Jawhara felt the tug of Mbarak’s hands as he moved away.
“Ta3alay,” he persuaded her with his soft voice.
“Wain?” she asked, frustrated, and took an uneasy step forward. She felt the distance between them lessen, but as soon as she was reassured, Mbarak took another step back.
“Garbay,” Mbarak said, ignoring her question, “And keep your eyes closed.”
The clap of the lapping waves grew louder, and the sand under their bare feet grew more wet with every step. A light mist of salty water tickled their calves, and Jawhara tensed up with fear.
“Inta min 9ijjik?” she asked sternly with her eyes still closed.
“Shhh..” Mbarak hushed her, “You promised you wouldn’t let go.”
“And I’m keeping my promise,” Jawhara said confidently, but her insides were bubbling with panic.
With his back to the sea, Mbarak took cautious steps back, careful not to drag Jawhara or himself onto a bed of rocks or something equally painful. The water had reached their ankles, and the cold temperature greeted them harshly.
“7aram 3alaik, Barook! Bard!” Jawhara complained.
Mbarak moved closer to Jawhara and whispered in her ear, “Ana adafeech.”
An exhilarating chill shot up and down Jawhara’s spine. Their feet grew accustomed to the iciness of the sea, and after countless squeals and giggles, Jawhara and Mbarak were up to their chests in the sinister black sea. Their clothes clung to their bodies as if in fear of the dark water.
“Open your eyes,” Mbarak said, letting go of her hands and holding her shivering body close.

The sight was so foreign to Jawhara; this wasn’t the sea she knew. Everything, which was nothing, looked so mysterious and sad. Her eyes searched the surface of the water, looking for something; anything that would break the unusual calm.
“The sea is sleeping,” Mbarak said in a voice so soft that only Jawhara could hear, “We’re the only ones who are awake.”
The thrill of being so alive in such a huge quiet mass overwhelmed Jawhara, and even more so when Mbarak asked her to look up at the sky. Thousands of stars, some more tiny than others, twinkled in the crisp clear night. For once, the horizon was hard to identify, and for the first time in her life, Jawhara felt like she was floating in a giant black hole.
“This is amazing,” she told Mbarak with the wonder sparkling in her eyes.
He grinned, “I knew you’d love it.” Mbarak held her closer to him, allowing her head to rest on his damp shoulder. “Jawharti,” he began.
“Mmm?” Jawhara replied. The pacifying calm of the black sea had drawn her into the highest state of relaxation she’d ever experienced.
Gathering up his courage, Mbarak whispered, “7addich ityannineen.”
A blissful smile painted Jawhara’s lips, and she looked up at Mbarak, her heart racing a mile a minute. “You’re perfect,” she whispered back, and returned her head to it’s comfortable spot on his shoulder.
And with the innocence of a child, Mbarak pressed his soft lips against Jawhara’s right cheek, leaving them to linger for a few seconds. The butterflies in Jawhara’s stomach fluttered wildly up to her ribcage and dwindled in her throat. She sighed and tightened her hold on Mbarak, keeping her promise of never letting go.

After what seemed like hours of deep conversation and swirling around in the salty sea, Mbarak and Jawhara sloshed out of the sea. A layer of dry sand stuck to their wet feet, and while Mbarak tried to wash Jawhara’s toes with handfuls of seawater, she tried her best to wring out the moisture from the front of her tunic. ‘At least,’ she thought to herself, ‘So that he doesn’t see the outline of my bra or anything like that.’
She hugged herself when the midnight zephyr blew, trying to warm herself so that she didn’t catch a cold.
“Bardana?” Mbarak asked, the worry in his eyes. At that instant, he regretted his spontaneity.
She nodded as he lovingly cocooned his arms around her, protecting her from the wispy breeze. “I had fun,” Jawhara chirped with a smile, burying her face into Mbarak’s wet chest.
“7ita ana,” he kissed the top of her head and stroked the length of her back.

