Call It Kismet

Note: This is a request for the prompt: I dreamt about you nearly every night this week.

Khan and Leila sit at a trendy San Francisco restaurant. It’s one of those hipster, free of everything places with industrial chic decor – dark wood and stainless steel accents, dimly lit pendant lights hang from the open ceiling that exposes the girders and pipes.

Leila sighs, “No dairy…no gluten…no meat…no fun. What am I even supposed to eat here?”

Khaan chuckles softly. “I promise the food is excellent here, but if you find your meal inedible, we can pick up some fast food on the way home.

“You agreeing to fast food? Leila arches her eyebrows. “You must be pretty confident I’ll like it.”

And turns out, Khaan is right. She hates to admit it to him, but her savory and aromatic tofu, kale, and quinoa bowl is quite satisfying and delicious despite the fact that she can’t identify half the grains and vegetables in it. They laugh and talk without any lull in conversation. Khaan stretches out his legs under the table and their feet intertwine. They clink their glasses of Sauvignon Blanc together and toast to normalcy. After all they’ve been through, Leila wouldn’t trade these simple moments for anything.

Khaan signs the reciept and slips it inside the servers check holder book. “Do you mind if we head back now? I know it’s early, but I want to get back to say goodnight to Hamza and tuck him into bed.

Leila reaches a hand across the table and squeezes his hand. “Of course not. That means we can get to bed sooner…if you know what I mean.”

Khaan laughs and shakes his head. “I know where your priorities lie…good thing they match up pretty well with mine.”

Its been an adjustment being with someone with a child, but Leila knew what she was getting into. Khaan’s love for and devotion to Hamza is part of what drew her to him. It’s not always easy having to share his time and attention, but she’s beginning to love Hamza as her own. She happily accepts them as a packaged deal.

When they arrive home, Khaan pays the sitter and and takes Hamza to bed. Hamza negotiates an extra bedtime story, like most nights.

Just as things quiet down, Leila hears Hamza call out from his room. “Leila, come in here!”

Leila jumps up from the couch to see what he wants. “Yes, Hamza?”

“Come see my glow in the dark T-rex pajamas!” Hamza lifts up the covers and Leila peeks underneath.

“Those are so awesome, buddy!” Leila pats the soft hair atop his head.

Hamza opens up his arms. “Can I have a hug?”

Leila smiles warmly. “Of course.”

Some time later, Leila and Khaan settle into bed. She’s been looking forward to some alone time with Khaan all evening. She rolls onto her side facing Khaan and presses her hips into him. He threads a hand into her brunette locks and draws her in for a kiss, his satin lips standing in contrast to his rough stubble. She’s about to start undressing him when she hears pounding on the door.

“Daddy!” Hamza cries and Khaan pops out of bed to open the door. “I had a bad dream.” Before Khaan can even respond, Hamza scurries over to the bed and climbs in, positioning himself dead center. “I’m too scared to go back to my room. Can I sleep with you?”

How can Khaan say no to that face? She knows she couldn’t. It has been just the two of them for so long, Hamza didn’t even have to question before if he was welcome in his dad’s bed, and she doesn’t want to take that away from him while he’s still so young. Khaan looks to Leila apologetically, but she shrugs it off. “Okay buddy, but why don’t you scoot over, and I’ll sleep in the middle.”

“But I want to sleep next to both of you! Please?” Hamza looks back and forth between them expectantly.

Leila is touched that Hamza has taken to her so freely. She can’t imagine how much his life has been changed since she’s come in the picture, and he’s accepted it all so well. “Okay, but try not to hog the covers this time.” Leila jests as she climbs in next to him. “I suppose this is what King size beds were made for.”

Thirty minutes later, Leila is finally drifting towards sleep as Hamza is lying diagonally pushing both her and Khaan to the edges of the bed with only a sliver of blanket to cover them. Nevertheless, she wouldn’t have it any other way.

*****

Leila rolls over and shuts her alarm off. She’s confused as she looks through sleep dusted eyes to different surroundings. She’s not at Khaan’s place, but her own apartment in New York and the spot on the bed next to her is empty and cold.

“Damn, another one of those dreams,” She mutters out loud. Dreams so realistic she finds them difficult to distinguish from real life, even after she wakes. It’s been over a month since they took down Eros and almost just as long as she saw Khaan. They had spent two incredible days and nights together while Hamza was still back home with Soo-Jin, but then Khaan had to fly back across the country. Despite their connection, Khaan had still been hesitant to bring another woman into Hamza’s life, so Leila had no choice but to go back home alone. She’s casually been looking for jobs in San Francisco, just for an excuse to be in his life in some way, even just as friends.

It’s not that she hasn’t maintained a friendship with him since, but they’ve been careful to not get into anything too deep, both knowing if they cross the line again, there would be no going back. Leila sends him funny memes or pictures of her terrible food choices. Khaan sends her inspirational meditations and recipes for kale and wheatgrass smoothies. She’s not a fan, but she’s made a couple just to feel closer to him and definitely makes sure to send him photo evidence when she does.

