I exhaled. “I’ma take you up on your offer. Come through tonight and take Amir to school for me, and we will be back in time for me to pick him up.”
Keith nodded. “Will do. I will see you in a little bit.”
After getting Amir, we went home with some flowers to see Islah lying on the couch.
Amir walked over and gave her a hug while I sat across from her.
“How do you feel about going on an overnight trip with me?”
She leaned back on the couch. “To where?”
“Miami. I need to pick up some diamonds from my diamond dealer for the store and for Amir’s piece so I can have it done in time for the funeral.”
Islah stared at me for a second. “Yeah, sure.”
Her mouth said yeah, but her face said otherwise.
“Go pack then. We are leaving in a few hours.”
Islah got up and went upstairs while I sat there taking deep breaths. I hoped that maybe some time in a city with just us would help her open up. If not, I didn’t know what else to do.
After I got my thoughts together, I went upstairs to see that Islah had two overnight bags pulled out for us.
I watched her fold clothes and put them in one of the bags. I wanted to ask her if she was okay, but I held back.
“I am happy we can do this. Then we can start talking about the wedding again.”
I watched her tense up, and I raised an eyebrow.
“Yeah…we can try to,” she said softly.
I pulled out some things for myself, and she folded them for me and placed them into the other bag while ordering us a car.
“Amir,” I yelled out.
A few seconds later, I heard his bedroom door open and him running down the hall.
“Yes, Dad?”
“We are going to Miami overnight. I have to pick up some diamonds for work. Keith is going to come stay with you and take you to school in the morning. I will pick you up.”
“Cool, I can dust him in the game a few times,” he expressed.
I laughed. “Break that nigga’s pockets.”
When Keith got to the house, I told him what time I got Amir up for school and what time he needed to get there. While we talked, Islah stood near the door, not sayin’ a word.
I hugged Amir and told him to be good, and he went over to Islah, hugging her as well.
“I hope you feel better soon,” he said softly.
I shook my head. I hated that he saw the change in her, too.
The whole ride to the airport, Islah didn’t say anything. She just stared out the window while twisting her ring back and forth.
I reached over and placed my hand on her thigh, and she looked at me with a half smile.
“I am okay,” she said softly.
