Beneath Guarded Hearts - 60

Previously…

Asma

I stared through the condensed glass doors of the hotel exit that slightly blurred the sight from outside with water droplets invading the smooth surface.

So now I had a dilemma: Should I approach the limo that was supposedly awaiting me in front of the Valet/Drop Off area? Or should I go upstairs and do what my suspicious husband was telling me to do? I may have been curious, but I was also paranoid. The question was… which one was I more of?

_______________

Asma

            I walked towards the limousine that awaited me. I’ve known Noufyy for longer, and I had to admit that I did trust her more than 3bdulla, especially after this morning’s strange incidents. It certainly didn’t feel right, but then nothing did. I gave a hesitant, gentle knock on the dark, tinted window, and my heart gave an uneasy thump. Suddenly, the door was shoved open and before I could get a glimpse of whom it was who had stepped out, a thick, white cloth was crushed against my face, making it hard for me to breath, and the strong, acidic scent forced itself up my nostrils, and within moments I saw nothing but darkness, my body unconscious.

Earlier that day…

3bdulla

            I scanned the deserted coffee shop for 3awash and finally spotted her. I was still not used to her looking so… different. I guess Asma had a bigger influence on her than she did on Asma. 7abeebty Asma… I could see the lie in her eyes, the confusion. But how could I ever tell her about this, especially since it concerned her insane sister? Maybe when the matter was resolved – and I was only here to make that very clear, that it was resolved – only then would I confess everything to Asma. Well, maybe. But keeping it from her was extremely difficult, especially when she knew.

Me: “I suppose you have a good reason for all this?”

            I stated it calmly as I sat down in the seat opposite of her.

3awash: “I have one last job for you.”

Me: “I thought you said that last time would be the last time.”

3awash: “Something came up.”

Me: “I don’t care. I’ve done everything you asked me to do in exchange for your recommendation of me to S3eed Al-X. I got my experience, you got whatever it is you wanted to accomplish with your absurd secrecy, and everyone’s happy. End of story.”

3awash: “It’s different this time. It’s about Asma.”

            Every inch of body tensed.

Me: “Asma? What’s wrong with her? Is she okaay?”

3awash: “Here, look at this…”

            She fished out a paper that had someone’s scribbled writing on it. It appeared to be a letter.

3awash: “This is a letter that Nouf supposedly left for her parents, saying that she was going out with Asma and that she will be having a sleepover with her.”

Me: “But Asma never said anything about a sleepover, only that they were supposed to hang out for the afternoon.”

3awash: “Exactly. And Nouf always texted her parents, never left them a letter… She didn’t write this.”

Me: “Well then who did?”

3awash: “I don’t know, but I have a pretty good hunch. Now look at what I also found…”

            She took out another paper from her bag and handed it to me.

Me: “It’s a limo arrangement to pick up Asma, signed by Nouf on Sunday… last night?”

3awash: “Awal shay, why would she rent a limo? Thani shay, Nouf had no ride yesterday. I checked with her household; her driver had the day off, so that’s one car, her mom was at a wedding, another car, her dad msafer may5e9a, w the GMC fel wkalah and so is her dad’s car. It doesn’t add up, how would she arrange this?”

Me: “Phone call?”

3awash: “Her phone was mu3’la8 all day.”

Me: “How do you know all this? And where did you get these forms? And what does this have to do with me, or Asma?”

3awash: “I have my connections, now let me fini-”

Me: “Basna weya hal 7arakat, what ‘connections’ 3awash?”

            She sighed heavily, her annoyance apparent. If I had to force every detail out of her mouth, I most certainly would.

3awash: “Rashid.”

Me: “Rashid? As in Asma’s Rashid?”

3awash: “Yes. He warned me that this might happen, and that was why we decided to create his engagement with Asma in the first place. The kind of-”

Me: “Woaah la76’a la76’a! You PLANNED Asma’s arranged marriage?!”

3awash: “Ufff I forgot that you don’t know anything. Yes I did, after Rashid found out that-”

Me: “So all this time you were just PRETENDING in front of Asma? W lch wayh tshoofeenha kilyom w inty tdreen that you were the source of all of her problems?! Are you seriously as heartless as your reputation leads on?!”

3awash: “Calm DOWN and let me FINISH. Don’t judge me when you haven’t heard the whole story!”

            I clenched my fists and waited.

3awash: “The kind of power his family has is huge, and Asma wouldn’t be touched. But then right at the beginning of last year, he said that everything was settled and that we didn’t have to go through with the plan. That’s all he obliged to tell me. I guess the engagement, or even the knowledge that his family was involved, did it. That was when we decided that I should awanna ya3ni help Asma get out of it. It worked pretty well and everything turned out fine.”

            I just stared at her and waited for her to continue, trying to grasp all this information and make sense of everything. She sighed again.

Me: “So all this time, he knew everything?”

3awash: “Yes. We went over everything very carefully, and through my knowledge of my sister, we figured out the solution to every possible situation, every possible reaction. It had to be done perfectly and with no suspicion whatsoever. We even created a fake motive for him just in case.”

Me: “And what about Sul6an?”

3awash: “We couldn’t tell him. Sul6an may have been his best friend, but he was also reckless and had a bad temper. It wouldn’t do. He may very well decide to ditch our plans and take matters into his own hands, which, of course, means doing something stupid.”

Me: “So he came to you. And you both had to lie to Sul6an.”

3awash: “Yes.”

Me: “But I still don’t understand. Who are you trying to protect Asma from?”

            She checked the limo form again and impatiently tapped her four fingers on the table.

3awash: “Okaay, we still have a lot of time. Let’s just start from the beginning.”

Me: “A lot of time for what?”

3awash: “To take Asma as far away from here as possible.”

To be continued…