In a huddle, they shuffled back to Jawhara’s chalet where the girls’ towels were hanging out to dry from earlier that day. Jawhara grabbed both towels, but Mbarak told her that they only needed one. Choosing the larger towel, she walked back to where he was sitting on the garden ledge. She wrapped the towel around him, and he waited for her to sit down and lean against him. Mbarak cloaked her with the right half of the colorful beach towel, and as if they couldn’t get enough, they wistfully stared at the bobbing sea.
“I wish I was a mermaid,” Jawhara smiled.
“You’re my mermaid,” Mbarak grinned at her childlike confession, “Awal marra ashoof wa7da t7ib ilba7ar halkithir!”
“Amoot 3alba7ar!” she told him.
“Smilla 3alaich,” he whispered, and kissed her shoulder.
They sat in a comfortable silence, and in the distance, 3abood 5owaja’s tremoring voice sang. “Ana Lahi Ma3a Kitabi, Ligaitik Killik Awraaagi! Alaa Ya 7ubbi Il-Awal, Alaa Ya ’3ayiti Mishtaaag!”
“3abood 5owaja?” Jawhara giggled.
The look in Mbarak’s eyes spoke volumes. “Ya 7ilwich, Jojo,” he sighed, holding her close.

“Wai3, waiiii3!” Wahab’s deep voice sliced through the thin night air.
“Shfee hatha, ba3ad?” Mbarak laughed as Jawhara and he both turned to see what was going on.

+++++ 3abood 5owaja – Il-Gloob Il-Sahiya +++++

I recall the day i knew what i wanted to be when i grew up…
I was 7 years old, and daddy walks in with a Sakhar MSX PC in hand. We all gather around him, open mouthed, while he connected it to our tv, put in a cartridge called Alf Ba2 Ta2, and started making [...]

It is disgusting, insulting, and very degrading!

Wl moshkila inna some ppl use it 3ady ib kalamhom without really paying attention to how it may affect il insana illy jiddamhom, wl moshkila il akbar wl 6amma il3othma, inna some ppls think it’s funny, malat 3alaihom o 3ala their insensitive sense of humour.

I’m talking about the word “3anes”, ppl.

What drove me to write this post is that i read last night a post written by a blogger I love where she used this word carelessly in one of her posts. O ibsara7a kazzait!..

I know she didn’t mean any harm , but never-the-less, it made me shiver with disgust! And I wanted to write a long comment to her about it right there and then about this hateful word but I had to go attend to X.

This word makes my blood boil. Ee wallah a7is a39abi tefoor. O ibsara7a illy yesta3milha instantly y6ee7 mn 3ainy, for he who uses this un-kind word is definately tactless.

I leave you now to a post written by the notorious Bride, a famous egyptian blogger:

ع.ا.ن.س

طبعا الحروف اللي فوق دي بتكون كلمة معروفة و مشهورة و رخمة و بايخة و قليلة الذوق

في المعجم العربي بتاع عمكوا وائل الصحاح اللي هو الحفيد الثالث و الأربعين لجدكوا مختار الصحاح كلمة عانس دي مرادف لكلمة بايرة و في قول آخر أنها الفتاة التي فاتها القطر..قطر لما يبقى يلهف اللي يقولها على أي واحدة

الصورة اللي كانت بتيجي في بالنا زمان أول مانسمع كلمة عانس هي صورة زينات صدقي
..(بعدها بشوية بقت صورة عائشة الكيلاني(الأتنين على فكرة كانوا في الحقيقة متجوزين
و على الرغم من إننا ساعات نلاقي مزز لسه ماتجوزتش لبعد التلاتين و ساعات الأربعين..إلا ان مافيش أي حد بيسميهم عوانس أبدا

يعني مثلا ..ليلى علوي..لطيفة..أنوشكا..كل دول عدوا الأربعين ..ورغم كده..عمركوا سمعتوا حد قال عليهم عوانس؟..ماحصلش

يعني مهما حاولنا نعرف الكلمة على إنها تأخر واحده في الجواز هنلاقي التعريف ده غير صحيح ..الكلمة ..مجرد إهانة..فقط لاغير
نوع من أنواع التشفي في واحدة تعرفها أو ماتعرفهاش

خصوصا لو ماتعرفهاش..ياسلاااام تبقى كلمة لطيفة جدا و على سبيل الهزار و التهييس و حاجة ظريفة تموت م الضحك
بالظبط زي لما تضحك على حد إتسرق مرتبه في الأتوبيس
لو إنت اللي حصلت فيك الحكاية دي تبقى مصيبة سودة ..لكن لو حصلت لحد تاني..يبقى هو اللي حمار و مابيفهمش و دغف و عبيط عشان كده إتسرق

