Save me episode 22 – 23

Save me episode 22

”i paid the electricity bill.. It should be back by now” Rami cleared once we stepped in,side the house.

I moved to t-rn on the light to check.. It was indeed back. It was weird looking at the room in more light.

Even though we were in the day, the room still couldn’t bring much light from the blocked neighborhood.

I turned it off again and then i started emptying all the bags.

Pushed the vegetables and meet in the small fridge after i cleaned it.

Put a scented soap, toothbrush and toothpaste in the bathroom. With some cleaning material.

A set of candles. Bulbs and small batteries in the second drawer.

Cookies .. Pasta. I didn’t realise how much i really bought until i was emptying the bags.

When i finished doing that . i went to cook something to eat.

_” when are you getting back to your work?” Rami suddenly asked when i was in the middle of preparing the meal.

_”i’m going tomorrow .. I’ll go find an apartment to rent too”

_” we’re in spring vacations .. You don’t have work tomorrow, do you?” he daringly added.

And he was right.. I lied.

I lied before because i didn’t want to hurt Mma’s feelings, she treated me like a daughter.. I couldn’t just tell her i’m leaving because i just wanted to leave.

I said i needed to go back to my work And i was hoping no one paid intention enough to realise we were in the spring holidays so i didn’t have work at all.

Ramy apparently knew all along.

When i turned to look at him .. It was written in his face. He knew i’m running away from them.

So i added boldly:

_” good, since you already know i’m lying then i have to tell you that the fact is i can’t wait to get rid of you and all what connected me to that awful city and that’s why i came back here. But don’t get so excited .. I promise i’ll put you and those two rats behind the bars even if that cost me my life”

_” it smells good, this room never smelled like good cooking before” he strangely hushed as if me and him were talking different languages.

Smiling and taking deep breaths.

_” i said i’m putting you in the jail!” I emphasized.

_” you should.. But i still can enjoy a meal until that time”

_” i’m not cooking for you ” l frowned but he shamelessly smiled even w¡der and said:

_” YOU ARE”

And all i wanted .. Was to wipe that ugly expression from his face.

He rarely smiled .. And now he looks like he can’t stop doing that.

Maybe he was under some drug!

_” you don’t look like your self, you took something?” I asked trying to hide the rising fright in,side of me.

_” no” he simply answered.. And it looked like the truth.

Because Rami Belarbi that i know wasn’t even shameful when telling el imam that he drank wine ( el imam: means the man who lead people in the prayers in the mosque )

I trusted that.. So i just turned to mix what i was cooking in the pot.

And that’s When he suddenly added from behind my back:

_” i know i don’t have the right to, but i’m just Happy”

And that was enough to make my hands shake and my heart ache in sorrow.

i didn’t want him to feel happy

Not in front of me.

I hated him that much.

After i finished cooking i filled my plate and ate like if i haven’t eaten for a month.

I didn’t invite him to eat .. Although i left some for him.

And then i brought out the small Mushaf ( the book of curan) from my bag and started reading it sitting in the corner of the room.

For hours.. And more hours.

We both kept silent.

We both barely looked at each other.

To god we’re married. To people our sin linked us.

But that small room was enough proof that despite everything that happened. We’ll remain perfect strangers.

When it was finally time to sleep Ramy just took all the sheets and slept above the floor next to it.

Leaving the bare bed probably for me.

He didn’t ask me to go there . but what he did was invitation enough for me.

So i emptied few of my clothes .. Made a pillow with them. Covered my self with jackets. And went to a deep sleep.

Putting an End to the second day with “Rami belarbi”

When i woke up the next morning .. I found Rami’s zoomed in face staring at me.

I shrieked right away as i moved away.

_”what are you__” i shouted but he soon interrupted me :

_” i was just covering you with your jacket”

I looked at my jacket still hanging nervously in his hands and said:

_” i don’t need to wake up on your ugly face everyday! I’d rather freeze to death”

He then threw my jacket above the bed again angrily and walked to the small table at the corner of the room.

Took his favorite brand of cookies .. And started eating them like if he was born in the year of hunger.

_” wait for me until i come back from my work.. I’ll go see houses with you”

_” why would i go see them with YOU?” I asked disgusted.

Because this was the stupidest decision his mind ever took after raping me of course.

_”for one: i know houses.. Two: you don’t know houses” he simply explained like if he was the world’s biggest genius.

And i hate to admit it .. But he’s right.

_” i’d rather__” i started to shout but he interrupted me coldly.

_” just wait for me”

And before i even had time to object we were interrupted with a knocking on the door.

I turned to look at “Rami” startled only to find him eying the door surprised.

_” are you expecting someone?” I asked.

But he just shook his head as he went to open the door .

I right away stood up and took a defensive position.

Thinking probably there were some drug dealers behind the door. Or Mafia members.

Or anyone with bad baaad motives.

The last thing i expected was actually to see a casual couple …

A medium height man with fine features and an outfit so much like Rami’s

And an even shorter woman with the praying cloth above her head and humble beauty.

Just a casual couple.

_” i’m sorry to bother you so early Kho (brother) but you know her .. Once i told her you were sick she couldn’t wait for the daylight to come” the man said with a laughter.

