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The Story of Ghassan and Alexandra – Part 26

June 21, 2009 at 6:51 pm (Germany, Stuttgart, Syria, Wilhelma Park, family, life, love, marriage, memories)

The library in the Cochrane residence was dimly lit. Very little sunlight filtered through the Tudor windows even on the brightest of days. Alexandra always disliked being in that room. As a child she had believed it was haunted and the large stone fireplace reminded her of the mouth of a monster ready to gobble her up. She wouldn’t go in unless her father was there. Of course, even if he were there, his presence was of little comfort. Now it was only her father who unsettled her in that room. As she had seen him do many times, Professor Cochrane sat stiffly behind his large wooden desk and coldly eyed Ghassan. Alexandra stood nervously beside Ghassan, her hand tightly entwined in his. The tension in the room was overt and she began to doubt that she had the strength to stand up to her father like she needed to.

She looked up at Ghassan’s face and although it was grave it was also set with determination. She remembered his words to her that afternoon, that he would fight for them, and although she believed him when he said it, now she could see that he meant every word. Seeing this helped to boost her confidence and she grasped his hand a little tighter.

“Father, I am going to marry Ghassan.” Alexandra heard the words leave her mouth but she wasn’t really sure she had spoken them. Her father’s face remained expressionless. “We are leaving tomorrow for Stuttgart.”

“Is that so.” Professor Cochrane said icily.

“Yes, it is so.” Ghassan repeated equally icily.

“You think you will live happily ever after with this…man, Alexandra? Do you think living in Syria will be some kind of paradise?” The professor hissed speaking only to Alexandra and ignoring Ghassan.

“Father, I don’t know what living in Syria will be like but I do know what living in Aberdeen is like and I am not happy here.” Alexandra said quietly. “I love Ghassan, Father.”

“You are a fool, Alexandra. I thought I had raised a well-informed daughter, but clearly I have failed somewhere along the way.” Professor Cochrane’s face was sheathed in disgust. “You have a penchant for self-destructive behavior.”

“You have certainly failed, Dr. Cochrane, as it is you who is the fool for not seeing Alexandra’s true intelligence and worth.” Ghassan’s voice wavered slightly, his anger starting to tear at his stoic exterior.

Professor Cochrane still behaved as though Ghassan had never spoken. He spoke, instead, directly to Alexandra.

“If you get on that plane tomorrow, that will be the last you will see of me and your mother. We will not attend your wedding, we will not come to Syria to visit, and we will not have any interest in any children you produce. If this is what you want, by all means, marry…if you can call it that.” Professor Cochrane never made empty threats and Alexandra knew that he would disown her without batting an eye. Her heart sank to the pit of her stomach. But she had been prepared for this eventuality and she had decided that she would not give her father the satisfaction of knowing that it bothered her.

“I’m sorry you will miss the happiest day of my life.” She said quietly and turned to leave the room.

“You will regret this Alexandra Mary Cochrane. Mark my words, you’ll come crawling back here in less than a year a miserable and tarnished woman.” Professor Cochrane sneered.

“It is testament to her spirit that she is not already miserable and tarnished.” Ghassan snapped.

Professor Cochrane rose from his chair and for the first time, spoke to Ghassan.

“Get out of my house, you loathsome Arab. You would regret showing your face here again.” he hissed.

Ghassan bowed slightly and replied very deliberately. “I have no reason to return here, Professor. All I want is coming with me.”

Alexandra interjected before her father could say anything, “Goodbye, Father.” Shakily she joined hands with Ghassan again and left the library and her father behind.

—–

The magnolias of Wilhelma had blossomed and fallen more than a month before but the Moorish gardens provided no end of brilliant colour on the day of their wedding. The sun shone through billowy clouds making the day as near perfect as one could hope for. Ghassan and Alexandra sat quietly as husband and wife by the water lily pond after the guests had dispersed. The wedding had been small and intimate. Most of the arrangements had been made beforehand by Frau Hanauer and there had been little for Alexandra to worry about once she and Ghassan had reached Stuttgart. The Imam of the city mosque had been invited, there were a few friends from school, Frau Hanauer, and Ghassan’s parents. Ghassan and Alexandra, however grateful to those who had shared the day, only had eyes for each other. As far as they were concerned, they were the only two people on earth that day.

