each other. You don't do things without laying down conditions."
Hearing Aslan's name for the second time, Najmah's mind travelled back to the events that transpired between them the night before. She hadn't seen him since he bolted out of bed and she kept on wondering about him. Even as she read, her mind still wandered back to him.
"Your condition?" Lale queried tapping her leg on the floor impatiently.
"I go out with my book."
"Wha...," she began but clamped her mouth shut. "Fine, you can come with it but you're not going to read it in public."
"I'll go get a veil," Najmah smiled in triumph before bouncing off the sofa.
"And by the way, I love your outfit. You look so chic." she stated, giving Najmah who was clad in a Bogota border print jumpsuit a once over.
"Thank you," she replied going up the stairs. She rummaged through her bag and picked a floral veil, zipped the bag up then wrapped it round her face.
She sauntered out of the room and found Lale outside waiting for her by the fountain. It was the first time she was stepping out of the mansion ever since she walked into the foyer. The day she came in, it was a little bit dark so she didn't notice the intricate details of the environment outside like the porch swing and the cottage by the right, surrounded by all kinds of flowers, like a mini garden and to the right of it, a greenhouse she couldn't wait to explore.
She got into Lale's electric blue lambo and Lale revved the car, bringing it back to life. They zoomed out of the house and unto the streets of Sultanahmet. Lale did her best pointing out the glorious buildings which stood out among the rest, giving Najmah a brief history.
"You should definitely see the Aya Sofya and oh yeah the Yerebatan Sarnıçı, the blue mosque also. Oh God! There are so many places I need to show you but not today, maybe next time. I'll be your essential tour guide in the great city of Istanbul," Lale bobbed her head up and down as she maneuvered through the traffic.
She drove to Istinye Park and parked the car in the underground parking lot. They got out of the car and went towards the Life Style Center section of the park which was an open-air town square housing a green central park and Fashion District.
As Lale was busy ransacking the isle of clothes in the fashion district, Najmah was busy reading.
"You promised not to read in public," Lale pouted, taking the book away from Najmah. "We're here to shop not to read."
"I don't want anything, I have all that I need," Najmah protested trying to get her book from Lale.
"Not when it comes to clothes. A girl can never say no to shopping."
"Well I can. Now gimme back my book."
"No, I won't. You're going to shop and act like a human being not a zombie," Lale gagged, placing the book in her flap bag.
"But I don't have any money," Najmah protested. She intentionally left her credit card at home not that she had a lot of money in her account, but she had enough to sustain her before her Abba sent her more.
"Who said you were paying for anything," Lale rolled her eyes. "It's my treat. Pick anything you want and I'll pay."
"But..."
"No buts Missy," she cut her off, placing her hands on her hips daring Najmah to challenge her.
"Okay fine," she huffed then stood up and started looking for something that would catch her attention. Fashion wasn't really her thing; she puts on whatever she feels comfortable with.
She wasn't comfortable with someone paying for her stuff so when her eyes fell on a black romper shirt, she picked it up and paired it with a red high waist skinny jeans she picked at random then met Lale at the cashier with a heap load of clothes.
"Did you shop for the whole of Istanbul?" she queried, her eyes widening.
"No," she shook her head. "They're all mine. Don't tell me that's all you got," she pointed at Najmah's hand.
"Yeah, I told you I don't like shopping."
"Well that's going to be remedied when next we hit the store. I'm so hungry right now that my brain can't function. With Aslan's credit card, you're going to have a mall-like wardrobe." She paid for their things then went to the Bazaar area after stuffing the bags in the boot of her car. They ate lunch then strolled through the green central park before going back home.
{••}
It was almost past midnight yet Najmah couldn't sleep so she went down to the media room with a jar of nutella and a teaspoon. She switched on the TV then browsed through the various movies she saw, pressing play on Ouija then settled back into the comfy sofa, giving it her uttermost attention.
