In a non-pandemic world without STDs. That's what fantasy is for, right? Involves a younger Aisha from the CDG series but this piece can be read as a stand alone
Lila bounds up the stairs onto the porch with the energy of, well, an 8 year old. Her grin so wide, that I can't help but smile back. I remember being this excited about sleepovers.
"Ring the doorbell, honey," I say. "How will Samina and Dr. B know you're here?"
Lila's been loving her time with me, her favorite faux auntie. I'd convinced her mama and my best friend to go on a much needed vacation. I was looking forward to going back to Sharmila's house and getting into pjs - maybe Sharmila, with the wisdom of a mother had known I'd benefit from this sleepover.
The door opens and Sam's father, Al aka Dr. B smiles at us. I can't help but notice what I noticed at pick-up 2 days ago - his absurdly fit stocky body is now backlit by the living room lights. Who has the time to raise a kid, have a job, and sculpt muscles like that?
Maybe that's why his marriage fell apart a few years ago. Or maybe this is what happens after being an ER doctor - recognizing how fragile our bodies and lives are, and then going crazy on the bench press.
"Hi Al, I bring you an excitable Lila!"
"Great, great, come on in," he smiles with the confidence of a man who is used to being considered charming.
Lila bounds in, and runs up the stairs straight to her friend's Sam's room.
"Bye, Shasha! I'll see you tomorrow!"
"Call if you need or want anything, okay Lila?"
"I'll be fine!" She yells just before slamming the door.
"Shasha?" Al asks with raised eyebrows.
"She couldn't say Aisha when she was little."
"Samina couldn't say her last name for the longest time," Al says, as he moves towards his open kitchen and living space. "You wear the mom hat pretty well."
I laugh, turning towards him as I take in his elaborate home, the sparse high end furniture, the large grey kitchen island, the lack of kids toys around.
"I can barely keep the mom hat on my head," I say, before remembering my manners. "Thanks so much for having Lila over, she loves spending time with Samina."
"Samina loves it too, it's good that they are friends."
I grin, trying to think of a phrase to help me leave - there's something about Al that makes me judgy and the less I'm around him, the better.
"Why don't you stay for a glass of wine to celebrate your week with the mom hat?" Al asks.
He takes in my surprise and raises his eyebrows in worry. "You are over 21, aren't you?"
I burst out laughing.
"How old do you think I am, Al?"
I see him caught off guard, a clearly unfamiliar space for such a respected doctor with all the shiny things, and I enjoy it - I enjoy catching him off guard.
"That's a dangerous question for me to answer, isn't it?" he asks rhetorically, as he turns to pick up a stray toy near the kitchen island. His shirt stretches over his muscles when he bends over, and that's when I allow myself to admit that I want to fuck him.
"I have no issues about my age," I smile, adding. "I'm just curious."
"Okay, and my answer doesn't affect your decision?"
While all the wise signals were saying leave, there was something about him that drew me in.
"Nope. I'll stay for a celebratory or rather a commiserative drink."
"If I were to guess, maybe 23, 25? Am I right?"
"I'm 30, Al, just like Sharmila."
He's good with hiding it, but after years of eliciting the same reaction from everyone, I'd learnt to read all shades of emotion when someone hears my age. And when a man's face shows a hint of relief, it says something. That I'm legal, they aren't pervy, that this, whatever this is, is at least legally and socially allowable.
"So, you'll stay?"
"Sure," I say, as I begin to unwind my scarf. "I won't drink your wine though."
"Oh, why not?"
"I don't love it and it's wasted on me - do you have anything else? Water will do too."
He lists out different alcohols, as he hunches over a built in bar, and my ears perk up at the mention of single malt.
"Single malt then, like so many Indian... men?" He grins, and I smile back at him.
"Reinforcing and breaking stereotypes everywhere I go, Al, are you ready for that?"
He straightens up, holding the remnants of a Glenmorangie Allta and my gaze with an intensity that almost makes me look away.
Almost.
"I am. Are you, Aisha?"
I smile at him, grabbing my layers of winter clothing and dropping it on the side of his large modern couch. I watch him, to see if the mess irritates him. Surprisingly, he maintains a poker face.
Al joins me on the couch and we banter with ease. With each line, we manage to weave in unnamable slightly aggressive chemistry into our conversation. On dates, I avoid this dynamic like the plague but somehow in this space, with this man, I find it deeply, concerningly engaging.
At some point, Al offers to refill my drink and I nod automatically. When he reaches for my nearly empty glass, our fingers brush against each other with an electricity I had felt and tamped down when we shook hands in the school parking lot.
We both watch each other, calculating, assessing.
"Ab!"
"Duty calls - I'll be back..." He walks up the stairs, the outline of his sculpted ass perfectly on display in his sweats.
I take a swig of the remnants of my glass. Samina's yelling reminded me exactly how stupid I was being. I rummage through some drawers in the kitchen island. I find the most organized "junk drawer," pull out a note pad, and write down a quick message, announcing my gratitude and exit.
_ _ _
I'm flicking through cable mindlessly, like a robot. I'd dropped Lila to Samina's mother's house for her sleepover #2. Sharmila would be heading back day after and I'd go back to my days of sitting in my underwear and swearing like a sailor. And eating spicy food.
My phone buzzes to life, and I pick it up.
Al Baqir. I smile.
It doesn't hurt to look, I tell myself as I open the text.
A photo of a beautiful bottle of Bunnahabhain, 25, gleams a bit more than the olive toned hand holding it in place.
I want both.
Heard you're going back day after. Drink to celebrate keeping Lila out of my ER? -
What an asshole. A second text shows up.
Try this single malt with me -