Perhaps he had.
I couldn’t tell.
“It’s a pleasure to meet you too,” I whispered.
My mother gestured toward the sofa.
“Please, sit down.”
I sat opposite Zayd, keeping my hands folded tightly in my lap.
My mind raced.
He knew Nour.
He had spent the previous night with me.
He had heard my laugh, seen my face, and spoken to me about the secrets people kept from their families.
And now he was sitting in my parents’ living room, being introduced to the daughter they believed had never been close to a man.
I wondered whether he was as shocked as I was.
I wondered whether he had already recognized my voice.
I wondered whether he would expose me in front of everyone.
Then his mother began speaking.
“We have always believed that marriage should begin with honesty and shared values,” she said. “Our son has worked hard to build his life. Now we want him to find a woman who will build a peaceful home with him.”
