That Winter You Came (Completed)

season 3: Episode 13

When i picked up the phone.. Imad and i spoke casually at first.
He asked about how the things were around the house and whether my brother in law tried to contact us, our conversation was very natural until he asked: 
_"why doesn't Mimi just get a divorce?" 
His question .. Plus the way he addressed Mimi. Ever since high school he always addressed her as "your sister" in the very rare times we spoke about her.
Hearing Mimi's name from his mouth was the beginning of the awkwardness.
_"sometimes i'm not very sure either why she's still married with him although she's full aware of his extramarital affairs. It's just .. Well you know our society.. A divorced woman isn't well accepted and you know how prideful Mimi is, and there's her son issue too .. I don't know if she still loves her husband despite everything but i know she really wants to get rid of him" 
_"what if she marries after she gets a divorce?" 
_"that would be a bless.. But what acceptable man would marry a divorced woman and with a child too? ..Very rare to none" 
_"what if it's a sure thing?" 
_"Imad?" I called him already having goosebumps from the weirdness.
_"what if i promise to marry her after she gets a divorce?" 
And that was, ladies and gentlemen, the weirdest thing about that autumn. 
_"Imad this matter is really not something to joke about" i said .. Giving him the last chance to deny what he suggested.
Still he confidently said: 
_"Nadia.. I'm very serious .. I would never joke about something like marriage" 
_"you love yassmine!" 
_"but i can't be with her" 
He didn't deny the fact that he still loves Yasmine.
"So you want my sister as an alternative" i thought ..but i never dared to say these words outwardly, although they are real are true .. But they are very humiliating somehow.
I sighed.. And finally accepting that in no way he was joking i said: 
_"did you think it well?" 
_"yes" 
_"look Imad, We were all brought up like brothers and sisters so you well know Mimi, she isn't very different from how she was back in the days.. She's still very much a big snob.. Careless.. And sharp tongued. But very loyal and patient" 
_"i'm well aware of that" 
_"your family won't agree" 
_"well it's either this or i'll never marry anyways, i'm sure my mother would want me to at least have a family of my own"
The voice that was coming from the other end was calm and confident, as if he already made this conversation a thousand times in his head before talking to me. He was very determined. 
Therefore I could in no way talk him out of it. I could only curiously ask: 
_"but how did you decide this, i'm still very shocked right now so i'm not thinking very clearly" 
_"since this summer i've been thinking about it" 
_"since that long!" 
_"i met your sister this summer.. " 
He then told me that he once encountered my sister and her husband in a mall with their child as well, he was about to go greet them when he heard my brother in law talking through the phone with another woman in an intimate way in front of my sister. And when my sister tried to argue with him about it she got slapped hard on the face in public. And her husband left her right away with the boy and fled like he always does.
_"when i wanted to bring her to your house and talk to your parents she refused, instead she wanted me to take her to her marital house despite everything that has occurred, she said that she must be patient for her child's sake .. And for your sake Nadia" 
I felt my heart drop right away.
_"how?" I asked .. Already feeling the heat of tears worming my eyes.
_"yes Nadia.. Your sister is patient for your sake, she thinks no family would accept you as a daughter in-law if you have a divorced sister" 
_"she's so stupid!" I yelled .. Already crying awfully. 
I never thought that she thought about me, not even in the tiniest way.
I really have no words to describe this. 
I was just awfully crying.
_"i don't want to marry her because i pity her Nadia, it's really not .. I want her because i really admire her strength, she's very stupidly strong"
_"she has a child" 
_"when i held kiku in my arms i had that premonition Nadia, i really don't have an explanation for this .. But i already felt like if he was my son, i don't want him to grow up and have a life like Rayan's. Nadia i'm talking with you first for the sake of the respect i have for you but i'm in no way waiting for you to accept my decision. I want you to convey my wishes to your sister and indicate on the fact that i'm very serious, i can not talk with her in person because i still respect the fact that she's a married woman.. If she agrees however i will talk with my family and with yours next and the divorce issue will only be brought out to discuss for serious if your father accepts me." 
It seemed like Imad had already thought everything carefully, and i could do nothing but agree to convey his request to my sister.
I spoke with her in the next days.. Feeling utterly awkward and like in a dream.
Actually, not even in my wildest dreams i thought that there will come a day when Imad would want to marry my sister! 
My sister! 
He never liked her .. Not even when we were children.. Whenever he came to call me out to play he would specifically say to my mother: 
_" don't call mimi aah!! Just Nadia!" 
Even in middle school he would look her up and down and complain about her poor character and ill manners.
How come he ended up admiring her and wanting to marry her! While she is an already married lady!
In this aspect, i shall only say that the heart of a human being is the most mysterious and complicated of all puzzles. 
When i told my sister about Imad, i didn't tell her that he had another girl in his heart, because it's not for me to say that. But i told her that what he had for her was admiration. 
I remember Mimi giving me a look i never thought she had, a look of deep grief.. At that moment i realised that my bubbly sister who only loved to dress well and look beautiful no longer existed .. I felt unexplainably mad!
I always wanted her to be more mature .. But not in that way! 
She looked at me for sometime and then she said: 
_"Nadia, marriage is not only about finding any man to fill the blank, i was silly when i was young and now i'm paying for it. Soheib is a horrible husband but he's a good father so i can't let my son pay for my mistake, and there's you too.. Do you think even Rayan's family would accept you when you have a divorced sister? Even if they do accept you.. They would give you hard time after the marriage" 
_"why do you think like that? This mentality is very old fashioned no one thinks like that anymore" 
_"well our society is much more old fashioned than you think"
 _"then to hell with everyone!" I shouted .. I looked at her trying to put some sense into her head and i said: 
_" in what way the opinion of people is more important than your own happiness! What if you catch some disease from the dirt your husband is doing! I mean how can you even think to live the rest of your life with him! Have a pride! You're not some abandoned and unwanted woman you have us all by your side so just divorce that @$%& and don't give a @$%& about me! I can take care of my self i'm not a child" 
_"i want you to leave now .. I want some time to think" she ordered quietly.
After few days her reply was.. That she was going to ask for a divorce. And that she refused Imad's proposal. 
She said she wasn't ready to marry again any time soon.. And that was something i never thought my sister would say.
As for Imad.. He persistently indicated to me:
_"Now i admire Mimi more.. And i can't see my self married to another.. Not even to Yassmine, don't tell Mimi this .. But just know it Nadia, that i will wait" 
Ever since that day .. He never addressed Mimi as "your sister" when talking about her with me again.. As if .. She was already his. 
_________________________________________
January 2016, 
 Hidaya was already 6 months pregnant, and my sister was in the middle of her divorce.
And my father.. My poor father.
It took us great deal of courage to inform the rest of the family about our late brother-in-law's shameful deeds. My father almost committed a crime that night.
It was me who informed them .. So yes i had already prepared a tensiometer beforehand to measure his blood pressure after hearing the news, it was all for a vain because the moment i finished talking and he made sure i wasn't lying, He flied to my sister's in-laws and brought her and the boy after beating her husband.
By the time he came back home it was already 1am.
I really don't want to talk about those days.. To sum it up, none was happy. 
As for my Ryan.. By the beginning of January his post as a new architect in a rising architectural company was already established. And the house he long prepared for us was almost fully furnished.
He called me more often than he used to .. As it turned out to be, the only reason that kept that block of ice from raining me with his calls was his concern that i would face some problems with my family. 
Sometimes he would come wait for me at the hospital in the cold of the winter, Although i know he must have frozen while holding his umbrella under the rain and waiting for my shift to finish.. I never asked him not to come, a part of me will never understand the happiness he really feels while waiting for me. 
Since i had so many people around me .. I would never understand the heart of Rayan who always wished to have just one to hold onto.. And just one to live for.
I meant to him .. Much more than he meant to me even if i stubbornly refuse this fact.
I remember the winter of 2016 was so bad and rainy that i started to feel concerned over Rayan's new habbit of waiting for me every end of my shift. 
One day of mid January.. I deliberately called him half an hour before the end of my shift and i asked where he was.
His answer was: 
_"i'm on my way to the hospital"

