A Choice of Angels: a Love Story by Charles Sobczak

Author:Charles Sobczak
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: BookBaby
Published: 2003-12-15T00:00:00+00:00

Friday, After Mosque

She hasn’t said a word to me since I’ve arrived.”

“Not even at Mosque?” asked Fatimah.

“No. Abdul drove us and then he went in to worship with Father, while Mom and I prayed side by side in silence.”

“This isn’t good, Ayse. What are you going to do?”

“I don’t know what to do, Fatimah. I promised Daniel I would return to America within a month. I will keep that promise, but then there is the question of money. We need at least a few thousand dollars U.S. to get started in Atlanta.

“I know my father could easily afford to lend us the money, but if he doesn’t speak to me, how can I ask him for his help? Maybe I was wrong. Maybe it was a mistake for us to be married.”

“No, don’t think that. You love him and you have every right to marry the man you love. Just give it some more time. Like last summer, your parents will come around. They are just shocked at your impetuous behavior. It is so out of character. They never expected this of you. Nor did I.”

It felt good for Ayse to be talking to her best friend. There was no one else for her to talk to in Istanbul. The word of her marriage had quickly made the rounds of the social elite of Bebek and most who heard of it were quick to distance themselves from Ayse.

In Turkey, as in all the countries that practice Islam, it is acceptable for the man to marry outside of the religion, but not for a woman. The religion went with the man, and most felt Ayse would soon be converting to Christianity should the marriage endure. Either way, they didn’t want to be part of it, or condone such behavior. They had daughters of their own to think about, longstanding traditions to uphold.

Only Abdul, the family driver, and Fatimah had supported Ayse in her decision, though neither of them could claim to know Daniel Mark Harris. Ayse had shown both of them her wedding photo — a grainy black-and-white taken at the chapel. That photograph and her ring were all she could offer as evidence to the wonderful man she had married.

The rest was in her eyes. Every time Ayse spoke of him, her eyes seemed to come alive with an expression that was hard to deny. Her voice raised a pitch and there was an electricity that seemed to shine from her as she described her blueeyed husband. That was all Abdul and Fatimah needed to be convinced of her sincerity and conviction. Whoever this American boy was, he had a wife who loved him more than the world itself.

“You must approach your parents about it, Ayse. You must confront your father and explain what has happened to Daniel and his inheritance from his grandmother. Mustapha will surely understand.”

“I hope so. But Mother will take longer. I doubt she will ever come around and approve of the marriage. She doesn’t like Americans, and she has never trusted Christians.

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