برضه كلمة عانس نفس الطريقة..طب بص حواليك في عيلتك في شغلك في جيرانك ..أكيد هتلاقي واحدة قريبة منك و بتمر بظروف زي دي ..لو هي قريبة منك قلبك مش هيطاوعك تقول عليها عانس، أما لو ماتعرفهاش..فهتلاقي الكلمة بتجري على لسانك بسلاسة و سهولة

إنت بتقول الكلمة سوري يعني بجهل و ماتعرفش هي بتجرح مين
و ماتعرفش أصلا انها بتجرح

يعني من مدة كده كانت فيه واحدة سايبالي تعليق في الشات بوكس بتقول اني باتكلم بلسانها و بلسان صحابها و كده، أم حد برضه جه في التعليقات و قاللي أنا ملاحظ ان كل اللي بكتبولك هنا عوانس ماتغيري اسم البلوج و تخليه بيت العوانس

بجد كانوا كلمتين محشورين في زوري و يا أقولهم ..يا أموت

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I too, join forces with Bride and ask you to kindly delete that crude word from your vocabulary, because you all know, some words hurt more than swords.

Thank you;

Shino y3ni email ib hal ‘3aba2 yosalnee o im expected to believe it o forward it?
Mo ma3qoola y3ni… tra wee3… ay shay! Ignorance is one thing, not using ur brains AT ALL is just another… its a catastrophy actually!
Here is the email…
Subject: عاااااااااااااااااااااجل جدا جدا جدا………………………

 اعزائي

وصلنا من مصدر موثوق ان مستشفى الاميري وصل اليه 35 [...]

Fajer had to drag Jawhara away from the window so she could eat dinner. “Eklay, tara 7abeebich mara7 yi6eer!” she joked, “And nothing’s more embarrassing than your stomach grumbling while you’re with a guy because he’ll think you have to pass gas.”
Jawhara quickly swallowed a large lump of her pizza without chewing and let out a loud laugh. “Fajoor cham marra agoollich, don’t make me laugh when I’m eating! One of these days bashreg 3ala my food oo it’ll be your fault!”
The gooey cheese pizza disappeared slice by slice, and after the girls had finished eating, Fajer helped Jawhara get ready for her midnight rendezvous.

“I don’t wanna look like a clown, Fajoor, please,” Jawhara pleaded under Fajer’s merciless hands.
“You won’t, babe, walla shaklich bykoon 7ilo,” Fajer coaxed as she applied mascara onto Jawhara’s already-thick eyelashes.
When she looked in the mirror, Jawhara thanked God that her make-up was extremely light, yet still made her look different. She secretly hoped Mbarak would notice.
“Don’t look too casual,” Fajer warned, “Lazim you keep him on his toes!”
“Shalbis, 3ayal?” Jawhara wondered, staring at the contents of her weekender bag.
“What about this?” Fajer held up a ruffley skirt from her own bag, “With a white t-shirt?”
“Laaa,” Jawhara shook her head, “Too.. madri shloon. What about this?” Jawhara pulled out her jade bohemian tunic. “With white shorts?”
“Perfect!” Fajer smiled, “Yalla get ready, you don’t have much time.”

Mbarak stood outside Jawhara’s chalet, waiting for her to come out. As soon as he saw her walking out towards him, an undeniable surge of happiness pulsated through his body, lighting his glowing face with his magical smile.
“Yah, yah! Sh’hal jamaaal!” he beamed, causing Jawhara’s face to turn a million shades of pink.
“Asti-,” she began, but Mbarak shushed her as he slipped his arm around her shoulder.
“La tisti7een, Jojo, cham marra bagoollich, ya3ni?” Even when he was stern, he was gentle and soft-spoken. Jawhara’s stomach flipped with excitement.
From the chalet’s windows, Fajer watched her best friend walk away looking so perfectly happy. She thanked God under her breath that Jawhara was finally happy and smiled to herself.

