It was early evening when they reached Dubai airport. Jamil let all the passengers leave ahead of them.
"Change your underwear with something more decent, now that I am not with you. Put on pants, sweetheart. I will worry," Jamil whispered.
Yasmin wrapped him in her tight embrace. She knew she will be alone from hereon. She was in tears.
"Yes, I will. I have clothes to change into inside my laptop bag. I wore these for you," Yasmin cried.
Jamil hugged her tight as well.
"Thanks, I love you, I love you," he said.
Then kissed her mouth.
"Take care, I will call you," Jamil promised.
They stood up and Jamil took their laptop bags from the luggage bin. He pulled her to him once again and kissed her on the forehead. He put their laptop bags on his shoulders. And made her go before him towards the plane exit. Yasmin tried to take her laptop bag from him, but he insisted that he'd give it before they enter the Immigration Area.
As Jamil had dreaded, Ibrahim was staring at him. He raised his hand in a wave as a signal to Yasmin, who had moved to the farthest cue from Jamil. Curious about Ibrahim's face, Yasmin glanced at him, only to retract her gaze fast, because the man was looking her way. Jamil was nearing the Immigration officer, and will soon proceed to the Arrival Hall where Ibrahim would be waiting. Wanting the last glance at Jamil before he disappeared from her sight, it surprised her to see him waving with a smile.
How she wished she could have hugged and kissed him one more time. She sighed. However, in a restrained society like the Middle East, public display of affections is taboo for the locals. Yasmin knew she had lived here for some time, too.
Yasmin smiled at Jamil's request for her to be decent; he meant her crotchless underwear. And the dress? It was a head-turner; he worried it would attract other men's attention. So, she discarded her lower clothes for panty shorts and pants. Meantime, she would stay at that same café where she saw Jamil five days ago on her flight to Manila.
***
"Hey, Jamil, how was your trip, man! I didn't expect you to be back so soon," Ibrahim said.
"Your father asked me to pick you up," he added.
"Oh thanks, I'm grateful," Jamil lied.
In return, Jamil offered to buy him food should he pass a drive-thru. Ibrahim thanked him. As he expected! He was right! His father didn't even care to ask the man if he had dinner! He just ordered him.
And Ibrahim? He'd readily obey! He felt duty-bound to follow Naseem Al Abdallah at all times. There is no difference between the "Gangster's Commandments" in a Mafia Code which states, "I swear to be faithful to Cosa Nostra, if I betray, my flesh should burn." Jamil shook his head.
***
Jamil reached his flat on the 10th floor in no time and sat on the sofa. Paranoid, he locked his main door and checked the bottom of his home phone, and felt up the corners of his living room lampshade for any bugging device. He must be crazy. When you have this kind of parent - very controlling, you will lose your sanity, he thought. He was glad to be in the privacy and comfort of his room. He planned to call Yasmin at once.
Sitting on a one-seater sofa in the darkest and farthest corner of his room, and looking out into the street through his room's glass walls, he waited for her to reply.
"Sweetheart, I'm glad. Have you reached home now? You had your dinner?" Yasmin asked.
Jamil closed his eyes. Outraged with his father again, but he can't dump his frustrations on Yasmin. He wanted her to be happy with him. He forced himself to laugh.
"I'd rather eat you than food," he said, and that made Yasmin laugh.
"I wouldn't trade that for food either," she quipped.
She would have loved that with him every day. It's Jamil's turn to laugh now. And they talked a lot more until Yasmin had to cut him off, as her flight was boarding the plane. She promised to text him as soon as she landed and arrived at her accommodation. They ended their conversation with their usual I love you's and take care. She was all he needed to put a smile back on his face and happiness in his heart.
***
Yasmin went back to work on the same day of her arrival. Indeed, that would be the last of her monthly vacations. It was exhausting. But of course, she was not regretting that she went home this time. Her five days with Jamil had renewed her strength. She was ecstatic, and that changed a person's disposition. And even now, although she arrived only at dawn on the same day, she had the strength to go to work, despite the long hours of flying and waiting between connecting flights. The first leg of the flight, with Jamil, was euphoric. She smiled. The second one, she had missed him already. Indeed, those five days were heavenly.
