AYAD

Chapter 18

2 Months Later

Gracie stood up from her office chair and stretched her arms over her head. She had seen clients back to back and was exhausted. It was now fall and the days were getting shorter. She put on her beige coat and slid her feet back into her crème colored, red bottom heels.

Gracie said good night to all of her coworkers before heading out the front door. Hakeem, her driver from time ago, was parked out front waiting for her. Dabir was never a fan of Gracie having to take Uber's and cab's all over, so he re-hired Hakeem for her.

As she walked to the car, her phone buzzed from an incoming call. She smiled as Dabir's name popped up on the screen. "Hey."

"Habibti, how are you?"

"I'm okay, just leaving work." Gracie sat in her seat and mouthed a thank you to Hakeem as he closed the door for her. "Are you at the office?"

"Yes."

"Well leave, it's already almost six."

"I need to finish reviewing a proposal that the marketing team has been working on." He replied, the sound of his typing audible in the background. "I want to see you, let me take you to dinner tonight."

"Sure! Where? I'm in the car with Hakeem right now, I can let him know."

"Don't worry, you can go home. I will meet you there."

"Are you sure you want to do all that driving?"

"I'm sure, I'm sure."

Gracie chuckled, "If you say so, see you soon, hubby."

When Gracie got home she had just enough time to refresh her makeup, hair and change into a date night look. She stepped into a red, off-shoulder long sleeve body con and paired it with a romantic red lipstick.

She didn't even know when Dabir had arrived, she just heard him downstairs talking with her mom.

"Why didn't he tell me he was here?" Gracie asked herself before hurrying downstairs. As soon as she was close to eye sight, the conversation between the two abruptly ended and they stared at Gracie. Gracie noticed a big smile on her mom's face and tears in her eyes, she was holding on to a big yellow folder in her hands. Gracie felt confused. "Mummy are you okay?!"

"I'm okay." She lightly laughed while wiping her eyes, she looked up at Dabir. "My God will bless you for me."

He smiled back at her, looking slightly choked up himself. Now Gracie was really freaked out, she never saw Dabir like that before. "Y'all what's going on?"

"Ah ah, we are just talking, what's the matter with you?" Gracie's mom laughed.

"Why y'all both crying?!"

"Who's crying?" She asked back, she looked at Dabir, "I'm not crying, were you crying?"

He shook his head no.

Gracie put a hand on her hip, "Fine. I'll find out eventually."

"You will." Dabir responded, before walking up to her and putting a hand on her low back. "Ready to go?"

And with that the pair were off. During the car ride to the restaurant, Gracie could feel something was off with Dabir. He was never known for being talkative by any means, but he was quieter than usual. It was like he was lost in thought.

The restaurant was a five-star steak house that was on the top floor of an expensive hotel. Inside, the lights were dim, with candles being one of the main sources of lighting.

They were led to a table in a private room, instead of the main dining floor where the other guests ate.

"Geeesh, This is beautiful." Gracie awed as she looked around the private room, she raised her eyebrow at Dabir when she looked at the menu prices. "You don't feel like this is a bit much? We aren't even celebrating anything."