بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم
Early morning
Woman and teenage boy biking on beach
Hakim riding backwards talking when out of the blue, a man on a bike followed by a devil on a bike, rides out in front of him.
Love screams out, “Hakim! Look out!”
They collide.
“Hey man! Why don’t you look where you’re…”
“Aw, man, I’m sorry..”
The women reach them.
The man and woman realize who each other is.
“Cheryce!” the man says, smiling that smile that’s reserved just for her.
“You okay, Hakim?” She gets off her bike. Hakim says he’s alright. “Well, A.J., this is Hakim…. Hakim [pause], meet your father.”
They shake hands.
The man says, “Cheryce…”
She interrupts, “I changed my name to Love Allah.”
“Oh, I didn’t know.” He says, “Love Allah, this is Carlyn. Carlyn, this is apparently, my Baby Mama.”
Carlyn looks at A.J.; then at Love; then at Hakim; then at A.J. again and says, “I can’t marry a man with kids.”
She takes off an engagement ring and hands it to him. Turns her bike around and goes back wherever she came from.
A.J. says, “Easy come; easy go. So Love, why did I not know about my son here?”
Love says, “A.J. Honey, can we all go inside and sit down?”
“Of course, Love.”
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Love sips a cup of Chai and then places it in front of her. “After everything happened, you seemed like you didn’t want to be bothered. And I didn’t want to trap you…”
“But to do everything alone…”
“I have Allah, Who Came in the Divine Person of Master Fard Muhammad, To Whom Praises are Due Forever. And, with His Messenger, The Honourable Elijah Muhammad (Peace Be Upon Him), We Have Raised A Genius. If you care to get to know him, you’ll see.
“Well, yeah, I care! I’m sorry I missed out on all these years! Look, I don’t live too far from here. Are you guys free for Supper?”
Hakim says, “Well, I got band practice but you two should definitely hook up.”
Love looks back and forth between them like, “Do I really want to be alone with him again?” But they both reassuringly look at her, she acquiesces, “What time?”
A.J. smiles that smile that’s reserved solely for her, “Six”
Love nods and A.J. and Hakim say in unison, “It’s a date!”
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Love in her walk-in closet, obviously deciding what to wear. Hakim sits in a divan in her sitting room.
“Mom, you know you’re supposed to wear pink.”
“I know, but which one?
“The one with the pearls, of course. Come on, Ma, you know him better than that.”
“Did you really not recognize him?”
“I knew him as soon as we crashed.”
Love laughs, “You’re so HAKIM!!!” 😀
Hakim says, “I gotta go to practice. Just be yourself. Baduhboo. Gimme some honey.”
She gives him some honey. He walks out and she takes the garment into her dressing room.
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She pulls up in front of the house on her bike. And says a quick prayer before ringing the doorbell.
The door is answered by an older woman. She pulls Love in and says, “Love Allah! Come give yo mama a hug, girl! It’s been SO LONG!!! I hear I got another Grandbaby!”
Love gets enveloped into Millie’s embrace. “Yes Ma’am. It has been awhile. Your Grandbaby’s Name is HAKIM.”
“Well, do you have any pictures?” She says, guiding her into the house, arm in arm, “You remember Abdul?”
“Of course, how are you, Sir?”
“Pretty good. Let’s see those pictures.”
“Okay,” Love takes out her phone. “This is him playing drums with his band. And, this is him in his football uniform. This is him with his bike club…”
A.J. comes out with an apron on. “Hey, Love. Supper is almost ready.”
Love looks at him, nervously. “Oh, I should have told you. I’m a Vegetarian.”
Millie breaks out laughing and hits Love on the arm, “Girl, who ain’t a Vegetarian nowadays?”
Abdul says, “We’re all Vegetarians!”
Everybody laughs.
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All seated at the table lavishly decorated with a crisp white tablecloth, silver candle holders and white tapers and a beautiful centerpiece with orchids.
A.J. asks Abdul to bless the food.
Abdul recites Al Fatiha.
A.J. looks at Love and smiles that beautiful smile that’s reserved just for her. “What? You didn’t know we were Muslims?”
Love tilts her head to the side and says, “Well, his NAME IS ABDUL!”
Everybody laughs and begins eating.
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AFTER DINNER
Love offers to help with the dishes. Millie won’t let her, “No Honey, that’s what dishwashers are for. You kids go sit in the Living Room. Me and Abdul got the dishes.”
A.J. takes Love’s hand and leads her into the Living Room. They sit on a Love Seat in front of a blazing fire.
He says, “You know I don’t believe in coincidences. There’s a reason you had my baby.”
Love says, “Yes Sir.”
He continues, “We’re bonded for life. Might as well make it official.” He takes out a little blue Tiffany’s box. “Will you marry me?”
Love smiles and answers, “You know, I’ve waited all my life to hear you say those words.” Of course, I’ll marry you. I was made to marry you.”
He slips the ring on her finger.
Millie and Abdul burst out the kitchen. Millie says, “She said YES! She said YES!”
Love says, “I gotta call Hakim.”
Hakim comes out. “I already know.” Shakes A.J.’s hand and gives his mom some honey.
FIN
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Homemaking For The Black Muslim Woman Journal ™ 