Ana drummed her fingers on the steering wheel, left foot tapping on the floor as she waited for the pedestrians to cross.
"Coffee," Kamilah said.
"Drink."
"Plants."
"Green."
"Mouse."
"Small?" She drove forward when the road was clear.
"Pizza."
"Eat. Ugh." Ana flew down the road leading up to their residence. "Now I want pizza."
"We just ate."
"Later then. Okay, my turn." She slowed down to let someone jog across the road. "Bike."
"Ride."
"Dog."
"Pet."
"Cat."
"Pet."
"Ana."
"Smack."
Ana shot her a withering glance as she turned into the garage. "You know, you could at least pretend to hesitate a little."
Kamilah wore an impish smile. "I didn't say where, darling."
"Where then?"
"Your face," Kamilah said quickly, then alighted before Ana could make a comeback.
She settled for heaving a sigh, before following her partner out of the car. They had gone to pick up Kamilah's bike from the auto shop, and Kamilah's mood had stayed on a high since then. The one thing she loved dearly besides Ana was her bike, and this trip was akin to fetching a relative from a long stay at the hospital. Kamilah was looking over the bike again, running her hands over painted blue metal when Ana joined her by the boot. The motorcycle sat safely on the carrier fixed to the car's rear.
The auto shop did a pretty good job at the repairs. The numerous dents and scratches, and the broken windshield were all restored to their former glory. In fact, it looked even better than Ana remembered it. Almost like it was fresh off the factory line.
"Fondle that thing any more, and I might start getting worried," Ana said, holding onto the handlebars as Kamilah set down the metal ramp and released the clamps.
"Are you jealous?" Kamilah asked, rolling the bike down carefully.
"No, worried. Maybe you sneak down to your bike at night just to kiss it or something."
"Jealous."
"Whatever." Ana opened the boot, waiting for Kamilah to park her bike beside the car and finish caressing it, before waving her over. Kamilah looked on curiously as Ana reached for something in the compartment, then raised her brows when the brand new helmet came into view. Ana had ordered a custom job online, to replace Kamilah's ruined one. Its paintjob was identical to that of her beloved character's helmet on Starfell – her sci-fi addiction. It was black with bold silver streaks on the sides, arching towards the back. Grooves cutting down the edges of the visor completed the helmet's likeness.
Kamilah stared at the helmet with visible need, and took it near-reverently when Ana held it out to her. She turned it over slowly, examining every inch of the helmet before looking up at Ana.
"You're crazy," she said in a hushed tone.
"I know." Ana tilted her head with a smug smile, reaching for the phone in her pocket. "Put it on."
The moment she fitted the helmet over her head, Ana snapped a photo of her beaming from inside it.
"How do I look?" Kamilah leaned in to look at the photo and cringed. "I look like an idiot."
Ana laughed when she snapped the visor down. "Is it so bad looking like me?"
Kamilah shrugged and shook her head at the same time, pausing so Ana could press her lips to the tinted visor.
"There. Your helmet's been blessed."
Pulling the helmet off, Kamilah smoothed her hair over and stepped forward to kiss her partner. "Thank you."
"You're welcome."
"You know, I should get you a new one too."
"Yeah? Let me guess. It'll look like…"
Fingers tapping on the helmet she held at her hip, Kamilah smiled. "Her girlfriend's, yes."
It took a week for Ana's helmet to arrive – one painted in dark crimson with stylised golden wings spread over its surface. With their new acquisition, the pair went out on Kamilah's bike more often, and Ana soon felt that being a mere passenger would not do her helmet justice. So she asked Kamilah for riding lessons, and her request was accepted on one condition – that she would teach Kamilah to drive a car as well.
And so Ana had the terrible misfortune of discovering that, as much of a terror in the hospital Kamilah was, she was never as terrifying as when she sat behind the steering wheel.
"Milah!" Ana exclaimed when the car jerked into the next lane, earning a car honk from behind.
"Oh hush." Kamilah seemed completely unperturbed. "I can't hear myself over your shrieking."
"No blinker, and that car was so close to us!"
"Please. You don't use the blinker yourself sometimes. And your car didn't get scratched."
"Yet."
"Is that a challenge?"
"No!"
