Imran was, as far as she could see, her link
with having a good time. And the man could kiss like no body’s
business. Now if they were in Chicago, she’d probably tell him to
step the hell off. But she wasn’t in Chicago and for the next five
weeks things were going to become pretty boring if she didn’t have
Imran for company. She wondered what they’d see in Lahore, if the
women were in the window as they were in Holland, at least she’d
have a story to tell, she thought.
“Yes, Imran,” she said again. “I do want to
tour the city.”
This time when his lips lowered over hers
and his tongue found its way into her mouth she did nothing but
wind her arms around his neck and enjoy the kiss, knowing there was
only so far Imran would take a kiss in public.
When the kiss ended at last Imran touched
her gently. “Tanya, I have never tasted a woman that was so
wonderfully delicious. You make me burn from the inside out. It’s
hard for me to maintain control,” he admitted. “But I do value your
virtue and I will not risk it.” He glanced around. “Though this
spot is very secluded and not many know of it. Still, there will be
time for further exploration.” With a light kiss he inhaled her
breath. “There will be a lot more time for exploration. That I can
promise you.”
***
In Lahore, Tanya stared as they passed by
the modern American looking Holiday Inn. They’d already checked
into the Mirage and though clean and saying that it offered many
amenities it didn’t.
“If you do not like The Mirage, Tanya, we
can move over to The Holiday Inn.”
“What’s the price difference?”
Imran smiled. He liked Tanya’s honest direct
approach. A man most likely would always know where he stood with
her. But one could never be certain; after all she was still a
woman. “The Mirage is thirty-three dollars per night and The
Holiday Inn one hundred-thirty-five.” He watched her for a moment
as she whistled between her teeth. “We can still make the switch if
you’d like.” He stopped and grinned at her. “Or we could use the
difference and go shopping and sight seeing.
“I thought you brought me here to see
whores.”
For a moment their gaze met and held until
Imran saw uncertainty in the depths of Tanya’s eyes. “Had I truly
meant all of the nasty things I’ve said to you I would not now be
attempting to make a good impression on you.” He didn’t see a
change in her expression and sighed knowing he’d gone too far in
his insults of her. “Tanya, I’m sorry for the things I said to you
and for having hurt your feelings. I do not think you’re a
whore.”
She smiled. “What are your thoughts about
me?”
“I think you’re a very beautiful woman that
I enjoy kissing immensely, one whom I’ve become quite attracted to.
You’re always doing and saying such outrageous things,
that…that…we… don’t have to see the whores. There are a lot of
attractions I would like to show you. We could start with the
beautiful Christian church.”
“There’s a Christian church in
Pakistan?”
“And many other sights you will enjoy. I
really do need to visit several places here for inclusion in my
book.”
“This is really for research?”
He didn’t know how to answer that question
until he saw the smile around her lips. “Yes, this trip is for
gathering all kinds of information.”
I’d think we’ll need more than a night here
then.”
Silence filled the interior of the car and
lust permeated the air. “In that case I think we need to shop for
clothes.” Tanya took a glance out of the window toward the hotel.
“That is unless….”
“I have money, Imran. I can pay my
share.”
"Not on this trip. Besides, I’m not
penniless. I just chose to live a bit more frugally than the rest
of my family. Still, I believe we can make this a nice trip. I
think a few days of getting to know each other without Heaven’s
constant clucking over us is just what we need.”
“A few days?” Tanya asked.
“At least three, don’t you think?”
“I’ll have to call Heaven and let her know
what we’re doing.” Tanya couldn’t believe what they were about to
do. She couldn’t help but laugh as she pulled her phone from her
purse.
“After we shop for clothes what would you
like to do?” Imran asked.
“I think we’d better find that Christian
church so I can pray for strength,” she said laughing as she looked
into his eyes. She pushed the button for Heaven’s number. “I think
we’re both going to need some divine intervention on this
trip.”
***
Tanya could barely wait to run from Imran’s
car and into the house so she could tell her friend about the days
she’s spent with Imran. When she spotted Heaven in the foyer she
rushed to her and gave her a hug.