As he held her small hands, Ghassan watched the cool, summer breezes ruffle the skirt of Alexandra’s beautifully simple ivory silk dress. She was beyond elegant, beyond beautiful – her red hair swept up on her head and an embroidered, ivory scarf, which his mother had brought, laid loosely over her curls. Her bright, blue eyes had never looked happier as she had said her vows and now, as she sat beside him. In that moment he pledged to himself that he would never let that happiness in her eyes fade. He would do whatever he had to to make sure that the rest of her life was nothing like the first part – wrought with unhappiness and disappointments. He would make sure she had the life she deserved.

In many ways, Alexandra had put that old life behind her. Her life now was one with her husband, Ghassan, and as she looked into his dark eyes she knew she was safe there. Today he was radiantly handsome – probably due to the smile that had not left his face since she first saw him before the ceremony. It was contagious that smile, and even now as she lovingly admired his face, she found herself smiling back. Certainly, in the back of her mind, the obvious absence of her parents, caused some sadness, but, at the same time, she had never felt freer in her life. She was excited, and a bit anxious, about starting her new life in a land she had never been to, but her sense of wonder and adventure, and the security she felt with Ghassan, encouraged her. This man, this amazing man, who had stood so steadfastly by her was who she would walk with certainty into the next part of her life.

Ghassan stroked Alexandra’s cheek lovingly, as he had done so many times before, but today it felt particularly affectionate for both of them. She placed her hand upon his.

“The love I have for you Ghassan, is beyond description. If love is in one’s heart, then my heart has grown far beyond my body to hold my love. It is the sun and the moon and the vast space beyond. I will love you until the day I die and if we are fortunate enough that our souls live on beyond our lifetime, then I will love you for all eternity.”

“Rohi. You are my soul.” Ghassan held Alexandra’s face. His kiss was long and tender. “Hayati, my life.” He whispered. “Let’s leave here. Let me make love to you. You will start to understand then how much I love you.”

Arm in arm, Ghassan and Alexandra strolled the paths of Wilhelma park, through the shaded magnolia grove, along the covered walk, past the look-out pavilion, toward the main gates and off to their life beyond Wilhelma and Stuttgart – off to a lifetime of love tested but unshaken by the challenges of marriage, children, and the passage of time.

—–

Ghassan and Alexandra were my parents. They both passed away nine years ago within months of one another – my father from cancer and my mother, they say, of a broken heart. May their souls always find their way back to one another.

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The Story of Ghassan and Alexandra – Part 22

March 31, 2009 at 7:30 am (Aberdeen, Germany, Scotland, Stuttgart, family, love, memories)

Alexandra’s return to Aberdeen proved as dismal as she had anticipated. Ultimately, however, the decision had been hers and she knew in the long run that it was the wisest course of action. Her only regret was leaving Ghassan in a state of confusion. But she had also known that a showdown at Frau Hanauer’s house would have proved disastrous, particularly for Ghassan. She had purposefully left Ghassan in the dark and disconnected in hopes that he would not try to come to Aberdeen to confront her father. In order for her plan to work, she needed to be in full control of all of the variables. Of course, on that fateful day in December, she hadn’t fully planned everything out. The one thing she had known, however, was that once she was home it would be easier for her to get away from her father than it would would have been at Frau Hanauer’s.

Alexandra knew that her father thought he had won, thought that his ever obedient daughter had returned home because of his will. Once home, Alexandra never once defied him. She went to dinner parties at the MacEwan’s, she went to the cinema and some dances with David MacEwan, she attended church regularly, and she continued her studies by correspondence – arranged, of course, by her father. So long as she was willing to comply with her father’s demands, they had very little to discuss and for the most part, he left her alone. Life at the Cochrane home was smooth albeit chilly.

During all the time at home, however, Alexandra had plenty of opportunity to fully organize her plan. She was getting things in order for her eventual departure. She had a packed suitcase, made sure her documents were up to date, and took a job tutoring some students at the university and high-school to pad her bank account. She had spoken, secretly, with Frau Hanauer on several occasions. Any day now Alexandra would purchase a ticket back to Stuttgart to stay at the Frau’s comfortable home. The only important detail that she wasn’t sure about concerned the one person for whom she was doing all this planning.

Ghassan was the only man she ever wanted to be with, the only man she wanted to spend the rest of her life with. She would walk the earth if it meant that she would eventually be with him. But what were his thoughts now? Surely from his perspective she had abandoned him. She knew that Frau Hanauer had spoken to him several times. The Frau had tried to soothe him without revealing Alexandra’s plan. But he was determined and so protective of Alexandra that it was difficult to find that fine line between dissuading him from going to Scotland and from not discouraging him altogether so that he would think he had lost Alexandra. But, Alexandra noted, Frau Hanauer seemed to be a genius when it came to human relations and, as far as Alexandra knew, the Frau had managed to keep him where he needed to be for Alexandra’s plan to work.

