"Nice Persian ladies don't do the things I do, or live fearlessly, I know I break the rules but I don't care," Nazanin "Nana" Fereydoun said, licking her lips as she looked up at her boyfriend Ahmad Gassama. The tall, burly and dark-skinned Gambian Muslim stud smiled at her, and the two of them shared a passionate kiss. Nana grabbed Ahmad's ass, and he jerked awkwardly, causing her to laugh. She loved getting a rise out of him...
They stood in the middle of Confederation Park, having walked there after a night at the National Arts Center. A fine sheen of snow blanketed much of downtown Ottawa, but the happy twosome didn't mind the cold in the least. In the deserted park, surrounded by snow, with lights from nearby buildings forming halos on their faces, the two lovebirds faced each other.
Clad in a stylish black suit, white silk shirt and dark blue tie, Ahmad looked both rugged and elegant. Standing six-foot-four, dark-skinned, with a smooth shaven head and face, he was the living embodiment of West African masculinity with his raw good looks. Ahmad took Nana's breath away the first time she laid eyes on him while looking for Fauteux Hall, the vast building which housed the Law School at the University of Ottawa.
"Salaam, sister, I'll show you where the building is, I'm a law student myself," Ahmad said with a pleasant smile, and relief washed over the young Persian woman like an awesome wave. The short, curvy young woman followed her impromptu guide, and surely enough, Ahmad led Nana to her destination. Upon arriving at the Faculty of Law, Nana looked at her handsome guide most gratefully...
"Thank you kindly, brother, I'm Nazanin, but friends call me Nana," she said, and when Ahmad offered her his hand to shake, Nana shook it. Thus Ahmad Gassama and Nana were formally introduced. Nazanin had been in the City of Ottawa, Ontario, for about a month when she met Ahmad. Political instability in her hometown of Qom, Iran, led Nazanin and her family to flee the country.
While her parents Nader and Leila Fereydoun chose to live in the City of Toronto, Nana opted for the quieter and seemingly safer town of Ottawa. The young Iranian woman found the capital quite charming and quaint, neither too big like Toronto or too small like some of the small towns she'd visited during a trip across Ontario. Nana felt good about choosing Ottawa. The place where she met Ahmad, the love of her life...
"Don't I know it," Ahmad replied, his deep voice snatching Nana out of her little trip down memory lane. And he then took Nana's sleek hand and brought it to his lips. For ages Ahmad had been seeing the Shen Yun posters all over the City of Ottawa. At malls, on the street, and even on campus, he heard people talk about the legendary Chinese art show. Finally, he bought a pair of tickets for himself and Nana. For he wanted his beloved to experience the best of what Ottawa had to offer...
"Tonight was awesome, Ahmad, thanks for bringing me to the NAC," Nana whispered, and she grinned, the light from nearby buildings shining on her round, cute face. Ahmed smiled and nodded in agreement, but otherwise remained silent. Nana looked at this tall, wonderful young man, a Muslim brother from the other side of the world, and shook her head, amazed. Had it really been only a year since Ahmad came into her life?