"Do you have to go to work?" She asked.

"No, today is Sunday." He said.

"Oh, I didn't know."

"Come, let's go." He said, taking her hand and leading her out.

"Where are we going?" She asked.

He didn't answer and kept going until they were outside. She looked at the gate, as Ali called his chauffeur to bring his car. Anaya couldn't help but recall her memories, she had run across half of this huge house barefoot, and was so close to escaping until Ali had stopped her.

"Stop it," He covered her eyes.

"What?" She asked.

"I know what you're thinking of, don't," He said, turning her towards him.

"I'm going to make up for all the tears I caused," He said, giving her a peck.

Anaya smiled, as the chauffeur pulled in with Ali's white Range Rover. Ali held her hand and guided her to the passenger's seat and then got in himself.

"Where are we going?"

"On a date." He said

Anaya smiled. Her first date. From time to time she used to imagine what her wedded life would be like. She imagined a pious, kind man as her husband who was handsome and tall.

"Where do you want to go?" He asked.

"Anywhere, honestly."

"Where was your favorite place to go, back then?" He asked.

"Hmm. There was this coffee shop not far from my work, and I would go there to get some work done, and drink my favorite coffee." She said

"Okay, let's go there then." He said

He pulled out his phone and gave it to her.

"Put in the address," He said.

"Password?- Oh wait." She asked, but then just opened the phone with his face, chuckling.

"Here," She said. Putting in the address.

But before she could stick his phone back up, she smirked at him.

"Hmm," She said.

"Anaya," Ali warned.

"Let's go through someone's gallery." She said, grinning

"You have no pictures?" She asked.

"God, you have to be the blandest person on earth." She said, and he hid his smile at her new mischievousness, which he was adoring.

She opened the camera and pointed at them as Ali just looked at the camera with his usual serious expression.

"What else?" She wondered.

"Should I go through your texts?" She said.

"No!" He warned.

"Romano, Aryan, Luis, John, Erika," She read his conversation list.

"Anaya, at least delete Erika's, " he said.

"Why?" She asked, then realized.

"EW!" She yelled.

"Now I'm upset. Let's go back home," She said putting the phone in her lap and folding her arms, her head turned towards her window, pouting.

"It's old! Really old conversation. Way before I knew you existed," he said, trying to grab her arm but she kept pulling away.

"Anaya!" He begged.

"Please, I'm sorry." He said.

"Sorry for what?" She asked

"For even looking at other women, from now on I will only look at you. I'll even wear glasses to avoid the others." He said.

"Promise?" She said.

"Promise." He said.

She picked his phone back up.

"There's nothing else on here! Not even any games."

"Anaya look at my face, and tell me if I look like I play games on my phone." He said.

She laughed.

"Turn left," The navigation said.

"What happened to my phone? and my cards? That you dumped out on the first day?"

"I don't know, honestly I'll have to see." He said.

"What! You don't know?"

"It was my money! And my phone had all my pictures and apps!"

"Pictures? Really?" He smirked.

"Then I'll have to ask our tech guys to hack it," He smiled.

"No! N-nevermind. I don't want it then."

"No, no. I'll get it for you," He said.

"Ali," She whined quietly.

The navigation made them take a couple of rights and lefts until they finally arrived at the small vintage coffee shop. Ali stepped out to open her door and intertwined their hands as they went inside.

"What do they even have here?" He asked,

"Iced Coffee, and desserts." She said excitedly.

"I drink black coffee, hot and unsweetened. It's good for the abs." He said.

"You've never had iced coffee? Caramel? Nothing?" She asked, shocked,

"No," he said shaking his head.

"Wait,"

"Hi! Can I order two iced caramel macchiatos with blonde espresso, and can you make it medium?"

"Sure, that'll be $12.98." The cashier said.

Ali swiped his card adding a tip of $100 to the checkout screen.

"Oh my god, thank you much sir! I'll bring it right up," She said.

Ali and Anaya took a seat at the table and the cafe was empty, it was just the two of them.

"That was nice of you. To tip." Anaya said.

"When I'm in a good mood, I am generous." He said.

"You're in a good mood?" Anaya asked, placing her hand on her chin.

"Is it because of me?" She asked teasingly.

"Undoubtedly," He said.

She smiled so hard.

"Usually I have some lesson plans to create when I am sitting here," She said looking around at the familiar vintage decor.

"What do you even do as an elementary teacher? Teach kids to count?" Ali said.

"Why do you need a plan for that, just go in and say 12345," He said

Anaya rolled her eyes.

"It's not that easy, you have to teach them accordingly and it's not just Math, you have to do English, Science, and History. Then you have to manage each student's way of learning, so you can help them accordingly," She began

"Sounds very boring," He said.

"Oh yeah? What do you as a CEO all day, sign papers? I'm sure that's sooo exciting."

"How do you know I'm a CEO? I never told you," He said

"I know everything,"

"Martha told you didn't she?"

"Yeah, she told me EVERYTHING. She even told me your embarrassing stories as a kid, say... didn't you fall in a pool and then cried because you couldn't swim at an annual PARTY." She chuckled.

"I swear..." He began.

"Here are your drinks- Thank you,"

"Thank you," Anaya said, as the barista walked away.

Anaya looked at him eagerly, waiting for him to try it.

"This looks very unhealthy," He said holding it up, squinting at it.

