The Desert Rose

Damn Candles

Yasmin cautiously went into the room where Mustafa's mother and sister were sitting.

The women looked her up and down, causing her hands to shake involuntarily. 'They view me as a commodity. Disgusting.'

"Hello, Yasmin. My name is Rabia, and this is my daughter, Amira." The woman said.

Yasmin nooded meekly, feeling nervous. Zulieka stood at a distance, no less worried. And no wonder--her reputation depended on this tea.

Yasmin lowered the tray onto the table, carefully arranging the beautiful glasses and pouring the tea.

"I can't wait to try it." The woman said with a smile.

I poured the tea high. Hot water filled the glass, creating... beautiful foam.

Mustafa mother was the first to taste the drink, which promised to be magical."I hope it will be delicious." she took the glass carefully. "How inconvenient." Mustafa mother looked at her future daughter-in-law intently. "Nice foam. well done."

Mustafa's mom finally decided to try the tea. "sweet--just how it should be." suddenly, the woman winced. "Too bad it's not green tea. I appreciate your diligence. what a wonderful tea! And thank you to whoever taught you how to make the drink correctly."

Amira was obviously looking for something to complain about, but she could only sit in silence.

Zulieka stood at a distance wearing a proud smile.

"just for you!" Yasmin mouthed to Zulieka.

***

The conversation with the female member of the groom family were stilted. There was no sincerity in their words. All of this was a mare formality while others decided her fate. 'They didn't ask me about my hobbies, my life.'

After her potential in-laws left, Yasmin pondered her situation. "Zulieka, it didn't even occur to them that I could be against this marriage." She asked, facing Zulieka.

Zulieka was surprised. "But your father..."

"I'm not my father! I didn't choose to be his shadow!" The words burst out of her in a hysterical surge. They'd be pent-up inside for far, far too long. And now her father has deprived her of the opportunity to be an individual again.

"Yasmin, daughter, I'm sorry." Zulieka gently embraced her. "For me, you're always special, alive and real. Forgive me for this weakness, for the fear if your father."

Yasmin silently lay her head on Zulieka's shoulder.

****

Back in her room, Yasmin was sitting on the sofa with Zulieka. "It's so late, Mustafa and his father are still here..." she said to Zulieka.

"The master likes guest, you know." Zulieka said before sitting on the sofa.

"It seemed to me that Mustafa wasn't interested in their conversation." she told Zulieka.

"I see he caught your attention. Maybe he did that on purpose?" Zulieka said with a wink.

I rolled my eyes. "I don't think he was too worried about enticing me."

Suddenly there was a rustling noise in the next room.

"oh? That must be Lelia! Cleaning up at night to earn some praise." Zulieka said with a smile.

"huh, I'd like to see her. How diligently she will start cleaning onnce she sees me." Yasmin said with a small laugh.

"she'll start complaining that she's the only one who works here." Zulieka said.

"I'll be back soon. Get ready for the show." Yasmin said, heading towards the door.

"you go. I'm tired, I'll get some rest." She yawned as if to prove her words. "If I fall asleep, tell tomorrow."

'Lelia should have done it in front of the guests. That way she would get more praise.' she thought before leaving the room.

***

Her feet trembled with every step. It was getting harder to walk. "what did I get into...where are my?!" A woman with a long wavy hair, wearing a short, sleeveless black gown mummbed, looking confused.

A man was walking behind her, maintaining the same even pace. The woman, having no other options, stopped. 'I should ask him for help.'

It was scary: she didn't know the city. she was so desperate that she was willing to approach a stranger at night.

"please help!" Her pleading cry prompted the passerby to turn around. However, his look bode nothing good to her.

"Good girls don't walk alone at night, do they? At this hour?" The man said with a malicious grin.

"You misunderstood, I didn't...I need help!" She doesn't even know where to start explaining from.

"All bad girls say that. Good girls stay at home." He leered at the woman. He wasn't going to save her.

