Rana walked into the living room, holding a fresh load of laundry, coming to a halt as she found Rami sitting on the couch.

“Oh. Hello.” She said quietly, and he looked up from the screen and gave her a grin.

“Hey Rana.” He reached over for the remote, and turned off the television. “What are you doing?”

“Just some laundry.”

“Oh do you need help? I’m an excellent folder!”

Rana laughed and shook her head.

“Thanks for the offer but I’m okay.” She perched the basket on the arm of the couch. “What are you doing?”

“Just watching a basketball game.”

She nodded, and traced the rim of the basket with her finger.

“So Rami, when are we going to, you know?”

He sat forward on the edge of the couch, and tented his fingers.

“Well I called your parents, and I called my parents and everyone agreed that it’s up to us. Whenever we want to do it, they will come out here. I think we should do it sooner than later.”

She nodded.

“I agree. What did your parents say when you told them?”

“My dad starting laughing, and my mom said ‘finally!’. Yours?”

Rana smiled.

My mom said ‘I told you’ and my dad said ‘Good. I like him.’”

Rami threw his head back and laughed, and looked at her adoringly.

“So when do you want to do it?”

She shrugged.

“When do you want to do it?”

“Next week.”

Her eyes widened.

“Next week?!”

“Too soon?”

“Uh yeah!” she exclaimed.

“Well what were you thinking?”

“A few months at least!”

He groaned, and leaned back against the couch.

“No I’ve waited too long already, I don’t want to wait anymore!”

“What do you mean?”

“I’ve waited like too many years to count to be with you. Now that we both admitted to our feelings,” he stood up so he was towering a good few feet above her, “I don’t want to wait any longer Rana. It’s hard to be around you knowing how you feel about me. Don’t make me wait.”

She regarded him for a few seconds, before nodding.

“Okay. Two weeks.”

He smiled.

“I’ll tell our parents.”

***



***

“Jenna I’m bored! You mean to tell me you just sit around here all day?!” Emma whined, and Jenna rolled her eyes from where she sat reading on the couch. It was snowing in New York, and the airports were closed, so her sisters hadn’t been able to leave the day before, and Emma was now getting on Jenna’s nerves with her complaining.

“No,” she said defensively, even though it was kind of true. Usually Hudayfah’s business days ran until late, and he was too tired to do anything. He had given her leave to go out with one of the men, but ever since what had happened, she had been too scared. “Why don’t you go join Rana and Maria in the garden?”

Emma’s nose wrinkled.

“And get these hands dirty? Yeah right!” she plopped down next to Jenna, and nudged her with her toe.

“Let’s go shopping. Come on Jen, I can’t leave New York without a fake Coach bag!”

Jenna sighed, and put down her book.

“I dunno Em. I don’t really feel like it, and it’s so cold outside!”

“Please.” She pleaded, “pretty please Jenna?!”

Jenna sighed.

“I guess, but we have to see who is available to go.”

“I find it odd that you have to go out with bodyguards.”

“Well you know with Hudayfah being so famous.”

That was the excuse they had given their guests that didn’t know.

“Yes, yes, can we go or not?”

“Alright, I guess we can go out with Rami.”

Emma grinned.

“I’ll go out with one condition.”

“What?”

“Jafar goes with us.”

Jenna turned her eyes down to look at her book. She hadn’t seen Jafar do anything suspicious lately, but at the same time she didn’t trust him, and she didn’t want her little sister to start to fall for him. Just then Farris walked into the room with who else other than Jafar, and before she could stop her, Emma bounded up from her seat.

“Salaam you guys! Can you take us shopping!?” she chirped, and while Farris grinned down at her, Jafar turned away, his face turning slightly red.

Interesting.

“Yeah if Hud says it’s cool, we will go with you.”

“Yes!” Emma exclaimed before she whirled around to face Jenna, her hair hitting her in her face at her speed.

