No Boundaries: Chapter5.

Enjoy!

❥
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I opened the door to my father's house in Riyadh as quietly as I could, and once I successfully managed to go into the house I took a deep breath. I loved how my dad's house smelled, it was a mixture of bu5oor and flowers. 

Describing it makes it sound weird, but really that was the only explenation I could find.  
My step-mother suddenly came down the stairs. She ran over to me excitedly, and hugged me tightly. 

Areen: ahlen 5alti! 

Abeer: hala glbii! Keefk? Etrkii shn6tk Mary t6l3ha fog! 

My stepmother as anyone might know is the exact opposite of what a cinderella stepmother is like. She's thoughtful, sweet, and caring. She never once offended me or my mother, honestly she is the best thing that happened to my dad since I decided to move with my mother to Jeddah. We chatted excitedly and caught up while going up the stairs. 

Areen: wow 5alti! 9b3'tk m3 ur tan t9y7! 

Also, my stepmother is like a slightly younger version of my mother. 

Abeer: 97? Elmrra eljayh lazm tjen m3na elCapri! 

Areen: akeed! Bs gololy meta btro7on w agolkm e4a agdar aji! Ween baba?

Abeer: 3nda monawaba elyom! 

Areen: ohh, ashofa el9ba7 ajl.. 

Abeer: so!! Goleli keef 3bdullah??

Did I mention that my stepmother also knew? Since he lived in Riyadh so I had to tell her. 

Areen: ble5, wallaa I don't think he'll get better 9ra7a. Fahdah w 9ita namo?

Abeer: they stayed up to wait for you bes they couldn't resist sleep any longer. W enty kman shklk t3banaaaa! Get some sleep! 

Areen: yalla al7in bro7 3'orfty. 



~


I jumped awake a couple of hours later to the sound of something crashing to the ground and breaking. I ran quickly to the source of the sound and saw my dad in his blue scrubs and white lab coat hanging on his arm. He looked exhausted, sleep-deprived, and scared.


I ran up to him, jumped on him, and hugged him tightly. He showered me with kisses and hugged me back tightly. 


Areen: baba eshtagtlk mrra efff! 


Dad: I missed you akthar ya glb ubok enti! Areen mama, jals'h t5ngeni! 




I got off of him, but still kept my arms around him. 


Dad: 3abeer bt4b7ni...


I laughed quietly, and let go of him.


Areen: yepp!


He laughed with me. 


Dad: so keefk?


Areen: kwysa, anyway baba we have all the time in the world to catch up, go sleep, shklk btnam w enta wagf gdami.


Dad: ee, the other doctor called in sick, so kant my shift 36 hours.




I gave my dad a sad look.


Dad: hey, I'm not complaining, I love my job.


Areen: true..


Dad: 6yb yalla mama goodnight. Esh rayk n6l3 nt3'ada bokra?


Areen: sounds nice, ft7t 3ndkom m6a3m jdeda blriya9'?


Dad: ana ma7b ela elfourseasons so malk ela hwa..


Areen: you sound so old! K2nk shayb 3omra 65 sana may3rf ela m63m wa7d!


Dad: ok ok, bn5li 3abeer t5tar lna m63m!


Areen: yjon m3na?


I loved my step mother and sisters, I would love nothing more than to spend time with them as well.


Dad: laa laa, abi nsolf ana w enti l7alna shwy.


Areen: ok?


Dad: shd3wa 5fti, ana obok mar7 asawelk shy.


I went back to bed with a smile, sadly all the sleepiness I felt vanished at the crack of sunlight that entered my room. So I tossed and turned until I gave up on ever going back to sleep. The nagging feeling in my stomach that something was about to go utterly wrong returned with full force. I decided to just shower and let it slide.

 I was brushing my hair when my bedroom door cracked open quietly, and two little pairs of feet paddled through the room. I pretended to not hear them so they could surprise me. My smiled stretched through all my face when two very tiny, yet very deliciously smelling bodies slammed into me. I hugged them as tight as I could, and they hugged back with all they might.

~

I traced the invisible circles on the coffee mug that was in front of me. My dad and I decided to get coffee after lunch, and I still have no idea what he wanted to tell me.

Areen: So baba, anyway you can tell me what’s happening?

Dad: ok.. Mdri shlon agolk hlmw9’o3, bes tra it is completely your choice. I will not interfere with anything.

Areen: baba? Jals t5wfeni?

Dad: Areen 7bbti fe wa7d tgdmlk esma 3bdullah Al-Flani, enti darya hom 3a2ela m3rofa w sm3t’hom 6yba, bes again it’s your choice whatever you decide I will be with you.

Areen: no.

Dad: hw mdak 8rarti?

What on earth am I saying? Did I just say no to a marriage proposal? From my 6 year-long boy-friend? I must be crazy.

Areen: hah.. 89di mdri twni 93’era..

Dad: 7bbti, you’re 21. Not that young anymore, and it’ll only be a couple of months before you graduate. So atw83 jaa elwgt eli tfkren blmw9’o3..

So this is what the nagging feeling has been about. Abdullah’s proposal. Wow, as if this summer couldn’t get crazier. What is really tiring me is that my first reaction was to say no. Something is utterly wrong with me.

Areen: mdri baba a7taj wgt afkr...

Dad: ok, elmohim lazm arj3k elbeet I’m on call in 2 hours, w 3abeer 3azma zojat a9de8a2i w bnat’hom 3shank.

I slapped my forehead, this is totally not what I needed right now.

Dad: sorry 7bbti but she didn’t know about the proposal thing, so ma gdrt agolha la t3zmenhom and you know how much she loves throwing a party.

Areen: she’s just like mama.

Dad: I guess I have a type then.

Areen: very funny, but yes you do. How did I turn out to be the exact opposite of both of them?

Dad: you turned out like me, just more of a loner than I am.

Areen: you’re very mean for a dad. Did you tell anyone else then?

Dad: no, bes omk, bes lazm agol l3aber!

Areen: I know how much you hate keeping secrets from her, so 3adi tell her.

~

I straightened the non-existent crease on my pleated skirt, and loosened my curls. A soft knock on the door brought me back to reality, and I smiled. I went to the door and found my step-mother smiling hugely, and I knew dad must have told her.

Areen: galk baba?

Abeer: ee! Ya allah mrra mt7mstlk!

Areen: 5alti, you know ena I haven’t decided 9a7?

Abeer: adri, bes still. Why would you refuse him anyway, he’s like the perfect guy.

Areen: 5alti, pleaaase just give me time.

Abeer: ok ok 7bbti, anyway, yalla nnzl?

Areen: ooh, 6l3ti el5watm elkbera, meen jay?

Abeer: thek elbzr elbthra eli mtzwja Rakan 9deg obok.

Areen: eli 3omraha 28?

Abeer: ee.

Areen: wsh byjebha? A7sbk 9degat zojta elola akthar.

Abeer: el9dma, ena elzoja elola hiya eli btjebha.

Areen: reality tv material right there.

Abeer: mrra!

An hour or so later, I opened the door for more guests, and was met by a very friendly and calming face that seemed so familiar.

?: OH MY GOD! Areen?! Ha4i enti?!

Areen: ee?

I gave her a small scared smile, and I think I was a bit embarrassed because it was obvious she knew who I was but I didn’t know who on earth she is.

?: ma tt4kreni 9a7? Ana Nouf, bnt S3aad 9deg obok.

Areen: Nouf?! Wow mrra t3’yrti mashallah, e7lweti zyada!

Nouf: b39’ ma 3ndk ya glbi, wsh 4al zeen?!

And we spent the night catching up!

xo