Craving Temptation (16 page)

Amina was slightly stunned. “Excuse me?”

“Where is Rasheeda?”

Her gaze skated back and forth. “I honestly don't know. I left her in Atlanta. I know she had plans to visit her friend Todd in Baltimore, then she was going to head back to Atlanta to spend time with Mother. But I haven't spoken with her.”

Nasser bristled ever so slightly. “And you didn't try to stop her?”

“Why would I? She's an adult and that's what she wanted to do.”

Nasser took a deep breath and exhaled loudly. “It is inappropriate for her to be traveling alone to spend time with any man unchaperoned.”

“But she's spending time with the man you selected for her to marry. A man she seems to care about.”

“And Todd Bashir will not marry her if she does not adhere to tradition. What decent family will want her if she does not practice the decorum she's been taught?”

Amina shook her head. “I don't think Rasheeda would do anything to disrespect herself, or you, Father. I'm sure that she is properly veiled and appropriately clothed. Rasheeda would never disappoint you.”

Her father shook his head. “I do not appreciate your tone, Amina.”

Troy interjected, slightly disturbed by the attitude Nasser was showing toward her. “I don't think Amina meant you any disrespect, Mr. Salman. I think she wanted to assure you that Rasheeda is more than able to take care of herself and that you can trust she will do everything to ensure her safety and her modesty.”

Nasser narrowed his gaze on Troy, clearly not amused. He said nothing, turning his attention back to his daughter.

Amina took a deep breath, taking a step closer to where he sat. “I apologize, Father. I didn't come to fight with you. Troy and I have something important that we wanted to share with you.”

Nasser moved onto his feet. He reached for the newspaper that rested on his desk, the announcement in the society page folded open. He waved it in the air. “And I spoke to your mother. She was very excited to tell me that you had married without me knowing.”

Amina took another breath, her stomach twisting into a tight knot. “Troy and I had hoped to tell you ourselves.” She tossed Troy a quick look.

Troy's head waved ever so slightly from side to side. “Amina, will you give me a moment alone with your father?” He leaned and kissed her forehead.

When her father said nothing, she nodded. Both men watched her as she exited the room, closing the door behind herself. Troy began to speak as Nasser sat back down, staring at him intently.

“I want to apologize, Mr. Salman. I should have come to see you sooner and I was wrong for not doing so.”

“You and Amina have not known each other long. Is that correct?”

Troy nodded. “Yes, sir, that's correct. But we've known each other long enough to know that we've made the right decision. I love Amina with everything in me. I want to spend the rest of my life taking care of her, ensuring her happiness. She means the world to me. I understand that you don't know me but I hope that you'll give me an opportunity to prove myself to you. To show you just how much love and respect I have for your daughter.”

“Are you Muslim, Mr. Elliott?”

“No, sir. I'm not.”

“Do you plan to convert?”

“No, sir. I gave it some consideration but Amina and I both agreed that it was not for me.”

Nasser nodded. “I was very happy when my older daughter finally came home to me. I was not happy with how her mother raised her and felt that this was an opportunity for things to be right in her life. She was making an effort to learn our ways and follow our teachings and then suddenly she stopped. I imagine that was when she became acquainted with you. If I'd had any idea I would have interceded. I would have ordered Amina not to see you and she would have obeyed. Now Amina had done the unthinkable, the ultimate taboo for a good Muslim girl from a good Muslim family.”

“I can't say that I agree with you, Mr. Salman. Amina followed her heart. She loves me and she trusts I will be good to her.”

“As her father I know what's best for my children when they do not know what's good for themselves. I believe in a patriarchal society and there are traditional roles charged to men and women that need to be followed for our own preservation. The family lineage passes through the father. The father establishes religion for his children. As head of the household the husband provides leadership for the family. A Muslim woman does not follow the leadership of someone who does not share her faith and values. When a Muslim woman marries outside our faith it impedes the growth of our community.

“I know nothing about you, or your family's history. I don't know that we share the same values and I should have been able to ensure that the man who married my Amina was an honorable man. All I know of you, Mr. Elliott, is that you have challenged my political agenda and questioned my ethics. Then you sneak in and steal my daughter from me and you expect that I should toss up my hands and be happy about that. Well, I'm not happy. Not happy at all. My trust has been betrayed.”

“I understand your concerns, Mr. Salman, but I have to respectfully agree to disagree. I love Amina. I want her to be happy and I am going to do everything I can to ensure that. If it's her desire to continue to follow her Muslim ways then I will support that. I have no expectation that she should give up her religion if she does not want to. Nor do I expect that she will follow mine if it does not serve her well.”

Nasser stared at him with reservation, saying nothing. He finally nodded. “What's done is done. I would naturally have preferred Amina to marry someone who shared my principles. But ultimately it is her choice. As a father I have done all I can do. I have worked to ensure she knew and understood my values. Amina should have trusted that. Her choices, however, indicate I did not serve her well.”

“I'm sorry you feel that way, sir.”

Nasser swiped a large hand over his face. “Mr. Elliott, I pray that Allah blesses you both in your choices.”

Nasser called out Amina's name. When she came back into the room she looked from one to the other, nothing about either's expression giving her reason to relax.

“Yes, Father?”

“I have concerns about the influence you seem to have had on your sister, Amina. I fear that you and your mother both have not been good for her. When I talk to Rasheeda I will insist that she return home immediately and when she does she will be forbidden to have any contact with you. Rasheeda has always been obedient and I anticipate that she will continue to honor my commands. I hope that you will respect my decision and not make this difficult for her. You are to stay away from your sister.”

Tears rose to Amina's eyes. “But Father . . .”

Nasser held up his hand, stalling her words. “I love you, Amina, but I have to do what I think is best.”