“Where are we going?” Jawhara inquired, curious.
“Nitmasha. Laish, you wanted to go somewhere?” Mbarak asked, hoping Jawhara wouldn’t want to leave the beach. The night was too perfect to be spent driving around in a car.
“No, this is perfect,” she replied with a shy smile.
“Good,” he smiled back.
Mbarak slipped his hand into hers, and Jawhara’s heart throbbed with delight. They walked under the silvery moonlight, exchanging nervous chuckles and getting used to the feeling of their fingers interlocked. Mbarak mentally studied the feeling of her palm against his – her hands were so tiny and soft; such a nice feeling against his leathery palm.
Jawhara broke the ice, “Did you see that girl today? 7mdilla wishikir, bay3at’ha!”
“Eee! Allah yaster 3alaiha bes, hathi ma3roof 3anha mo 9a7ya,” Mbarak said, his thick eyebrows knotting together.
Jawhara and Mbarak walked and talked some more, the tension between them easing up by the minute. Mbarak proved himself more intelligent than Jawhara imagined, talking to her with such vigor about things that normally wouldn’t interest her, like cars and the stock market. She wasn’t sure whether it was because his voice was so soothing, or because his knowledge succeeded that of any guy his age, but Jawhara was so obviously captivated. She hung onto his every word, savoring it’s resonance in her ear. When Jawhara spoke, Mbarak appreciated her honesty and her knowledge of current events, and he adored the way she had her own girly way of describing things. He couldn’t take his eyes off of her.

After walking a considerable distance, Jawhara complained about her aching feet. Mbarak offered her a piggy-back ride, but she bashfully declined. However, he insisted, stooping in front of her and motioning for her to climb on.
“Barook, walla thigeela. Ra7 tit3ab!” she tried to reason with him.
“Yalla 3ad, Jojo! Climb on!” he persisted.
“Kaifik. Bes if I break your back, la tit7al6am oo tashki!” Jawhara warned with a giggle. She straddled his back, and he lifted her with ease.
“Oof! Yal dobba! Ya butamba!” Mbarak teased, straining his voice for effect.
“HEY!” Jawhara pouted, “Tara walla anzil!”
“5aleech, mama,” he laughed, and carried her all the way back to the chalet.
“Am I really heavy?” she asked.
“Reesha!” he declared, “Walla ga3d at’3ashmar, Jojo!”
Jawhara hugged his neck tighter, inhaling his sweet scent. YSL L’Homme – she recognized it right off the bat. It was her favorite men’s cologne, and the fact that Mbarak wore it only made him more desirable to her.

Along the way, Jawhara sensed Mbarak’s breaths getting deeper, so she slid off his back and walked by his side. He immediately held her hand; he didn’t want a moment to pass by where they weren’t in contact. When they reached Mbarak’s chalet, 3ammar, Wahab and Nawaf were sitting out on the patio with their radio, smoking cigarettes and listening to 3abdel3aziz Al-’6wai7i.
“Haa, Bu Fahad!” Nawaf called out to Mbarak.
“Hala walla,” Mbarak called back.
“Lat6awil 3alaina,” 3ammar teased, nodding his head to acknowledge Jawhara.
“Eee, ee! Mo t6awil! Nabeek!” Wahab joked.
“Roo7aw zain,” Mbarak laughed, squeezing Jawhara’s hand affectionately.
“Mako 3abood 5owaja tonight?” Jawhara asked timidly.
Mbarak looked at her and smiled his million-dollar smile, “Maybe later.”

They walked a little farther, passing Jawhara’s chalet and several more. The cool damp sand beneath their feet was appeasing, and Mbarak led Jawhara to a clean spot on the sand where they could sit.
Jawhara leaned against his shoulder as they watched the tide roll in. The black sea looked so different than it did during the day. During the day, the shining sun speckled the bottle green sea with golden glitter, whereas at night, the moon reflected silver shards on the trembling ink.
“3umrich seba7tay billail?” Mbarak asked softly.
“In the sea? La, bes I’ve always wanted to,” Jawhara admitted. It’s like he’d read her mind.
“A7la shu3oor,” he whispered into her hair, breathing in it’s fruity scent.
“9ij?” Jawhara turned to face Mbarak. His face was so dangerously close to hers, but she knew better.
“Yalla?” he asked playfully, holding both of her hands tightly.
“Yalla what?” Jawhara asked.
Mbarak stood up abruptly, pulling Jawhara to her feet with him.