Occasionally, she would dip the teaspoon into the jar and scoop a portion of the chocolate then lick it off. By the time the movie had ended, she had already eaten half of the jar. She switched off the TV then retraced her steps back to the room, praying that Aslan wasn't there as she pushed the door open.
Her face fell when she caught sight of him working on his laptop. He didn't raise his head to acknowledge her, rather he continued tapping away on the keyboard.
″Definitely unwanted,″ she thought as she kept the jar she was holding on the bedside table then build a wall between them again. She placed her head on the pillow and said her du'a, falling asleep almost immediately.
He rounded up his work at 2 a.m then closed his laptop and set it aside. He stared at the sleeping form of Najmah who had hugged a pillow, crushing the wall she built. She looked so angelic in her sleep, the low light in the room a shining contrast to her dark skin. Her lips were patted slightly and soft snores emanated from them.
The cap she used to cover her hair had slipped off, releasing her mass of African hair. As if hypnotized he ran his hand through her hair, making her turn a bit. He quickly retracted his hand and jumped off the bed, placing his hand on his face.
"What is wrong with me?" he mumbled into the air. He huffed then went back to bed, rearranging the pillow wall but somehow it crumpled again and they ended up snuggled into each other.
Fajr time came and the two woke up in each other’s arms, with their scents on each other’s body. Their eyes widened when realization dawned on them and Najmah quickly ran to the bathroom, smelling of strong oud musk. Sighing, she performed ablution then got ready to pray, knowing that the scent would linger for a while.
Aslan went into Muhan's room and performed ablution before going to the masjid with her magnolia scent still lingering on his body.
The next morning when they both collided in the kitchen, they acted as if what happened the other night hadn’t happen.
He poured the brewed tea into his cup and bolted out of the kitchen, with Najmah staring at his retreating form, unable to fathom what was really happening. Could it be that she was slowly getting used to being around him?
________________________________________________
The sun rays penetrated through the glass walls of the greenhouse, stimulating the plants growth. Najmah was busy transferring the blooming seedlings into various pots after asking Ferah for permission who was more than happy for she was far too busy to take care of it.After successfully transferring them to the pots, she arranged them in a corner then set to plant new seeds. Using her thumb and index finger, she pinched the top of a few leggy plants, for them to grow fuller and healthier before spraying pyrethrum around the greenhouse to ward off ants and aphids.Using the back of her mud covered hand, she wiped away the tiny sheen of sweat that rolled down her face then bent down to pick a broom and began to sweep the mess she made while transplanting.When she was done, she stepped back to admire her handiwork. Satisfied with it, she turned around to go back in and take a shower when she froze, letting out a scream.
Lale stared at her reflection in the mirror, scrunching up her face in distaste. Bags were visible under her eyes and her face looked pale due to exhaustion from lack of sleep."You shall sleep when everything is set," she said to her reflection as she added another layer of foundation to her face. When she was satisfied with her look, she donned her hijab then padded to Aslan & Najmah's room.Just like she predicted Najmah was sitting on bed with a spoon hanging on her mouth, staring intently at the book she was holding, a jar of Nutella kept to her side. She never could understand the girl's obsession with books and Nutella."Hello Missy, care to join me on an adventure into town?" she queried, startling Najmah who threw her book away.Although exhausted Lale fell into a fit of laughter, clutching her stomach and pointing at the sullen look on Najmah's face."You...look...look.
