Dear Laura 2

Chapter 17

"Hey beautiful." Abdul said as he walked into my office. I blushed at the sound of his voice before I looked up. I closed the files on my desk and got up to welcome him warmly. He was seeing my office for the first time and my desk was such a mess.

"Hi. What are you doing here? I am working."

Who was I kidding, I liked that he came to see me. I liked being around Abdul. I liked the random pop ups he pulled. Man, if I could, I would live under that man's gorgeous skin.

"I know. I thought I would pick you up for lunch." He propped against my desk and gave me a kiss.

"Also, this office is tiny. Do they know who your fiancé is?"

"I like the sound of that. Fiancé."

I was smiling from ear to ear as I imagined how life was going to be like since he put a ring on my finger. An engagement one this time. I kept imagining us, in that beach house, with our beloved little angel. Him as the successful entrepreneur that he was, and me as an educator or psychologist. Just him and I against the world. I could imagine myself picking our little Amira or Anaya or Cairo—the name was a work in progress, from kindergarten or school. I imagined cooking for him and telling him, "Quiet, the baby's sleeping," when he was loud. Or arguing with him about whose turn it was to change the baby.

I could not wait to experience forever with him. I could not wait to walk down the aisle as I shortened the path to being Mrs Karim. I could not wait to say, "I do." I never wanted to love anyone the way I loved Abdul. He was the last person on earth I ever wanted to love so wholeheartedly. The only person I was okay with being so dangerously addicted to. I had fallen so hard, and I did not have a care in the world about where I would land. Being with him was the only thing making my life purposeful.

"Come here." He grazed his tongue on his bottom lip. He pulled me by my waist so that I would be a few inches away from him.

"Not here Abdul." I chuckled.

"Do you blame me? You are breathtaking. Is that from the new clothes?" He was talking about my navy blue bodycon dress.

"Yes, it is sir. Im glad you noticed." I twirled around for him.

"How can I not?" My cheeks heated up as I heard Abdul flatter me. A knock on the door took us out of our little bubble.

"Hi. Sorry to disturb Mia. I was just reminding you to RSVP by email for my birthday party tomorrow night." Jabulani, my new colleague who might be my new friend said.

"Oh yea, what's the email?" I grabbed my phone and walked towards Jabu to get the details.

"Oh, sorry that's the wrong one." We both let out soft laughs before he showed me the right email.

"Thanks, see you tomorrow then." I told him.

I liked Jabu, he was sweet. I met him two weeks ago when I started working here. He was so welcoming when I was still a rookie and he helped me find my way around a couple of times. Him and I started hanging out during lunches at work since then.

"Cool."

"Who's that?" A very aggravated Abdul asked as soon as Jabu left the room.

"That's Jabu. A friend. Anyway, where were we? Oh lunch, I'm very hungry." His shoulders tensed and he crossed his arms in front of him. Uh-oh.

"A friend huh." He cocked an eyebrow.

"Yes Abdul, now can we go?"

"I don't want to do lunch anymore. I'm out of here."

"What? Why? Jabu is just a friend from work Abdul." I did not understand what about my encounter with Jabu set him off. We did not even have that long of a conversation. I was baffled. Nothing was ever enough for Abdul.