XII: First Date?

A Week Later

Najmah added the last finishing touch to her makeup-free face then capped the tube of lip gloss, a slow smile dancing on her lips. She left the vanity table and went towards the full-length mirror standing by the side of the walk-in closet. It was an addition by Lale who in her opinion thinks that a lady's room without a full-length mirror to appreciate her features is like a bachelor's pad.

Najmah hadn't seen the need for it as she rarely looked at herself in the mirror and the room wasn't hers to begin with but today was an exception. Aslan was taking her out for sightseeing, and she wanted to look her best.

At 5'6, Najmah stood with doll-like features which were her most significant assets. Her body sat in between slender and curvy which was an advantage on her part as she's able to work any outfit she wore. Her shoulder length African hair which she had used a lot of years taking care of it with natural oils was tied back into a bun, giving her oval-shaped face a sharp look.

She gave herself a once over, applauding herself mentally for a job well done. She didn't know why she made an effort in looking presentable, on other occasions she wouldn't have minded going out without any sort of makeup as it wasn't her forte but she  made an exception for today; she had used mascara, powder and lip gloss.

She donned a kimono on top of her romper shirt and ripped jeans, wrapping her veil on her head then placed her feet in her black Aldo flats. She picked up her phone and took a couple of pictures on Snapchat which she hadn't done since the day of her marriage.

"Are you ready?" Aslan questioned, pushing the door open.

"Yeah, let's go," she smiled, walking towards him. "So where exactly are we going to?"

"The beautiful attractions that makeup Istanbul, Sultanahmet to be precise," he replied hooking her arms with his.

"Sounds like an adventure," she mused, her smile still intact.

"Yeah, it is. You love adventures though don't you?" he questioned halting his steps, a worry line etched on his forehead.

"Yeah of course I do," she squealed, making a grin appear on his face.

"Alright then, let's go."

***

"Such a lovely morning," Ferah mused, seeing the two descending down the stairs with enthusiasm.

"Such a pleasant surprise," she stated, gaining their attention.

"Good morning Anne," they greeted, moving towards her.

Aslan kissed her on the cheek, greeting her for the second time.

"Where are you two heading so early in the morning?" she queried, her attention on Najmah.

"Uhmm...Aslan's taking me out for sightseeing," she replied nervously.

"I thought you were going out on a date," she smiled. "It would have been lovely."

"Well it could be a date," Aslan grinned, watching the shocking look on Najmah's face.

"Well, you kids should run along to wherever you are going. I wish you a safe journey," she kissed Najmah's cheek then continued her journey towards the stairs.

Najmah and Aslan trotted out of the house, heading towards Aslan's awaiting Aston Martin. Najmah made to open the door but Aslan was quick to block her path, opening it instead.

"After you," he bowed.

"Chivalry isn't dead around here I see," she chuckled, sliding in.

"Not at all, some of us uphold the tradition," he replied with a rakish grin.

She shook her head, adjusting into the lush car seat. He closed the door then went over to the driver's side and slide in. He revved the car then zoomed out of the house, towards the monumental building of the TopkapiPalace.

"Our first stop is going to be the Topkapi palace then the Hagia Sofya, the Halı Müzesi, Ayasofya Hürrem Sultan Hamamı and the Yerabatan," Aslan stated, parking the car in the large parking lot in the palace. "The rest, we shall visit the next time we're out."

"That's a mouthful," she mused, unbuckling her seatbelt. "Turkish is a tough language to learn."

"It is not really hard when you set yourself to learn it," he chuckled, alighting from the car.

Together, they walked into the palace while Aslan began to brief her on the history of the palace.

"This palace was first built by Mehmet the Conqueror in the 15th century, which later became home to the Sultans of the Ottoman Empire. They ruled over their dominions from this grand palace beside the Bosphorus up until the 19th century. It..."

"Can we skip over to the part where you just show me the beautiful artworks Lale has been talking about? I mean the history about it is intriguing and all but who am I kidding?" she rambled, cutting him off. "I have no idea what the history of my country is and certainly not any building in it except of course for the Ado Bayero Mall which is my second best place in the world. Not to sound rude or anything but history puts a damper on my mood."

Seeing the surprised look on Aslan's face, Najmah clamped her mouth shut thankful for the melanin pigments in her DNA; otherwise she'd be as red as a tomato.