And their lesson went on. 'Lesson' was a term to be used loosely, because all Ana did was make Kamilah drive around an empty car park until she was familiar with the car's workings, before letting her loose onto the roads. Despite wanting nothing more than to sit back and close her eyes until this was over, Ana clutched onto the roof handle and kept her eyes glued on the road, yelling instructions that were followed only half the time. Perhaps the deal breaker was when they drove behind a car straddling two roads. It moved at a speed much slower than what Kamilah deemed acceptable, so the maniac floored the accelerator and swerved the car to the side. The road was too narrow to accommodate her move, and the tires bumped up onto the pavement, getting shocked glances from pedestrians.
By the time a petrified Ana came to her senses, they had long left the car behind, and were speeding down a highway – Kamilah's favourite stretch of road. When they exited into the commercial district, Ana demanded that she turn into a supermarket's parking lot. After a few tries at slotting the car nicely into an empty lot, Ana sat frozen in silence, wondering how they had not been stopped by the police in the past hour.
"What's wrong?" Kamilah asked, shutting the engine down.
"You. You are completely, fucking insane."
"It wasn't that bad."
"That was the most horrible ride I've ever been on."
"It's my first time!"
"I almost died."
"Stop being so dramatic."
"I could feel my soul leaving my body."
"You never complained on my bike."
"That's because we were on your bike. Not in my car." Ana jabbed her hands at the dashboard. "You were driving my car like your bike."
"I wasn't. You know what, I'll show you."
"Nope! No more." Ana pushed the door open. "I am not…"
"Where are you going?" Kamilah got out as well, following Ana as she trailed off to the supermarket.
"Getting a drink." Ana held out her hand. "And give me the keys."
"What?"
"Any more driving, you do it with the school."
"But you promised."
"I'm breaking it." She wiggled her fingers. "Give me."
Pouting, she put the keys in Ana's hand. "Why are you such a spoilsport," she grumbled as they walked through the sliding doors.
Despite being denied access to Ana's car, Kamilah did not stop her bike lessons with Ana. Although they became more of 'remedial' sessions when they signed up at a driving school together. They took a little longer with their classes before going for their road test, owing to their long hours at work and Ana's insistence that Kamilah stop being a road hazard by the time she got her license. Because, in all honesty, the road tests were a joke – they were so simple that even a child could pass them, even a careless one like Kamilah.
It was three months later that they got their licenses, and Ana jumped at the first opportunity to give Kamilah a ride. She donned her new helmet, revisiting the giddy excitement she had felt on her first ride with Kamilah. And much like that first time, Ana cruised around the city, trying to follow the route that she vaguely remembered, and got lost along the way. But at Kamilah's urging, she rode on anyway, trying to turn themselves back into familiar territory until they were greeted by the glaring lights of the megamall.
Ana was able to relax from there, already familiar with the route back to base, and having grown comfortable with the weight of her pillion rider. She could focus less on the road, and more on Kamilah hugging her from behind, their helmets bumping together when she stuck close to Ana's back. The proximity and physical contact made it much more intimate than when she ferried Kamilah around in the car. Maybe this was why Kamilah never really protested when Ana requested for bike rides.
Turning into the final, quieter stretch of road leading up to the base's gates, Ana turned her head to find Kamilah's helmet resting on the edge of her shoulder. Releasing one of the handlebars, she took Kamilah's drooping hands and draped them more securely around her waist. The black helmet moved, and the weight leaning on her back lightened as Kamilah woke from her little doze, then hugged Ana tighter. Ana smiled softly under the helmet. Bike rides with Kamilah was definitely one of her favourite pastimes now.
She wished she could say the same for car rides with Kamilah at the wheel.
As expected since their victory over the insurgency, a military ball was held as a homecoming celebration for the soldiers, and to commemorate their valiant deeds in the war. Ana soon found herself cackling at her squad as they went searching for dates to bring to the ball. Khalid enlisted her help in approaching the swimming instructor he always chatted with during his weekends at the base's indoor swimming pool. Much to his chagrin, Ana's 'help' consisted of silently laughing behind Nairah's back while he asked her out, getting chummy with Nairah herself, and letting slip some of his embarrassing moments back in base. For her final act, she tripped him into the pool in full view of Nairah's class. Then she tossed him a duck-shaped floatie and jumped into the water, yelling at him to hang on for her rescue.