On a beautiful, May, Tuesday morning, Alexandra took a handful of money from her jewelery box – a place she had always stored extra cash. She donned her spring jacket and hat and stepped out onto the grey cobblestone street to walk to the local travel agency. She had enough to buy her ticket back to Stuttgart. With butterflies in her stomach and a lightness of excitement, she strolled carefree through her neighborhood. It wasn’t until she had almost reached the market that she realized that she was being followed. It wasn’t the sound of heavy footsteps, or a shadow that had given away her pursuer. It was a most familiar cologne that wafted toward her mixed in the sea air. At first, she thought her senses were misleading her, but as the scent grew stronger, she knew that she had not been mistaken. She suddenly stopped in her tracks and looked as casually as she could over her shoulder. There he was, her Ghassan, not more than a few feet away looking at her with those eyes, those boundless, dark eyes.

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The Story of Ghassan and Alexandra – Part 21

March 7, 2009 at 7:56 am (Germany, Scotland, Stuttgart, Wilhelma Park, family, love, memories)

As the South wind breathed springtime into Stuttgart once again, the rains washed away the snow and cold and ushered in a warm and sunny April. In the nurturing rays of the sun, the grasses and leaves exploded across the city in splashes of emerald. Spring flowers popped up their sleepy heads in neighbourhood gardens in vibrant hues while wildflowers danced in the meadows at the edge of the city. The busy downtown streets resounded with the energetic voices of the many people who walked there. Life had finally returned to the city that had slept for months.

On a particularly beautiful day, hung with blue skies and awash in sunshine, Ghassan rode alone in the back of a taxi. He was on his way back, his first visit of the year, to Wilhelma. He watched, stoically, through the taxi window as it ticked by the bones of the city he had grown to love and despise. In a few days he would return to Syria with his engineering degree and may never, as far as he knew, return to Stuttgart. If there was any part of the city he wanted to take home with him, it was the unmatched beauty of Wilhelma Park. He knew, however, today’s visit there would be bittersweet.

Ghassan had made a point of ignoring the empty seat beside him. But he couldn’t help thinking back to a year ago when he brought Alexandra to the park. He smiled as he remembered the excitement that was in her eyes and the flush that coloured her cheeks. She had been such a perfect vision of beauty that day. She had been everyday, in fact, but from that particular day his mind held an exquisite memory of her. But the memory quickly became painful and he turned his attentions once again to the streets. He was pleased to see the grandeur of Rosenstein Park rising before him and finally the intricate fence of Wilhelma not far in the distance.

—–

Against their exotic backdrop, the magnificent magnolias of Wilhelma reigned in blossom over the Moorish Gardens just as they had the year before and likely many years before that. Butterflies fluttered from flower to flower, birds sang in harmony with the breezes, and the waters in the enormous reflecting pool shimmered with diamonds of sunlight. Infused with a dream of perfection, of heaven, the park drew Ghassan along its meandering paths. He ambled with a carefree appearance but inside his heart began to ache as he approached the magnolias. The scene was unbalanced without her there. But he continued forward as if walking against a gale – a strong wind of regret and loss.

The day she left for Scotland was forever branded in his memory. Over and over in his mind he saw her walking out to the plane beside her father, her red hair tossing in the December wind, her blue coat wrapped tightly around her. He had stood powerless. Before she left, he tried everything to convince her to stay with him. But she had to go. Why he could never fully understand. But there she went. As he thought about her father, he remembered, resentfully, the fateful day of her father’s arrival in Stuttgart. How they had fought so hard to be together but to know end. Later he had tried to convince himself that their love wasn’t meant to be. That she simply hadn’t been the right girl. But that didn’t work for he knew in his heart that she was. And now he stood steeped in the most powerful memory he had of her.

As the magnolia petals of Wilhelma Park swirled and danced in the air before him, he made a decision. He would delay his return home and go to Scotland. He would not leave until she came with him.

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The Story of Ghassan and Alexandra – Part 20

February 21, 2009 at 8:40 am (Germany, Stuttgart, family, love, memories)

After Alexandra and Ghassan hung up the phone with Frau Hanauer they looked at each other in stunned silence. Alexandra’s mind was spinning. Everything was overwhelming her and it felt completely wrong. She had thought after talking to Frau Hanauer, she would feel more at ease, but it was quite the opposite. She felt as though her life was being spun out of control, as though she were in a centrifuge and someone had pushed the on-switch. It was almost as if she and Ghassan were merely puppets acting out someone else’s plan. She suddenly had the urge to grab onto something to stop the spinning, to stop the show. But what was solid enough to hold?