“Heaven, you won’t believe it. I couldn’t
believe it and I saw it. Here in a Moslem country, a red-light
district.” Tanya put her hand over her mouth. “There was a lot more
to Lahore than that though. It was like every few feet someone
picked up these beautiful homes, palaces, and dropped them down in
between little shacks, almost a part of the city. You can tell the
very rich live there and then a few feet away abject poverty. It
reminds you in a lot of ways of some of the neighborhoods in any
inner city of American. But it was like a different Pakistan. Men
and women held hands. They touched. I even saw a couple sitting
under a tree kissing. It was fantastic. The hotel was very nice,
not as nice as let’s say, a Hilton or even a Holiday Inn.” She
stopped and giggled. “But it was nice and it was within Imran’s
budget,” she finished.
“Slow down, Tann. Why the heck did Imran
take you to a red-light district? And why didn’t he mention that he
wanted you to stay all night? I was worried about you. If anything
had happened to you…nothing happened right? Come on, you’re
stalling why did he take you there?” Heaven’s rapid fire questions
couldn’t stop the relief that her friend was alive and well. She
sighed several times. “Talk, Tanya.”
The worried look on Heaven’s face made Tanya
laugh. Having a baby had changed Heaven if she thought she could
tell her when and with whom she could go. That was none of Heaven’s
concern. She was a grown woman who didn’t have to explain herself
to anyone, let alone a friend. But because she was so excited, this
one time she would.
“I’m going to answer your questions because
you’re my girl. But you had better seriously check yourself about
the way you’re asking me for information. You’re behaving as though
you think you’re my mother or my guardian. I couldn’t believe it
when I called you from Lahore and you demanded that Imran return me
home. Girl, are you crazy? Don’t ever do that again.”
“I’m sorry but I was worried. If anything
had happened to you…you know me. I would have felt it was all my
fault for trying to set you up with Imran. Maybe I was wrong about
him. Did he try anything?”
“There you go getting all up in my
business.” This time Tanya laughed. “If you thought he was the
perfect man for me, you shouldn’t now be worrying.”
Heaven sighed again. “Are you ever going to
tell me why Imran had to have you spend the night, correction three
nights? When you called me, you said one night, and now you’re just
getting back three days later. Even Hamid was getting worried once
you stopped answering your cell.” Heaven took a breath and tried to
take it down a bit, but she’d had every right to worry.
“Tanya, you spent almost four days with
Imran in Lahore. I just want to know why the heck he took you in
the first place. I’ve been here way over a year and Hamid and I
never stayed those many days.”
“Imran said he wanted to knock away some of
my notions and besides he’s working on something for his books,
some research. He took me with him to do his research.”
“Is that the only place he took you?” Heaven
laughed
“It was the only place.” Tanya stopped and
stared at her friend. “Maybe not. He took me on a journey inside
myself. I love talking to him. He’s so straightforward that he just
cut right through all the bull. I’ve never met anyone like him, man
or woman.”
For a nanosecond Tanya wondered how her
friend would react to her discovery, then gave a little shrug and
decided to just go for it and tell her the truth. “You do know how
jealous I am of you don’t you?”
“Tann.”
“No, Heaven, it’s okay. I’m jealous that
you’re married to someone as wonderful as Hamid. I’m jealous that
he adores the ground you walk on, that you gave up everything to
come live here with him. I’ve never had anything like that and I
wanted it. I didn’t know how much, but I do. And, I want to thank
you for trying to knock some sense into me. I’ll still take care of
Lettie’s kids, all six of them when the time comes. Maybe I won’t
be able to give them all the things that I want. But I will be able
to give them love. And I damn sure can make sure they get to stay
together. I refuse to allow them to be farmed out to other
relatives, or to end up in the system.”
Heaven gave Tanya a hug. “I’m so glad you’ve
given up the idea of trying to find a millionaire. I’d hate to
think when you went back to Chicago that you were still searching
for a man to help you take care of the kids.”
“That’s over. I don’t know if I would have
gone through with it in the first place, but for now it’s over.
