by Emma Easter
Leila began to pull Sherifat away, but the girl wrenched her hand from Leila’s. She turned around again and fixed her gaze once more on the young, handsome man.
Leila put her hand on her forehead and shook her head. Miriam had not moved an inch since she told them to come away to the camp.
“Do you want to come into our camp?” the young man asked.
Leila was about to say, “No,” when Sherifat smiled and said, “Yes, we do.”
The older man shook his head and then slowly turned his face away from Miriam. “We shouldn’t invite women into the camp,” he said to the young man.
Miriam blinked rapidly and said, “That’s okay. We can’t come into your camp. We have to go now.” She turned to Leila and Sherifat. “Come on, ladies, let’s go.”
Leila exhaled, greatly relieved. Hopefully this small adventure they’d had today would be kept only between them. Hopefully Sherifat would not go and spill her guts to the other women in the camp. Miriam turned around and walked away quickly without speaking to Leila or Sherifat again.
Leila grabbed Sherifat’s hand once more and this time held on tightly as she pulled her away from the young man. He was still gazing at Sherifat and the girl’s face was turned toward him as Leila dragged her away.
Miriam was walking way too fast and Leila had to almost run in order to catch up with her. Sherifat lagged behind as they made their way to the camp.
They got to the camp quickly. Miriam made her way straight to her tent while Leila stood at the edge of the camp and waited for Sherifat to get to her.
“You can’t tell anyone what we saw today,” Leila said when Sherifat finally got to her.
Sherifat had a dreamy and faraway look in her eyes. “I know,” she said. “I won’t tell anyone.”
She began to walk away, but Leila held her hand. “I’m very serious, Sherifat. You cannot tell anyone about that men’s camp and you cannot go back there, either.”
Sherifat looked her in the eye and gave a wistful sigh. “Why can’t I go back there, Leila?”
Leila stared incredulously at her and said, “I can see it in your eyes, Sherifat. You’re planning on going back soon to meet that guy, aren’t you?”
“And what if I am?” Sherifat said in a sharp tone.
Leila knit her brows, surprised. Sherifat had never spoken to her in that tone of voice. She put her hands on Sherifat’s shoulders and studied her friend’s face for a long moment. Finally, she said, “You have to trust me. Don’t go back there. I know what I’m talking about.”
“I don’t understand why I can’t.”
“Trust me, Sherifat. Just don’t go back. I have been in love before. You will just end up getting your heart broken.”
Sherifat shook her head and said, “But what about Zainah and Faizan? Faizan did not break Zainah’s heart and they are married and about to have a child. I want that. I thought I would never have that when I came to this camp. But now I know it can happen for me.”
Leila sighed wearily. “I had that same dream years ago,” she said. “But it was just that—a stupid dream.”
Sherifat said, “I don’t know what the future holds, but I am going back to that camp. I like that man…”
Leila cut her off. “You don’t even know him! You don’t know what kind of person he is! And besides, this is not about you alone. It’s about the entire camp. If you go back there, he might want to return the favor and come here. Soon, other men will follow him, and then the women in this camp will discover that men’s camp. What do you think will happen then? Most women here are here in order to dedicate themselves totally to the Lord. What do you think will happen when men overrun our camp and the women here start to go to the men’s camp? The very reason why we exist here and have succeeded in staying away and being protected from the outside world would be lost. Others will probably find out about this place, and then what?”
Sherifat shut her eyes as sadness took over her features. Leila felt sorry for her, but there was nothing she could do. She had to make the young woman understand the implications of her actions if she went back to that men’s camp.
A thought crossed Leila’s mind. Is this really about protecting the women in this camp or is it about protecting yourself from getting hurt again?
Leila blinked and brushed aside the confusing thought. This was not about her. This was about the camp and its safety. She looked at Sherifat, who looked so downcast that Leila’s heart filled with pity for her. Still, it was important for Sherifat to understand that it would be wrong to go back to that men’s camp. “Sherifat, promise me you will not go back there.”