Alexandra looked into Ghassan’s eyes. There was a wildness there as if he too was feeling the same way as she – very unsteady. She grabbed his hand and held it firmly in hers.

“Is this what you want?” Ghassan asked, his brow furrowed.

“Yes.” Alexandra shook her head. “I mean, yes, I want to marry you. But all of this isn’t…right.”

“I don’t want it to happen like this either.” The wildness in Ghassan’s eyes turned from confusion to determination in an instant; the intensity that made him so compelling had returned. “Enough of this farce, I am going to speak to your father! I do want to marry you, but not like this. Not like this at all. Marrying in secret and hurry only implies we are doing something wrong…clandestine almost. And it is not wrong that we love one another and I love you very much.”

“I love you too!”, Alexandra’s heart melted. It was the first time he had ever directly spoken those words to her. “But we need to face my father together, Ghassan. We need to do this together.” As her own words echoed in her head, she felt a strong resolve throughout – particularly in her heart. She was still terrified of her father but if she could hold Ghassan’s hand, she felt that maybe she could face anything.

Ghassan held her face in his hands? “Are you sure?”

Alexandra nodded. She had rarely been sure of anything in her life or cared to be sure of anything. Almost all was looked after for her or decided for her. But today she felt that she needed to be sure of the course her life would take – at least the part of it that she could control.

Ghassan must have seen something in her eyes that spoke of her resolve. “Alright. Yes. Let’s do it together! I’ll call a taxi.”

“Wait, Ghassan!” Alexandra marveled at his decisiveness but she needed to plan. She needed to decide upon and to rehearse ahead of time what to say to her father. She was getting pretty good at predicting his responses to any particular statement and she needed to know what to expect from Ghassan. She needed to warn him if he would be wading into murky waters by his comments. “What will we say?”

“What do mean, Alexandra?” Ghassan immediately looked perplexed. “I’ll tell him that I shall marry you, that I shall look after you.”

“Come. Let’s sit down and plan this.” She tugged gently on his hand that she still held, urging him toward the salon. “I think you know that my father is a very rigid man and there are certain ways to act and not to act with him.”

Ghassan pulled back, drawing her close to him, he held her firmly but not roughly. “I have dealt with men far more rigid than your father. With all due respect to you, there is no planning required. I shall simply tell him what I am going to do, what we are going to do.”

Alexandra cringed, “Ghassan, with all due respect to you, he will laugh in your face. You have no power over him. He holds all of the cards. If he takes away my money, my student Visa, I’ll have no choice but to return home with him.”

As Alexandra looked into Ghassan’s face she was startled to see his dark eyes had gotten even darker. “Your father does not hold all of the cards. He does not hold you. You are with me. He cannot force you on a plane and he cannot take away your Visa. That is your Visa.”

“But he said…” Alexandra started.

“He told you that to keep you under his control, Alexandra.” Ghassan put his hand behind her neck and drew her in even closer. “But in reality, the only control he has over you is in your head. Push him out, Alexandra! Take away the power he has over you and be with me.”

Suddenly, as though a curtain had been lifted, Alexandra felt as if she was finally seeing everything more clearly than she ever had. The centrifuge had stopped and everything previously obscured was now separated out in plain view. She had always been her father’s puppet but Ghassan had shown her the strings so that she could cut them. She wasn’t sure yet how sharp her scissors would be, but she did feel she had the strength to wield them. After taking a deep breath, she squeezed Ghassan’s hand tightly. “Alright, Ghassan. I’m ready. Let’s go.”

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The Story of Ghassan and Alexandra – Part 19

February 9, 2009 at 7:38 am (Germany, Stuttgart, family, love, memories)

In the salon of his residence, Ghassan deliberately sat across from Alexandra on a separate sofa. Flashes of what had taken place in the pantry continued to titillate him. Sitting next to Alexandra, would have been too much of a distraction and now, more than ever, he needed a clear mind. He was determined to settle this issue with her father once and for all. He couldn’t stand to see Alexandra in such distress. Looking into her beautiful eyes and seeing such pain there brought pain to his own heart. For a while, Ghassan and Alexandra sat in silence, each consumed in their own thoughts. The impact of the situation was finally starting to sink in and it didn’t appear as though an answer to the problem was going to arrive swiftly.

The long, low light of late afternoon softly infused the salon with a dreamy glow. Ghassan looked to Alexandra and finally allowed himself to be distracted by her. He couldn’t help but admire how the mellow light created an auburn halo around her red locks. But as he drew his eyes away from that lovely phenomenon, he was startled to notice that she was visibly shaking. Quickly, he went to sit by her and took her in his arms once again. Even then, her body continued to quiver uncontrollably. When he looked into her eyes, he saw the anxiety that had risen there.