Her office was not very far from where she lives. The company made sure that the employees can go to work walking, biking, or driving. Yasmin still finds it a long walk, and since she was used to riding the bike Jamil gifted on her birthday, she opted to go to work biking. There are pathways meant for bikers from her accommodation to her office. It is smooth sailing either way.
The company is dominantly men; the ratio being 80:20 men to women, but there were no problems at all. Yasmin's job involved administration work, handling office correspondence, contracts, the secretarial pool, and most of the accounting functions, including payroll and personnel matters. She loved her job and had no issues with her colleagues, men and women alike. They were easy to work with. Sometimes they would have to visit the oilfield site, although not that often. As soon as she arrived at the bike parking meant for the staff and padlocked her bike, she went upstairs.
She gradually opened the glass door. Everyone seemed preoccupied with their work.
"Good Morning, Everyone!" she greeted.
Yasmin surprised them; everyone laughed and clapped. She wondered why everyone was clapping?
"We miss you and start work already because we have so much to do, and we have to submit the documents to the clients soon," everyone said in a cacophony of words but all in this same context.
"Okay, I am filing for another leave then," Yasmin threatened, and they all laughed.
"Nice to have you back indeed," her friend Naira greeted.
Project offices are crazy, especially when it is time to submit the design study in stages to the client. It is being reviewed several times by the engineers, the engineering manager, and the project director. But this is the work atmosphere that she enjoys. The crazier, the better, because to her, it is a learning experience. She gobbles deadlines even if it means working overtime.
Working with so many nationalities had given her the confidence and maturity to handle work relationships. It was a melting pot of races and it was difficult to cater to everyone's whims sometimes. But in the end, there was only one goal - to submit the design study on time and get paid.
It is wonderful to be back at work again.
***
Jamil's father called him at around 7 a.m. He would have wanted to sleep some more and report to work in the afternoon. But his father insisted on seeing him in the office at 9 a.m. They will have breakfast before they will visit one of their showrooms. And he reminded him as well that a shipment was due to arrive later that day at the port and to make sure that they inspect them well. All he could say was okay. He was not really in the mood to see his father today. All this spying being done by the surrounding people is simply sickening. He would have wanted to stay with Yasmin until she had boarded her connecting flight, but there he saw Ibrahim waiting for him like a gaping hawk!
Then he remembered. He seemed to have taken a glance at the waiting area when he saw someone with a binocular. And it looked like Ibrahim. The man was in a black shirt. Yes, indeed! At this thought, he abruptly sat up on the bed. But earlier, the man was a little farther away from where he saw Ibrahim when he waved at him. He was behind another person. He was trying to dig into his photographic memory. The binocular was not in his direction, he had slightly angled it to his left - where Yasmin was - and the next time he looked again; he was then looking directly at him. That was the time he waved at him. He was not holding a phone at first; it was a pair of binocular. He was sure of it! It was only at his second glance that it was then a phone. He must have borrowed that? Was he looking at Yasmin?
He could feel his heart beating fast and his breathing rugged. Was that because he was simply admiring a beautiful woman? Does he find Yasmin attractive? Or was that another order from his beloved father, to snap pictures of him, or the surrounding scene? How can he verify this? He hoped he was just being paranoid. He was already worrying about Yasmin when he left her, without having seen her change into pants. Not that he didn't trust her, he was just being protective and had wanted to be sure.
She must be at work by now, Jamil thought. Kazakhstan is ahead by two hours to the United Arab Emirates. Yasmin stays in the capital, Nur Sultan. It used to be called Astana until March 2019. But Kazakhs still prefer to call it Astana. It takes time to get used to something new. He hoped Yasmin was fine, having arrived only at dawn on the same day.
He had better get ready to meet his father. He was sure that he wouldn't start his day without having heard from him about his vacation. As if he cares, Jamil thought.