Sherifat did not answer for a long moment, and then she looked up at Leila and nodded. “I promise I won’t go back.”
Leila let out a huge sigh of relief. “Thank you. You’ll find out one day that you made the right decision.” She placed her fingers on Sherifat’s cheek and smiled at the young woman. And then she walked back to her tent, satisfied that Sherifat would keep her word.
But as she sat down on her sleeping rug, a voice echoed in her mind: You are not doing this to protect the women’s camp, Leila. You’re doing it because you got your heart broken by Malik and now you are bitter and don’t want anybody else to find love.
“That’s a lie,” Leila said.
Halima, who was just waking up and was sitting on her sleeping rug, stared at Leila with a curious expression on her face.
Leila turned away and picked up her Bible from beside her. Before she opened it, she asked the Lord to speak to her from His word and show her if she had bitterness and unforgiveness in her heart. She wanted to know if her motive for not wanting the women in the camp to know about the existence of the men’s camp was right or selfish. When she finished praying, she started to open her Bible and then blinked when the bell for morning prayers rang.
She frowned. It was already time for morning prayers. That meant they had spent more time at that men’s camp than she had thought. She closed her Bible and stood up. Halima and Binta also stood up.
Leila left the tent and made her way to the prayer tent. She saw Zainah and Faizan in the midst of the small crowd in front of her. They were holding hands and smiling into each other’s eyes. She felt the familiar pang of envy in her heart. Her mind went to Malik again, and pain tore through her. She groaned. Will it ever get easier? she thought.
She looked around as the women in the camp went toward the prayer tent, conversing with smiles on their faces, and sighed. Conviction settled in her heart, and she knew she was doing the right thing by keeping the existence of the men’s camp a secret. Hopefully, the few other people in this camp who knew about it would do the same. Then the women here would continue to be protected from the fickleness of men and the terrible effects that a love-gone-wrong could bring.
Chapter Ten
Trisha opened the door and smiled at Audrey. “Good,” she said. “You are here. I was just about to call you so I could speak to you and Sienna at the same time.”
“What is it?” Audrey asked.
“Let me go and get Sienna,” Trisha said.
“I’m coming.”
Audrey sat on the sofa and Trisha left the living room to go and find Sienna. She had already put Molly and Ruby to bed. Frank was still at the restaurant, but he would return soon, as it was already almost six in the evening.
She stopped in front of the guest room where Sienna and Bryan slept. Bryan and Sienna had been out with Ethan for most of the day. They had gone to Green Valley to spend the day with Bryan’s parents and had returned with Ethan sleeping in Sienna’s arms. They’d gone straight to the bedroom to put Ethan to bed while Trisha called Audrey to tell her she wanted to speak to her and Sienna.
Trisha knocked on the door. When Sienna called out, “Come in,” she opened it. Smiling at Bryan, Trisha said to Sienna, “Can I speak to you now? Audrey is here in the living room.”
Sienna nodded. She kissed Ethan’s chubby cheeks as he slept on the bed, smi
led at Bryan, and told him she would be back soon.
Sienna walked down the hallway with Trisha until they got to the living room. Sienna hugged Audrey and then settled down on the couch beside Trisha, while Audrey sat on the sofa across from them.
“Stan came back after we talked yesterday.”
Audrey said, “So he’s really serious about this custody thing.”
Trisha laughed without humor. “Actually, that really wasn’t why he came. He came to make a so-called deal with me.”
“What deal?” Sienna asked, frowning.
“He came to tell me he would not file for custody if I gave him money.” Trisha shook her head. “A lot of money.”
Audrey’s eyes grew round and she said, “How much did he ask for?”
Trisha laughed bitterly. “Fifty million dollars.”
“What?” Audrey and Sienna said in unison.
