Chapter Eighteen
Aisha folded and put away the last towel.
She had been in America for a couple of months, and the last few weeks, Drake had been preoccupied. When she asked him about it, he always told her it was business and not to worry.
It was hard enough coming to America and adapt. It was so overwhelming at times. When they left the condo, it was much worse for her. All the people, cars, sounds, and colors disoriented her. She didn’t think she’d ever be able to leave the building without someone, and it made her feel like a failure somehow.
In Afghanistan, her whole focus was on keeping her and her brother alive. Every day had been a struggle to live, but in the United States, it seemed so much harder for her.
She slowly made friends and learned things, but she still felt like she was holding Drake back. She was getting used to the machines they had. The vacuum still scared her because it would grab a rug and start sucking it up or growl differently when she pushed it from the carpet to the wood floor.
She was able to make meals by herself now but still had a lot to learn. Although she spoke English very well, she was still learning how to read and write it and thought that would take forever.
It was next to impossible for a girl to be educated in Afghanistan, but fortunately, her mother and father homeschooled her, her brother, and her cousin.
Her father tutored them to speak English, and they were taught the letters and some essential words. Her mother schooled them with the things she learned from her parents before she married.
Together, her parents had given them a better education than they would have received in the rural schools, but she still had a lot to learn to be able to adapt in America.
Drake tried to make her transition as easy as possible, but he worked long hours, and she tried her best to stay out of his way and not complain as much as possible. She also tried to think of things that would make him happy and make his life easier.
She’d do anything to make his love for her grow.
Aisha walked past the office when she heard her name as he talked to someone on the phone. She hadn’t meant to stop and listen, but the tone of his voice worried her.
“I just feel so damn guilty,” Drake said on the phone.
Her heart tightened. What could he possibly be feeling guilty about?
His following words felt like a knife had sliced through her heart.
“I don’t know what to do with her.” He paused. “Yes, I know.”
She pressed her hand to her mouth to keep from gasping. Oh, God, he didn’t want her there. It made sense now the way he was pulling away from her. What a fool she’d been.
She didn’t blame him. He hadn’t had a choice. She’d been dropped into his lap, and he was told he’d have to marry her. Maybe she was holding him back from the type of woman he needed?
She fit him when they were back in her homeland, but here in America, she didn’t fit at all, and it showed in so many ways.
Yes, he’d been happy when she had first gotten there, but he’d been thrilled that she hadn’t died. That hadn’t meant he wanted her. Their love life was still as beautiful and passionate as ever, but she needed to remember men could have sex with anyone, and it didn’t have to mean anything.
“I know. I’m going to have to tell her.”
She pressed her hand harder against her mouth. How could she survive? The thought of him not being a part of her life made her soul wither, and she knew the more time that passed without him, the more she’d die inside.
But the simple fact was she loved him, and if he wasn’t happy, she needed to let him go. She would go back to Afghanistan and live with her aunt and cousin and pray that the threat against her had passed.
If by chance, she did die, it would probably be a relief because she would never find happiness again in this lifetime.
“All right. We’ll talk more later.”
She rushed past the door and into the kitchen, where she tried to find something to make for them to eat, although the thought of food made her nauseous.
There was a lot of food in the refrigerator, but all she could do was stare at it and see nothing.
Her body jerked when Drake’s arms came around her waist.
“Easy, baby, I didn’t mean to scare you.”
She exhaled, tried to relax, and patted the hand that was flattened against her stomach.
“It’s fine. What would you like for lunch?”