  &quot;You have my ticket and passport, right?&quot; I say to Ismail who has been busy with his phone since we got into the car.
  &quot;Yes, I have it,&quot; he says, not taking his eyes off his phone.
  &quot;Alright and are we stopping for breakfast on our way?&quot; I ask feeling very hungry.
  &quot;You can have something to eat on the plane, we don t need to stop.&quot; 
  &quot;We have to stop and get something for me. Do you want me to starve before we get to… where are we going first again?&quot; I say holding my stomach.
  &quot;You won t starve, and we are going to Greece first.&quot; 
  &quot;I can t wait to go to Greece, but Ismail, please let me get something to eat before we leave,&quot; I plead.
   &quot;Not necessary because we have arrived,&quot; Ismail says getting out of the car.
  &quot;We are at the airport already, that was fast,&quot; I say surprised stepping out

  I have been sleeping all night long since we arrived on the island Mykonos in Greece. It s morning now but I am still sleepy because of the jetlag. It s 10:00 a.m. already. I woke up earlier to pray Fajr (morning prayer) but went back to sleep. 
  I am meeting Ismail in the resort restaurant to go over some files that he needs my help with. I step into the restaurant and see him at the far end, close to the beach. I walk over to join him. 
  While sitting down, I remove my sunglasses and my Panama hat, but my hair is still covered with a hijab cap. This causes Ismail to greet me with his beautiful, but annoying laughter. 
  &quot;Have you looked in the mirror this morning?&quot; Ismail asks laughing.
  &quot;I know I look horrible but surely not that bad.&quot; I know my eyes are bloodshot and red from lack of sleep. There are bags under my eyes, making me look grim, but I doubt I look