“Are you cold?” he asked with concern.

Alexandra gave a weak smile and softly replied, “Yes, Ghassan. I can’t seem to warm up.”

“Let me get you a throw.” Ghassan rose to get one for her when she took his hand.

“No, Ghassan. Just keep holding me, please.” Her eyes pleaded with him. “I feel much better with you beside me.”

Ghassan smiled as he seated himself again and admitted, “I feel better here, too, Alexandra.”

With Alexandra’s head on his shoulder, Ghassan resumed his thoughts. He still believed that he should face her father. But now he was concerned that the police would be involved since it appeared that Alexandra’s father would go to any lengths to ensure his demands were met. Ghassan couldn’t risk putting Alexandra in jeopardy of being forced to leave with her father. He thought of leaving her at his residence and returning to Frau Hanauer’s himself. But what if her father had convinced the police that Ghassan had kidnapped his daughter? Then he might be taken in for questioning which, ultimately, would cause more stress for Alexandra – not to mention, for him too.

As Alexandra’s shaking had abated somewhat, Ghassan concluded that the first thing that should be done was to call Frau Hanauer to let her know that Alexandra was okay. He figured the wise woman may also have a solution to the situation or at least some suggestions on what they might do next. He also believed that Frau Hanauer would not betray them to Professor Cochrane and as he conveyed these ideas to Alexandra, he saw that she, too, felt comfortable with the idea.

—–

Frau Hanauer’s voice was like a light breeze that can softly lift a dense fog. She cooed and fussed over Ghassan and Alexandra as if they were two children who had run to the arms of their mother. Frau Hanauer’s relief in hearing from them was very evident. As Ghassan imagined she would, she spoke softly in her office so as not to alert Alexandra’s father.

“Alexandra, your father went to the police. But I’ve made some phone calls too. There’s only one solution to this situation.” Frau Hanauer said with conviction. “If you are married, no one can force you to do anything.”

The words danced in the air before Ghassan. If you are married. For months now he had been envisioning Alexandra as his wife. He had dreamed of proposing to her romantically. What was now being proposed, however, by Frau Hanauer, had removed all of the romance from the picture. He would wed Alexandra out of necessity rather than by following the regular course of love. Love sped up? Surely the end would justify the means. Putting that all aside, there were also the practicalities. He had no desire to marry in a church and he had never spoken to Alexandra about converting to Islam. He had no idea whether or not she would be willing. And where would they find an Imam to marry them that day?

Frau Hanauer had worked that out too.

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The Story of Ghassan and Alexandra – Part 18

January 28, 2009 at 7:35 am (Germany, Stuttgart, family, love, memories)

Alexandra felt as if her sobs would tear her apart if it weren’t for Ghassan’s strong arms around her. Suddenly nothing else in the world mattered except escaping this repulsive fate that her father had brought down on her. How could her father take her away from the man she really loved and place her, instead, with someone for whom she had no feelings? He had always been very strict with her, but doesn’t a father ultimately want happiness for his child? In one swift blow, her father had negated her judgment. Feelings of betrayal enveloped her. The hurt was only abated by the love she felt for the man who now held her.

Why couldn’t they just leave for Syria? Leave all this behind and go somewhere where her father couldn’t, or wouldn’t, follow her. The hero and the heroine were always escaping under the cover of darkness in the movies; secretly married and riding off into the sunset. If this scenario could be imagined, why couldn’t it really happen? Alexandra didn’t want to have to defend herself against her father anymore. She wanted, rightly or wrongly, to be whisked off by a fearless defender on a pure Arabian across the deserts to the exotic lands that she could only imagine in her dreams.

As she listened to Ghassan’s heart beating, Alexandra settled comfortably against his body. She breathed deeply and the sensual scent of his cologne mixed with the bouquet of his sweater filled her airways. The ambrosia nearly stupefied her and at the same time rose a desire in her that she had never felt before. Away from his chest she moved her face to nuzzle softly in the tender place just below his ear. The skin there was so soft and compelling. Alexandra allowed her lips to caress that place as she drew him in closer with her embrace. She felt his body tense but continued anyway. As a lock of his hair tickled her cheek she took the supple, irresistible part of his ear gingerly between her teeth and massaged it with her tongue. A more delectable morsel she had never tasted.

