Chapter Three - A Trip Down Memory Lane

Since she discovered she’s one step closer to meeting Rafael again, her days in the gym have increased. Every time she needed to think or hatch a plan, she would put her running shoes on and head straight to the 5-minute-away local gym. She was even on first name terms with the other gym users. Today was no exception. Inserting her earphones into her ears, she puts music on and begins to jog on the treadmill. Her mind, for the last couple of days, had been doing nothing else but figuring out how she would track down Rafael and if she supposedly does find him, what she would say. One part of her is furious at him for not trying hard enough to stay in contact with her. How dare he? After he promised nothing would keep them apart. After he swore he loved her. She couldn’t begin to understand what could have happened for him to break all associations with her. The other part of her, a much weaker part, is filled with grief. A part of her that longs for his presence since the day they had separated. She feels a burning passion to be reunited with her love and carry on with life as if nothing has happened. This is the piece of her that hurts so much and the part that she needs to invest so much energy in to continue to live her days in Dubai and later Abu Dhabi. There was no doubt that this part of her was the hardest. It is easier hating someone.

She also couldn’t quite put her finger on the reason why Rafael would abandon her like that. What on earth had happened to him to do a complete 180^o turn? She had previously feared for the worst put those thoughts had been put to rest when she found his records. She convinced herself that all she needed to do is to go to Essex and sort it all out. For all she knew, he might have had his reasons and Isabel vowed that she would give him a chance to air his views on their love story.

She turns the treadmill to run one level harder and resumes to her thoughts. She remembers how she and Rafael first met. That smile he gave her when she turned up late for a lecture she had and indicated with his eyes to sit on the empty chair right next to him. She took that seat without hesitation still burning inside from embarrassment as she had a whole hall full of 300 something students stare at her make her entrance. She looked at him to say her thanks but he was already engrossed with what the lecturer has to say. She said it anyway.

“Thanks.”

He looked at her with those deep green eyes she still vividly can imagine.

“You’re welcome.”

That was all that was said between them that day.

Their second encounter was probably the one that sealed the deal for their future. Few days later after their first introduction, Isabel decided to accompany a few friends to a house party that night. Not really in the mood, she agreed anyway. Mainly really to see how parties here in London would differ from those she was used to back at home. As they approached the door, Rafael unexpectedly at that moment opened the front door and barged past them, oblivious to the fact Isabel stood there. Not taking much of it, she followed her friends into the house and soon found out that was a big mistake. The party was a university student in England’s definition of a social setting. With drinks being passed on, loud music pumping from every speaker implanted, loud yelling (that were supposed to be part of the music) and young people dancing like they’ve been given an hour to live, Isabel had seen enough. It really wasn’t her environment, Call her boring, but she preferred her quiet, peaceful get-togethers. After lasting for only 15 minutes (enough time to put her curiosities of English students’ parties to rest), she excused herself and left the party. On her way to her flat, she came across a Rafael who was on the same bridge she was walking on, looking over at the river. He looked back and noticed her walking in his direction and turned around.

“If it isn’t you again, the party wasn’t for you either, was it?” he asked

“I am a little tired,” Isabel said, as she stops to talk to him.

“You don’t look that tired.”

“Well, I am.” Isabel grabbed the edge of the bridge with her left hand, leaning on it. She glanced at the river, taking in how beautiful it looked at night when it is reflecting the moon and the stars. Rafael noticed her appreciation of the beauty of the river and also looks over.

“It’s beautiful, isn’t it?” he whispered softly, as if talking any louder would ruin the moment.

“Very,” she replied, also whispering her words. A few seconds must have past of them both looking afar because Isabel suddenly broke the silence.

“You don’t like the party? There are a lot of people there, enjoying the night.”

“I just dropped few friends there as I seem to be the only one with a car. No, it’s been 6 months since I’ve been to parties like that one.”

“Oh, how come? Have you quit drinking?” she asked, with a little hint of a smile. She was curious to know why a guy at 20 would deny offers from a party that promises free booze.

“That’s because 6 months ago I became a Muslim.”

Isabel was stunned. She knew that being a Muslim is independent of skin colour/name/ethnicity and it may be ignorance on her part for being a little taken aback when he told her he was a convert.

“Oh,” was all she managed to say.

“Why do you look so surprised?”

“I am not, I just didn’t expect it. I mean, I didn’t think that’s the reason you don’t go to these parties…” She was digging herself a deeper hole here but Rafael just laughed.

“I am Rafael by the way,” he said.

