Istikharah Love Jibril Emerson

Chapter #32 - I Love You...

"Sometimes we do have to take steps that go against the heart, Shalwa. Although it's hard, it doesn't mean there won't be a solution." Shalwa listened to his grandmother's advice carefully, he did not interrupt even though Shalwa actually did not like what the Grandmother was talking about. Shalwa felt compelled to accept Farid even though her heart completely rejected him.

"The grandmother knows Farid very well, Grandma is sure he will be a good husband for you. Not only because he loves you but because he also has a lot of respect for our family. Where would you like to get a man like that, Shalwa? He is even willing to accept you who clearly love Jibril," he concluded at length which makes Shalwa feel more wrong.

"Let me have a little time to think, Grandma," Shalwa said.

Shalwa also knew the quality of his cousin, he also often said that the woman who would become Farid's wife must be very lucky. The man was kind, gentle, very respectful towards women and as Nanek said, he also had great respect for his family all along.

Then, should Shalwa try it? A taaruf? Although of course he already knew each other with his brother. However, it seems like Taaruf is also a good path.

After chatting with Grandma, Shalwa went into her room, she immediately contacted her parents and asked them about their intentions to match Shalwa with Farid.

"Did you guys do this just cover up our shame on the neighbors?" shalwa asked in a low voice.

"It's not so, Shalwa. But we feel like you're the same Farid that fits, son." Hearing the mother's reply, Shalwa could only sigh heavily. "But we don't understand, all of our decisions leave you alone" added his mother.

"Yes, Ummi. I'll think about it."

...🦋...

According to the wishes of Jibril and Eliza, the two men who were in a drunken romance met at the restaurant Arsyad. When Eliza found out that the restaurant belonged to Aira and her husband, Eliza was shocked and amazed.

Gabriel took Eliza to a table near the pool, a little away from the people because they needed peace of mind to talk about the feelings of those they could no longer bear.

"What do you want to talk about?" jibril asked as he helped the waiter arrange their food on the table.

"My feelings." Eliza answered truthfully which made Jibril immediately make a smile. "If you?" ask Eliza shyly.

"Same," Jibril replied as he threw a gentle smile.

"Then you speak first" Eliza said.

Eliza looked nervous, she took a breath then threw it away slowly. Then he asked, "Why don't you ask anything about me?" jibril's forehead immediately wrinkled upon hearing Eliza's question. He raised the tip of his eyebrow. "When everyone feels weird when I scream or are afraid of people, they will ask what is and why. But you didn't ask that question." Jibril recalled the incident this morning in his office.

"Actually I have the same question as them, Elizabeth. It's just .. I feel like let yourself tell the story." Eliza smiled faintly hearing Jibril's simple reply.

"I moved to London when I was 7. I went to school and lived my life as usual there despite the many differences, I still felt comfortable. Until I was 12 years old ..." Eliza held her breath as she had to go back to remembering those terrible times. Eliza even now started to fret and her hands broke out in cold sweat. However, he forced himself to keep telling stories to Jibril.

"My upperclassman who said he liked me, he kidnapped me and committed violent acts. They .." Eliza's breath began to feel heavy while Jibril continued to wait patiently for Eliza's story. "She's in cahoots with the driver who drives me everywhere I go, the driver who's been working with our family for a long time and we trust so much." Eliza began to shed her tears as she recalled that dark time . Not only was his physical body injured at the time, but also his mental, his trust in the person his family trusted so much.

"Don't push yourself, Eliza. I see," cried Jibril who could not bear to see the anxiety in Eliza's eyes.

"I want to tell, just listen," cheered Eliza as she rubbed her eyes. Slowly, he recounted the tragedy with a choked voice and tears that continued to overtake out of the corner of his eye. Gabriel always took a tissue for the woman and he listened well to what was coming out of Eliza's mouth.

Jibril was goosebumps, he was concerned and completely unexpected about what Eliza had experienced during her childhood.

"I was in a coma for a few months, when I woke up my world had changed. I quit school, I quit my house and I was scared to meet a stranger." For the last time Eliza rubbed her eyes. "And when I was 18, we went back to Indonesia. My life is a little better, I'm back with Ruby because she was my neighbor and my friend since childhood. I started going out, I met people and smiled at them as my psychiatrist suggested. But I can't lie to my heart that I'm actually afraid of all of them."

Now Eliza looked at Jibril who had been listening without raising a voice. "And when I met you, I felt a different feeling. Even though you slapped me once," Eliza said with a chuckle.

"That's why I'm not afraid of you. When a man gets a kiss from a woman, it is likely that the man will reply to her or even take her to a hotel room. But you slapped me spontaneously and after that you're sorry."

Jibril gave a smile considering their second meeting which was full of surprises. "Trust me, Eliza! I've never slapped anyone before, in a lifetime, you're the first person I slapped and I hope that's also the last time I slap people" said Jibril, who also gave Eliza a chuckle.

"And when we met in the pool that day .." Eliza's face flushed red in light of that time. "The eyes of other men will brag perfectly and they will not blink to see a woman dressed like that before their eyes, but instead you wrap my body in a tablecloth after that you just leave. From that moment on I felt that no woman would be in danger because of you, I was ashamed to think of you. My entire attention was distracted from you until unconsciously your presence made me forget my past."

Eliza's gaze suddenly turned sour while Jibril's heart beat faster hearing Eliza's confession. "I love you, Gabriel. Love you so much because you made me feel something I've never felt in all this time."

"Actually I love you too, Elizabeth."

...🦋...