Khalid spent the following week scowling at her. But his face was more than easy to ignore when Kamilah was around. And if he decided continue scowling tonight, Ana would definitely have no problem pretending that he did not exist.
"Wow," Ana said when Kamilah opened her door. "You look amazing."
With a wry smile, Kamilah gave her a brief peck on the lips and stepped into the corridor. "You'd say that even if I'm wearing a garbage bag."
"Your point?"
"You have poor taste?"
Ana chuckled, but kept her back straight as Kamilah adjusted her jacket lapels and smoothed over non-existent creases in her dress blues. They were similarly dressed in dark grey uniforms, crisp from diligent ironing; the only difference was their branch insignias on their left sleeves. Both their hair were pulled neatly back into a bun – Ana had to use gel to bring her wayward fringe in line, while Kamilah opted for pins to keep her unruly locks down.
"On the contrary, Lieutenant. I have excellent taste." She offered her arm to Kamilah, who took it with grace.
The ball was held at a snazzy hotel downtown. Ana drove them there, and Kamilah would be the one to ferry her back. Hopefully, Ana would have ingested enough alcohol by then, so that Kamilah's drive would seem smooth as silk.
They found their squads already mingling at the cocktail reception, one of the minority nursing alcoholic drinks among the large crowd gathered outside the ballroom. Adofo and Wardah – the omnic in Kamilah's squad – lingered around their squad mates, joining in the conversations, but unable to partake in the refreshments. Ana and Kamilah got pulled into one group, then the next, until they came face-to-face with Deyab. The major still looked the same, though he now sported a neatly trimmed beard.
"There you are," he said with a smile, and raising the glasses in his hands. "Haven't seen you in a while, Shadid. And Amari, good to see Shadid hasn't thrown you into the trash yet."
"I'll take that as a compliment," Ana said, then gestured at the soda in his hands. "Getting a little greedy, aren't we?"
He barked out a laugh. "I'm greedy for many things, but soda is not one of them." Deyab nodded his head, indicating that they should follow. He led them to a table where a woman stood, turning to face Deyab when he came close. Her eyes landed on his two companions, and offered her hand in greeting. Ana took it first, squeezing gently before touching her own hand to her heart. After Kamilah's greeting, Deyab handed a glass to his companion and held her about the shoulders.
"This is my wife, Umaira," he said, then gestured at them. "Kamilah Shadid, the one who took over me. And Ana Amari, the troublemaker."
Umaira laughed behind her hand. "Ah, I've heard about you."
"I'm flattered." Ana smiled, giving her a once-over. Clothed in a light gold hijab and a flowing navy abaya that complemented her husband's uniform, Umaira was every bit as elegant as she was lovely. "So the rumours I've heard about you were true. You are very beautiful."
"Thank you. You look very smart yourself."
"Trust me," Deyab said. "It's a front."
"Be nice, you surly old man."
"I'm surly. What do you want from me?" After getting a defeated sigh from his wife, Deyab turned back to Kamilah with a pleased smile. "So, how's the work been? Had an aneurysm yet?"
"Almost had one when the hospital system went down."
"Ah yes, I heard about that. Thank goodness I was out of there before it happened."
"I see you're the same as always," Kamilah said. "Life's been treating you well?"
"You'd think. The promotion's been a major pain in the ass. Ha!" Deyab laughed while Umaira busied herself with her drink. "Seriously though, all that red tape and paperwork makes me want to scream sometimes," he sighed, and perked up not long after. "But on the bright side, we're having a baby!"
"Well, well. Congratulations." Ana's lips curved when he hugged his wife again. "It's your third, isn't it?"
"Yup."
"How many months?" Kamilah asked, glancing down at Umaira's belly. The baby bump was either not showing yet, or was well-hidden under the loose fabric.
"Almost three now." Umaira touched her stomach gently.
"And it'll be here faster than we can blink," Deyab said.
"For you, maybe."
"Faster than I can blink then." He chortled when he received a nudge in his side. "So how about you two? Planning to have kids yet?"
"Oh! You are married?" Umaira asked in surprise, while Deyab broke out into guffaws. She looked at her husband with a slight frown, realising her mistake.
"No, we're not," Ana said, circling an arm around Kamilah's waist. "But maybe someday, hm?" She squeezed her partner gently, getting a small smile before Kamilah took a sip of her drink.
