The day we met again

11- The date part three

I looked at her shocked face and smirked arrogantly. This face that I missed for so long. I remembered her as the plump sixteen year old who could not stop looking at me with tender eyes in math thinking I wouldn't notice. I loved the attention she gave me, the way her eyes held love when she spoke to me and especially how she always managed to pretend not to be affected by my words when I decided to act like a dick.  Thinking back at it now, I really didn't know any boundaries. Or maybe it was the fact that I loved how she always came up with a bitchy comeback.

I stopped by a flower shop to buy more flowers and chocolate for my brother and his family.  The lady at the counter smiled sweetly at me but her smile suddenly vanished.  I looked behind me to find Isha with an Arizona can in her hand.

"Buy this for me." I smiled and obeyed her majesty and then continued on the road.

Neoman boindan mariyah,  neon saranghandan Mariyaaaah!  A Korean song I remembered all too well blasted from her bag.

"You still listen to that?" I laughed.

"Shut up." Isha glared at me. "Hello, Ahjumma?  Sorry, sorry,  Aumma.  How are you these days?" A rare smile lit her face. "Aumma, you know I was in service with your good for nothing son." A pause. I glanced at her and saw a nostalgic smile on her face. Who was it that she was talking to. "I'll come visit you. Soon." She smiled again with a little hint of sadness. "Bye." Isha put her phone on her lap and as if reading my mind she said "It's none of your business."

"What is none of my business?" She glared at me with her hazel eyes that had taken a grayish tint just as her phone rang again.  This time a rock song I didn't recognize. Boy she's popular.

"Hello? Isha speaking. " I heard her say as I took a turn right.  "How the fuck did you get my number. You know what?  I don't care, hang up. NOW." She said with anger. "Byye" She said the last word so sweetly it was obviously laced with poison.

"That is terrifying." I commented at her sudden change of tone.

"What?  Your face?" I chuckled at her nasty reply feeling at ease all of a sudden. We pulled into my brother's drive way.  Once the car parked, I got out really fast to open her door but Isha got out quicker then I wanted her to.

"Isha!" My brother called out from his porch.

"Rifaaaaat. " She laughed and jumped into his open arms. How come she didn't react that way when she saw me? They hugged each other tightly before he brought her inside.

"This is my wife Mai." He introduced Isha to Mai who looked like she was going to adopt her. As soon as she legally could.

"It's good to meet you." Mai approached her arms but Isha brought up her arms in self defense before realizing what was happening.

"I'm sorry,  I'm sorry. " She apologized.

"Stop apologizing, are you okay?" Mai asked her with obvious worry on her face.

"I'll be fine." Isha stood up straight and smiled. I touched her on the shoulders and felt her tense up but eventually, she relaxed but she removed my hands. What has she done to herself...

Soon we were sitting down for dinner but Isha excitedly asked to see the baby. Mai laughed and led her to my niece's room where the child slept peacefully.

"She is beautiful." Isha sighed lovingly looking at the child. She had always had a thing for kids and she was good with them too. She then sneakily slid something into the child's cover.

We sat down for dinner and Mai started serving her casserole.

"So tell me about the years I've missed." Rifat asked.

"Well I enrolled into the army. Spent the last four years in Afghanistan." She started.

"You what?" I couldn't help the surprise in my voice. "Afghanistan, that's dangerous! What were you thinking."

"How to get back on track after what you did to me!" She remained calm despite her face reddening slowly. "Besides, I was assigned there and it was a different case for me. For us."

"What I did was not a good enough reason. " My voice was getting out of control and I didn't know why.

"Amit, please stop. I don't want to remember." Isha looked at her plate, her voice firm. I shut up immediately.  Yes, she was right. I did hurt her in the past and it was not my place to scold her. I looked down in shame, guilt taking over me.

"Did you have a certain position there?" Mai asked before putting a bite into her mouth.

"I was a broomer. " Isha must have noticed the confused look on our face. "It's like a doctor in training and soldier at the same time. We work on field so basically when an area is attacked,  I'm there to rescue and give the first treatments. After that I was in a special team. Well it was a trial formation but we worked so well..." She stopped mid sentence and let out a sigh.

"I work as an architect right now. And Amit is a video game developer. Mai was a teacher but she is on maternity leave." My brother continued. He smiled lovingly at Mai, making me feel stupid for having let go of such chance with Isha.  I never found anyone who loved me as much as Isha did.  When dinner was over, we moved to the family room and I plopped myself on a sofa with my feet up while Isha sat in a corner. Her back was straight, almost stiff and her limbs were placed in a certain position she looked like she was ready to get up and fight someone.

"It's okay to relax a bit." Mai said carrying my niece in her arms.

"I am relaxed actually." Isha gave a toothy smile as she looked at the child. I reached out to my sister in law and she put my niece in my arms. Right away,  Isha scooted closer to me. She sat on the floor as I was laying on the whole sofa. I sat upright and pulled on Isha's arm to get her to sit beside me. She played with my niece doing peekaboo and tickling her. My niece seemed to like her as she looked at her with huge eyes despite being so young. I looked at Isha and suddenly, I returned to the past.

I sat with my game in my hand with Isha on my right looking at the screen with fascination.  She had a beautiful smile on her face and her eyes held a twinkle I could not see in the present.  A clicking sound brought me back to reality. Mai looked at us with a cellphone and a smile plastered on her face.

"You guys looked so adorable."

"No we don't." Isha stood up. "I better go now."

"There's a heavy storm outside. You won't be able to drive."

"Is that a challenge Rifat." Isha said taking her bag.

"Not really, stay the night,  I'll feel better." Rifat said.

"Don't worry." Isha smiled and we headed to the door. "Give me the keys." She ordered turning to me.

"Uh, I don't think it's a go-" I hesitated before she cut me off.

"Relax, I drove through sand storms. This is nothing." She took the keys from my hand. "Also, this is not the right time to be sexist." We ran to my car and we slid in fast before she drove off. "Oh shit! Civilization has speed limits." She exclaimed before slowing the car down considerably. Despite her statement being so worry worthy, I felt safe in her presence. I missed it so damn much.