“That Stan is a joker,” Audrey said. “He wants you to give him fifty million dollars so he can stay away from his daughter.”
“He’s so greedy,” Sienna said. “And totally heartless. He wants to substitute his own daughter for money.”
“What are you going to do?” Audrey asked, leaning forward on her seat.
“I’m not sure,” Trisha answered. “I told him to give me three months to get the money together for him.”
“No, Trisha,” Audrey said. “You cannot be thinking about giving him all that money. That is so not right.”
“I’m trying to buy some time,” Trisha said. “But I really want him to go away and not bother me and my family anymore. If that means giving him the money he wants, then maybe that will have to be what I’ll do.”
“But he really has no case,” Sienna said. “I don’t see any court granting him full custody of Ruby.”
“Even joint custody would drive me crazy,” Trisha said, sighing.
“I’m not sure they would even give him that,” Audrey said. “He hasn’t been around for years. He abandoned his daughter and went to God-knows-where. I think you should not give him the money and you should call his bluff and allow him to file the custody suit. You should go to court and bring up his request for you to give him money.”
“My lawyer told me as much,” Trisha said, “but I am still scared. What if something happens and for some reason, he is granted full custody of Ruby?”
“That isn’t going to happen, Trisha,” Sienna said and put her arm around Trisha’s shoulder. “Ruby is your daughter and you and Frank have been the only ones who have been there for her since she was born.”
“But Stan is Ruby’s biological father,” Trisha said. She shut her eyes as fear gripped her heart. “I can’t let him take my Ruby away.”
“You are being irrational,” Audrey said. “He’s not going to take Ruby away. He can’t.”
“Are you sure I shouldn’t just give him the money and get this over with?”
“No, Trisha,” Audrey said. “You shouldn’t give him anything. And that is a lot of money. Besides, who is to say he won’t come back for more once you give him what he requested this time? Stan is a terrible person. I wouldn’t be surprised if the following year, he comes back to ask you for more money. He will not rest until he has drained you of every cent. I am sure of that.”
“Audrey is right,” Sienna said. “Don’t give him any money. If he wants to file for custody, let him. He’s never going to win.”
Trisha felt better and less afraid as she listened to her sisters’ words of comfort and encouragement.
Sienna rubbed her back soothingly and smiled brightly at her, and Trisha smiled back. “I still have three months before I have to deal with Stan again. I won’t tell him anything for now. Let him think I am gathering the money for him until his three-month ultimatum is over, and then I’ll let him know I am ready to fight him in court.”
“Atta girl,” Audrey said.
“Okay, I feel much better now,” Trisha said. “I think I will probably go and see Faizan, then.”
Audrey stood up and came to sit beside Trisha on the couch. She took Trisha’s hand and smiled at Sienna. “So, about that. I have good news,” she said. “Trisha, I didn’t want to say it earlier because I thought there was no need if Sienna and I were staying with you to support you in the custody case. Since you don’t have to be in court for another three months, let me tell you the good news.” she smiled at Trisha and looked at Sienna. “Faizan found somewhere… a men’s camp a short distance away from the women’s camp. The men there agreed to let our husbands stay at their camp while we stay at the women’s camp.”
Trisha smiled as happiness flooded her heart for the first time since Stan appeared in her life again.
Sienna clapped, the look on her face gleeful. “Yes! Thank God! Bryan and I can go together now. I felt so down when I thought I couldn’t go and see Faizan. I’ve missed him so much.” She said smiled at Audrey and Trisha. “We will have such a great time, especially with the guys coming as well.”
“We will have a fabulous time,” Trisha said.
Bryan walked into the living room and Sienna immediately stood up and went to hug him. Bryan had a surprised expression on his face. “What are you guys celebrating?” he asked, kissing Sienna’s cheek, and then looking at Trisha and Audrey.
“You can come with Trisha, Audrey and I, Bryan. Ken and Frank will come, too.”
“Come where?” Bryan asked.
