by Dyanne Davis
“Do you think this is about a job, Hamid? Whether you want to hear this or not, I make more than enough money to take care of both of us. This is about something more.” Heaven put the pan she was carrying on the table and walked back to her husband. “This is about following your heart and finding your dream.”
“But the business,” Hamid said. “It’s your dream.”
“Even if it was before, it’s not anymore. It hasn’t been for a long time now.”
“Heaven, I don’t want you doing this.”
“It’s too late, I’ve done it. I’ve hired managers to take over, I’ve had accounts set up and I’ve called your family to tell them we’re coming back.”
“How long?”
“As long as it takes, a couple of years, or more, whatever it takes.”
“A couple of years? Are you sure?” Hamid was looking at Heaven, not believing that she could possibly mean what she was saying.
“Or more. That’s up to us. Just no vows, Hamid. We do what feels right for us.”
“Why does this feel right?”
“I love making love under the stars. That was your dream, Hamid, and it became mine. More than anything I’ve ever wanted, I want that.”
“What about your father?”
“Do you know how often we see each other? I could probably not even tell him, and he’d never know the difference. Just so I call him once a month or so, he won’t care. And even if he does, your people have become my people and your land my land.”
“Heaven.”
Hamid crushed her in his arms. He’d never once thought this would happen, had never dared to dream it. He’d never once told Heaven how much he missed working in the clinic, how he’d enjoyed being needed.
“Heaven, I love you.” He held her so tightly that he heard her gasping for air. Then he kissed her and kissed her, and kissed her some more, and then the bell rang.
“You are my soul mate, you are my dream, and fate knew what she was doing. Heaven, listen to me,” Hamid said quickly. “There is no need to do this. We have no money worries. I have money, Heaven, we have money,” he amended.
“Of course we have money. What’s mine is yours. I’m not selling the business. We’ll have more than enough money.”
“Heaven, you don’t understand. We will never have money worries.” He looked toward the door as the buzzer sounded again.
“This isn’t about money, Hamid. This is about us and how happy you were working in the clinic helping people who couldn’t afford your services. That is, you were happy until the end when you went nuts. I have to let our guests in,” Heaven said, and pushed the buzzer.
She kissed Hamid, then smiled at him. “This time we’re going to do it right. We’re going to work together, and we’re going to work eight-hour days.”
“We? Are you going to help?”
“Of course.”
“But I thought you said you couldn’t, that it was your dead dream, yours and Brandon’s.”
Heaven laughed. “So much has changed for me, Hamid. Being with you, being happy, really happy with you, is my dream. This isn’t about money but about our being happy, and I think as long as we make love under the stars we will be.”They both turned at the sound of Sassa’s voice outside the door.
“Heaven, wait.”
“Hamid, why are you resisting? What’s the matter? You no longer want to make love to me under the stars?” Then Heaven opened the door to Sassa before Hamid could answer.
* * *
Hamid was astonished. He’d been in shock for a couple of hours, ever since his wife had sprung her plan on him. He couldn’t believe she wanted to move back to Pakistan. Right before they’d left, she’d broken down in sobs saying she wanted to come home, and now she wanted to return because she thought it would make him happy.
“Pinch me, Sassa, I must be dreaming. Can you believe Heaven would come up with this?”
“I don’t think even Heaven can believe she came up with this.” Sassa laughed. “She worried about you. She called me a couple of weeks ago and asked my opinion on this.” Sassa laughed again. “She thought you were worried about money. She’s trying to ease that worry for you.”
“I know.” Hamid glanced toward Heaven talking with her friends and Isha.
“You never told her, did you?”
“I never saw a need.”
“Two hundred million American dollars when you turn thirty-one and you never saw the need.” Sassa also looked toward Heaven and the group of women. “Were you afraid that she would be marrying you for your money?”