"Make sure we're invited to the wedding," Deyab said, having calmed down. He brought his glass up for a swig. "Oh, Shadid. There's someone I want you to meet later…"
When Deyab had wandered off to introduce Umaira to his other colleagues, Ana returned to her squad with Kamilah. She managed to speak a little with Adofo, discussing an optic upgrade he was pondering over, before the ballroom finally opened. They made their way down the receiving line and, unfortunately, Ana had to be parted from Kamilah, whose assigned seat was at a table behind hers. She sat between Layla and Mesi – who had no dates of their own, surprisingly. Khalid was one chair over with Nairah, listening attentively as his date spoke. Her squad was seated with another from a different company, but they all got along well enough. Adofo was the only omnic at their table, seated on a metallic chair designed to accommodate his size and weight.
It was after the appetizers that a general gave the first presentation, and Ana remembered how difficult it was to sit through one of these. They were enlightening – and rather sober when he touched on the war – but to listen one man drone on monotonously was quite the chore. She took the occasional bite of chicken while he spoke to keep herself active, and quickly found a suitable pace at which to eat her food, so that it would last just long enough for each presentation and speech. They inched through the courses, Ana stealing extras from Mesi's plate when she was feeling full, until they reached dessert. And, as always, that was when the dance floor and bar were opened.
People soon stood from their chairs, and married couples were the first on the floor. There would not be too many dancers, as Ana learnt from her past experiences. Married and more pious women would still prefer to dance only with their spouses and female friends. But for the younger ones who were less devout – like Ana and company – it was a time to let loose. Respectably, of course. The higher-ups were still around.
Ana occupied herself with her chocolate mousse, holding the petite dessert glass in one hand before putting it down quickly, so she could fight over Mesi's dessert with Layla. As she ate the spoonful of mousse she had gouged from the glass, Ana turned around to find Kamilah's seat empty. A quick scan later, she found Kamilah following Deyab to another table, where he introduced her to the colonel he spoke about earlier. The colonel stood and greeted Kamilah with a big smile, then laughed at something Deyab said. Ana turned back to the table, leaving Kamilah to do her socialising with Deyab, just as Khalid and Ebo left the table with their dates. Hakim – whose wife had a last minute engagement – excused himself from the table. Layla, after getting tired of sitting still, invited Adofo to the dance floor. Though a stranger to dancing, Adofo expressed a willingness to try, and thus was pulled towards the floor by an ecstatic Layla.
Mesi stayed at the table, nursing a glass of wine as they chatted and watched the dancers. It took a little waiting, but it was not long before fingers caressed her exposed nape. Ana smiled up at Kamilah as she sat in Layla's empty chair, returning Mesi's greeting.
"Had fun?" Ana asked.
"Pretending to smile in front of a group of old men is not fun," Kamilah muttered, taking a healthy swig from her glass. Then she looked down at it, as if she just remembered it wasn't alcohol.
Ana offered her own glass, which only had a finger of wine left. Not enough to take the edge off, but Kamilah downed it anyway.
"I remember when Jaida did that to me too," Mesi said wryly. "Had to thaw my face out with the hair dryer after."
Kamilah chuckled. "I might try that," she said, fingers parting to allow Ana's through. She smiled, but their moment was soon broken when Deyab came up behind Ana.
"Kamilah, I almost forgot."
"Did you just say someone's name for once?" Ana asked.
"Fluke, Amari," he drawled, lifting the lid of the flat box in his hand. Two bracelets sat in the box, one atop the other. "It's your birthday tomorrow, isn't it?"
"Oh, that's right." She took the box. "Thank you."
"Treat it as a promotion gift too. By the way, one's for Amari – my wife insisted on getting you a couple bracelet." He shrugged. "But if you like both, then Amari can get none."
"Thanks, you old fogey."
"You're welcome, Ana." Deyab cringed. "That felt weird."
"Please don't do that ever again."
"Done." He straightened his jacket and tugged at his cuffs. "Well, have a good evening, ladies. See you around base." With a wave of his hand, he departed and headed straight for his wife.
"Seems he's not that rough after all," Ana commented as Kamilah looked the bracelets over again, snorting when she closed the box.
"I'll bet anything that his wife made him buy these. He never gave a gift that's not 'practical' before."
