That Winter You Came (Completed)

season 3: Episode 12

my brother-in-law was walking side by side and holding hands intimately with some strange woman.
It wasn't even the first time that i caught him in the company of another woman, but to witness such a shameful act with my friends was on a whole other level of embarrassment! 
I was so ashamed that when Yassmine who followed my line of vision asked: 
_" isn't that Soheib?" 
I said "yes" with a voice that only Ants could hear.
At that moment two reactions among the people i was with took my full attention, the first was Rayan's, well obviously it's because he's the man that i love and my attention is always 100% on him whenever he's around. Although his expressionless face didn't say anything.. He just stared absently at Soheib and that woman who walked shamelessly towards a table by the window and took their seats with their laughter at the top of their lungs. Although he didn't display a single emotion .. Still when his dark eyes finally turned to look at me i felt endlessly embarrassed.
As for the second person who caught my attention, it was Imad.. 
For some reason he seemed very bothered, 
I could notice the muscles in his jaw being tightened in anger .. And his knuckles turning white in his fist. 
 He looked at the couple with his eyes red of rage. And even when Badro tried to divert our attention from the couple and started talking about how excited he will be if Rayan and i will have a soon engagement Imad still kept staring at the couple who were acting completely disgusting at that moment.
_"aren't you going to do anything about it?" Imad suddenly asked me, looking so angry.
I felt so embarrassed with his question.. Because apart from Yassmine asking, they all acted as if they didn't even notice. 
_"No .. There's nothing that i can do" 
_"how is it that there is nothing that you can do? This is your brother-in-law you have every right to stand up right now and flip the freaking ground on him" 
_"calm down" Rayan suddenly intervened with a deathly face addressing Imad.
It was as if he forgot that Imad was actually his friend.. He turned so protective.
I didn't want the situation to accelerate because of a nobody such as Soheib so i said: 
_"it is not of my business.. Plus if i do something reckless it is only my sister who will pay for what i do" 
_" are you for serious? What payment! She should divorce this @$%&$!" Imad yelled in complete rage.
At this point, that inappropriate word he said out loud made the whole restaurant go silent and turn to look at us.
Even Soheib .. He eyed me with a sour face.
_"then i'll educate this @$%&&" Imad yelled while standing up and pushing his chair away.
What happened next was so quick and so weird that my head spent a long time before finally understanding the chain of events.
Well Imad started striding towards the frightened Soheib but Rayan quickly stood up and held him tight making him unable to move. And then Badro who i thought was Ok with the whole thing suddenly stood up, went straight to Soheib and grabbed his collar.. He made him stand up and he threatened: 
_"you better get your face out of my sight before i punch you"
 Although Soheib had a strong build .. But he still fled the scene like a coward rat without even taking that girl with him.
And as the girl was finally running away in complete confusion Yasmine spat on her and cursed: 
_"slut!" 
The girl only walked away in complete shock and disgrace. 
We all were soon kicked out of the restaurant. Rayan just threw the money on the table and kept dragging Imad who was still enraged with him.
Soon we went out of the restaurant rayan cupped the back of Imad's neck with his palm and made him look at him in the face. And then Rayan calmly said: 
_"you're an army man, did you think about the consequences of displaying public violence on your job?" 
Imad only kept staring at him with his breaths going quick. 
I didn't understand why they wers all very affected, Actually more affected with what happened than me who has a direct link with Soheib.
It was only when Rayan spoke his next words that i finally started to understand: 
_"this man is not my father.. And that woman is not my step mother" 
Soheib reminded them of Rayan's late father afterall.
I would never know how much they knew of Rayan's life. The much i knew was not something to brag about anyways even being his girlfriend.
But to make them that raged only seeing a similar situation.. I bet it's much more than i think.
_" well that lowly is gone now" badro finally commented after staring at the distance for so long.. He then walked towards me and said: 
_"i don't know how he treats your sister .. But you better inform her about what happened just in case" 
They all were looking at me waiting for my words.
Even Rayan .. he let go of Imad and then he walked closer to me, with concern in his eyes.
I held my phone and distanced my self from them. I called my sister next..
When she picked up the phone i told her all what happened with an apologetic voice.. Her end was silent for so long. I then added: 
_" i know Badro nor Imad meant to hurt you in anyway ..they were just.. " 
_"i know" her voice finally came .. Full of sobs, and then she added "that jerk got what he deserved.." 
Her sobs were very clear for me to hear.
And although i tried not to .. From the moment i saw her husband that day.. I tried not to cry, but i couldn't 
I cried with her.. 
My sister sure isn't the best girl in the world, but she's my sister whose misery breaks my heart to pieces. 
_"should i come to pick you up now and take you home?" I asked between my sobs.
_"yes" was her reply.
When i hang up the phone they were all standing away and just looking at me.
I walked closer again.. Wiped my tears forcefully and said: 
_"well, i have to go see her now .. I'm afraid i can't spend more time with you" 
_"i'll take you" Imad weirdly suggested.. And then he soon explained: 
_" you can't go there alone now, your brother-in-law might end up feeling angry about what happened just now and go vent all his anger in your sister and you, plus i'm much acquainted with your family and they wouldn't mind me accompanying you" 
_"he's right .. It's better this way" Rayan commented.
So i nodded in agreement.
We soon hired a cab.. And Imad and I went to my sister's in-law's house.
When we finally reached the house we found my sister holding her son and already waiting out in the street.
My heart broke at her sight.
I always underestimated my sister's suffering, because her sharp tongue really didn't spare me much chances to feel sorry about her instead of feeling angry.
But really .. She was living a miserable life. 
The car came to a stop beside her .. Imad and I jumped out immediately to meet her.
Once she saw me .. She put her son on the ground, she ran towards me and then hugged me tight.
_"what happened? Did they kick you out?" I asked frightened.
_"No, i went out with my own free will .. I didn't want to meet him if he came .. He didn't even come after all" she said already crying.
I kept patting on her back.
I was soon concerned about her son .. So i turned to check where he went only to find out that Imad was carrying him. 
_"did you tell mama about what happened?" Mimi soon asked.
_"No" 
_"good.. And please don't" 
We soon went inside the car again, and were driven to our house.
The ride was silent.. Only Imad kept playing with kiku in the front seat.
And when we finally reached our house Imad paid for the cab. i fought with him for a long time before he finally convinced me that he will not take any money back from me. My sister thanked him and she shyly went inside.. As for me, i kept silently watching him as he gazed towards my sister.
_"Imad?" I asked in a suspicious tone.
I knew in the back of my head that something was off. Even if Soheib really reminded him of Rayan's father i still felt that his rage was motived by something else.
I just know my friend that much.
_"well Nadia, you should call Rayan.. He must be very worried about you right now" 
_"Imad is there something that you're hiding from me?" He looked at me seriously so i further emphasized "how did you know where my sister's in-laws lived? You've never been there as far as i remember" i continued.
Because yes .. It was him who gave the address to the car driver.. And he even helped him navigate.
And i'm someone who usually hates to be nosy .. But whose shameless enough to bring out anything that i notice if i want to be nosy.
_"i went there once" 
_"when?" 
_"Nadia, it's really not the time to ask about this .. You should call Rayan now and then go check on your sister next.. I'll be going now" 
So yes, he technically ran away.
I called Rayan next .. He was indeed very concerned because the first thing he said was: 
_"are you ok? Did you meet your brother-in-law again ?"
Sometimes i want to scold him and shout:" since you're so worried why don't you call?" .. "Since you're so mad why don't you scream!".. "If you have something in your heart .. How do you expect people to see it if you don't let it out!" 
But most of the time i choose not to scold him, it's just the way he's made i guess.
_"No .. we didn't meet him there" 
_"and are you ok? Are you still crying?" He sighed from the other side and then he voiced his thoughts "what should i do? Should i come? Can i come?" 
Although i was really not in the mood to smile, still i smiled .. Imagining how stressed must he be on the other side. 
At that moment i thought of all the times i wanted to feel like he cared about me when he actually didn't show that and i felt lucky because the grown up Rayan started to convey more childish feelings like stress and worry that he perfectly hided before.
So i smiled and i full hearted hushed: 
_"i love you Rayan" 
For all the times i wanted to say it .. But i couldn't, or didn't dare to.. I felt so overwhelmed all at sudden that i said again.
_"god i love you so much"