Leila had thought over time the feelings might fade, but if anything, they are stronger than ever and the dreams aren’t helping. She’d had one right away when she got back home and then another a week later. They progressed to every few days and the one prior to this was just two nights ago. She’s not sure if it means something or if she’s just going crazy and needs to see a therapist.

Over the next week she dreams of Khaan nearly every night. In one, they are sitting on a park bench watching Hamza play in the sand pit. The warm sun is beating down on her. A calm breeze crosses her face, bringing the scent of the Lilac bushes in bloom nearby. She feels the weight, and smooth skin of Khan’s hand in hers.

In the next dream, she and Khaan are in his guest bedroom turned yoga studio and meditation room after Hamza’s gone to sleep. Khaan is giving her a one on one lesson. Khaan’s favorite sandalwood incense is wafting through the air and the only illumination comes from candle light. His hands positioning her send shivers down her spine. Heat pools in her core as her presses his firm body flush against hers into perfect alignment. The lesson quickly turns from PG to X-rated and after a lengthy session, they lie back on the yoga mat, almost too spent to get their clothes back on and go to bed.

On Friday night, her dream is a little different. She isn’t at Khan’s place but her own apartment. The details are a little fuzzier, but Khaan is there and he pulls two plane tickets out of his pocket, and is about to say something when they are interrupted by a knock on the door. Neither moves to answer it, but whoever is behind the door keeps knocking. Leila is jarred away and she realizes the knocking is real. She throws on her robe, smooths her hair, and is flabbergasted when she peers through peep hole.

As soon as she gains her composure, she swings the door wide open. “Khaan! What the hell are you doing here?”

“I wanted to suprise you but, I was hoping for a bit of a warmer welcome.” Khaan laughs nervously. He’s got his hands in his pockets and he’s not carrying any bags.

A wide grin takes over Leila’s face. “Get in here,” she commands as she pulls him in by the lapels of his navy blue peacoat. He immedialtely encircles her in his arms and kisses her passionately. The kiss goes on and on until Leila decides she needs to know why he’s there. “We can get back to that in a bit, but what made you decide to fly thousands of miles to suprise me on a whim?”

Leila moves to sit down on the couch and Khaan follows. “It wasn’t exactly a whim…on my part at least. I’ve been thinking and mediting on this for weeks, and my path became clear. Have you ever hear of lucid dreaming?”

“I’ve heard the term, yes, but I don’t know much about it.” Leila replies.

“Well, meditation can bring on a state of mindfulness that can produce vivid, lifelike dreams that can help guide you to answers you seek in everyday life. I haven’t stopped thinking of you since we parted, but you know Hamza is my number one priority. I needed to make sure I could envision you fitting into our life. Leila, I dreamt about you nearly every night this week, and I know it’s right. I need you in my life, if you’ll have me.”

Suddenly the pieces fit together and she wonders…, but no, that would be crazy. She decides to ask anyway. “I too have dreamt about you every almost every night. Does Hamza have glow in the dark T-Rex pajamas?”

Khaans jaw drops. “How did you know- Those are brand new. He didn’t have them when you stayed with us.”

“I think I’ve been having lucid dreams as well and I didn’t understand what was happening until now. I could see, hear, smell, taste, and feel everything as if I were awake. Going on dates, with you, the park with Hamza, private lessons in your yoga studio.”

Khaan’s cheeks flush slightly and then his whole face lights up. “This is extraordinary. I’ve heard when two people are spiritually connected, they can experience shared dreams, but I never imagined I’d find that connection with anyone…not until you, but I was just too scared to give in…until now.”

“Do I dare call this Kismet?” Leila grins cheekily.

Khaan takes both her hands in his. “Call it fate, destiny, whatever you want, as long as you say you’ll come with me. I know it’s a lot to ask, but-”

“Please, Khaan,” Leila interjects. “You could have asked me back in D.C. if I’d come then, and the answer would have been the same then as it is now. One hundred percent yes.”

Khaan cradles her cheeks and kisses her passionately again. “You may have noticed I didn’t bring any luggage.”

Leila smiles knowingly. “Is that because you have two plane tickets in your pocket?”

Khaan furrows his brows in confusion but then pulls the tickets from his pockets. “Now this is getting creepy.”

“I guess our connection doesn’t end when we wake. Didn’t want to give me a chance to think too much about it did you?“

Khaan shrugs his shoulders. “I had faith that you’d know, and if you had to think about it or said no, I’d wouldn’t want to stick around any longer than I had to. I can exchange your ticket for a later date if you need more time to get your affairs in order, but I need to get back to Hamza.”

“I can just grab the essentials now and come back and deal with the rest later. I’m not letting you get away again.” She wraps her arms around his waist.

Khaan presses a kiss to the top of her head. “You know, our flight isn’t until later tonight if you wanted to reenact one of those dreams before you start packing.”

Leila wastes no time standing up and pulls Khaan with her towards the bedroom. “Follow me. I know just the one.”