"I think this is the third time you've actually said more than a sentence apart from the time you've talked about Vampire Diaries and books," he stated, making her more embarrassed than she already was.

"Stop making me feel embarrassed," she pouted, making her look more adorable.

"I am not," he objected, trying to fight off a grin.

"You so are," she accused.

"Alright," he raised his hands in mock surrender. "I am. "

"And he finally admits it," she drawled, her words dripping with sarcasm.

"Shall we?" he questioned, brushing off her last statement.

"Yeah, lead the way."

He led them through the opulent courtyard, which was filled with different varieties of Islamic art. They ventured into the gardens and kiosks that filled the palace.

They went back into the palace and Aslan led them towards the lavishly decorated Harem which used to be the private quarters of the Sultan's concubines and children. They walked around the hall of the second court, Aslan showing her the various Kaftans of the previous Sultans that were kept on view.

They ambled into the kitchen after that, with Najmah trailing her hand over the porcelain collections that were kept there. They then walked to the İftar canopy, where the Sultans break their fast during the period of Ramadan. The canopy gives a magical view of the Sea of Marmara and the confluence of Bosphorus.

"Wow," Najmah uttered in awe of the view. "This is the most beautiful view I've ever seen."

"This isn't the end, wait till you see the treasury," he chuckled.

"Amazeballs! Let's go then," she tugged at his arm, leading them out of the canopy.

She looked right and left, unsure of which way to follow. "Which way leads to the treasury?" she queried, looking at him questionably.

"This way," he gestured towards the staircase. They climbed the stairs up to the third court which housed the Sultan's private quarters, the imperial treasury and the relics of the Prophet (SAW) which were kept in the Sacred Safekeeping room. They first went into the treasury which contained the Sultan's egg-sized rubies, emeralds, and diamonds, as well as thrones and cradles made entirely from gold.

"Are they real?" Najmah questioned, awestruck by the glittering objects.

"They are," Aslan confirmed, watching her as she moved from one artifact to the other.

{••}

"Is it only me or did you notice the stares I keep getting?" Najmah questioned as they walked out of the palace.

"No, I haven't."

"On second thought, I've never seen any black person since I came to this country. Does it have anything to do with my colour? Are you Turks racist? No offence though," she mused, scrunching her face a little. "Your family is actually different, I didn't get these stares. The only uncomfortable look I got was a glare."

"None taken. Some people need to be taught that staring is rude," he responded, looking around and sure enough, people were staring at them. "There aren't much Africans around here."

"It is insulting being stared at like this," she uttered, her eyes downcast. "It is unnerving."

"I am sorry but you shouldn't let the stares get to you okay?"

She kept mute and stared ahead, myriads of emotions passing over her features.

"Let's go on ahead," she plastered a fake smile on her face. "The stares shouldn't stop me from having my adventure."

"That's the spirit," he grinned, leading them towards the Aya Sofya.

"Aren't we taking the car?"

"No, the Aya Sofya's only a walking distance away from here, almost all the buildings are walking distance away from each other."

"Oh alright," she nodded.

{••}

Najmah and Aslan had a lovely day exploring the district, they called it quits after praying Isha salah in the Blue Mosque before they stopped at a restaurant and ate dinner then back home.

"Is that a cat?" her eyes widened, bending down to scoop the bundle that had curled around their car.

"Careful," Aslan warned, eyeing the bundle curiously. "It could be dangerous, it's a stray."

"Look at it," Najmah cooed, brushing her hand over the cat's fur. "Isn't it beautiful?"

"It is," he nodded, still eyeing it curiously.

"Can I keep it?" she questioned, surprising him. Her eyes were big and hopeful, adoration for the kitten dancing within her orbs. In that moment, he wished it was him the emotion was directed at and not an animal.

"I don't think..."

"Please Aslan," she pleaded, bringing the kitten closer to her chest. "I promise that I'll make it behave, you won't even know that it lives with us."

Us, the words had him smiling like an idiot and without knowing it, he nodded his approval.

"Oh thank you," she flung her free arm over him, placing a sloppy kiss on his cheek. "You're the best."

Before he had a chance to react, Najmah had already rounded back to the passenger's side of the car and slide in, her attention focused on the kitten.