He was very glad that his father didn't know of their caretaker, or he would have employed him too as his spy. But knowing Manong Nardo, he'd rather keep his mouth shut because he knew where his loyalty lies. He had known Yasmin since their college days. Likewise, he doted on Yasmin, as he did on him. Many times before, he used to tell them to be faithful to each other, and to get married someday. He said he would love to see their beautiful children in the future. Jamil's mom would chide Manong Nardo for condoning their relationship; saying "they are still studying and they need to finish their degrees first."
He hoped their caretaker will see his sticky note on the fridge. He had wanted him to empty the fridge of its contents and take the food home. And to unplug the electrical socket once again, and all the other things he had mentioned on his note.
As soon as he had showered and changed, he took his laptop bag and went down the lift to the parking lot of the building where he had parked. He had better hurry, as he has only 30 minutes left, including travel time. He has to arrive earlier, before his narcissistic father does.
Not that Jamil doesn't love or respect his father. He knew his duty, foremost as a son to his father. Respect for the elders is one value Koran teaches, and he is Muslim. His father had made sure that Jamil, although half-blooded Arab only, would adhere to the Islamic traditions. When he was growing up and vacationing frequently in the Emirates, he used to have great respect for his father. His father loves him, and he is a good provider. Even if he didn't marry his mother, he treated her with respect. And his father consults his mom on a lot of things, and especially on matters that concern him.
Things just turned sour between them when he defied him on this arranged marriage with that young girl. And subsequently, when he had to form a spy squad in the guise of friends. These false friends are Judas in sheep's clothing; they would readily sell him off to his father for a few silver pence if they could find even the slightest hint that he had a woman. Already, he saw Ibrahim or someone who looked like Ibrahim with a binocular, and later a phone, trying to gather evidence. Could he have seen him talking with Yasmin at all? He hoped not.
***
"Jamil, Habibi!" his father greeted and held his face to kiss both cheeks. Jamil greeted his father too with all due respect. Then both went directly to his father's office, where a pot of coffee and a platter of croissants and pastries awaited them.
"How was your vacation? You look fully rested," his father teased.
"Yes, I am," Jamil replied.
He didn't want to add any more. As much as possible, he would like to divert his attention from these personal questions and talked about company matters only. Which they did. His father had his secretary, Erin, bring in all the documents and discussion centered on them.
When they had finished, Jamil went to his office. When he saw his secretary, Julie, he remembered his request for the cancellation of Yasmin's hotel booking. Although he trusted her, he reminded her not to mention Yasmin's name to anyone, especially his father. She promised she wouldn't, and he thanked her.
***
The entire day had been very busy. By the time he went home, it was almost 9 p.m., and he wondered if Yasmin had gone to bed. But it was she who asked him to call her before he sleeps, even for a minute. She is waiting; he thought. He called, and she answered on the first ring. Jamil heard her breathless, "Hello," as if she had run to take the call.
"Why do you seem breathless?" Jamil asked.
She was in the kitchen making a glass of warm milk; she said. Then he followed with more questions. How was your day? Aren't you sleepy yet? She answered that indeed she was, but she was hoping he would call. It was her turn to ask, And you? How was it today? Jamil answered it was a busy day with papers and the shipment.
Then he asked her about her accommodation. If she can accommodate visitors in her apartment. He hoped Yasmin lives alone in solo accommodation, so he could stay with her when he visits. She said she shares the flat with a lady colleague. The company provided it. Yasmin misunderstood this question from Jamil, thinking he must suspect something or could be jealous.
"Are you thinking that I could entertain male guests?" She asked.
"What? You had better not be, woman," Jamil said, puzzled by Yasmin's probe.
"Then what do you mean?" asked Yasmin.
He was asking because he didn't know her accommodation arrangements there. He wondered if they have solo apartments or shared accommodations. Yasmin asked him if he was planning to visit her someday there because if he will, she has the option to live out. She'll have to find her apartment and take the equivalent cash of shared accommodation. But he wondered if that would be safe, especially for a single woman. She said she thinks so. Jamil was silent for a while until he said he had to see it for himself first. He might visit her someday, but he just doesn't know when. He'll let her know when he does.