Suddenly all the anger, fear, frustration, and even hatred, toward her father transformed into an energy of passion. Back in that little pantry, she knew that what she now wanted she couldn’t possibly have and yet she had no control of her pursuit of it. In her ear, Alexandra heard Ghassan’s breathing intensify driving her further into a state of complete longing. She released the tip of his ear lobe and moved along his strong jawline and nudged his lips with hers. At first he was unresponsive, but as she nudged again, he smoothly replied in kind. Alexandra found the effect so utterly intoxicating that she pulled him in even closer and kissed him fully. At that, as if no longer able to restrain himself, Ghassan enveloped her, drawing her in so tightly that she was sure she would never be able to breathe again.

The agility of Ghassan’s lips and the intensity with which he now poured his devotion upon her made Alexandra weak in the knees. She felt as if the rest of the world was literally dissolving around her. All coherent thought had flown from her mind. All she could do, all she wanted to do, was to hold on to that moment’s rapture forever. But it was not to be. From within the café a plate crashed loudly against the floor and sounded as though it had broken into a million pieces. And so shattered that moment between them. Alexandra desperately wanted to reclaim it and bring it to life again but Ghassan held her back by taking her face in his hands.

“No, no more. Not here. Not now, Alexandra.” He said quietly and took a deep breath as if trying to compose himself, as if trying to convince himself of his own words. With a little smile he added, “We’re wanted criminals now. We have to keep moving!”

“You didn’t like…” Alexandra started.

“I liked it all too much, my Beauty. But you do agree that this pantry is a little…confining?” He whispered with a sparkle in his eyes.

Alexandra couldn’t help but smile and to let out a small laugh. “Where will we go? We can’t go back to Frau Hanaur’s. He’ll be there.”

“Let’s go back to my residence. Your father doesn’t know where that is. We can figure out what we’ll do once we get there.”

With that, Ghassan pushed open the back door of the café slightly to make sure the alley was empty. When he had deemed all was safe, he placed his coat around Alexandra’s shoulders, took her hand in his and they left the temporary safety of the pantry for the Stuttgart streets.

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The Story of Ghassan and Alexandra – Part 17

January 20, 2009 at 8:01 pm (Germany, Stuttgart, family, love, memories)

The black anger that had seized Ghassan’s mind, made him oblivious to his surroundings. The northerly wind pushed at him and he pushed back angrily. Words of an imagined argument with Alexandra’s father swirled around in his head; thoughts of stealing Alexandra away in the middle of the night, heading East on a midnight express, made his blood course. With each deliberate footstep away from the house his resolve strengthened. He had to do something. If he went home he would go mad with waiting. Waiting for someone else to decide the course of his future was not something he could stand for. Why was he being barred from the discussions when he was central to them?

Ghassan stopped abruptly with the purpose of turning around but just as he did, a young woman ran past him. Ghassan’s mind had been so focused on his own thoughts that he did not pay her much attention except he noticed she wasn’t wearing a coat and only a scarf over her head. Inadvertently he turned to look back at Frau Hanauer’s home and was surprised to see Frau Hanauer still on the stoop. She was waving frantically in his direction. Then he saw a tall figure emerge hurriedly from the house and leap the four steps from the stoop to the front walk. Suddenly, Ghassan’s mind focused on the events that were unfolding. He realized that the woman who had passed him was Alexandra and the man quickly approaching was her father.

Without another thought, Ghassan began to run after Alexandra. She was at least several hundred metres ahead of him. He could hear her father shouting her name behind him and he knew he had to catch up to her before her father did. His long legs took him further and faster than either Alexandra or her father could run. Without looking back, Alexandra turned down a lane way. Ghassan rounded the same corner now less than 50 metres behind her and was catching up quickly. Alexandra seemed to sense someone approaching and sped up. As the two took a sharp curve in the alley, Ghassan could almost reach out to touch the back of her dress. He quickly looked behind him but could see no sign of her father.

“Alexandra! Stop!” He shouted. “It’s me, Ghassan!”

Alexandra turned to look at Ghassan while she continued to run, her face a mix of surprise and fear.
“I can’t stop! If he catches me…” Her voice trailed off as she continued down the alley.

The alley had mostly a mixture of back doors and doors to storage rooms set into the gray stone buildings. Higher up, were several stories of windows. The alley was deserted except for garbage cans, and stacked boxes and a few stray cats. Ghassan’s and Alexandra’s footsteps echoed loudly as they slapped against the old stone walkway. Ghassan was starting to feel tired from the running and was wondering where they could run to to elude Alexandra’s father. As they had almost arrived at the far end of the alley, he suddenly recognized a sign from a café that he frequented on one of the back doors. Without a warning, he grabbed Alexandra’s arm and pulled her toward that door.

