PROVINCE OF APULIA.
BARI, ITALY.

THE NICOLAUS HOTEL.

"Hey girl, what are in these bags?" Lateefa hollered, holding the three paper bags she came across in the living room with a note that says 'Get well soon' stick to it.

Her first thought, Imad was there and couldn't see her so he kept that anonymously to act all cute and she downright finds it cute. The man really loves her, he is just pretending not to because of something that has to do with their failed marriage and ruined happiness years ago. There is no doubt it was all her fault that their marriage didn't work out. She has that guilty look all the time they talked about their marriage, she won't want to pry on that for now.

But what would innocent Amirah do to ruin her beautiful marriage with Imad? The guy was literally obsessed over her and doted over her own footprints all in the name of love. If Lateefa would get something close to what they share with Amirah, she won't leave her home ever and stay in that gorgeous chamber for the rest of her life. Sometimes love makes our women housewives, they are too happy to even leave the confines of their home and go sought happiness outside.

Amirah groaned, she don't want to wake up from her sleep again but after leaving the comatose twice already, she can't go back to another sleep. Nazir woke her up earlier and now the girls did, she is sure there is no more sleep left for her that evening and she might not even get some during the night after spending half her day on bed with eyes closed enjoying the lack of excruciating cramps. It is still there but mild.

Another moan left her mouth before she rolled around to look at the bags she is talking about through groggy eyes. "I don't know who brought them." She yawed around again and try getting some more sleep but no luck.

Lateefa cheered. "Oh damn, it is already working magically like I'd expected!"

This had the other two girls scrunching their brows in concentration of what she is talking about, the girl is like a riddle they can never solve. Now what is working and who is she talking about? Does she have any whiff who brought those and who were they for? Kamilah is sure she didn't see her leaving the site but saw her talking to Imad so what is going on in Lateefa Sheriff's head right now?

Or more like, what had she done this time around? It always smells trouble no matter how many times they try to cocoon it with Cologne. The girl harangues everyone around her.

"What is working?" Amirah groggily brought out the words, yanking them away from Kamilah's.

Lateefa gave a grin filled with mystery that will have anyone exuding diaphoresis, that is how shrewd it looks. "Oh, nothing is. I was just thinking about going through my contact list to share more streaks, you know."

Kamilah gave her that 'I don't trust you but I'm really watching everything' look then took the paper bags away from Lateefa to browse through and see what they can quaff down before dinner. But the question nagged her head, who would bring this to Amirah and she won't know the person? Something is definitely amiss and she'd be damned if she does not find out and it seems like Lateefa knows what is going on.

Amirah's face crumbled in concentration, trying to point out whether something has happened while she was sleeping and decided to just make it look like a dream. Who brought those bag and wants her to get well soon? Who could it be other than...Imad? Yes, he was the only person she told about her sickness.

Her heart leaped and slide inside her ribcage. Could it be him? The man has never been nice to her neither had he been too harsh since she started working under him so it does not make sense why he will send those things for her. Ha, why was she even thinking about that? She is the last person he will ever gift his penny in his life so she banned that thought from rocking her cranium or she'd be filled with bloated hope only for it to burst out in a bad smell.

It'd stench so much if she permits it to bloat any bigger.

She is having mixed feelings for Imad, she never stopped loving him right? Or was that love? It feels much more intense now, as if their souls are connected but there is still a gargantuan malignant wall separating them. She is sure they are never going to work out, not after what she's made the guy went through because he 'loved' her. She is not the last woman standing anyway and he is married.

He got married to another woman, she will have to move on too immediately. Those feelings gleaming just after spending less than fortnight with him are too messed up, she is not supposed to feel them. He is Imad, the man she ruthlessly broke through and through. She mentally shook her head at her absurdity, she is one shameless woman, really.

She is one hoyden and vermin woman that does not deserve happiness and anyone that knows what she really did, they'd run the opposite side of where she is. From east to west and south to north, no doubt what Nazir will do as soon as he gets a whiff of whom she was married to. Their marriage has circulated the whole world, a one day old marriage ruined and the hand will always be pointed at the woman.