After the call, Jamil suddenly felt restless. He was never jealous before, maybe because they were always together then. But just now, when Yasmin asked him if he thought she was entertaining male guests, it seemed like a poisoned arrow or a double-bladed dagger had hit him. It hurt.
He'd checked the internet for flights and hotels in Kazakhstan. He wanted to check on Yasmin's situation in Nur Sultan to keep his mind at rest. But if he goes there, he has to find a business-related purpose for why he was going to Kazakhstan, a solid one. Or, if can't find one for an alibi, then he'll have to enlist the help of his trusted Filipino friends in Dubai, Art Reyes, and Teo Chua. His father shouldn't know that he had left Dubai for Kazakhstan. The week had just started. Jamil planned to leave on Thursday evening. He has five days to cook up something.
He booked his flight and hotel room that wasn't too far from Yasmin's accommodation. Jamil had thought of a plan and hoped it will work. He would need the help of Art and Teo. By Thursday noon, while having lunch with his father, he mentioned his friends had invited him to a birthday party. And he'll be hanging out with them until the next day, Friday. He'll be home very late on Friday night. If something is urgent, he can just text him.
"That's okay, you deserve a rest, too. I will not disturb you," his father said.
Jamil had a bag of clothes packed in his car. He would leave that bag with Yasmin so he won't have to bring any more clothes the next time he travels there again. Jamil paid for the food and drink expenses just to have a party. Then, asked them to bring him to the airport, and to take the car back and park it in the same spot until the next day. He asked them to drive his car past his place on Friday late morning, at least making sure that the guard would notice. The car's tinted glass would help conceal the driver and passengers. He just wanted some people to think that he hadn't left Dubai. His friends clearly understood. And they would pick him up from the airport late at night on Friday.
Jamil worked doubly hard the whole week, making sure that he had attended to every little detail so that his father won't have anything more to ask. Came Thursday night, they put the plan into action.
***
As soon as Jamil arrived in his hotel room in Nur Sultan, he went to pick up Yasmin from her place. He bought a bouquet at the hotel's flower shop and brought the bag of chocolates he bought from Dubai Duty-Free. It was almost 10 p.m. by the time he reached Yasmin's flat.
Yasmin was just getting off the shower in her short, silk, red bathrobe and her hair wrapped with a towel. She was getting ready for bed when Jamil pressed the buzzer. Her roommate has just left with a friend to join a party. It's Thursday night, and tomorrow is their weekend off. Yasmin wondered who would buzz. When she opened the door, she squealed. She hugged and kissed him. Jamil felt like a stun gun had just zapped him on the nape, seeing Yasmin freshly bathed and smelling so fragrant. He put the flowers and chocolate down on the nearest sofa seat and scooped her up towards her open bedroom door, then locked it fast.
They haven't even said a single word at all. It's only been a week, but they've already missed each other so much. Like Romeo and Juliet, stealing time and meeting under the shadows; limited by time and the distance, they have to make love as much as they could.
Jamil had to take his clothes off fast since Yasmin had nothing much to remove but her bathrobe and the towel on her hair. She sat naked on her bed, looking up at him while he grappled with his clothes. When he was finally naked, they turned to each other for a wet, hot, and achingly starving kiss, leaving them breathless and wanting for more. They ravaged each other's bodies, lending themselves like instruments in a concerto, stopping to a cadenza, that gratifying finish when they have reached the peak of their passion, achieving the holy grail of simultaneous orgasm.
Jamil wanted a repeat of their night in the hotel. He asked Yasmin to sleep in the hotel that night and packed some clothes for tomorrow as they will go out. And while packing, not to forget the brown envelope, he said, smiling wickedly.
Jamil put on his clothes and went out of Yasmin's room ahead of her while Yasmin changed and packed what she will be needing. Jamil switched on the other lights in the living room and kitchen and looked around the flat. Her flatmate has gone out and locked her bedroom. He went out of the balcony and screened the surroundings. Very nice, he thought. She works for an international company. You could only expect them to give their employees the best accommodation, he thought.