“To see Faizan,” Sienna said excitedly. “We can all go now.”
Bryan lifted his brows and said, “I thought they said no men were allowed at the camp.”
“Ken called Faizan, and he said that he found a men’s camp some distance away from the women’s camp. They’ve agreed to let you, Ken, and Frank stay there. You can come and visit us whenever you like.”
“Wow! That’s great news,” Bryan said, smiling widely. “I was so disappointed when we were told we couldn’t go. I can’t wait to see the place.”.
Bryan sat down on the loveseat and Sienna sat beside him. He drew her close and wrapped his arms around her.
Trisha smiled at Sienna and then remembered her confession about her struggles with anxiety and fear. She asked, “How are you really doing now, Sienna? Do you still have the panic and anxiety attacks?”
Sienna turned to look at Bryan and then turned back to Trisha. “Sometimes, but I believe the Lord will deliver me completely soon,” she said. “Bryan and I study the scriptures about God’s grace and faithfulness regularly and they help to calm me down.”
Trisha nodded and Audrey said, “I’ll keep praying for you.”
Frank walked into the house just then, and Trisha smiled up at him. “We have good news, babe,” she said.
He sat down on the sofa near the door and Trisha told him about the men’s camp and what Ken had said about the men there agreeing for them to stay at the camp for the duration of their trip.
Frank was thrilled about the news and said he was looking forward to it.
“We should celebrate the good news,” he said.
“Let’s wait for Ken to come,” Audrey said. “He said he would be here at about eight or nine o’clock.”
“Alright, then,” Frank said.
They chatted about the trip and the plans they had to put into place before they left. Twenty minutes later, Ken walked through the door and Frank said, “Time to celebrate, everyone!”
Frank stood up and went to the kitchen, and the rest of them continued to talk about how they were going to prepare for their trip. Twenty minutes later, Frank came back with drinks and snacks.
They continued their conversation well into the night while they munched on their snacks and drank their root beers. Audrey soon yawned and stood up. “I feel sleepy. I think it’s time to go.” She looked down at Ken. “We should go, honey.”
He nodded and stood up. “Okay, everyone. Goodbye and see you all tomorrow.”
The rest of them bid Audrey and Ken goodbye. After they left, Bryan turned to Sienna and s
aid, “We should go to bed, too.”
Sienna stretched. “I think we should.”
“Goodnight, you two,” Trisha said to them as they strode out of the living room together to go to their bedroom.
After they left, Trisha stood up and went to sit on Frank’s lap. He put his arms around her and kissed her. She looked down at him and then let her worry show. “My sisters told me the same thing you and the lawyer said about Stan not having a case. They said I shouldn’t give him money at all.”
Frank nodded. “I told you. That’s the right thing to do.”
“I’m still scared, though, Frank. What if the court decides to give Stan custody because he is Ruby’s biological father? I won’t be able to bear it if he’s given joint custody. I know the kind of person he is. I don’t think I want him alone with my daughter. He doesn’t even care about her. Who is to say he won’t just abandon her while he has custody of her? All he wants and cares about is money.” She laughed without humor. “Money and lots of women.”
Frank threaded his fingers through hers and kissed the back of her hand. “Stop worrying about it, Trish,” he said softly. “Everything will be alright. You’ll see.”
Trisha sighed and said, “I hope you’re right.”
Frank nodded. “We’ve been praying about it, Trisha. Everything will work out for the best. Ruby is staying here with us where she belongs.”
Trisha bent her head and kissed Frank. She drew back slightly to look into his eyes. “What would I do without you, Frank?” she said, love for him flooding her heart.
He beamed. “I should be asking you that, Trisha,” he said. “Every day, when I wake up beside you, I have to pinch myself to make sure I am not dreaming. I cannot believe you are mine now. All I’ve ever wanted since I was a teenager was for us to be together, and now we are. It’s more than I could ever have hoped for. This life I have with you.”