‘Is our date over? This is it?’ Jawhara worried, thinking that maybe being too physically close to Mbarak gave him the wrong impression. She wanted to kick herself. “Wain ray7een?” she asked, confused.
“Jawhara, close your eyes,” Mbarak prompted. Jawhara, more puzzled than ever, followed his instructions. He picked up both of her hands again, holding them tightly. “Promise me you won’t let go.”
“Mbarak?-” she began nervously.
“Just promise me, Jojo, shfeech?” his tone was comforting.
After a short pause, with her eyes still closed and her brow furrowed, Jawhara promised.
Mbarak then took a long step back.

We recieved a box of mini Flakes from the UK… YAY!!!
So… Tea time (or coffee time) for me is sacred. It always reminds me of my father, who after waking up in the evening would gather us around him o feed us tea, mary biscuits, and cakes!!!
So, today i was fasting with Bu Tootee, i [...]

Gateau Aux Neux, a famous cake from Zurcher Confiserie in Montreux, Montana Honey, two shoes, two YSL socks, a souviner from Cannes, i guess it should be an ashtray but we could use it for pins, and a box of Milka chocolates that Bu Tootee adores
These are the last things he is ever getting from [...]

“Answer, answer put it on speaker” I urged “Aloo?” “Alooooo, hala Khulood, shlonich?” “Bkhayr el 7emdela, entai shlonich?” “Walla bkhayr, it was so nice seeing you today… Tyanineen, chinich 3aroosa in your white dress” Khulood giggled “Thanks I guess, if that’s a compliment” “3ala 6ary mi3arees, sima3t ina rifeejtich Flana btakhith Flan Al Flani, 9ij [...]

“Pls help! “, comes a voice I’ve never heard before pleading with me.

Now I don’t usually pick up the phone when a random number is calling, but since it was a KSA number, I answered thinking it was one of my saudi friends.

“Khair okhoy? “

“It’s my sister. I’ve been trying to reach her but I can’t get hold of her. The line just won’t connect!! ” He says with despair.

“Oh don’t worry.. ” I assure him, “ .. you probably just need to add a digit to her phone number, you know it’s a new system here in Kuwait“, I explain.

“Yes I know, ” he replied, quite frustrated, ” I added 6 but to no avail, I still can’t get hold of her. Please oh pls would you call her for me. Ask her to call her brother Ziyad, It’s really urgent“.

“Ok, sure“..

“Here’s her number: 66##### “

He hangs up and I quickly dial her number, poor thing must be worried sick about his sister.. I wait in anticipation for the line to connect but the mobile is switched off.

I put down my mobile, not knowing what to do..
Shall I call him back to tell him I couldn’t reach her?
But just as I thought of that an alarm bell went off in my head..

HEY!
Wait a second..
Just hold your horses G.G. and think it through!! <---- That is the wise me finally using her brain :-/

Who IS that guy? And how did he get my number?
What if it’s not really his sister?
Would I really want to be involved ??

My mobile rings again, it’s him !
Shall I ignore him?
La 7araam it’s rude..

“Aloo“
“So did you call her? “
“I did, but her mobile was switched off“
“Ok, call her again, or better yet, send her a msg.. “
Warning bells ringing in my head..
“La okhoy, you send her a msg, ana maby atdakhal akthar mn chetheeh, bs may I ask shloon you got my number?“
“bil 7ath! “

Bil 7ath, ya salam..
Ya salam 3la 7athy ana!!
A flashing police siren ringing crazily in my head

He continues : ” And I did send her a msg bs lel7een ma raddat 3alay. Pleeease, you send her one, mafeeha shy, just tell her Gharam pls call Ziyad” !!

What?
Did I hear that correctly?
her name is Gharam?!!!!!

YA LAHWIII..

Now i’m getting really uncomfortable, ” La okhoy aasfa, ana magdar….. “
And before I can even finish my sentence he cuts me off, murmuring something I didn’t quite understand, and then just like that he hangs up in my face!!!!

I look at my mobile incredulously..
Did that just happen?

Abbaih Glitter testahlain..
Ee testahlain 3al habaala illy intay feeha..
My goodness how galloble can one be ?!!

Sij ba66ait chabd nafsy..
7addy ba66ait chabd nafsy..

KALB, 7arny!

Seriously? bs Kalb?
Hatha illy gedartay 3alaih?
Ma 3indich insult itbarrid il chabd akthur?