When Yasmin was about to go out, she saw the flowers and the duty-free bag. She knew it was for her. She hurriedly put the flowers in a vase and left that in the middle of their small dining table and took the box of chocolates inside her room. She locked her room and went out to join Jamil as she locked the apartment. It was a cool and bright night despite the time and since the hotel was just a walking distance away from her place; they walked.
"I like it here. It seems peaceful. The air is cool and my sweetheart is here too," he said, smiling.
"That's the best part, having your sweetheart here. You won't like this place without your sweetheart here anyway," countered Yasmin.
And they kissed while walking on that empty street.
"I love you and miss you," Jamil said, looking at her lovingly.
"Hmm, do I?" Yasmin jested.
Jamil pulled her roughly to him and stopped in the middle of the street to kiss her hard and long. Yasmin pinched his torso.
"This is a Muslim country too, you know, somebody might report us," Yasmin said.
They laughed and, with Jamil's arm on her shoulders, they continued to walk as Jamil took Yasmin's duffel bag from her.
When they arrived in Jamil's room at the hotel, they felt cold. It was chilly outside. Yasmin put water in the kettle to boil. She was now preparing coffee for them to warm them up a little.
Jamil checked Yasmin's bag and took out the brown envelope. He planned to give Yasmin a very relaxing and exotic massage tonight. And hoped to get one for himself, too. He grinned.
They took their coffee mugs to the balcony of his room and looked out. It had a view of the hilly side of the city. They can see the lights from the houses and there's the magnificent Baiterek Tower from a distance. If she was not mistaken, that's the famous monument and observation tower in Nur Sultan. Jamil took a seat on one of the two seats on the balcony and put his mug down on the small table beside it.
Yasmin turned around to face Jamil and asked him how he had travelled to Kazakhstan. Does his father know?
"You're kidding," Jamil scoffed while shaking his head.
"I had help from Art and Teo. We have to stage a party, just so I have reason to be with them. They drove me to the airport and will pick me up tomorrow night too," he said.
He gestured her to move closer to him and made her sit on his lap. She did and laid down her body on top of Jamil's body. He kissed her head while he rubbed her right arm with his. Then, without meaning to tell Yasmin his suspicions, he asked her if he saw Ibrahim's face that time. Yes, she did, she said.
"He really must be an excellent spy, sweetie, to have even brought a binocular to find you among the arriving passengers," Yasmin said.
In his shock, Jamil almost threw Yasmin off him, but right in time, he hugged her tight.
"I'm sorry, I'm sorry," he said, looking at Yasmin with unbelieving eyes.
"Did you see him with a binocular?" he asked.
Yasmin was now looking at Jamil, seeming to brood. She said it was like he was looking at her through a binocular. And Yasmin looked at Jamil, open-mouthed. Jamil bowed his head, hiding his face on her neck. This confirmed his suspicion. Ibrahim now knows Yasmin's face. But maybe he is not associating Yasmin with him. He must be just admiring her.
Then, to dismiss Yasmin's worry, he expressed, maybe he found her attractive.
"You were so beautiful in that dress. That was why I was so horny that time. I had to do it before we leave the house. Otherwise, I'd be throbbing and fully erect on my way to the airport," Jamil said as he kissed her.
This made Yasmin laugh. For a while, he had dispelled Yasmin's worry. He won't let that thought dispel his mood, either. He had a romantic night planned; this nasty suspicion shouldn't ruin it.
Jamil wanted a long night with Yasmin, so he set the mood. He carried her inside the room. He kissed her on the mouth, long and hard. Then, he lit the scented candles he brought with him, placed the massage oils on the table and the vibrator on the bed. He gently removed Yasmin's clothes as he kissed her. He left her black lace bikini on in the meantime, but removed it after all. Then he quickly removed his clothes. What followed was a repeat of their one night in the hotel. It is where Jamil showed his skills with his hands, fingers, and his body. There was not a part of Yasmin that he didn't touch and caress. Jamil ignited her passion to clamor for more of his touches and kisses, ending with a climactic union of seared bodies long denied of each other.