Blood pounded in her ears, her heart thudding in her chest. Her hands shook as she felt a tingle in her feet. Her vision became blurry and she gripped the edge of the basin, trying to steady her breathing. Each moment that passed, breathing became harder for her.She took long measured breaths, staring at her reflection through her blurred vision. She debated on whether to bolt out and run back home or stay and face her demons.If she stayed, she was likely to make a mess of herself. If she left, Lale would be really disappointed. Either way, there was a sure risk on both of her decisions, besides if she left, she had no idea how to get home."Najmah are you okay in there?" Aslan queried, knocking on the door of the bathroom.She couldn't give him a coherent answer due to her lack of breaths. Sensing something wrong, he ran into the bathroom and found her hunched over the basin."Hey
She stared out of the window, her eyes unfocused. She felt empty and out of sorts like she didn't belong. She wanted to go back home, but she couldn't voice out her thoughts. Try as she might, the words don't seem to come out.She felt suffocated and trapped, like she was shackled. The Sadeks have been really kind and welcoming to her, she couldn't go to Aslan's dad and demand to be returned home. The few weeks she had spent with them were the best she's ever had. With them, she felt like she was finally living; like her life had meaning again.After Fahad, she hadn't thought she would care about anyone again but then came Aslan, and now Najmah wondered if being friends with him was the best decision she made.She sighed, pushing her hand through her hair,feeling disoriented and robotic. She hadn't felt like that in ages, not even after the news of Fahad's betrayal was broken to her. She still couldn't understand why he di
"So how was the therapy?" Aslan asked, folding the sleeves of his shirt."It went well nothing new," she shrugged scrolling through her twitter feed.Aslan sighed, sitting at the edge of the bed. He had been trying to get her to open up since she came back from visiting the therapist, but all he got were vague answers."So when did you...umm...learn..." he stuttered, trying to find the right words to say. He couldn't think of any word to use, lest he offends her."That I was crazy?" she chuckled, locking her phone and facing him."You aren't crazy," he frowned, pinching the bridge of his nose. "You're schizoid and schizoid people are not crazy. Though temperamental at times but definitely not crazy.""Did you somehow earn a degree in psychology overnight?" she teased, throwing her feet off the bed. "You seem to know a lot about my disorder than I do, Dr Aslan."
She stared out into space, a spoon dangling in her mouth. Aslan observed her, wondering what she was thinking and how to get her to open up to him. A thought occurred in his head and he cleared his throat to gain her attention."Walk with me?" he queried, extending his arm towards her.She raised an eyebrow, trying to gauge his expression but it was neutral. She capped the Nutella jar she was holding and set it aside then swung her legs off the bed, placing her hand in his arm."Where are we going to?" she questioned, staring up at him."The garden," he replied, leading them out of the room.They walked out of the house in comfortable silence, wrapped up in their own world."Let's play a game," Aslan suggested, coming to a complete stop by the swing."What sort of game?" she queried, sitting down on the swing."20 questions?" he smiled, pl
A Week LaterNajmah added the last finishing touch to her makeup-free face then capped the tube of lip gloss, a slow smile dancing on her lips. She left the vanity table and went towards the full-length mirror standing by the side of the walk-in closet. It was an addition by Lale who in her opinion thinks that a lady's room without a full-length mirror to appreciate her features is like a bachelor's pad.Najmah hadn't seen the need for it as she rarely looked at herself in the mirror and the room wasn't hers to begin with but today was an exception. Aslan was taking her out for sightseeing, and she wanted to look her best.At 5'6, Najmah stood with doll-like features which were her most significant assets. Her body sat in between slender and curvy which was an advantage on her part as she's able to work any outfit she wore. Her shoulder length African hair which she had used a lot of years taking care of it with natural oi
He paced the length of his office, clutching his cellphone in his hand. His fists clenched and unclenched, the veins in his neck popping. Things were not going as planned, he had everything set out beforehand so why was it not going as planned?His hands balled into fists as he spoke in rapid Turkish, his voice rising to a pitch as his anger escalated. He slammed his fist onto the desk, muttering profanities in Turkish. He sighed loosening his tie a bit then pushed back the strands of hair that fell over his face, pondering over what to do to remedy the situation.He had two options, it was either to stay or call Lale in. The situation would've been more favorable if he stayed but he didn't want to spend another day in Istanbul so calling her in would be his only option.How do I approach her considering how much she hates these meetings?He picked his office phone and punched in a few numbers, waiti