  The next morning, I wake up and start screaming with excitement at what I see in the front driveway. A matt black Lamborghini Aventador S is parked with a big sign that says 'Umit, Congratulations on your new car. Please enjoy!  I can t believe after what I told Ismail yesterday, he still went behind my back and got the car for me.
  &quot;Ismail!&quot; I shout his name while rushing back inside the house.
  &quot;How may I be of help, my lovely lady?&quot; Ismail smirks knowing exactly why I am looking for him.
  &quot;You got me the car after I clearly asked you not to.&quot; I say trying to sound angry, but far from it. If anything, it s the shock of my life. Never in my dreams did I think Ismail would go ahead and get me a car.
  &quot;I know. But I wanted to, so I did,&quot; Ismail shrugs his shoulders.
  &quot;Ismail! I don t know how you expect me to pay you back. That car is at least $500,000! That is practically ten years of my salary.&quot; I can feel a headache starting from what I just realised I would have to do to pay this back. Even with my allowance this is more than I can handle.
  &quot;I never asked you to pay me back,&quot; Ismail says, walking outside to where the car is parked.
  &quot;But I can t just accept the car like that,&quot; I say feeling it s wrong just to accept the car without paying him back.
  &quot;Then take it as a late birthday gift.&quot; 
  &quot;I don t know, Ismail, it feels too much for a birthday gift,&quot; I say, not knowing what to make of the situation. Ismail and I are not the kind of people that buy each other gifts worth half a million dollars. I am confused as to why he thinks this is normal. I just can t wrap my head around the fact that he got me a car, a car worth half a million dollars! This is not the Ismail I thought I knew, something has changed…
  &quot;Umit!&quot; Ismail says bringing me back to earth. &quot;Don t think about it, just accept it?&quot; 
  &quot;And what if I don t accept it?&quot; 
  &quot;That will make me very sad, because seeing you drive this car every day will make me very happy,&quot; Ismail says looking a little hurt that I won t accept the car.
  &quot;Alright then, I accept the gift.&quot; I have this feeling that accepting this car is important to Ismail. I still can t believe the fact that the car in front of me is really mine.
  &quot;Thank you,&quot; Ismail says smiling broadly.
  &quot;I should be the one thanking you!&quot; I say with a big smile, feeling happy about having my dream car.
  &quot;Yes, you should,&quot; Ismail says chuckling. I don t say anything but shake my head. Even knowing that Ismail might do extraordinary things, he will still be the same Ismail I know.
  I drop the kids at school while making a call to Fatima to stop by my office before going to work, so that I could show her the car. I also tell Emma to wait for me in the parking lot. 
  I drive into the parking lot, and without rolling my windows down I could clearly hear Fatima s scream. I knew she was going to flip when she sees the car.
  &quot;Oh My God!!! Tell me I am dreaming because I can t believe you have a Lamborghini Aventador S,&quot; Fatima shouts while I step out of the car.
  &quot;You are not dreaming, Fatima,&quot; I say smiling brightly.
  &quot;Umit, the car is beautiful,&quot; Emma gushes.
  &quot;Thank you.&quot;
  &quot;I can t believe you have a Lamborghini Aventador S, babe. Someone should pinch me, please,&quot; Fatima says stepping into the car.
  &quot;Do you believe now?&quot; Emma asks pinching Fatima.
  &quot;Ouch! Now I believe, and it s beautiful Umit. So your dad finally came through?&quot; Fatima asks getting out.
  &quot;I wish! That man believes I should work and make my own money to buy it myself,&quot; I respond.
  &quot;Then how?&quot; Fatima asks looking bemused.
  &quot;Let me guess… Ismail.&quot; Emma says.
  &quot;How did you know?&quot; 
  &quot;Because there is nobody else in your life that would get you a car like that!&quot; Emma states.
  &quot;You are so right! But I have to ask, WHY?&quot; Fatima questions.
  I tell them everything that happened yesterday, and this morning s conversation.
  &quot;So, you just had to accept the car,&quot; Emma says.
  &quot;Pretty much,&quot; I answer. &quot;I am still trying to wrap my head around it.&quot;
  &quot;Don t think too much about it, just enjoy your new car!&quot; Emma grins.
  &quot;I guess I will,&quot; I say smiling back.
  Later in the day I finish work early and go home. While working inside the house, I check the mail I forgot to check this morning in all the excitement around with the car. Subhan Allah (Glory be to Allah), I can t believe I didn t check this morning! My passport came! All my visas are approved. Alhamdulillah (Praise be to Allah), I can t wait to tell Ismail. 
  I do the same thing he did to me when showing me the papers for the interview. This time I give my passport to Eman to show him. I don t have to wait long before Ismail starts shouting my name from his room.
  &quot;Yes,&quot; I shout back while walking toward him.
  &quot;Am I seeing this right?&quot; Ismail says, looking up at me smiling. 
  &quot;Yes, you are seeing right,&quot; I reply delighted.
  &quot;Alhamdulillah (Praise be to Allah), this is wonderful news. This means we can finally travel. We will leave on Saturday, when Aazim and Waheela are back. We need to get this project up and running as soon as possible.&quot; Ismail says picking up his phone and starts texting immediately.
  &quot;Wow! So fast?&quot; 
  &quot;Yes, everything is ready. We have just been waiting for you to give us a go.&quot; 
  &quot;Oh, now I feel really bad for making you wait so long.&quot; I feel bad he had to put something this important to him on hold because of me.
  &quot;Don t be, because it was not your fault,&quot; he says with an assuring smile.
  &quot;I will try my best, and I guess I should get packing then.&quot; 
  &quot;You should, while I make some calls to have everything ready,&quot; Ismail says walking back to his bedroom.
  SATURDAY
  I wake up to the sound of Ismail s voice, shouting my name to get up. I point out he doesn t need to shout and could just politely and nicely wake me, but he laughs me off. He is after the luggage wanting to get it downstairs.
   &quot;Wait!&quot; I say folding my arms, &quot;Why did you enter my room without knocking?&quot;
  &quot;How would you know if I knocked or not, when you are sleeping like a log!&quot; 
  &quot;Even so, you should knock next time!&quot; I say uncertain how to feel about him just entering my room.
  &quot;I did, woman,&quot; he says, walking out.
  I walk into my bathroom to shower. After I walk into my closet to dress into the clothes I picked out for today. I am wearing a pair of faded black ripped patched boyfriend jeans, a black sweater, brown hajib, black converse, and a brown shoulder bag.
  I go downstairs to eat breakfast, but Ismail says I have already wasted enough time and we need to leave. I say goodbye to everyone before joining Ismail in the car.

&quot;You have my ticket and passport, right?&quot; I say to Ismail who has been busy with his phone since we got into the car.
  &quot;Yes, I have it,&quot; he says, not taking his eyes off his phone.
  &quot;Alright and are we stopping for breakfast on our way?&quot; I ask feeling very hungry.
  &quot;You can have something to eat on the plane, we don t need to stop.&quot; 
  &quot;We have to stop and get something for me. Do you want me to starve before we get to… where are we going first again?&quot; I say holding my stomach.
  &quot;You won t starve, and we are going to Greece first.&quot; 
  &quot;I can t wait to go to Greece, but Ismail, please let me get something to eat before we leave,&quot; I plead.
   &quot;Not necessary because we have arrived,&quot; Ismail says getting out of the car.
  &quot;We are at the airport already, that was fast,&quot; I say surprised stepping out of the car.
  &quot;Ismail you own a private jet?&quot; I ask noticing we are standing in fr

Chapter 20 XX