I Fell In Love With My Beautiful One

Chapter Nine: A Warm Welcome Amidst Uncertainty

The next morning, Tahani woke up early to prepare breakfast before heading to the doctor. She went to the kitchen and opened the fridge, only to find it empty.

Tahani, frustrated: "Oh no! My mind is still exhausted from the trip. How did I expect to find anything to eat? It looks like I'll need to go out and find a supermarket!"

Tahani changed into outdoor clothes, grabbed a small wallet and her apartment key, and headed out. As she stepped into the hallway, she saw a young man and woman emerging from the apartment across from hers. They looked at her, surprised by her arrival. Embarrassed by their curious stares, Tahani worried they might try to talk to her, so she considered taking the stairs instead of sharing the elevator with them.

Years of troubles had left her with a fear of social interaction. She was afraid of saying something wrong and being laughed at. Noticing her unease, the young man stepped in front of her with a warm smile.

Ahmed, smiling: "Good morning, dear neighbor! I’m Ahmed, and this is my sister, Amy. We live right across from you!"

... "Ahmed, a tall, handsome 24-year-old medical student with light skin, hazel eyes, and brown hair." ...

Tahani felt more at ease and responded with a smile.

Tahani: "Good morning. I'm Tahani. Thank you for calling me 'sister.' If I were married, I’d have children your age by now!"

Amy, quickly: "Oh no, you don’t look old at all!"

Tahani was pleased by Amy's kindness.

Tahani: "Thank you!"

... "Amy, a beautiful 21-year-old pharmacy student, medium height, with hazel eyes and brown hair like her brother's." ...

Ahmed: "When did you arrive from your trip?"

Amy: "Oh, Mom will be upset when she finds out you arrived without us being here to greet you. We left the key with the doorman because we weren’t sure when you’d arrive!"

Tahani, nervously: "No, no, there’s no need to worry her about our arrival. I’ll visit her soon to introduce myself and thank her for her help."

Ahmed, to himself: "She seems shy, and she won’t feel comfortable if I ask her to meet Mom just yet. I’ll find a way to bring her over."

Tahani: "Well, if you don’t mind, could I walk with you and…"

Ahmed, cutting her off: "Do you know you’re quite charming when you speak with our accent? Have you been to Egypt before?"

Tahani was embarrassed by Ahmed’s compliment but felt comfortable around him and Amy.

Tahani: "No, we just grew up watching Egyptian movies and series. If I spoke in my native dialect, you wouldn’t understand me well!"

Amy, playfully: "Great! I’ll visit you every day to learn your country’s dialect!"

Tahani, smiling: "You’re welcome anytime!"

Ahmed, curiously: "So, where were you headed? I mean, can you go out on your own?"

Tahani, awkwardly: "I was hoping you could show me the way to the supermarket!"

Ahmed, quickly: "Don’t worry, we’re here to help. Just tell me what you need, and I’ll go get it for you. You can wait with my mom. Agreed?"

Tahani, embarrassed: "No, no, I don’t want to bother you. Just point me in the direction, and I’ll manage on my own."

Before Tahani could protest further, Ahmed quickly entered his apartment. Tahani felt extremely shy at the thought of meeting Ahmed’s mother and even considered running away before she embarrassed herself. But Ahmed returned with his mother, Hanaa, who greeted Tahani with a warm smile. Ahmed took her shopping list and headed toward the elevator.

Ahmed: "Listen, after the afternoon prayer, I’ll take you around the neighborhood. And don’t even think about going out to buy anything while I’m here!"

Tahani smiled gratefully at Ahmed. Amy waved goodbye and left to catch her ride.

Tahani entered the apartment with Hanaa, feeling shy, but the woman’s warm hospitality quickly put her at ease.

Hanaa: "Welcome! I’m so glad you’re here, and thank God for your safe arrival!"

Tahani, shyly: "Thank you!"

Hanaa: "First, let me introduce myself. I’m Hanaa, and the two you met earlier are my children, Ahmed and Amy."

... "Hanaa, a beautiful 50-year-old widow, with light skin, gray eyes, tall stature, and short black hair." ...

Tahani, eagerly: "It’s an honor to meet you, Sister Hanaa. I’m Tahani, and we’ve come here for my mother’s treatment and…"

Hanaa, interrupting: "No need for formalities between us!"

Tahani, nervously: "Honestly, I don’t know how to thank you. You’ve saved me a lot of trouble by cleaning the apartment. Our friends, the owners, said to get the key from you, but you went above and beyond by tidying it up!"

Hanaa, quickly: "Oh, it was no trouble at all. We’ll be neighbors, and it’s just what we do. We know the owners live abroad in Malaysia, and no one had stayed there, so we figured the apartment might be dusty. Since you’ve come for treatment, it wouldn’t be right for you to waste your time cleaning!"

Tahani: "That’s so kind of you!"

Hanaa: "God bless you, and if you need anything at all, don’t hesitate to ask me!"

Tahani: "Thank you. Your kind words have eased my anxiety about being in a new place."

Hanaa: "It’s not just words. You’re my guest, and I’ll treat you like family. Please, make yourself comfortable in the living room. This apartment is yours. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I’ll go make us some tea."

Tahani: "Oh, no, please don’t trouble yourself!"

Hanaa: "How could I not? Do you want to embarrass me on your first day here?"

Tahani smiled, touched by Hanaa’s generosity and warmth, and waited to share tea with her.

ــــــــــ