Shouts behind them warned them that Professor Cochrane was still in pursuit. Ghassan pulled hard on the door but it did not open. He rattled it a little more and finally it gave way. The two slipped quietly into the tiny pantry for the café and closed the door gently. Ghassan wrapped his arms around Alexandra and pulled her close as they both panted hard after such a run. Again, they heard her father’s shouts now just outside the door and then nothing as he had emerged onto the main street.

Alexandra began to cry as she buried her face in Ghassan’s chest. “He is going to marry me off to David McEwan! Take me away where he can’t find me!” Ghassan looked down to see her small, flushed face looking up at his. “Take me to Syria!” She pleaded.

Ghassan stroked her hair gently and sighed. “If only it were that easy, Habibti. If only.”

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The Story of Ghassan and Alexandra – Part 16

December 27, 2008 at 3:54 am (Germany, Scotland, Stuttgart, family, love, memories)

The Professor Professor John Cochrane was a formidable figure, tall, steely-eyed, and rarely smiling. Even when he did smile, it held the shape of irony – nearly a smirk. At the University he was an esteemed professor. He was very knowledgeable in his field and a fair grader. One look at him and the student knew to take his course seriously or to leave. He was well respected by his colleagues, outspoken in debate and a well-spring of facts and information. At home he was very much the patriarch – strict and overbearing. He was a good provider – neither his wife nor his daughter wanted for anything, except perhaps for some affection.

The Professor had made decisions about the path in life that his only child should take. He had decided her course of study, where she would work once graduating, and had even narrowed down candidates who might be good husbands. Alexandra had always been an uncomplicated child, willing to please her father and always obedient. But as they sat across from one another in Frau Hanauer’s sitting room, he saw a change in his daughter. One he didn’t like. She had a look of hostility, if not outright rebelliousness in her eyes. He knew that he would have to deal with her toughly and swiftly.

“When we return to Scotland tomorrow, our family shall have dinner with the MacEwans. Do you remember David?” He asked brusquely.

Alexandra sat uncomfortably across from her father. Her hands were set tensely on her knees and her posture perfectly straight. For the most part, she avoided looking directly at him for fear she might impart some information to him that she hadn’t wanted to. Unfortunately, this act in itself, had already signaled to him that there might be a problem. She could see him looking at her keenly and waiting for a satisfactory response.

“Yes. I remember David.” she said quietly.

“And what do you think of David?” Every question was exploratory and never simple.

What do I think of David? Alexandra had never thought about David MacEwan except that she was repulsed by his freckles. He was quiet and studious but hardly appealing – at least to her. She wondered bitterly, where her father was going with this line of questioning.

“David is very hard working.” She responded flatly.

“Indeed. He will be a good provider to a lucky woman.” Professor Cochrane had not moved his sight from his daughter’s face.

“Probably.” Alexandra felt nauseous. She held her breath and quickly added, “But I won’t be able to join you for dinner.”

“What do you mean?” her father said slowly through gritted teeth.

“I’m staying here for Christmas, with Frau Hanauer.” Alexandra’s heart was beating so hard she could hear it pounding in her head.

“You most certainly will not.” Her father’s voice was flat and terse. Alexandra could tell that he was extremely vexed.

“I’ve already made the arrangements with Frau Hanauer.” Alexandra looked at her father with determination in her eyes. Something he had never seen before.

“Do you remember who is footing the bill here? Or have you forgotten that along with your family?” Her father launched at her.

Alexandra wanted to hit him. To smite him as harshly as he had always tromped on her feelings. But she had always sensed it wouldn’t make an impression on him. He seemed to have no feelings to hurt. She decided to play a card from her father’s deck. As cooly as she could she responded. “I haven’t forgotten who is footing the bill or who my family is, but perhaps you have forgotten why I am here and who wanted me here in the first place.”

“Very clever, Alexandra. But not clever enough. While I am paying the bills, you will do as I bid. Once you are married, and someone else is footing the bill, you will no longer be accountable to me.” He sneered.

“Then I shall marry.” Tears of frustration were welling in Alexandra’s eyes.

“Yes, you shall. David MacEwan has asked me for your hand and I have agreed.”

“You did what!” Alexandra was standing now and shouting. “I will not marry David MacEwan.”

“Alexandra, you are making a scene.” Her father looked at her with victory in his eyes. “Go up and pack your bags.”

Without another word, Alexandra stormed from the sitting room, past the stairs, and out the front door. Professor Cochrane started as the large wooden door banged shut. “Alexandra!”