Still my little confession didn't provide him any answer to his questions, i was about to talk again about the main point and say:"no it's ok .. You don't have to come" when the man on the receiving end finally spoke: 
_" i love you more" 
Well if you know a bit of Rayan throughout all the things i've already told about him then you sure know that this man wouldn't say such words unless he truly and undoubtedly meant them.
And he sure meant that he indeed loved me more.
Therefore it sure meant that he loved me a very huge deal.
_"i'm really fine .. My sister too, you don't have to be worried and you shouldn't really come" 
_"ok"
_"you can call me anytime Rayan, i'm old enough now and i'm no longer planning on concealing your existence from my family, so you can call me whenever you really want" 
_"ok" 
_"i'll be going now" 
After i hang up the phone i went inside. I watched displeased and concerned the show my sister put in front of everybody.
She acted like her usual self .. Although she really wasn't. 
She pretended like she was there for a small stay visit .. Although it wasn't really clear how long she'll stay.
And she smiled .. Although her eyes didn't carry any hint of happiness.
My sister is silly, yet very strong.
That night after dinner i wanted to give her some alone time.. She really needed it. 
So i tricked my mother into going to hidaya and having a long conversation about her misfortunes while being pregnant and raising her children, i felt sorry for hidaya .. But the only topic my mother is capable of talking about for straight hours with her was how displeased she was with our upbringing.
As for kiku i put him in front of the tv and that was enough. And my brothers were being scolded by my mother as well while she was narrating her long "miserable" story.
I was watching over kiku when my phone suddenly started ringing and Imad's name flushed in the screen.
I then decided to spare my younger brother from his suffering i called him over to stay with kiku as i walked hurriedly towards our house roof to have a peaceful talk with Imad.
I had no idea that it would be so far from being peaceful.
In fact it was the next weirdest thing that happened that autumn.