“No, but knowing Heaven, she would never have married me if she had known. She’s so damn independent, wanting to do everything her way, wanting her dreams to come true, that the thought of my having the ability to help her in her dreams…” He laughed. “She wouldn’t have liked it.”
“Hamid, she’s going to kill you when she learns she didn’t have to sell all of her belongings. She’s having a moving sale to get money, and she’s selling her condominium. In fact, Peaches is buying it.”
Hamid sucked in a breath and closed his eyes briefly while he thought of the stars and making love to Heaven in their home. Somehow, Hamid would buy Heaven the home they’d made theirs in Pakistan. He didn’t care who owned it. He’d do this if he had to move every mountain in Pakistan to accomplish it. His eyes opened and he gazed unabashedly at Heaven.
At last, he turned from staring at his wife to fixing his cousin with a stern look. “This isn’t your business to tell, Sassa. Heaven is not moving to Pakistan because she thinks we will starve here. She’s doing it to make me happy.” He ignored the look in his cousin’s eyes. “It’s true, we found utopia for a time while we were in Pakistan, and she wants to return there.”
“With everything that she has in America, why would she want to go and live in Pakistan? What could she possibly want there?”
“Me, Sassa,” Hamid grinned. “My wife wants me.” Hamid walked away, took his wife’s hand, and danced with her.
“‘Let’s get it on,’” Hamid whispered in Heaven’s ear as they danced and laughed, ignoring the others in the room. Hamid would not bother explaining to Sassa why Heaven wanted to go. It was only for him to know that she wanted to make love beneath the stars and wake with the sun shining down on them. Money had never been a factor and it wouldn’t be in Pakistan.
Later, when everyone was gone, Hamid made love to his wife, knowing she was dreaming of the home they’d shared in Pakistan. He suckled her breast, looking up in surprise when she moaned. It wasn’t a moan of pleasure but pain. He attempted to look at her but she wouldn’t meet his gaze. She had a dreamy smile on her face as if she had a secret. He mentally calculated her last cycle and couldn’t remember when she’d last had one.
“Stop that and make love to me, Hamid,” Heaven whispered and he did. He kissed his way down her body, stopping at the small mound nestled in her belly. He knew her body intimately and was surprised he’d not noticed before. Maybe his eyes had been clouded, as Heaven had said. Now they weren’t. Now they were clearer than they’d ever been.
* * *
Heaven and Hamid stood in the empty apartment looking around. There was nothing left. Their trunks of personal things had been sent ahead; even their luggage had been sent. They both were taking just a carry on bag with toiletries and a change of clothes. Hamid was attempting to look as American as possible, but when he’d suggested shaving off his beard, Heaven had objected vehemently. So now he was relying on the will of Allah.
Only when they were seated on the plane in first class did the knot in his stomach loosen. He thought their ease in getting through security had to do with Heaven and her smile that lit up the entire room. A pregnant woman’s smile had the power to do that. She thought he didn’t know, and he was content to wait until she told him.
* * *
The Pakistan airport was busy as usual. Hamid turned to Heaven and smiled. “It’s not too late to change your mind. We can
turn around and go back to Chicago if you want.”
She gazed up at him. “Are you kidding? Already the spark is in your eyes, and I aim to keep it there. This is home, Hamid. Come what may, this is home.”
They walked out the door together. “I can’t believe all that you’re giving up for me. You were not going to change, remember? You were going to stay as you were. The party that you threw before we left, all the ribs and Italian sausage side by side with all the hala meats? I got your message.”
“Good.” Heaven reached for his hand. “If the two of us can live together without killing each other, the entire world should be able to do it.” She grinned and followed Hamid to the door, surprised when a caravan of family didn’t rush out to greet them. “Where is everyone?” she asked. “I told them we were coming.”
“And I told them not to meet us. I thought we could use a day to unwind.”
She cocked her head at him. “So are we staying at the Avari Towers tonight?”
