THE REVERT 10

 Everyone is busy in Gilman's house. Rocky just arrived with Rose. Mahad Nasr and his wife are helping Saba's parents to get everything ready for the program in the evening. Even Gilman is running some last minute errands to make sure there is enough supply of the booze. Brian is walking back and forth in his room.

"Doesn't make sense! Something doesn't match."

Ruby's background check didn't provide enough information to answer Brian's questions. According to the results, Ruby is harmless.

Brian started pulling his hair with his hands. He does this whenever he can't figure out any answer. 

"How does she know that I work for the military or I have been deployed multiple times. She shouldn't be knowing this. " Brian thought.

"Somehow, I need to get close to her and find out more about her. But that damn woman is covered head to toe. I can't even read her facial expressions or have any sort of eye contacts." Brian muttered.

Looking at the mirror, 

"Brian, buddy! You are in trouble. This woman will take you down if it continues like this."

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" Do I really need to be present in the program?" Ruby sounded helpless.

-"Your uncle wants you to be there. At least, consider his happiness." Shirin replied.

-" Mom, Saba hates me. She will consider me as the party pooper. On top of that, her fiance's friends will be there. Especially, that annoying Brian."

-" What did Brian do? He seems like a good kid."

-"Change your glasses mom. From which direction, he looks like a kid to you? He is even older than Gilman." Ruby looked at her mom with disbelief.

" He is trying to have a conversation with me for past two hours in the living room. Why does he need to talk to me? And you are telling me he is decent? You are strange, mom!"

- " You have to get married one day, Ruby! If Brian is interested, there is nothing wrong with that." Shirin replied while folding the clothes, avoiding any sort of eye contacts.

-Ruby's face hardened. " Mom, he is not a Muslim. How could you think that I would ever marry a man like him? Moreover, there is something wrong with that guy. His eyes doesn't match his words. His eyes matches a heartless or emotionless man. He is hiding something big."

-"That's why I told your dad not to let you study psychology. You always make something out of nothing. If you continue this, you are never going to find anyone."

Ruby shook her head and got up. "Hopeless" she muttered!

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-"What book are you reading?"

-Ruby looked up ,'Not this guy's again.'she thought.

"Mystery" she replied.

-" May I sit here?" Brian asked.

-" No! I am sitting in the window sill. I am not comfortable with you sitting here." Ruby replied while looking at the book.

-"Alright, I'll get a chair." Grabbing a chair from the side, Brian sat in front of Ruby.

"So what do you like to do? I mean tell me about yourself."

-"Excuse me!" Ruby looked up. " Why should I tell you?"

-" I am just curious. You are an interesting woman." Brian replied

-" I don't buy it." Ruby replied looking at Brian. " Your eyes says something else. Look I don't want to be rude. But why are you showing so much interest? What's your intention?"

- Brian was surprised! He looked around him for few seconds, " Alright! I'll cut the crap. How do you know I was deployed? No one knows about it except Gilman."

-Ruby put the book down, " It was obvious. Since I came in, everyone else was staring at me except you and Gilman. It's not like you are shy being around women. Most likely, it was because of the way I dressed. You are white Christian male, I am sure you don't have any Muslim members to teach you that Muslim etiquette. So, my assumption was you spent a good amount of time in some Muslim countries where you had to behave like a Muslim or show your interest in Islam. That's only possible if both of you were deployed.."

- Brian leaned back in the chair, " I must say you are incredible in analyzing. What else did you notice about me? I am really curious now!"

-" We don't need to talk anymore, Brian. You asked and I answered. End of conversation. Excuse me!" Ruby left with the book.

Brian looked out through the window. A smile appeared on his face. " This game is going to be very interesting."

To be continued.... 

(All the story, characters and geographic locations depicted here are fictitious.)