"Oh please, you're not going to lose your 100 pack or whatever with one iced coffee. Hurry and try it," She said.

"100?" He laughed out loud

"Try it," She encouraged.

Ali took a sip of the coffee and waited a second before saying anything.

"It's sooo good," She said, drinking hers and wiggling her toes, the coffee was going to get her in a sugar rush and caffeine high soon.

"It's good, right? You can't lie," She said,

"It's okay." He said taking another sip.

"You like it. Liar." She said.

"We're going to move out, what type of house do you want?" He asked.

"Small," She spoke

"How small? Two stories?"

"Two stories aren't small! One story only. I don't like stairs." She said.

"Oh, that's going to cost nothing. Are you sure?"

"No, it's not, houses are at an all-time high. Even one-story will be 300k right now," She said.

"300K is an all-time high?" He said, smiling

"Yes, because not everyone has wallets that are so heavy that to them two-story houses are 'small',"

"300K is so much money. I only make like 36K a year."

"That's it?" Ali gaped.

"Yeah! I'm a teacher."

"Please work for me, I'll pay you properly." He said.

"No thank you, I don't want to sign papers all day." She scoffed.

"If we get a house, I also want to pay the bills and such."

"Why would you do that?"

"Because I like to help out. If I'm living there I want to cover the costs too,"

"No," Ali said.

"What do you mean no?"

"You only make 36k, I am not that cruel to make you pay bills on top of that."

"Are you wage-shaming me? I won't tolerate that! I make enough to provide," She said

"I probably made 36k in revenue sitting here with you, I am not touching your cute little bank account."

"I am not asking you, I am telling you. I'll pay rent or something, I don't care if you make 100K a year or whatever,"

"You're going to pay rent, as my wife living in your own house? Are you crazy- and do you think I make a 100k a year?" He asked.

"200...?" She guessed.

"Without the ex-job of course, just as CEO of A-plus." She said.

"You're so cute," He reached out to pinch her cheek

"200K is less than my daily income, I make $60 million annually."

"What!" She exclaimed

"Do you still want to pay the bills?" He teased.

"Oh my god," She sat there, shocked.

"You didn't know this?"

"No! I always thought you made a lot from your other job- but from A-plus I thought it was like average," She said.

"Well, it's not, so dream bigger baby. Do you still want the one-story house?"

"Yeah! My taste isn't going to change because you make more money. I like its simplicity. But you don't have to listen to me if you want a big house. It is your money." She said

"No. It yours, plus I took $6.2 billion from you," He said, taking hold of her hand from across the table.

"The money, and the choice. Whatever you want, you get." He said.

"When did I have that kind of money?" She asked

"Your dad,"

"Oh that," She paused.

"That doesn't count, it was haram money." She said

"And don't you think that's dangerous?" She asked

"If I say, Ali, I want seven planes and 100 houses. You'll still buy it? You won't scold me for being greedy?"

"I would say, okay let me make a call." He says.

"Stop," She said,

"Never," He smiled.

"Do you make Sadqa with all of the money you have?" She asked.

"Donation?"

She nodded.

"No, but I figure I should now." He said.

"Yes, please." She said.

"It's time for Maghrib already," She said looking at the clock.

"Ali,"

"Hmm?"

"Pray with me," She said.

"What?"

"Yeah! Please, Ali. Pray with me."

"No, It's not going to get accepted."

"Of course it will! When was the last time you did?"

"13." He said, referring to his age at the time.

"Why did you have to stop?"

"Because nothing ever came out of it," He said.

"I came out of it. You prayed to leave, but if you had left when you were 13 you wouldn't have met me," She said.

"There's always a plan Ali. You have to believe."

"Anaya-" He began

"Please. Let's try it. Together. It was always my dream to pray together with my husband." She said, her eyes hopeful.

"Uhhh," He gave it some thought.

She was right. That's what he always prayed for; to leave. For freedom, from his parents from his life. And though he didn't get it instantly, it was all worth it in the end. He should repay his debt, and this is good for him.

"Ok," he said.

"Yes!" She said.

"I'll be back," He said, heading to the restroom.

He turned on the tap and looked at the mirror. Did he even remember how to make ablution? This felt so different.

He quickly did it, in the order he began to remember. He self-taught himself this, even when he was younger by reading books since his parents were, you know, nowhere close to righteous. He came out, and Anaya stood there eagerly waiting for him tapping her feet.

"Come on," She squealed, happiness practically dripping from her face.

"We're going to walk," She said, holding his hand.

They walked one block down and across the streets, and it was this beautiful garden, and since it was fall, the leaves turned this breathtaking orange- as some leaves fell on them.

"Oh, what will we use to layout?" She said.

Ali took off his blazer and grabbed two stones that were next to the bench. He pulled out his phone and pointed it northeast at 45 degrees, and laid his blazer holding it in place with the stone.

"Come on," He said, taking his shoes off.

Anaya couldn't stop smiling as she placed her hands on her chest, beginning. The wind blew at them, providing the most refreshing weather. As she read Ayah Tul Kursi, she could see him from the side of her eye, and her heart had never fluttered more.

She went down in Sujood, placing her forehead on the jacket, and they repeated this three times. Until they turned their heads at the same time, and then they met eyes.

"Are you crying?" Ali asked.

Anaya nodded.

"Why?" He laughed taking hold of the back of her head.

"Because I'm so happy," She said, laughing through the tears.