—–

Outside on the front step, Frau Hanauer was watching Ghassan make his way up the street and was startled by Alexandra’s sudden slamming of the door. As the girl flew by her and down the steps, Frau Hanauer made no attempt to stop her.

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The Story of Ghassan and Alexandra – Part 15

December 22, 2008 at 4:49 am (Germany, Stuttgart, family, love, memories)

Christmas break was arriving much faster than Ghassan had expected. An enjoyable fall with Alexandra had made the time whisk by. As the snow gently fell, once again, on the Stuttgart streets, he regretted only one thing – that he hadn’t been able to take her somewhere special, just the two of them. He understood Frau Hanauer’s desire to put limits on their freedom, but he had hoped she might grant them a little more, even if it were just a walk in the snow. He had wished to be able to hold Alexandra in his arms, to touch her face, and perhaps even to sneak a kiss – all things impossible in a proper sitting room. For weeks these thoughts had been building in his mind. Today, being Sunday, he had decided that he would finally talk to Frau Hanauer about the possibility.

On this afternoon the skies were overcast, but the freshly fallen snow which blanketed the ground and the roof tops gave the neighborhood a magical glow. The nip of frost in the air was invigorating as opposed to oppressive and Ghassan breathed deeply as he trudged through the streets to Alexandra’s. Many of the homes along the way had beautiful fir wreaths with festive ribbons adorning their doors. Ghassan laughed to himself as he stopped to watch a cat, huddled on a windowsill, yowl unpleasantly at its owner through the glass. Only a cat, he thought, could be so unpleasant and still so adored. Further along, as he approached Frau Hanauer’s, Ghassan felt a spring in his step – a lightness that came only with the thought of Alexandra.

Frau Hanauer’s home was always neatly kept. Today, the walk was shoveled, fresh sprigs of evergreen followed the wrought-iron banister to the bottom of the steps, and a tidy welcome mat invited one to wipe one’s boots before stepping upon the threshold. Everything appeared as it always did and Ghassan had no reason to expect anything out of the ordinary behind the large, wooden, front door. But when Frau Hanauer opened the door, her face was sternly set. In a loud voice she shouted in German something about not wanting any, and forced Ghassan back out onto the landing as she closed the door behind her.

“Ghassan, dear.” began Frau Hanauer in a hushed tone, “You can’t meet with Alexandra today.”

“But why, Frau?” Ghassan staggered with confusion. “What’s happened?”

“Her father is here.” Frau Hanauer looked directly into Ghassan’s eyes to ensure that he understood her message. “You’d better go home.”

Ghassan looked back at Frau Hanauer wide eyed with surprise. “Her father.” He repeated. As he did so, a twinge of fear nestled itself into his heart. “But why?”

“He has come to take her home for the holidays.” Frau Hanauer stated simply. “But I suspect there’s more to his arrival than he has stated. I think he wants to survey my home to make sure all is as it should be, according to his instructions.”

Ghassan stood completely still, his eyes on Frau Hanauer and his mind spinning. The fear that had tried to implant itself was now being washed away by fiery Arab blood. The darkness of anger and frustration began to pool in his already dark eyes. Stiffly, he stood tall while he placed his hands behind his back and clenched his fists.

“I need to speak to him.” he said coldly.

“Ghassan, please.” Frau Hanauer implored. “He is not a man who is easily reasoned with. Go home and let me deal with him.”

“No. I will not. With all due respect, Frau, this matter must be settled by me and Alexandra.”

“He does not know.” Frau Hanauer said sternly. “He thinks everything is as he had ordered. What do you think will happen if you go in there right now? How do you think that would affect Alexandra? He could take her home and never let her return.”

“This charade must end. I must face him.”

“Not today, Ghassan.” Something in Frau Hanauer’s voice alerted Ghassan. Her face was stony and her eyes fierce. “Go home.”

Ghassan’s instinct was to push past her and to enter the house. But as he felt his blood boiling, he felt a deeper gratitude to, and respect for, this staunch woman standing before him. He turned briskly and descended the stairs and then turned again to look at Frau Hanauer.

“My heart is in your hands, Frau.” he said with a slight edge to his voice – partially a plea and partially a warning. As he walked quickly away, he heard the large wooden door close again as Frau Hanauer went back inside.

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More Music

December 19, 2008 at 4:07 am (Germany, memories, music)

Lys Assia hit the number one spot on the German hit charts in December 1955 with her song, Arrivederci Roma. Imagine the sound filling Frau Hanauer’s sitting room from the speakers of the old Tonfunk stereo.