“Nice to meet you Rafael, I’m Marwa. Let’s do this officially.” She stuck her right hand out, waiting for him to shake it. He shook her hand and smiled.

“That’s a nice name. If you are not doing anything, would you do me the honour of accompanying me to the nearest takeaway? Let’s do this officially.” Rafael bowed slightly, with his left hand resting on his back.

“Do what officially?” she asked confused.

“Our meeting. That’s what you meant right?”

She laughed and nodded. She believed herself to be crazy if she follows along but she couldn’t help herself. They reached the small takeaway shop and indulged in their burgers and chips while they got to know each other better. She didn’t even care that he suggested to go to a takeaway or about how she looked eating that burger. His presence made her not pay attention to that. He told her how he and his family consisting of his mother, younger brother and younger sister moved from Spain to London when he was 5. His father passed away when he was just 3 and he hated his step-father. He also told her how he came to discover Islam. He had made friends with few Muslims who he had a lot of questions for regarding their religion. But every answer they handed to him after his questions just seemed perfect and so after researching for a while, he finally embraced Islam.

She told him that she lives in Dubai with her father, mother, and two younger sisters. She loves swimming and badminton. She would love to visit as many countries in the world as she can. How “rich” her family was. She was scared she’d come off as snub but Rafael found that interesting. While they were getting to know each other, she saw for the first time how good-looking he actually was. He had beautiful warm green eyes, as she saw on their first encounter. She noticed his soft, square face, slightly freckled, radiating a healthy glow. His scruffy ash-blonde hair looked somehow great on him. The way he would always take breaks to ruffle his hair. She also noticed his smile that would lit up all corners of his face and how his eyes would beam when she said something funny.

It definitely wasn’t the most romantic setting or love at first sight, but as she and Rafael spent more and more time together, they both fell more and more in love with each other.

*

“Hey, you’re going to fall if you go any faster than that.”

Isabel snaps out of her thoughts and looks hastily around to see who spoke to her. She finally spots Sergio to her right, also running on the treadmill adjacent to her. She looks back down to her treadmill’s display and realises that she must have upped her level while she was busy in her thoughts. She also realises her music has stopped.

“What a coincidence. First I see you at the park few days ago, now in the gym. I am starting to think I have my very own stalker,” he jokes.

“No, don’t worry. I am not your stalker. Wouldn’t want to be, trust me,” she replies firmly. Usually, she would worry that a cute guy like Sergio would see her so sweaty (and sweaty she definitely was after running nearly a marathon on that treadmill while consumed in her thoughts). But because she was “busy” with all her energy being given to Rafael, she couldn’t care less.

“Oh, I was getting excited then,” he says. “The thought of my very own stalker sounded good.”

Isabel snorts and continues walk on the treadmill after she reduced the speed.

“I may start wondering that you are stalking me. I mean, you were the one that hit me with a football and I see you again today and, correct me if I am wrong, in a gym where I was first,” she says, trying to defend herself. If he is going to tease her here, she might as well be teasing him back. You know what they say, if you can’t beat them, join them.

“Alright, if that’s how you’re going to play. Oh Isabel, I have been stalking you for days now to be able to catch glimpses of you. It has turned into such an obsession.”

She laughs and playfully slaps him on the arm but that was a bad move because she was about to slip until Sergio helped her balance herself.

“Are you alright?” Sergio asks in a concerned manner, still holding her by her arm.

“Yes, I am fine.” Isabel feels herself blushing. Her mind will not even begin to let her imagine what she would have looked like if she had actually slipped. Still holding her, Sergio slowly lets go of her and returns to his machine. After 15 minutes of mostly running in silence and a few chats here and there, Sergio turns his machine off.

“I have to get back to work,” he says as he grabs his towel which had been resting on his shoulder and wipes his face. “It can’t get done itself.”

“Have fun,” Isabel says, out of breath.

As he is about to turn around and leave, he leans closer to Isabel, close enough for Isabel to feel his breathe tickling her cheek.

“By the way, I was here first. I own this gym.” He then turns around and walks off leaving Isabel in shock. All that time they were talking and running, he decides to casually let her know now he owns this gym. The biggest branch of a gym in London! What a busy guy he must be. So busy, he can afford to visit his own gym to run a few miles. With that, Isabel also stops her treadmill and makes her way out of the gym.

After taking a shower and filling her stomach, she looks at her clock to see she has 40 minutes to make it to her office. Plenty of time she thinks. Walking her way to the tube (because she hasn’t bought a car yet), she passes a short man holding a bunch of balloon filled with helium, sweet talking to children with their parents in an attempt to give them one. She smiles at the man once he catches her eyes. Seeing that man standing there triggers a memory.

