The Blood Debt

Chapter 27

Roman

I'm late to pick them up the next day because I can't decide what to wear. Everyone's so excited about meeting Noah that they're making me anxious and I second guess myself.

Rejab's come home for the occasion, Lou's missed school and Emina's gone mad cooking.

This morning when I walked into the kitchen to have breakfast, I had to push aside more than a dozen containers of food she prepared through the night so I could find a place to put down my coffee cup.

Rejab turns up in my room as I'm about to leave, followed by Lou. She appraises my suit like some kind of haute couture designer.

"You look like an undertaker," she says, standing back and crossing her arms over her chest as she looks me up and down.

"It's not a business meeting Roman. You're going to meet a three-year-old child," she says, shaking her head like she's stating the obvious.

"You're talking like I do this everyday. What's wrong with my suit?" I ask looking in the mirror.

She rifles through my closet telling me I can't wear a black suit, even without a tie, and pulls out a pair of jeans and gray sweater.

"That's better," she says looking on with approval when I come out of the walk-in-closet a few minutes later.

"Ohh nice," Rejab says approvingly. "She knows her stuff. This gives you that cool dad vibe," he smiles.

I fidget with the collar.

"This is making me itchy," I say, turning to Lou. "Maybe I should wear something else."

"Oh stop your whining. You look good," she says.

"I saw Noah's room," Rejab says, changing the subject. "It looks good."

"I chose the wallpaper," Lou chimes in excitedly. Anyone listening to her would think she negotiated peace in the Middle-East.

"I didn't ask but I figured you wouldn't mind us taking your room," I tell Rejab. "I thought Ayla would want him next door."

"So Ayla's staying in this room?" Lou says, raising a questioning brow before shooting Rejab a knowing glance.

I ignore her.

"You organize Imam Besim for tomorrow?" I ask Rejab, changing the subject.

He nods.

Lou looks from me to Rejab and then back to me.

"Iman Besim? Why would he be here tomorrow?"

Rejab's eyes rest on me for a second before I nod my head. He turns to Lou.

"Because our big brother is getting married tomorrow afternoon."

Lou freezes, her eyes darting between us before she closes her eyes and shakes her head in disbelief.

"Does Ayla know about this wedding you're planning?"

"It's not a wedding. It's a religious ceremony," I say, correcting her.

"So she doesn't?"

"We have a kid together! How does it look if the head of the family doesn't honor the code of family? I'm doing what I have to do."

"Yeah, I bet you are," she smirks.

"Lou!"

She keeps talking, not heeding my warning.

"This is your do over - a chance for you to do things the right way with Ayla - from the beginning," she stresses. "Forcing her into a nikah the day after she arrives is probably not the best way to go about it."