I hang my head down,
la ma 3indy..
ma 3arif..

Offfffffffffffffffff…
This story X must NOT know about..
Akeed ra7 yezefny o I already did that o zaffait roo7y ibroo7y!

KALB..
O akthur mn KALB b3d.

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Oh and elly kha6ab Sweetness is Flan.

For previous parts of Sweetness’ story, read here.

X is looking at himself in the mirror and adjusting his ghetra, while I sit on the bed watching him.

How men have it easy!!
Dishdasha, and ghetra and they’re ready to go.
Nice shoes, expensive watch, and an occasional pen in the pocket..
And that’s all the accessories they need!!

He sprays on his new Hermes perfume, the one he just bought from Dubai’s airport on our recent trip there, turns to me and say:
“Need anything from me, babe? “
I smile and shake my head : “Salamtik 7beebi“

He smiles back and heads to the door. I stand up and follow him, and as I walk behind him, I can smell gentle lemony whiffs of his perfume. I close my eyes and inhale deeply.. MmmMmm, Oh how I love that scent on him..

**Note to self:
Buy more of that perfume and stock it up.

“Yallah, ana mashy .. “, I hear X say. I look at him, his hand on the door knob looking at me expectantly, “byee“.
I rush to give a quick kiss before he leaves. MmWaaah. “7afthik Allah“..

I close the door gently behind him and my mobile starts ringing. It’s Sweetness. “Hala 7beebti” I say earnestly.
And there comes her voice, low and gentle: “Hi G.G., esh 3indich elyoum? “
“Nothing much. X just left for his deewaniya and I was thinking of going over to my mom’s. Intay wainich? “
“Mako, thayeg khelgy o 6ala3t mn il bait many 3arfa wain aroo7“.

And it just hit me, her voice is not only low and gentle, her voice is tired, and she sounds depressed.
“Well, you know what? Come on over. I’ll order a big pizza and we can just sit, talk, and pig out“
“Ok, I’m on my way“

.
.

10 minutes later, Sweetness walks in, her hair all up in a twisted messy bun with a thin headband of colored stones, and I can’t help but admire her.
Although she looks beat up, exhausted, and had lost a lot of weight, no one can pull this casual chic look as effortlessly as her. She’s wearing a simple purple jersey dress with a colorful little embroidered vest.

**Another note to self:
Borrow that vest, and just maybe forget to give it back!

She heaves herself onto the sofa, slowly sweeps off her Chanel cross bag, kicks off her Gina’s, and gives out a deep sigh.
I go over and sit next to her, “Ishfeech? “

“Oh nothing new. Same old same old“, she says while wrinkling her nose. “Bas G.G., mallait.. wallah mallait o ana an6erah, o ta3abt, ta3abt mn facing my father every day. I can’t meet his eyes anymore“

Her eyes starts to water, and her voice begins to shake:
“I know he’s sincere. I know he loves me. But I need him to prove it. Prove it to me. Prove it to my father. Prove it fast because I think I can NOT stand this any longer “

Can I tell her that I began to hate him?

“The problem now is that a friend at work came by today to tell me what she thought was great news. She told me this older lady from another department was asking about me lately, and had asked for my home number just this day! “
“Well this is great.. “.. I start to say when she shoots me with a look. “.. let me finish,.. ” I continue. ” You can call Flan up and tell him this piece of news. Maybe it will give him incentive enough to take some action“
She is shaking her head already,” I won’t blackmail the guy into marrying me“.

Offffffff…
Hathy killish mo KAIDAHUNNA 3ATHEEM!!
Ya 7asra :-/

I’m getting worried about her. She doesn’t want to pressure him- and how noble of her to do so, yet she is suffering. I want to tell her to move on, but how can I? Clearly she still has strong feeling for him.

Her mobile rings, she picks it up, looks at the screen. “It’s my mother, I can’t talk to her. She’ll know I’ve been crying“, and she shoves the mobile to my ears while pressing the answer button..

“Hala Khalty“, I say hurriedly.
She asks me about Sweets and I say: “Yes, she’s here with me“.
Sweetness rests her head back on the sofa and closes her eyes.

And then,
Just like that,
Sweetness’ mom throws her bomb, and I gasp.
Sweetness props herself up startled.