"Thank heavens for Umaira," she said, looking out at the dance floor. The songs were growing slower in tempo, and she spotted Adofo's tall, awkward figure being led in a slow dance by a total stranger. Grin growing on her lips, Ana leaned over to Kamilah. "Would you like to dance?"
Kamilah raised a brow. "Would you?"
"With you, yes." She nodded her head at the floor. "Be my first and last dance."
Mesi's stifled laugh made Ana turn around – she had forgotten her friend's presence.
"You two are incredible," Mesi said through the back of her fingers. "Why don't you take your mush to the dance floor so my dinner stays down?"
Ana threw her napkin at Mesi, who caught it perfectly. At Kamilah's nod, they stood together and made their way to the floor, after leaving their gift with Mesi for safekeeping. Finding a nice spot to slip in, Ana tugged Kamilah forward, then turned to face her.
"So, who–" The hand landing on her shoulder answered her question. "As you wish." She smiled, closing the distance between them and resting her hand on Kamilah's back. Taking her partner's right hand, she eased them into the dance, falling into rhythm effortlessly. They kept close, feet flowing smoothly from step to step.
"You've danced before?" Ana asked.
"Only a few times."
She hummed. "And you already do it so well. Such talent, Shadid. I should start taking you dancing."
"Never knew you're the dancing type." Kamilah considered her words, then added, "At least, outside a club."
"No. But for you, I think I would. At least for the practice."
"Practice?"
"You know." Ana cocked her head with a sly smile. "For our wedding?" She flinched from the flick at her jaw, though a bright grin broke across her face.
"Don't you start as well."
"Why? Don't you want to be my wife? Or do you want to have kids out of wedlock?"
Kamilah stared back into Ana's eyes, something flickering beneath her gaze. "If this is a proposal, it's not a very good one."
"Then I'll have to try again and sweep you off your feet." Ana adjusted her fingers around Kamilah's hand. "Any requests? Candles, flowers, live band, doves?"
Lips twitching in a light huff, Kamilah said, "And if I want the moon?"
"I'll…propose to you at night?" Ana's laugh turned into a squeak when Kamilah's shoe stomped on hers. They faltered as the sound attracted a few glances, but soon regained their rhythm amid Ana's giggles.
"You're horrible," Kamilah sighed, even though she wore the beginnings of a smile.
"And yet you're still here. Seems love really is blind."
"If that's the case, then I never want to see again."
So simple, so absolute was the affirmation, that Ana's breath was stolen in an instant. She was left to follow the subtle tilt of Kamilah's hand, falling in step with her partner, who gazed back at her patiently.
"The things you say…"
"Hm?"
"You make me want to cry, sometimes."
"Tears of joy, I hope."
"With you, albi," Ana murmured, touching their heads together. "There's no other kind."
Adofo, of all people, was the one to send her a photo he had taken of that moment, when they were on the dance floor. He was taking up photography as a hobby, he said, and thought the shot was too good to pass up. Ana had to agree – it was a good shot indeed. And Adofo had promised not to share it with anyone but her, so she gave him no trouble over it. On the drive back to base, she had drawled "so pretty" over and over again while staring at the photo on her phone, smashed after downing a fair share of drinks at the bar with Ebo.
When she woke up the next morning, Ana draped herself over Kamilah's body and slurred out a "Happy 26th", before being pulled into the bathroom to freshen up. The sluggishness fell away just before noon, and Ana was able to pull herself together, ready to follow each and every one of her partner's wishes for the day. It was not that difficult, really, considering it was her state of mind most of the time. And since Kamilah had requested a quiet day with no skydives or bungee jumps, she was easy enough to cater to. All Ana had to do was drive her around, carry her shopping bags, and fight to pay for anything she brought to the cashier. The only thing Ana couldn't pay for was the pair of headphones she had picked up for herself. Kamilah had shoved her away the moment they reached the counter, and practically threw her card at the cashier before Ana could open her mouth to protest.
Not exactly the 'quiet' day that Kamilah wanted, but she still wore a smile when she kissed Ana under the stars, etching her second wish on her lover's lips. Though it remained unspoken, Ana knew what it was; the glimmer in Kamilah's eyes revealed a hope she shared as well. Linking their hands together, Ana brushed her thumb over the black band on Kamilah's finger. She pressed her lips softly to Kamilah's in a silent promise.
This wish was one she would see through.