Yasmin thanked Jamil for being so gentle and for always thinking of her pleasure before him. That's what love should be; never selfish, hurting, or forced. It is always patient and enduring.
"When you find genuine love, you realize that sex is a plus, not a priority. Romantic Love uses sexual intimacy to amplify closeness and mutual fulfillment."
Sex without love is shallow and unfulfilling.
Jamil woke up early. He would like to see the place a lot more. He will take Yasmin around to find some apartments. Jamil had called an agency in Nur Sultan from Dubai and they will meet the woman who would take them around. His first concern was Yasmin's safety, as she will be alone most of the time. And it should also be near her place of work as she bikes to and from home and office. He was going to shower now. She'll let Yasmin sleep a little more; he'll wake her up after he's done.
Looking at her sleeping, while wrapped in a towel from his waist down, he wondered how long they will have to be meeting secretly. When can they show everyone that they are in love? They're both 27 now and will turn 28 during the year; he could have married Yasmin long back and started a family with her.
Who could help him resolve this problem with his father? Why does he want him to marry that girl? Who is the father? How are their fathers connected? What does his father want from him? Jamil wondered why he had never taken an interest at all to know more about the girl's family. His father must have a reason to force him to marry her. Business? Power? Connections? Whatever his reasons are, still they're not justified and never will be. But thinking back now, Jamil should have done his investigation at least. Perhaps, if he knew who the father was, he would know why his father was unyielding in his purpose.
Now that Jamil had showered, he'd wake Yasmin up. His hair still dripping a bit and still wrapped in a towel from his waist, he kissed Yasmin's lips. Water dripped on her face that woke her up.
"Good Morning, my love," Jamil said, kissing her on the lips.
"Cruel!" she cried as she wiped the water that had dripped onto her face and sat up on the bed.
Seeing that he had just showered and knew that he was naked underneath the towel, she grabbed the towel, then took him in her mouth.
"Oh, that feels good. Your mouth is so warm," Jamil moaned.
Morning sex is more intimate, experts say, and more beneficial too. Jamil never thought of that, but Yasmin had made him addicted to the early morning romping. She starts it with her sensual kiss at the tip and growing wild towards the base. Her wet lips, tongue, and mouth warmly confining his rod, igniting heat in his groin. Her rough and arousing movements bringing him to life.
The sight of her discreetly touching herself while mouthing him instantly jolted him to squirt a teaspoonful into her mouth. And later, find relief inside her moistened tunnel in another brash shoving to a gratifying release, ending it with a warm, passionate kiss.
Yasmin showered and changed and both went down to the hotel for breakfast. Jamil told her they will check on some apartments with a lady he had arranged an appointment with.
***
Upon meeting the lady, Jamil introduced Yasmin as his wife; this is a Muslim country, and they can't be apartment hunting if they are not a married couple, he thought. They've moved around the city in the broker's car. Jamil had specifically laid down his requirements over the phone - safe for his wife to live alone while he was out of the country on business and near and convenient for bike riding to her office. The lady said she's found two of them meeting his requirements and the other one may be far, but it's a very nice apartment and she's very confident they will consider seeing it too. Jamil agreed.
After having looked at about five apartments, there was one that the couple was considering. The apartment was not very far from her work, the supermarkets, and the beach. The couple would admit that it was the view of the waters, which was the clinching deal for that apartment. Just looking out from the window of the apartment, the view is relaxing with the blue waters in the distance. They thanked the lady and parted on a hopeful note.
***
Jamil asked Yasmin to give him a tour of Nur Sultan but first on the agenda was to take him to a native restaurant. He would like to taste the native dishes of the place. She agreed. For the rest of the day, Yasmin had been taking him to places that most tourists visit when they come to the city. And likewise, she included her place of work.
