Having Faith | Book One

Chapter Three - Having Faith

"FUCK!" he shouted. Ahmad jumped up off the drenched bed, "YOU" he hissed, storming at Nader pinning him to the wall. "Give me one good reason not to kill you right now" he continued, with his arm pressed against his eldest brother's neck.

"Saving your ass from baba" Nader choked on his words gasping for air. Ahmad released his hold.

"Explain." His arms crossed standing only inches away from him.

"You heard me; dad will disown you if he finds out about this!" If it wasn't for Joseph calling me, you would have been out-cold in the alley behind the club." Nader's phone buzzed.

Looking down at his cell he said. "Dohor prayer (noon prayer) starts in ten at the mosque. Yehia and Dad are waiting" "You coming?" he said looking back at Ahmad, who had already popped on a white T-shirt.

"Nah, I will pray here" he said grabbing his coat off his office chair.

Although Nader knew he was in no condition to go to the mosque or even pray. Before exiting the room, he said. "Repentance would do you good, anyway don't forget your calendar is full. Be at the studio in twenty minutes you don't want to be late for your first clients."

Nader jogged down the stairs and out the door.

Ahmad put on his suit jacket and went downstairs with his key in hand. Frantically he looked left and right. Damn it! His Lamborghini was nowhere in sight. Shaking his head in despair, Ahmad called an Uber to the studio.

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The positive energy absorbed by anyone who enters allows a sense of relaxation and ease. A safe haven where anyone is welcome to retreat and reflect on the hidden blessings of God. Every Friday, many of the locals gather after prayer to listen to the imam's topic of the day.

"Remember my brothers and sisters, God has already written your destiny from the day you were in your mothers' womb, have faith in his plan, He will guide you in the right direction." The static of the microphone cut as the imam (An Islamic Scholar who leads people in prayer.) had finished speaking.

Simultaneously, the sound of chatter bounced off the walls as everyone scattered toward the exit. Looking around Layla was shocked to see how people were so eager to return to their busy schedules. The awareness of God's presence stopped Layla from leaving right away, kneeling on the prayer mat she gradually rose to her feet.

The warm spring breeze kissed her cheeks as she pushed the door open. A parking lot once bustling with cars, now empty. Her white Nissan Rogue glistening like a pearl under the beaming sun in the distance. The intensity of the reflection off the windshield was blinding. Layla adjusted the visor and reached for her sunglasses in the top compartment before exiting the lot. The radio quietened as the Bluetooth connected an incoming call, glancing at the dashboard she traced her thumb over the voice activation button.

"Oh, my God Layla finally, where have you been? your phone kept on going to voicemail." The voice on the line shouted.

"Hey Mero, sorry phone was off for salat el Jummah (Friday Prayer) what's up?"

"You, me, Yara at the grand-opening all-in-one salon and studio! The ultimate care package with a photo-shoot included." Mariam paused Yara's voice in the background.

"Can we carpool?"

"Sure, I will call you when I leave the house," she said pulling up the driveway.

Mariam, Yara and Layla have been best friends since grade three. They did everything together; even go to the same university. Although they couldn't see each other due to the uncoordinated mess of their schedules they tried to spend time together on the weekends. Inseparable otherwise the majority just assumed they were related.