Plushness

She arrived at work early, to prepare for a meeting. She found an e-mail from the CEO asking her to attend a conference in London. She wasn’t too happy about leaving with such short notice and why hasn’t her immediate manager informed her in person. Moreover, the date of the trip was the day that Hamad was to return back to Kuwait. She would tell him when he called, it was still too early for her to call him.

Her meeting went smoothly and as she left, she could hear her extension ring, she walked faster to get to her phone and it was Hamad. She wasn’t accustomed to receiving personal phone calls on her office line, and it was a pleasant surprise.

Lama (voice slightly sad): habeebi, I won’t be here when you come back, I’m going to London, so I guess we’ll meet when I come back instead of next weekend.

Hamad: Are you mad? I’ll meet you in London, its a 3 hour flight from here and I would like our first date to be somewhere where I can take you to a nice restaurant.

Lama (pausing for a second only to realize and think quickly if she should encourage his plan, was it ‘appropriate’, would it be in line with sticking to basics?): The conference is 40 minutes outside London.

Hamad: Can’t you go a day early so that we do not have to be rushed.

Lama (she got excited at the thought, but paused to think again, she wanted to be more certain of what she wants and what he expects): I don’t know sweetie, I will try.