It was him she needed saving from now.

***

The woman's hope we're dashed--Yasmin found the room empty. She only met her own shadow. 'Is Lelia hiding?'

"It's all clear." she said out loud.

"How shrewd of you." Instead of Lelia s voice, she heard a make voice.

"Huh?! who's there?!" She wanted to scream, but she was struck almost mute in astonishment.

"Shh...I thought you knew everything. I thought they wanted me to marry a witch." He spoke in a whisper. Yasmin whispered back, not wanting anyone to overhear their conversation."M-mustafa? what are you doing here?"

The young man appeared from behind the screen. "I'm testing your shrewdness."

"You're testing my patience. we can't see each other like this." Yasmin frowned at him.

"I'm afraid I'm not a stilker of rules." He said shruggingly.

"How did you get here?" Yasmin asked.

"I have my ways. I think we need to talk about us." Mustafa said.

Yasmin smiled arrogantly. "About us? There is no 'us'! You've must misunderstood what you set yourself up for, but..."

"Exactly. 'But'." He looked at her intently, just as he had before. "I want to make a deal with you."

"A deal...?!"

"I don't want to marry you--or get married at all, for that matter.

we don't know each other, and I have other plans. Once, you mentioned my name to local gossip. These things happen, but we're not in some soap opera filled with miscommunications. This sort of misunderstanding is ymthe best starting point for marriage." He said it as if it were self-evident."I decided to be honest with you, do be honest with me."

'life is looking up.' "I don't want this wedding either. But what sort of deal do you want? Are you suggesting that I should disgrace myself so you can refuse?" Yasmin eyed him intently.

"Oh...no." He said with a smile.

"seems silly to me, too." Yasmin said, pretty relieved.

"No, no..."

"What?"

"There's no shrewdness in you. But I appreciate your boldness." Mustafa said to her.

"And I appreciate my time. What are you up to?" She glanced at an imaginary watch on her wrist. "it's in your best interest to sort this out sooner than later."

"I won't detain you." He said.

"oh, yes, finally!" she said with a tired expression.

"I propose a contract:were not getting married."

"I think you're definitely on the right track." she said to him.

"You may believe in love stories, but I don't." he said.

'They all say that...so naive.'

"we're going to pretend that we're in love. Then I'll leave, then they'll start looking for me. They won't find me. What a tragedy-- it'll buy you some time." Mustafa told her

"Is there no other way to do this? what if you're a bad actor?" Yasmin asked him.

Mustafa began to speak slightly louder, allowing his voice to carry. "Yeah, right. And you're an Oscar contender! There's no choice, if I refuse you, they'd find me another woman. They'd find another person for you too."

'Oh...! Good fortune falls into my hands!' "I agree, but if you're bad at portraying a lover or gets handsy... I'll drag you across the city by your hair." Yasmin warned.

"How dangerous are fragile Morocco birdes nowadays! it's good that I won't marry you. you'll poison me on our wedding night." Mustafa said jokingly.

"Let's push thought about such things, partner." Yasmin said to him.

"I suggest we seal our contract with a handshake. Come closer if you're not afraid." Mustafa grinned.

'He's really taking liberties. Asking me to come closer, letting him to touch me... he's daring me like a little girl.'

The dim light made her every step and every breath feel like a part of a secret ritual. Yasmin cautiously approached Mustafa. Just a couple of steps felt like an enternity. 'it's not everyday I'm so close to a man.' Mustafa hair gleamed gold, reflecting the candlelight.

She suddenly found herself wanting to reach out and touch it, but she quickly snapped back. 'What am I thinking?!' She came very close and held out her hand. His rough large male palm gently squeezed her fragile female one. 'it feels so strange holding his hand. Stupid candles. They're making my face feel so warm!'

Seeing her expression Morocco was confused. 'Is she shy? How strange."

The touch lasted a few seconds. But time seems to freeze. There was only a dim light. Only the shy woman's heartbeat and the serious man surprise existed.