To Love is Illegal
“ARE YOU TWO INSANE?!” Rami raged. Pacing back and forth while the two women sat close together on the couch looking, understandably sheepish.
“What were you thinking? Of course, everyone knows what you two are up to but to let Janine find out? Amira, you should know better! When I introduced you two, I was expecting a fling and nothing more. Think about your family. The shame that would befall them, you would be cut off. Layla, you think you love Amira but do you really? If you loved her and didn’t think of this as a dalliance, you would not have done this. If the authorities find out you can just leave and go back to Australia. Amira would go to prison!”
Rami’s words sat heavily on both Amira and Layla. Heads bowed with shame, and they could not even muster the strength to reach a hand out to each other for comfort and solace. They knew he was right. Their love and lust blinded them to the reality of the situation. It was not both of them that were in danger; no, it was only Amira. Layla could, as Rami said, run back to Australia, whereas Amira could not. Although Layla would do anything in her power to protect Amira, she knew that ultimately Amira would not be happy without her family or her community. Layla knew that if she asked, Amira would give it all up, so Layla decided for them both that it had to be over.
Rami left the room and allowed the women a final goodbye.
“What should we do?” Amira asked Layla, grabbing her hands.
Layla lifted them to her mouth and kissed them softly. Tears slowly trickled down her cheeks.
“There is only one thing we can do, habibti,” she said, “thank you for showing me a love that I don’t think I will ever have again. But we were not meant to be. It needs to be over.”
Amira withdrew her hands, then wiping the tears from her face with the backs of her hands, she got up and moved to the door that Rami had just left through. As she got there, her hand resting on the doorknob, she turned back to Layla and smiled her easy closed-mouth smile. The tears started flowing again as she nodded her head, her mouth formed the words ‘I love you’, and before Layla could react, she opened the door and was gone.
They never saw each other again after that fateful day, and both moved on with their lives. But every so often, they would think of the love they shared, wondering what could have been if they had been born in a different time or place. They still loved each other but knew their love was not meant to be. Despite the distance and time though, their love remained a cherished memory for both of them, and they would always hold a special place in each other’s hearts.