She is at fault, but she is the only one that knows that along with her dead mother, oldest sister and Imad himself. No one does, and her sister won't tell a soul about it, not even her husband and her mother had rather take that secret to the grave than talk it out and she did. Amirah just don't understand why people will forever point finger at the woman, she is always the one that ruins and builds home. Or so they thought and say.

She is done with the society though, they won't ruin more than they've already terminated. She won't give them that power, not after all the cruel things she's went through to get to where she is. And about Imad, she will just have to give up talking about their past if she wants to move on for real. It will only cause more pain, anguish, guilt and heartbreak to sprout out and she is not in the mental state for that.

Now that she looks at it, there is no use talking about the past. What can she say? She's ruined them, betrayed and stabbed him cruelly that if she dares try justifying herself, she will cause more pain to him. The past shall be left in the past, let bygones be bygones. She cannot look at those emotions redisplayed again in his eyes after she galvanise him and try inculcating her nonsense.

Her phone pinged from beside her, she took it off the bed to check who just messaged her. It was Nazir! Oh, he was there earlier, how could she forget?

N: How are you feeling?

A: I am fine and feeling well. Kicking also.

N: Hahaha, that is good. Hope you didn't mind my gift?

A: Uh, what gift?

She hit her head after sending the message but it was already delivered. Which means he brought those paper bags when he stopped by earlier in her state of dormant. Of course. Who would bring it for her? The guy is clearly smitten by her, and that is very good since this is the time she needs another male companion with her. She will use him as a rebound and move on, just like Imad had done. He seems nice enough and also caring and he is handsome too, just not Imad

N: Fruits and eggs? I browsed about it on internet and found out that it helps so I got them before I left.

A: Oh, just found it. Thank you so much. I really appreciate it.

N: Don't mention. Hope you also didn't mind your spoiled couch? Sprite ruined both my shirt and the leather couch earlier.

A: If you've cleaned it well, we are perfectly okay.

N: Yep, I did.

"Why are you smiling like a lunatic?" Lateefa pursed her lips, stopping midway from biting and molesting a gorgeous banana after peeling it whole.

Amirah smiled again at Lateefa to annoy the girl further before answering. "It was Nazir who brought those. I totally forgot to tell you that he stopped by to check on me when he heard I wasn't feeling fine."

Lateefa's jaw hit the floor, eyes wide and round before permitting the banana she is holding to slip off her hand. What the heck is going on? Imad didn't bring this and wasn't here to see Amirah after leaving the site? He was supposed to be here and not Nazir. He looks so determined to come see her though. Or, maybe he happened to bump into Nazir on his way...

"Oh, shit!"

*~*

"You left the site didn't you?" Salim waltzed into his suite with his own key card as if he owns the place. The three department heads have separate suites being all men and shit like that.

"Yes, Mr. Obvious." He rolled his eyes, schooling his expression to that of normal one that shows no pain. It hurts though, a lot more than he wants to admit cause it shoot right to his arm all the time.

Salim narrowed his eyes at this sarcastic friend then asked a better question. "Why did you leave so suddenly? I was talking to Uncle Sunusi after you left and he asked about you. I had to lie you were in the bathroom."

Imad's chest lightened with the thought of his father asking about him, he thought they had banished him all from the family tree long ago. He wants to reawaken the dead relationship as soon as he gets back home and fully recover from this stupid sickness. That is his main goal now, he needs his family by his side and after reawakening it, he shall tell them what has happened those three years ago and the cause of his failed marriage.

But damn, it is not as easy as he thinks or wants to imagine.

"I don't feel too good and I think I need a stroll to clear my head too. I'll be back before dinner but if I delay, you can just go ahead without me." Imad stood up from the bed, educating his face to not discharge the wince and grimace inwardly hacking him.

He made it to his suitcase again looking at how scattered his clothes are, all over the place. He knows someone that won't be so pleased seeing the clothes all around but he again galvanise away the thought. If this keeps augmenting, maybe his dead body will be found outside the hotel. Depressing thoughts marring every nook of his head, it is not freaking healthy for someone with his problem.

Taking out Nike black sweats from the Michael Kors suitcase, he wrestled into them since he has already removed his clothes when the pain got unbearable earlier. He was only wearing a vest and shorts when Salim walked in, closing more will be good for the chilly weather outside. It seems like it is going to rain, it has been like that since they arrived but it never rained. You can't be too sure in these foreign places.