Although Yasmin had no intention to take him inside. The office isn't entirely closed even if it's the weekend off; some engineers still worked even on weekends, but Yasmin didn't want to introduce Jamil to them. The office was dominantly male, and she didn't want him feeling insecure. They were just about to pass by when they met a group of her male colleagues coming back from lunch break.
"Yassi!" her colleagues greeted, almost in unison, while waving.
Shoot! Bad timing, she thought.
Jamil looked at her, waiting for her to introduce him to them. Hesitantly, she did.
"My boyfriend, Jamil," she said, gesturing with her hands.
Some men teased her.
"Is he the man you're engaged to?" blurted one engineer.
Yasmin made a face while she bit her lower lip. She just nodded and caught Jamil looking at her.
"My colleagues, some of the company's engineers," she said while looking at Jamil.
"Hi," said Jamil to all of them.
"Hello," some guys greeted, while the others just waved, as most men do. They talk a little.
During all this, Yasmin held onto his upper arm with both her hands while smiling at everyone.
"I just want to show him where our office is," she said.
Then she said goodbye to them all, and she and Jamil continued to walk on. Jamil had been quiet and she couldn't help but wonder what he was thinking. Yasmin kept glancing at him as they walked until she couldn't hold it anymore and asked him what he was thinking. When after almost ten minutes, Jamil said nothing yet, she faced him.
"Why are you so quiet now?" she asked.
They stopped walking. Jamil asked her if she'd ever had admirers from them. She said they're just being nice. When they come from their vacations, she got gifts like chocolates, small souvenirs, cookies, just mostly food items. But she entertained no one, she said.
"That's the reason I don't want to introduce you to them. You might feel insecure," she said.
"I'm almost your wife. You shouldn't think that I will still entertain any other man now," she said as she showed her left hand with the ring.
"And almost everyone in the office knew that I am now engaged. My friend, Naira, announced it the very day I reported back to work when she saw the ring," Yasmin continued.
She kissed him on the cheek, acting childishly by taking her tongue out. Jamil pulled her to him, hugged, and kissed her on the cheek. They continued to walk on.
They had dinner outside first, before they went back to the hotel.
***
Jamil prepared to shower as soon as they arrived at the hotel. He removed his clothes, and covered his waist with a towel, then hugged Yasmin from the back when she was about to pack her things. He whispered in her ear,
"Let's have a quick shower first," Jamil suggested.
Before he had even finished his sentence, he was already quickly undressing her, unbuttoning her blouse, unzipping her skirt, and removing her undies. He covered her with the other towel and carried her to the bathroom. This was the reason Jamil had wanted them to return to the hotel, at least two hours before he had to check out. He can't just leave without having made love with Yasmin, and this time in the shower.
Changed, Jamil packed his things. He was going to leave his clothes with Yasmin. She will just have to wash his used clothes. Jamil kissed and hugged her tight, promising to call her every time he got a chance. Jamil wore very casual clothes just like he did when he had arrived - light beige casual men's slacks, a black t-shirt, a black soft hooded jacket, and white sneakers - something he would casually wear when with friends in Dubai.
He's not buying any souvenirs at all, nor eating anything in the airport, no proof that he purchased anything from both airports. His trip to Kazakhstan did not happen at all. He will have to rip his electronic ticket and boarding pass as soon as he arrives at the airport and disposed of them in a garbage bin. Jamil hoped he wouldn't meet anyone he knew at Dubai airport. He reminded his friends with a very clipped message, as they had agreed, "Hi." It is just to remind them not to forget to pick him up that night, from Dubai airport in his car.
Jamil checked out as soon as they went down from the room and asked the Front Desk to book him a cab to take him to the airport. He had the cab driver drop Yasmin first at her apartment before proceeding to the airport.
***
All went smoothly in Dubai airport so far. Jamil thanked his friends for all their help and hoped they'd help him again another time. Art and Teo replied enthusiastically to call on them whenever.
"No problem, we're always here. It's what friends are for," his friends assured him.
And all three men shook hands on that promise.