It had been four months since Rafael and Isabel first met and nobody had been able to get them apart. Having grown closer and closer, Isabel was sure she had fallen in love with him. When she saw him, the butterflies living in her stomach came alive, fluttering and leaving her weak at the knees. When they would spend time together, she would wish the time could stop right then so she can spend forever with him. When they said their goodbyes, she would feel empty inside until he texted her after a few minutes, telling her he misses her already. She was on cloud nine, for all she cared and she wasn’t ready to ever get down from there.

“Here you go, a beautiful balloon for a beautiful girl.” Rafael held out a red, heart-shaped balloon for her. It was a few days leading up to Valentine’s Day so as expected, everything around them was red, pink and made in a shape of hearts. She didn’t expect Rafael to hand her a heart balloon especially since she still wasn’t sure what his feelings were.

“Thank you Rafael, how sweet,” she said, looking up to admire the balloon. This was probably the first thing Rafael had given to her to indicate that there are some feelings involved but she didn’t want to mention anything. It was a cool, breezy evening and both of them weren’t ready to go home so Rafael suggested cruising around in his car. Of course she accepted his offer in a flash. He drove her around London while they talked about nothing in particular. After half an hour of driving, he pulled up outside L’Anima Italian Restaurant. She gasped and turned around to face Rafael as he switched the engine off.

“Are we eating here tonight?” she asked. She couldn’t hide the excitement in her voice.

“Yes we are,” he said as he smiled at her.

She couldn’t believe her eyes, and his words for that matter. They couldn’t possibly be dining in this fine Italian restaurant that also happens to be over the budget for two university students. Even though she was essentially royalty back in Dubai, she refused to be given thousands of pounds by her father or any other luxuries. She wanted to live a simple student life as much as possible. Besides, she could enjoy all the money she wants went she goes back to Dubai.

“Isn’t it a little…expensive?” she asked, not wanting to sound ungrateful.

“Yes, kind of. That’s why I have been saving up for ages now.  Come on now, we have a reservation for 8 o’clock. Let’s go.” He jumped out of the car and she copied him. She left the balloon he gave her in the car as she decided it would probably look out of place.

She followed him inside and took  their places. She had seen better, she admitted to herself. Living in Dubai, and being from a family like hers, she had seen it all but the restaurant was stunning. The place was decked in white, from top to bottom with the exception of the off-yellow colour of the marble floor and the small beautiful black decorations on the tables. The grey porphyry stones of the wall stood out so well to the rest of the polished white structures.

After they had finished their food, she asked him again why he had taken here here, this time not settling down for a quick “because I felt like it” answer. Instead of answering the question, he took her by her hand and led her out to the fountains. With no one around, he began.

“Marwa, I haven’t known you for long but the time that I have, I have never felt more at peace. I never expected a woman like you to come into my life so unexpectedly. You actually make me a happier person. Your smile brightens my day and whenever I see you, I feel like the happiest man in the world. Before I met you, I never realised how empty my life was and I can’t imagine a life without you in it. I know it sounds crazy considering how long we know each other but it’s enough for me to know exactly how I feel about you. You’re beautiful Marwa, inside and out and I don’t really know what else to say because I’m not really good with words but that…I love you and that…” he reached inside his pocket and took out a small black box. He lowered himself down to kneel on one knee, opening the box.

“Marwa…will you do me the honour of becoming my wife?”

It had felt like fire was igniting in her body. Soon as those words left his lips, feelings of ecstasy rushed through her body. Elated couldn’t quite describe the sensations she was feeling. She was in heaven. Everything around her suddenly became so much more beautiful. She was so intoxicated by her own joy that she couldn’t even bring herself to talk. To reply back to what was probably the most important question she would ever be asked. A lump formed in her throat and she could feel herself tearing up.

“Yes…yes, yes,” she managed to choke out, in between her tears which were streaming down her face now. Rafael let out a quiet sigh and stood up. He took the princess cut, solitaire white gold ring out of its box and gently placed it on her ring finger. As soon as he did this, she encircled her arms around him, embracing him tightly with her head placed on his chest. He placed one arm behind her head, supporting it and the other softly wrapped around her. She melted into his arms. That moment, it was as if nobody was in the world. Just he and she were all that mattered. She felt safe. And when she looked up to him after what seemed a lifetime in his arms, he looked back at her with those captivating green eyes and smiled with only his eyes as if he was telling her not to ever worry about anything anymore.