"Just be careful, you don't know your way around." Salim called out from the bed, making no move to vacate the room since the occupant of it is leaving. Instead, he removed his dress shoes and lie back where Imad vacated.

Imad thinned his lips feeling like a kid but continue adjusting the straps of his air Jordan classic sneakers. "I will and lock the door after leaving."

Walking out of the hotel, Imad close his head with the hood of his sweatshirt and continue to walk straight so he won't get lost. He will just remember that has been walking straight. He shivered, the chilly air getting to him hence his hands stuffed inside the pockets of his sweatshirt. The country is one beautiful place judging from the beautiful lights shining each corner of the street he is walking to.

Distracted, he bumped into someone wearing all black and when looked closely, it was a burka. His brows rise in question and instantly started judging like the normal human he is. Who would wear burka dead in the night in such beautiful place? It's only natural that he feels weirded out bumping into this person, you never know what is with people these days. He's learned the hard way to never trust.

"I'm so sorry, I wasn't looking." The person apologized and it sounded like a woman. Duh, men don't wear burka.

"It's okay. I was a bit distracted too." He offered a smile when she rose her head to look at him, her eyes are dark but they have this beautiful lining made with kohl that struck them out and her skin is also a bit dark.

"I don't know my way around and I'm kind of lost. Do you know where the Mastro Ciccio restaurant is? My friends are there waiting for me and I can't seem to find my way back." She sounds apologetic asking a stranger ways around but she is desperate and this man could help. He looks nice enough.

Imad thought for a minute, he's heard the name of the restaurant close to their hotel before it hits him, they passed by it earlier when they were going to the site. It is not that far away from their hotel and if he is to endorse this woman back there, he will just have to cut his walk short and go back to the hotel to have dinner with the other team. He sighed, she is a woman and can't be left alone dead in the night with no chaperone.

And he is not a heartless man even though he has every reason to be, heartless.

"Sure, that way." He pointed at the way he just came from then move to stand beside her.

"You look so lost, Stranger. Care to share your problem with this stranger?" She inclined her head to the side, her attention moving back to the road ahead of them getting eaten by their short strides. It is as if they don't want to reach their destination so soon.

"How do I look lost, Stranger?"

She smiled behind her veil, having answered such questions many times to count. "I have this thing you can maybe call astrology and all that. Let me tell you this. You have been through a raucous heartbreak, still suffering from it too. You are around this person that broke your heart and is taking a toll on you. Not to forget your mixed feelings now, split into what is right and what isn't." By the time she closed her mouth, Imad is already standing like a statue behind her a few inches.

"I'm right huh?" She smiled again, taking his conflicted look through the veil closing her face.

He sighed, she is more than right. "Exactly. You jumped the main part where I manage to strike myself with stress cardiomyopath. I want this trip to end so I can stay far away from her, it is affecting my health tremendously."

She grimaced in sympathy, he is suffering a lot because of love. Another reason why she is so going to be against love while growing up, she is just sixteen for goodness sake but love never had space in her life. Her parents separated when she was just three, splitting her life into two and all her friends manage to get their hearts broken and some committed suicide. How is she sure her own will be a different case?

"I don't believe in love, it is too much stress and mostly causes pain." She admitted, shaking her head back and forth as if erasing the mere thought of her being in love.
It is horrifying!

Imad gave a small chortle at her words immediately knowing she is younger than she looks in that burka and the veil closing her face. Her words sounded whiny, as if she is sure love won't ever find her and if it does, she will squash it before it proliferates. She does not know how it works. It does not ask for permission, it works for itself and warmed it's way to your heart unknowingly.

"I don't regret falling in love with her though. I was happy and I can look back with a smile on my face. Don't be too harsh on your emotion organ, allow it to fall in love."

"No, I am good." She shook her head, her eyes zeroing on the restaurant she has been looking for.

"This is your stop. It was really nice talking to you." He smiled, bouncing a bit on his heels and pointing to Mastro Ciccio.

"Same here. The name's Amira." And she didn't wait for his reply before slipping inside the restaurant knowing she won't ever see him again and vice versa.