AYAD

Chapter 3

The next morning was busy. Before Gracie could even get out of the shower, Saheed's guys were downstairs moving the luggage out the house. After her shower, Gracie hurriedly got dressed in a pair of leggings and a knit dress. She put her hair into a sleek, high ponytail and put on a layer of shiny lip gloss on her pink lips.

Graie's mom watched the men move about from a distance. When Gracie caught eye contact with her mom, she saw the sadness in her eyes. "Mommy, please no. You'll make me cry."

""I'm not crying." She looked the other way. "Omo mi, wa."

Gracie met her mom and the two held each other in a tight embrace. Gracie's mom pulled out of the hug so she could hold Gracie's face. "Ife mi, my spirit doesn't like this boy, are you sure this is what you want?"

She somberly nodded.

"Okay, if it's what you want, I will support you. Just don't forget the daughter of who you are. Love is not by force ooo, if he beats you. Are you listening? If he beats you, come back home chap chap. No one will blame you, okay?"

"Okay! Okay!" Gracie laughed, "I'll call you tonight when I get settled."

"Okay ooo, safe journeys."

Gracie put on a big smile for her mom and held tightly to the purse on her shoulder. Gracie used all the strength she had to remain composed in front of her mom, but the second she was hidden behind the ultra tinted car windows, she broke down in tears from the pain of telling her mom goodbye for the first time.

Little did she know, inside the house, her mother was doing the same.

-

A long drive later, Gracie gently woke up from her broken heart induced sleep in the back of the car. They were pulling up into a long, password protected property with a driveway lined with trim, green hedges. At the end of the driveway there was a large fountain with water spouting out of it and gracefully dropping back in. There were multiple luxury cars lining the driveway, some Gracie was able to recognize as Saheed's.

The house itself was magnificent from the outside, it was a large Spanish villa inspired mansion with artistically placed arches and windows all around. Gracie stood still and took it all in. She knew that Saheed was of an affluent background, but standing there in that moment put it into further perspective.

As she beheld the house, Saheed excitedly dashed out the house. "About time!"

Gracie ran over to him and hugged him tightly. It was the beginning of a new chapter for their relationship, and Gracie was overdone with excitement. "This is crazy!"

"It feels very much like a dream for me. Come in, so I can introduce you to the 'fam."

Hand in hand, the pair entered the house. At the front door Gracie stopped to take off the knee high boots she was wearing, but Saheed quickly stopped her. "Babe, don't worry 'bout that. No one cares."

"Oh, no, that's okay. I'm used to taking my shoes off indoors. I don't want to track around water from the rain."

"We have a maid, just keep it on!" Saheed snapped with irritability, "Your fit won't look right without it."

"Is this something really worth getting angry over?"

"Well you tell me! Is this whole shoes thing worth ticking me off? Take. Off. Your. Shoes."

"Saheed!" A woman called out, appalled. A young woman with striking green eyes and dark long hair walked over with a frown. "Not everyone is like you, and insist on wearing shoes everywhere. Why are you fussing?"

Saheed rolled his eyes and looked the other way. The woman looked at Gracie and stretched out her arms for a hug. "I'm Sarai, his sister."

"Little sister! I'm still older."

Gracie hugged her back, "Hi, Sarai. It's so nice to meet you, he's talked quite a bit about you. Med school, right?"

"Yup! At this point I might as well just be a professional student." She flashed a smile out, "My parents and brother are in the other room, let me take you over."

"Dabir is home?" Saheed asked nervously.

"Yeah, he had a meeting nearby and stopped home to talk with dad about something. You know how he is." Sarai smiled, "He has a little bit of a cold exterior, but you will love him, Gracie. Dabir is a total sweetheart."

"Sweetheart? He's the devil, you stay away from him Gracie." Saheed urged while grabbing tightly to Gracie's hand.

The pair continued walking down the long marbled hallway until they arrived into a foyer/sitting area that was ornately decorated with golden fixtures and accents, and a brightly colored Turkish rug covering the floor. There sat a middle aged couple dressed in traditional clothing.

Gracie put on the most charming smile she could muster as she graciously waved at the two, "It's so very nice to finally meet you, my name is—"

"Gracie, sit, please." The man nodded towards the chair that was adjacent to where he sat. Gracie quickly obliged, and Saheed joined her in the next spot. He looked between Gracie and Saheed. "Welcome to our home. We have been expecting you.

"Thank you for having me, it's absolutely beautiful, just gorgeous."

"That credit goes to my darling wife, Mrs. Ayad." He turned to his wife who sat next to him and she shyly smiled.

Mrs. Ayad looked at Gracie from head to toe. While she never pictured her son marrying a black girl, Gracie was beautiful and seemed to be polite. She was going to try her best to be open minded. But something about Gracie was familiar, "We've met, no? I have seen you somewhere."

"Oh, I don't..I don't think so. Maybe someone who looked like me?"

"Well, it's so nice to meet the girl my Saheed has decided to be his wife. Do you work? Are you in school?"

"I graduated with my Masters in Mental Counseling a few years back, I'm working as a therapist for a women's health clinic." Gracie brimmed, she loved what she did. Her main demographic was women getting therapy for postpartum depression, fertility issues and grief over child loss. Gracie felt joy about getting to help those women. It's absolutely amazing, the clinic offers medical care, massage therapy, lactation consultation, nutrition services, therapy and–"

"But she'll be quitting once we get married and all that. She'll be keeping you company at home, Umi." Saheed interjected, with a big grin. "Focus on them babies!"

Mr. and Mrs. Ayad laughed. Mr Ayad scooted forward in his seat, "We can't wait to have grandkids to fill this entire house!"

"Don't worry, Baba. By this time next year we will be working on #1!"

The trio laughed, and Gracie gave a courtesy one. She felt upset at the way Saheed had cut her off. A few more moments went by with them conversing, before Gracie got a tour of the home. At the end of the tour, they brought her into the room that she would be staying at for the next year. It was a large room with a four-poster bed with pale pink covers. It was connected to an en suite bathroom and walk -in closet.