Besides, if I am needed to take care of Lettie’s kids, I can get
assistance. And it doesn’t have to come from you and Hamid. You
know I’m now a licensed foster care parent and even though I’m a
relative, I can receive financial aid to help with the kids. It
would not have been my first or even second choice. I wanted to do
this without any help, but I won’t allow my pride to prevent me
from using every means necessary to help those kids.” She sighed
and closed her eyes in prayer. “I’m still praying for a miracle for
Lettie though.”
“What about Imran? Do you have feelings for
him?”
“For the next five weeks I do. He can kiss.
Damn!” Tanya smiled, shook her head then covered her mouth. “He
thinks I’m vulgar and should be more like you.”
“If he said that then screw him,” Heaven
said. “You’re fine just as you are.”
Tanya laughed at Heaven’s defense of her,
wondering that no one in Heaven’s new family had gotten so much as
a ‘
screw you’
from Heaven. It was one of her favorite terms
when she was pissed. She continued grinning. Imran apparently had
never seen Heaven when she was pissed. Just wait until he did.
Wiping the tears of mirth from her eyes Tanya decided to answer
Heaven’s question. “Listen, for the next five weeks I will try to
clean up my act. I like Imran, and fight or not, we have good times
together. I don’t think I want to give up his kisses just yet.”
“You’re going to change for a man?”
“You did,” Tanya said reminding Heaven of
her own choices. She walked away. “Maybe I finally found a man that
has my nose open, one I want to change for. But hell, what can I
say. Joke. Imran had better take me as I am or forget it.”
She came back, gave Heaven a high five and
hugged her friend. “I’m glad the two of us are finally going to get
to spend some time alone. I swear I was getting sick and tired of
looking at you and Hamid making love in front of my face when I
wasn’t getting any.”
“We haven’t done that.”
“Please! Every time the two of you look at
each other it’s like you’re making love. And I need to get home for
real or go crazy over here. If you don’t want me attacking your
husband then you’d better send him to work for longer hours. If I’m
not getting any, the least you could do for a friend is kick your
husband out of your bed so you won’t be getting any either.”
“No way is that going to happen,” Heaven
laughed.
“Well, could you at least stop looking at
him like he’s the greatest thing God ever created?”
“How can I when he is one of the two
greatest things God ever created? Don’t forget Tsukama.”
“How can I forget that beautiful baby
with…”she leaned to the side and peered around the room then
covered her mouth and whispered so that only Heaven could hear her.
“How could I forget the beautiful baby whose mama gave him such an
unorthodox name?” She laughed and jumped away from Heaven.
“You know there is Imran,” Heaven
countered.
“Oh there is that alright.” Tanya sighed.
“But I’m keeping my head, Heaven. We can only be together for a
minute. I don’t have time to go losing my head and my heart.”
“But?”
“But, he sure is fine and he sure can make
my body sing with nothing more than a kiss or a touch. Imran and I
know in a few weeks I’m going home. That’s that. Though I do plan
to enjoy him while I’m here.”
When Fatima came out with Tsukama in her
arms Tanya knew there was one more thing she needed to do, make
amends with Hamid’s sister. She smiled at Heaven and walked toward
Fatima. There was no time like the present to start acting like she
had some sense.
***
Time was winding down. Tanya didn’t want to
admit it but she was going to really miss Imran. So far she’d
managed not to go to bed with him, just a lot of kisses and heavy
breathing. He hadn’t pushed and for that she was eternally
grateful. She knew if he pushed she’d say yes. But it would be more
than a bad idea to have sex with a man that she would never see
again.
She had to remember that she was going home
and Imran was staying in Pakistan. She still had to return to her
babies, check on them and make sure they were all doing well. Guilt
moved in. She’d not called Lettie since she’d been in Pakistan. And
no, she hadn’t forgotten her. She just had wanted to have some fun;
pretend that she didn’t have as many worries as she did. Even if
Imran had a notion, and he didn’t, to come to America, she couldn’t
very well saddle him with that type of responsibility. He had even
less money than she did.