“We’re staying somewhere that I believe you will like even better. Now stop asking so many questions.” He put his hand in the air, waved for a taxi, and got in after Heaven.
Thirty minutes later, he heard Heaven’s gasp as they pulled up in front of their new home.
“Hamid,” Heaven said, running from the taxi before he could open the door for her. “You were able to rent the same house.”
“Not this time,” he answered, coming up behind her.
“Your family?”
“It’s ours, Heaven. I bought it.” He swung her up into his arms. “Does that make you happy?”
Heaven’s face stretched with her smile. This was her dream. “Do you think our mattress is in the closet still?”
“Not that one, but I had Abba buy a new one and put it in the closet.” For the second time he carried her over the threshold.
“Hamid, I don’t believe it.”
“Why not? You gave up a lot to come here to give me my dream, and I wanted to give you yours.” She smiled and he kissed her.
“Do you think Abba put food in the fridge?”
“Ammi stocked this place, Heaven. She’s so excited that we’re coming here to live that she’s practically bursting at the seams. I’m sure we have everything that we need.” He looked at her. “Are you tired?”
“A little,” she answered.
“Want to take a shower and a nap?”
“A shower, yes, a nap, nah.”
He grinned.
She grinned.
And they took a shower together. Afterwards Heaven stood in the alcove trembling as Hamid brought out the mattress and laid it on the concrete. This one was thicker than the last one, she noticed. She looked up into the sky and saw the stars twinkling, welcoming them home. This was a good dream, one that she was more than willing to participate in with Hamid.
She turned and saw the look in her husband’s eyes and a shiver of desire shot straight through to her womb. Had she known he would be looking at her like that she would have made this decision months ago.
Together they sank onto the mattress. He buried his mouth in the hollow at the base of her neck. “Hamid,” she moaned.
“Yes?” he answered.
“I have something to tell you.” Ripples of pleasure filled her and she sank into the soft mattress. “Later,” she mumbled, “it can wait.” She cringed as his hand lightly touched her breast before moving downward.
He smiled. He knew.
“Would you like some champagne, Heaven?”
She looked up at the bucket he’d brought out and wondered. “I don’t think so,” she answered after a moment’s hesitation.
“It’s non-alcoholic,” he grinned.
“You do know.”
“Of course I know. Now which name will we use?”
“There’s time for that,” Heaven answered, spreading her arms wide, looking again at the stars. “Right now I just want to make love under the stars.”
And they did.
And when they woke, the sun was shining brightly on them. Heaven looked up and met her husband’s gaze. He was looking down at her, his eyes bright, his dream fulfilled. There was no longer a continent dividing them. They were one, united by the stars, the sun and their love.
“Whither thou goest,” Heaven began.
“I will go,” Hamid answered.
“And thy people will be my people,” Heaven chimed in.
“And your land will be my land,” they both said in unison. “And naught but death part thee and me.” And then they made love again. Both of their dreams had come true.
Table of Contents
Let’s Get It On
Indigo Love Spectrum
Dedication
Acknowledgments
Chapter One
Chapter Two
Chapter Three
Chapter Four
Chapter Five
Chapter Six
Chapter Seven
Chapter Eight
Chapter Nine
Chapter Ten
Chapter Eleven
Chapter Twelve
Chapter Thirteen
Chapter Fourteen
Chapter Fifteen
Chapter Sixteen
Chapter Seventeen
Chapter Eighteen
Chapter Nineteen
Table of Contents
Let’s Get It On
Indigo Love Spectrum
Dedication
Acknowledgments
Chapter One
Chapter Two
Chapter Three
Chapter Four
Chapter Five
Chapter Six
Chapter Seven
Chapter Eight
Chapter Nine
Chapter Ten
Chapter Eleven
Chapter Twelve
Chapter Thirteen
Chapter Fourteen
Chapter Fifteen
Chapter Sixteen
Chapter Seventeen
Chapter Eighteen
Chapter Nineteen