_"ok, i'll finish within half an hour and we'll meet" 
But what i did was .. That i picked a look from the window towards the spot where he usually would wait for me, And like i suspected it.. That stupid man seemed like he has already been there for a long time. He was sitting alone on a bench and putting his headphones looking idly at people. 
I obliged finished my work in time.. And when i went out i sneakily walked around the building and then i came to rayan from behind his back. 
He was patiently looking at the way from which i would come, occasionally blowing breaths in his hands to worm them before putting them inside his pockets again.
I put one of my hands on the back of his shoulder .. And my other hand i rested it flatly on his forehead. 
He turned around him startled to look at me taking off his headphones in the process.
_" you are feverish" i hushed displeased.
He blinked his eyes not saying a word so i continued: 
_" i sensed your voice wasn't ok when you called me..you're so stupid, why would you wait for so long even when you're sick" i continued.
_" i just came .. And i'm ok, have you finished?" He coldly replied.
I ignored him.. I made his head turn to look in front of him again, and then i bent down my lips .. And kissed the back of his head.
I felt his whole tremble in my hands. He didn't dare move nor turn to look at me. Nor i wanted him to turn.
I bent my forehead next and i rested it on the spot i had just kissed. And i hushed: 
_" idiot! .. Do you know how much worried you made me in the last half an hour?" 
_"Nadia?" He suddenly called my name with love.
_"ummm" 
_"i can't wait for any longer" 
_"i know" i hushed. 
He then lifted his hands .. Held my hand that was resting on the back of his shoulder and he took it to his lips and gently kissed it. 
I could feel the heat exceeding from him and his little trembling from the fever and the freezing weather. 
_"let's get married Nadia.. " 
_"ok" i said smiling. 
_"i know this is selfish and i didn't want to bring it out in your family's current situation but i really can't spend anymore time away from you, i'm going to talk to my mother and fix things between us so as she comes to ask for your hand" 
_" aren't you supposed to say these words to my face" i teased him.
_"Nadia Hamidi .. If i see those eyes of yours right now i know i can't stop my self from kissing you" 
I only laughed amused.
Within mid our twenties .. Our love had already reached it's pic.