The One That Got Away

Part 1- Epilogue - 10 years ago

Epilogue - 10 years ago

There are moments in life where everything seems to fall perfectly into place and everything seems to be going your way. Moments were you feel so absolutely blissfully happy that you simply want to just breathe them in and save them forever in your mind.

After the past three months of chaos and uncertainty this afternoon was one of those moments.

It was a gorgeous afternoon; the late August sun glistening in the sky and a gentle warm summer breeze brushing against the branches of the trees.

Our home had been busy, bustling with last minute preparation for my engagement to Khalid, but as I stood out on our driveway with Khalid all I felt was the peacefulness of the outdoors and immense happiness I could not begin to describe.

It had been a rough few months having to contend initially with our parents disapproval. Besides the fact that they had considered us "too young" to get married at 21 and 23, there was also my mother's general dislike of Khalid. Although she never directly said it, she had a way of indirectly implying that I could do better.

"I don't blame her for thinking that," my best friend Ikram stated agreeing with the sentiment. "You have to admit Khalid is well..." her voice trailed off before adding "a hot mess. He has no sense of style whatsoever."

It was true Khalid had no sense of style. His wardrobe consisted of only 2 items; a pair of blue jeans and a black T-shirt. "The wardrobe is on purpose," I correct Ikram. " He says he does it to reduce decision fatigue, something he had read about in a book for budding entrepreneurs."

"Right...." she replies unconvinced. "I'm sure it's because he wastes his money on those inventions of his. He's always fiddling around with those strange inventions which no one ever has any use for. And he's so absent minded! One time I had a whole conversation with him...before realizing I was having the conversation completely by myself. His attention was focused completely on a squirrel in the tree." She stared at me with an offended expression on her face. Khalid loves nature, he's always intrigued by it, I think to myself before nodding sympathetically.

"I really don't know what you see in him." Ikram adds.

I knew to the outside world Khalid was strange but none of it mattered to me because I knew he was kind, warm hearted and generous. Not to mention he was a super genius and I knew one day he would invent something that would take the world by storm. More importantly I was simply crazy about him and wasn't going to take "no" for an answer.

Finally, as if it was a miracle after Khalid's graduation from university this past spring, he was able to secure a great entry level job and my parents reluctantly gave their consent for us to get engaged. They added that if in 6 months Khalid could save up enough to get us a nice apartment, we could get married. His east side basement apartment was not the type of place my parents could picture anyone living, let alone their daughter.

"I feel so honored, having you walk me to my car," Khalid says as he looks over at me. Blushing, I shyly look away from him and at his rusty old red Ford Taurus, that was on it's last few miles.

"Even though I know your grandmother disapproved...." his voice trailed off as he looks up towards one of the top floor windows of my family's home, before stuffing his hands into his jean pockets and looking down. As I followed his gaze I could see my grandmother glaring disapprovingly down at us. I was sure she was ready to fire one of her sandals down at us if we got too close for her liking. If throwing sandals was an Olympic sport my grandmother would be the undefeated gold medalist.

He smiles at me, one of those big beautiful smiles of his, and I can feel a swarm of butterflies in my stomach.

"Well, in only 48 hours we will be engaged insha'Allah," he says rather shyly his dark handsome eyes sparkling behind the frame of his glasses.

I smile shyly back at him, before adding "Insha'Allah".

A momentary silence falls between us before I speak again.

"Tomorrow you're going in for your first day of training at your new job?" I ask.

"Yes," he replies, taking his hands out of his pocket.

"Insha'Allah it will go well," I say.

"I hope so, insha'Allah," he says looking a bit nervous.

"I'm sure you will do great!" I reassure him. "Just don't get nervous." Khalid never did well, when he got nervous. In first year chemistry he nearly burnt down the lab during the practical exam because he forgot to turn of the Bunsen burner and held his exam paper over the flame. Honest mistake, could have happened to anyone.

"I better head inside before Ayeeyo tells them to drag me back in," I say, knowing fully well that was something my grandmother was likely to do.

"Alright," he says as he shifts his glasses, something he did when he's disappointed.

"Drive safe," I say as I wave him off. No, "I love you" added at the end but we are so connected that we both know how the other feels without uttering a word.

I gleefully walk back towards the front door and say "48 hours...only 48 hours," before an expression of pure joy spreads across my face and I head inside.