He moved from his seat to her side, cupping her face in the palms of his hands. He kissed her on one cheek and then the other. “
Assalamu alaikum,”
he said, wishing her peace and blessings.

“Wa'alaikum assalaam,”
she responded, bidding him the same as well.

And just like that, Nasser dismissed them both, moving from the room as he asked them to leave his home.

 

 

Amina wept. The last time she'd cried that hard was when her mother had left them, her feeling as if her whole world had exploded beneath her. Nothing Troy could say or do was of any consolation. Her heart was broken. Her father's rejection yet another explosion that she found difficult to bear.

As he sat alone in the kitchen Troy could hear her sobbing in the bedroom. It broke his own heart to hear her so completely devastated. He took a deep breath and then a second as he reached for his coffee mug. His cell phone suddenly vibrated in his pocket. Pulling it into his hand, he saw that it was Amina's mother, calling again to check on her. They'd spoken three times since he and Amina had left her father's home. This time he ignored her call, having nothing new to tell her. He pushed the appliance back into his pocket, turning off the ringer.

Mike had been calling him as well, annoyed that Troy had cancelled all of his appearances for the day. Feigning an illness, Troy had begged the afternoon off, imploring his friend to extend his apologies to the Memphis Rose Society, the Women's Foundation for Greater Memphis, and the Tennessee Historical Society. Until things were well with Amina, Troy was willing to put his obligations on hold, his wife being his one and only priority.

Her sobs had gone quiet. Troy sat with his coffee for a moment longer, then made his way into the bedroom to join her. Amina was sitting in the center of the bed, shaking the cell phone in her hand.

“What's wrong?” he asked. “What's wrong with your phone?”

“This stupid thing just froze on me,” she said. She swiped her hands over her eyes.

“Here, you can use mine,” he said as he reached back into his pocket.

She shook her head. “I just reset it. It should be okay in a minute.”

He met her gaze as she lifted her eyes ever so slightly. “Are you feeling any better?” he asked.

She shrugged her narrow shoulders. “I'm angry. Angry at my father. Mad with myself. I shouldn't let him get to me. My mother warned me. But it still hurts my feelings.”

“You only wanted your father's approval. Most people know what that's like. I know I understand it.”

“I did. I love my father. I also know that he's a little unrealistic about some things. I tried but he never once gave me credit for my efforts and now he says I'm a bad influence on Rasheeda. That makes me really mad!”

Troy smiled. “Have you spoken with her?”

“I was trying to call her when my cell phone froze up.”

“I'm sure you two will be able to work things out but I don't want you to be upset if Rasheeda decides to follow your father's orders.”

“Do you think she will?”

“I don't think Rasheeda would defy him if he told her to stay away from you.”

Amina fell back against the mattress. She felt like crying again but didn't have a tear left to cry with. Troy crawled against her, wrapping his arms around her torso. He hugged her close, planting a damp kiss against her cheek. She blew a soft sigh, sinking into the warmth of his body.

“Did I ever tell you that Rasheeda wants to go back to school?”

“Back?”

Amina nodded. “She has a bachelor's degree in social work from the University of Memphis. She wants to get her master's.”

“She should.”

“Father won't let her go back. One of the reasons she likes this Todd person is because he supports her dreams.”

“Then why don't they go ahead and get married?”

Amina blew a deep sigh. “She's not ready. She wants to work and live on her own before she commits to any man and I have great respect for that.”

“And she wants to work in her field?”

“She does. She really is an advocate for at-risk populations. She gave a presentation to the women at the cultural center where she spoke about domestic violence against women. She explained how it's really a global problem and that all men needed to rise up and protect their women and children. She made everyone understand that violence against women is not the monopoly of any single group. That domestic violence affects all segments of society irrespective of race, religion, or socioeconomic status. She spoke so eloquently and with such genuine concern. I was so proud of her!”

“I'm sure she knows that and I have no doubts that you two will be able to continue to support each other.”

Amina blew a deep sigh. “I really wish I could have been the woman my father wanted me to be.”

“Your mother raised you to be your own woman. Even your mother found it difficult to be the woman your father wanted.”

“I know that but I wanted things to be different. I wanted what Rasheeda had.”

“And what's that?”

“When I saw how Rasheeda and the other women at the mosque embraced Islam, I imagined myself being able to do the same thing. Many of us have a very deep misunderstanding of the religion. Even I did, at first. But then I imagined myself being this Muslim-American attorney who'd help rectify that misunderstanding. My father convinced me that I could help people to see me not as an exception to Islam; that I wasn't a decent person despite my religion, but that all the good things I am are because of Islam. I wanted to educate people and I didn't want to let constant prejudice deter me or anyone else from doing whatever we wanted to do. And I wanted my father to be proud of me for doing so.”

“I guess what you need to ask yourself, Amina, is if that was what you really wanted for yourself, or if it was your father's dream and you bought into it to make him happy. Because if that's what you want, you can still do that. No one is stopping you. But I get the impression that you were somewhat willing to embrace the principles of the religion but you didn't necessarily embrace the sentiment behind it. You might need to ask yourself why.”

Amina blew another sigh. “It's too much. I suddenly feel broken.”

Troy kissed her forehead. “You are not broken. You are overwhelmed trying to be all things to all people. Take a step back and pray on it. Think it through, then pray on it again. You're an intelligent woman. You'll figure it out.”

She pondered his comments as he held her. Minutes passed without either of them saying anything at all. Amina suddenly sat up, turning to stare down at Troy. The man was beautiful and she couldn't imagine loving him more.

“I need chocolate!” she exclaimed.

Troy smiled. “I might have an M&M in the cabinet.”

She shook her head. “I need
good
chocolate! I need your brother's chocolate cookies.”

“That's going to require a trip to the bakery.”