“Khalty, wait. Say that again to Sweetness herself“

I hand over the phone to her, and as she sits there listening to her mom’s big news, the doorbell rings.

It’s the Pizza man.

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Will continue this later..
Have to close and go before X walks in and catches me with the laptop :”/

I remained as cold as a block of ice until it was time to get out of the car “Put your hand on my shoulder” “I think I’ll be fine, thanks” “Flana, please, please lat3andeen” “Ma ga3d a3anid, I just want you to step away please” “I’m not gonna move, I’m gonna help you” “I [...]

I was in the living room watching TV, or looking beyond it, when I heard a thump to my right. I turned my face to find Abdulaziz, the youngest of my three brothers, thrown on the sofa next to me. After Fahad left, I ran upstairs into my room, holding t…

The knocks on my bathroom door were endless until eventually they stopped and the chirping sounds of the crickets took over. I was starting to get cold so I went back out to my room and found Juju waiting on the bed… “You’re still here?” I croaked “You didn’t think I’d let you sleep alone [...]

Dear readers,I am sorry for the delay in posting part 3. I was out of Kuwait for sometime and I left my laptop at home. Of course, I checked my Google Reader every now and then, but I could not write a word. I will post part 3 soon inshallah.Yours,Sham…

Hmmm, is it really so?.. Do I “challenge our societal norms” ?
This is what some email is blatantly accusing me of.

And ” .. where else would it come from if not out of Kuwait” !!
What does he mean?

Who is this “A“?

The email was beautifully written, stating that he liked my blog and wishing me and X well. But the sentence mentioned above threw me off a bit and made me think..

As I keep on reading, X enters the room, but I hardly look up. I’m thinking of what to write as a reply to “A“. I start typing when all of a sudden:

“GLITTER, bassich blogsat o ta3alay!! “, X shouts from the other room.
“Kani kani.. “, I press SEND quickly and hurry to him.
.
.

The next day, I check my inbox, and there it was, another email from Mr. “A“.

I carry my laptop, and settle myself onto my comfy sofa. Pull my hair back. Take a deep breath and press OPEN.

Nothing could have prepared me for what I read next….

Listen to this:

” Yes it was a compliment; I don’t think the (insert name of his country) mindset is quite ready for such openness. I think it’s a healthy thing in a society to be able to look with a humorous/critical eye and learn from our mistakes and scenarios. And it is well known that Kuwaitis in general are more open-minded than most Khaleejis, and each state has it’s own experience and peculiarities.“

Then he goes off and tells me his story. How he had been studying abroad for many many years now. How the thought of him getting married soon never crossed his mind, let alone an arranged marriage to a complete starnger! But reading my story kind of sold it to him !! ( Yaaay Me!! ) hehehee

So when the opportunity, of a similar situation to mine, came his way he took it. And now after all these years he’s finally engaged and on his way to be a married man within the next few months. :”)

” I guess it takes a LOT of courage and blind faith to make that big step, but I firmly believe it should be done sooner than later, and when one has the backing of his family then there is little reason to delay (unless there really is major incompatibility between the parties).

Sooo you see how your lil blog did a bit of good and touched someone’s life far faar away. Small world. “

I swear to God I can feel my heart warm up with each word, and my smile is growing bigger bigger with each sentence. This has got to be one of the most precious emails I have ever recieved.

He ends it with:

“I hope that my future bride’s experience is as happy as yours :D “

Needless to say that that email made my day. I walked around all day with a happy glow in my heart. His sincere words lifted up my spirits and for that I am greatly thankful, and forever grateful.

Roo7 3sa Allah yfarri7 gulbik methel ma farra7t gulby.. O ybarik lik, o ybarik 3alaik, o yejma3 bainik o bain ur future bride eb kel khair o 7ob o mawadda, yaaaa rub..

*raises her hands to the sky earnestly*

**Note to Masq:

That prayer goes to you too, dear bro.

I pined to response to what I heard, but even if I wanted to, I couldn’t dignify her insults with an answer. I inhaled deeply and drew a smile on my face, which I am sure was blank at that time. A million thoughts rushed into my head as I was struggl…

So… I’ve been away for about 3 weeks but I assure I’m not empty handed. Below are two different directions of part 15 I will leave them up for about 1 week, maybe more. Let me know which one you prefer and on that I will continue part 15. The one with the most votes [...]