“Please Jen?!” she pleaded, picking pieces of hair out of her lip gloss, and Jenna sighed.

“Fine.”

“Yay!” she exclaimed. “I’ll go ask Maria and Rana if they want to come!” she exclaimed dashing towards the backyard, and Farris chuckled.

“She’s a feisty one.” He looked at Jenna. “Would Hud be okay with this?”

“Would Hud be okay with what?” Hudayfah asked as he came down the stairs.

“Emma wants to go shopping and Farris and Jafar agreed to go with us.”

“Well that’s fine with me but make sure you’re back here before six.

“What are you guys doing?” Farris asked.

“Well today is our one month anniversary!” Jenna exclaimed, and Farris put a hand over his heart.

“Aw that’s just so precious! Isn’t that precious Jafar?!”

“Extremely.”

Hudayfah laughed.

“So I have to go out for business again, but just don’t leave to go shopping until twelve.”

“How come?” she asked curiously, and he shook his head.

“Not telling. Just don’t leave.”

“Okay.” She said with a laugh, and as he stood up, Emma returned with the rest of the girls and Rami in tow.

“Okay everybody! Rana and Rami have an announcement!” Emma exclaimed giddily, before she threw herself across the couch, and Jenna couldn’t help but notice a small smile appearing on Jafar’s lips.

“Well what is it?” Hudayfah asked, and Rana exchanged a glance with Rami before blushing slightly.

“We are getting married next week.”

There was a silence in the room before Jenna squealed, Emma shrieked, Maria clapped excitedly, and all three of them tumbled at Rana, jumping up and down in a group hug. Hudayfah stared at Rami in astonishment.

“What?! Is this true!?”

“Yeah. Our parents arrive on Friday.”

Hudayfah stared at Rami for another for seconds before he got up from his seat and the two men embraced.

“So we are going to be brothers InShaAllah! Why didn’t you guys tell me!? I would have paid for the tickets!” Hudayfah exclaimed.

“Please Hud, it’s my wedding now, let me pay for things.” Rami said a bit embarrassingly, and Hudayfah nodded.

“Of course.” He stepped to the side as Farris and Jafar strode forward to hug Rami, before catching Jenna’s hand.

“Alright I better get going. You can text me if you need me. Want to walk me out?” he asked her, inclining his head towards the door, and she nodded, waiting as he pulled Rana into his arms.

“Congratulations habibti.” He said kissing her head.

“Thank you Hud. Are you happy?” she asked a bit teary eyed and he nodded.

“Of course. You two make a wonderful couple.” He said with a smile.

“And Emma and Maria, will you stay?” Rana pleaded and Emma bounced up excitedly.

“Heck yeah!” she exclaimed before throwing her arms around Rana and squeezing her.

Everyone laughed and as they began to talk excitedly amongst themselves, Hudayfah took Jenna’s hand and led her outside. Once he had closed the door behind them, he put his hands on her face, and bent to kiss her for a few seconds, before pulling back and smiling.

“Remember, don’t go anywhere before twelve!”

“Okay.” She whispered slightly flustered, and he kissed her again before opening the house door, watching until she stepped inside before heading towards the elevator.

*** Jamaal paced up and down his office, wringing his hands in agitation. Things were not going the way he planned in the slightest. He didn’t have Jenna, he had no clue where Muhsin was, and the last thing they had done was attack Hudayfah’s party, which in all honesty was just for fun, not to accomplish anything.

He ran a hand through his hair, and lit another cigarette. This was his second pack today, and his lips were beginning to chap. He hadn’t smoked this much since his sister had…well since the accident. He wasn’t sure what he was so tense about. Maybe because his overall plan needed to go off perfectly, and without a hitch, otherwise the consequences would be dire for him.

Extremely dire.

There was a knock on the door, and he flung it open.

“What do you want!?” he snarled at his right hand man Issam who for some reason was holding a huge vase of roses.

“We just intercepted these on their way to Hudayfah’s house. Thought you’d like to see it.”

