Forbidden Love by Norma Khouri Page B

salon, but now that it’s here, she might as well learn how to use it.”
    I thought so too. I was hoping to accompany her to the classes, since we both need to know how to use the computer.
    Do you think it’s wise to consider such a thing? I wanted to get your opinion first, because if you think it’s not wise, then I’d rather not bother Dad with it.”
    “When are these classes? Who will be taking her? When do they start?” he asked. I took that as my cue to join in. I served him coffee, and proceeded to lie more blatantly than I had ever lied in my life. To me, this seemed the point of no return for Dalia and me. If we succeeded with Suhal, the first major physical acts of betrayal would soon begin.
    “Suhal, if I may speak, I’ll tell you what I know, but since my father has arranged all the details, I’m afraid that all I can tell you is that the classes will be held on Friday and Saturday afternoons. Of course, I must abide by the same curfew as Dalia, and I’m certain that my father has considered that while planning this. Also, one of my brothers will be dropping us off and picking us up. The only time we’ll be unaccompanied is while we’re in the classroom. I’m certain that my father is placing me in a class of girls. My father will pay the tuition, and I believe that Dalia should also know how to run the computer in case I’m not around. She can maintain all her client information on it. My father thinks it’s a shame to let the money we spent on the computer go to waste.”
    He pondered, taking his role as guardian very seriously. “Well, I don’t see any problem with Dalia attending classes with you, and I’ll do what I can to get my father to agree. I can speak to my father tonight. To reassure him, I’ll offer to take both of you to the school on Friday and enrol you myself. I don’t think it’ll be a problem.”
    “Thank you, Suhal. Thank you so much. I knew you’d understand, and I appreciate you talking to Dad on my behalf,” Dalia said.
    “One down, one to go,” she whispered as we tidied up to
    leave. “Are you sure we can convince your dad? Let’s say an
    extra prayer.”
    I don’t think either of us slept that night. I jumped every time the phone rang, thinking it was Dalia’s father calling to confirm what Suhal had told him. I felt guilty about the day’s deception and hated the idea of repeating it in the morning. I knew that Dalia was
    struggling with the same emotions. \020In the morning my father entered the kitchen at his usual hour. I served him his coffee, and began setting the stage for
    Dalia’s arrival.
    “Daddy, Dalia and I have something we need to discuss with you. Would it be OK to do it this morning? Will you have
    time?” I asked.
    “Sure, I’ll be on the veranda. Bring my breakfast out there,”
    he said and left the kitchen.
    When Dalia arrived we locked ourselves in my room and quickly went over the details of our plan. We managed to suppress our fears while we talked to my father, and in the end he agreed to let me enrol.
    There was just one more element to the plan. We didn’t want to ask for an escort because then they might find out that we’d lied to them and so we decided that on the days we had classes, I would ask to walk to Dalia’s home, and she would ask to walk to mine. Then we could meet halfway and take a taxi to school and back.
    Suhal enrolled us in school that Friday and we paid the tuition. The classes would run for the next nine months.
    That Monday, we called Jehan and told her our news, and began planning our first meeting for the following Friday. We went over every detail to ensure that we would not be caught and drew up a list of official ground rules’. No one, other than the four of us, could ever know anything about these meetings.
    We must meet at places none of our families went to. Dalia would remove her shar’ia attire during the encounters to look like a Christian girl. In public places Dalia and Michael would