_” are you doing better now?? .. Ayaa how can you not come to us when you get sick! .. With god’s mercy you’re safe what if bad___” the woman rushed worried when she suddenly came to a stop once her eyes fell on me.

The husband following her gaze finally noticed me.

And they both looked at me dumbfounded.

_” this is my wife” Rami hurriedly explained only to make them even more surprised.

_” you.. You haven’t mentioned, oh congratulations kho!” The man finally spoke.

A smile finally spread on the woman’s face as she shouted excitedly:

_”iiih .. I was going to scold you for not inviting us to the wedding but after i saw that angelic face of hers i could see why you couldn’t wait any longer”

I looked at that wh0le weird situation nervously and decided to step closer and introduce my self properly.

_” masha-allah.. Masha-allah!( what god want/ may god bless)” the woman added again when i reached them

_” good morning sister, how are you doing?” I said nervously only to make her shout even more.

_” iiih .. The eastern accent ! You must be from the same town as brother Rami!.. I’m doing perfectly fine after this amazing news. How about you? And tell me what is your name!”

I smiled nervously and nodded as i mumbled:

_” i’m good. My name is Hayat”

_” a name on a named.. Indeed you brought the life to this place” (Hayat literally means “Life” )

She said.. Having no idea that this marriage meant my death.

I lost even the sense of my name among everything else.

I just smiled when i really wanted to do was to cry.

_” we must have a chat later, you look like going somewhere” she added eying my hijab.

I’m not going anywhere.. It’s just that i see my husband as a stranger.

So i never loosen my scarf.

_” indeed” i lied although i hate to lie. But i do it often now.

_” oh you choke the woman first thing in the morning .. Let her breathe” the husband objected nervously.

_” ayaa what’s this choked her! .. We’re sisters now. I can’t believe i finally have someone to talk with!” The woman shouted again.

She chatted for a little longer .. And finally walked away.

Once he closed the door .. “Ramy” turned to look at me and explained:

_” that was my friend at work “Nazih” and his wife “Dalila” .. They are our neighbors. they are real good people”

_” you mean YOUR neighbors, indeed they seem so” i cleared.

Only to make the momentary joy on his face vanish as he walked to the table again to finish his cookies.

When he finally was leaving he reminded me:

_” you wait for me”

And before i said i won’t .. He closed the door behind him.

Episode 23

Soon “Rami” came back from his work. I asked him if we could go see apartments for renting.

But his answer was:

_” i talked with a friend of mine . he’ll be showing us some decent houses tomorrow”

_”tomorrow! Not today?!” I asked in clear protestations . but he just nodded coldly as he held his clothes and went to the bathroom to change.

And that was it, i waited for him the wh0le day for nothing.

_” eat this” i ordered as i put plates of food above the wooden desk when he came back. And then i walked further.

He stood still for quite a time.. his hair dropping w-t. And he looked at the plates confused as if it was his first time seeing food.

_” i didn’t put poison in them if that is what you’re thinking about, i’m not dirtying my hands with your filthy blood ” i explained impatiently.

He then snapped out of his out-in-the-space state and shot me an icy stare.

He leaned closer to the desk. And weirdly started eating immediately like if he haven’t eaten for days.

_” you should dry your hair first before you eat.. You’re sick” i half hushed hoping he didn’t hear me.

Because this is me, i can’t stop my self from asking someone to do the right thing even if that someone was my biggest enemies.

And i always have been bossing around “Rami Belarbi” asking him to stop smoking. To stop making noises. And treat girls with more respect.

He always looked at me like if i was the biggest human trash and ignored me most of the time, but of course he couldn’t but speak back to me with the most ungentlemanly way when he was in the mood to “humiliate” someone.

I knew i deserved that .. But it’s just that i can’t stop my bossy character.

But now instead, he choke in his food .

After he coughed for sometime. He immediately stood up and started drying his hair with a towel.

With a smile on his face.

As weird as that was.. I just ignored him.

_” you haven’t changed” Rami suddenly whispered as he stopped eating.

_” i used to ask my self what would you say about my choices.. If you were around.. And what would you think of me?” He continued talking bowing his head.

Not looking at me .. Though his tone seemed desperate to reach me.

I was looking at him though. Wondering why would he say such things.

Even more. Afraid that they were the truth.

_”you never cared about my opinion__” i objected but he soon interrupted me:

_” you were always there.. And then one day i came to high school and you weren’t there anymore. I waited.. We all did, but you never came back again.”

He said that.. As if he was accusing me for leaving!

Back those days. I knew i had no future if i stayed in that small faraway town. Where the most important thing for a woman is to learn how to cook and how to lie.

I never wanted to be just a jewelry to decorate someone’s house. Or just a servant who has no saying in anything.

As soon as my aunt suggested i should go live with her and resume my studies in the big city i didn’t think twice before saying yes.

In just one week .. I was the furthest from all my nightmares.

I never thought they would haunt me wherever i went.

And here i am .. Having no saying in my life. Raped and destroyed.

_” you’re the last person i expected to notice my absence” i said mockingly.

_” you have no idea”

He hushed .. Looking at me this time.

Daring me to stare away.. Like he used to do.

And that was it .. I didn’t want to hear more of him.

So i went to burry my self in the bathroom.

And left him alone with the silence.

I never liked the big house i once lived in.

But i definitely loved having a place to hide.

Tbc