Jamaal plucked the card from where it stood in between at least four dozen roses, and read it aloud.

“‘My darling Jenna, happy one month anniversary. Many more to come InShaAllah! Love, Hudayfah.’ Aw how cute!” he said sarcastically before putting the card back in and kicking the side of his desk.

His plan had not originally included Jenna. Even when Muhsin bet her, he wasn’t planning on taking her. No, his plan was going in a whole other direction. But then he saw her, and it became this obsession, especially after Hudayfah married her. He wasn’t even sure he had feelings for her or if it was just part of the game.

“Should one of us deliver these?” Issam asked, and Jamaal stared at the flowers thoughtfully for a few seconds, before shaking his head and taking them.

“I’ll take care of it.”

***

“Okay it’s almost twelve so we need to map out our plan of attack!” Emma exclaimed holding a notepad in her hands.

“Our plan of attack?” Jenna asked in amusement, and her sister glared at her.

“Jenna! We have less than a week to plan a wedding! Do you not understand the gravity of this situation!? Rana needs a wedding dress, shoes, a veil, a matching scarf. We have to find a caterer that will do this on such short notice, and get decorations! Today is not about leisurely shopping anymore, this is a state of emergency!”

Jenna exchanged a glance with Maria and rolled her eyes, and her sister laughed.

“This is not funny! This is serious! Rana, what is your color scheme?”

“My color scheme?” she asked in amusement.

“Yes! For example what color do you want your sash to be which would match Rami’ shirt and tie and which would match the napkins and tablecloths, and the cake frosting and everything else!”

“Oh wow.” Rana said, her face slightly overwhelmed. “Well my favorite color is green, and Rami’s is blue so I guess we will go with that.”

Emma nodded approvingly before jotting down on her notepad.

“Okay green…and…blue.” She glanced at her watch. “Hey Jen, its eleven fifty seven! What do you think the surprise is?!”

Jenna shrugged.

“I don’t know.” She smiled. “But whatever it is I know it’s going to be terribly romantic.”

Rana grinned.

“I know what it is.”

Emma launched herself across the couch so she was practically on top of Rana.

“Tell me!” she exclaimed, and Rana shook her head.

“Nope. But I will say that the gift that is coming here is only the first.”

“Oh my God!” Emma squealed. “I hope I find a guy as romantic as Hudayfah!”

“Like Jafar?” Maria teased, and Emma flopped down on the carpet.

“Heck yeah!”

Rana shook her head in amusement.

“You like Jafar?”

Emma turned onto her stomach.

“Yes. I do.” She turned to nudge Jenna with her foot. “Jenna told me not to hold my breath but you’re his cousin Rana. What do you think?”

Rana shrugged.

“Jafar has never ever talked about a girl before so I really couldn’t tell you. But I think it would be cool to have you as a cousin!”

Emma grinned and propped herself up on her elbows.

“Well get to it girl!”

They all laughed, when the doorbell rang and Jenna tripped over Emma in her haste to get to the door.

“Are you Mrs. Sulayman?”

Jenna gasped at the huge bouquet of roses that was so big she couldn’t even see the delivery person.

“Yes, that’s me.”

He shifted the vase to hand her a clip board.

“Please sign here.”

Once Jenna had signed, he handed her the vase.

“Oh my God! Those are beautiful!” Emma exclaimed as she came up next to Jenna, and the delivery man’s eyes widened in surprise.

“Wow. I’ve never met twins before.” He said and they both laughed.

“We aren’t twins. Can’t you tell I’m the younger one!?” Emma teased, and the delivery man grinned.

“It was a pleasure meeting you both. Have a nice day.” He said, and Emma closed the door.

“Wow Jen, there has to be at least five dozen roses there.”

Jenna smiled before heading back towards the living room.

“I know. They are beautiful MashaAllah.”

Emma nodded.



“You know that delivery man was nice, but he sure smelled strongly of smoke.”