Our story starts when Hume takes the ugly Odalisk to meet his family in Lebanon. They had been engaged for two years already and his love for her had just grown since.
He never regretted everything he gave up for her, his life with Malena and his prestige as a businessman. He decided to become a Middle East correspondent in New York and took the ugly Odalisk along with him, for them to live their dream of loving each other together.
The ugly Odalisk refrained herself from meeting his family, at first. She was very ugly and her past was suspicious. She was afraid about what they would think of her. But he argued it was time that they understood the Western culture and that his choices were a part of the New World's lifestyle.
As they slept together on the night before the flight, she had nightmares and murmured some words....He woke up. "Honey, did you say something?" "Can't we postpone the trip?" "They are all waiting for us now. I'm sure they'll love you and considering how much they miss me I'm certain they won't even notice you're there....!"
"I doubt that. But, yes, you're right, we don't have a choice now."
The trip was long and tiring. The airplane went through tough turbulance, Talita wanted to throw up several times. But she was an ugly Odalisk and ugly Odalisks have strong stomachs. She closed her eyes tight and held Hume's hand. He caressed the back of her hand and said "It'll be alright. Trust me."
The connection in Egypt was on a Friday so they decided to stay until Saturday night to walk around the capitol. Hume tried to calm Talita down several times, but she was very uneasy. As they walked alongside the hot and beige Cairo, she sighed with a low voice "They are going to speculate about how we met, they'll want to know who I am.....And they loved Malena, she is the beautiful and talented singer. As for me, what do I have to offer? I am as blend as a band-aid!" Hume held her face, remembered her that it was just one week away from home, then everything would be good and safe again, but it didn't seem to be enough. She bit her lip and gave a deep breath. So Hume took her by the hand and dragged her really fast, crossing all the city so fast that she nearly fell with her knees down on the sandy ground. When they arrived at their cheap hotel room, he did that to her again: he kissed her cheek, his fingers on her neck and the others slipping down her belly and into her panties, his hands were all over her, as if he had six arms. She was silent for a while, then she slowly opened her mouth and a sound was heard for three minutes, non-stop. She laid, he laid by her side and said: "Just be yourself. I love you and I know why, don't worry. Okay?" "Okay...."
The plane arrived in Beirut, his family was there: father, brother and one cousin. There was major celebration upon seeing him. Hugs, shake of hands, loud whispers. She stood behind, holding her carry-on and looking down. Seven minutes later, he introduces her to his brother: "Alef, this is Talita" "Welcome to our country! Do you like shopping?" She answered politely: "Yes, indeed...." "Maja has wonderful places to show you, then! Come, come!" (the cousin, in Arabic: "She is even uglier than I thought!" the father: "Don't say things to hurt your uncle's feelings!" the brother: "She may be your aunt someday...." Father: "We'll have to see about that" Hume and Talita were walking calm ten feet behind).
As they arrived at the house, there was big noise among all the family. Talita was relieved because she seemed invisible and that was very different from everything she lived in New York, where she was the core of all attention. Their relationship had a giant repercussion and that was what all people around her would talk about.
After nearly one hour of catching up, the old uncle stopped talking Arabic and asked Hume, in English:
"Where is that nice girl your sister met in your house when she was in America? I saw her picture, you were in Central Park" the aunt: "She was so beautiful! And I heard she is very famous in America too!" Talita looked down. Hume went by her side, smiled and answered, firmly: "We separated because Talita and I, well, we are getting married in a couple of months." The aunt "Who is Talita???" The cousin (in Arabic) "The ugly one!"
Everybody laughs. "This is Talita", says Hume. The sister "Are you a singer, too?"
"No, I am a writer"
"And can I buy anything you've published at a bookstore around here?"
"I fear not. Not yet"
"Oh, I see."
"So tell us, Hume, why did you decide to bring this girl all the way over here? You could have taken her as a wife in America...."
"Talita is a big admirer of the Arabian culture. She is a very good Belly dancer, too."
"Have you seen her dancing?"
"I used to present myself with a group, from the school where I learned...."
(the mother, speaking for the first time since Hume arrived, in Arabic): "Hume, I don't believe you left that beautiful Western singer for an Odalisk! And she isn't even an Arabian!"
And the mother goes into the house. Hume goes after her.
Jamila, the cousin, approaches Talita "Don't worry, Talita. You will have the chance to show them why Hume loves you so much. Hume is an intelligent man, they all know that. And they know inside their hearts that he wouldn't bring you here if you weren't special. I'll take you to your room."
The room they reserved for Talita had a bathroom with a bath and a big mirror. Talita looks herself on the mirror "They are right. I am very ugly...." She takes a shower and goes to sleep.
In the morning, everyone is sitting upon the breakfast table and Hume goes to Talita's room to accompany her to breakfast. When they arrive at the dining room, they are discussing: "Who was that?" "I think it came from the guest room...." "Me too!" "But it is impossible, it was in Arabic!" They sit at the table. The uncle -- "Hume, tell me....has Talita been taking Arabic lessons?" "No, uncle, she never wanted to learn." "So why was she screaming Arabic words last night?" "Er...I think....she was having nightmares, right Talita?" "Yes, yes! I don't realize but I say some things sometimes...."
They all thought that was suspicious, but they decided not to mention a thing about it.
The next morning they were discussing the same thing again over breakfast. They decided to investigate how she learned such advanced Arabic words....
They spent the whole day out in the city. At night, the family gathered for dinner. The men were discussing politics and the situation of Libya.
Talita murmured a word in Arabic. The brother "Excuse me. What did you say??"
"Uhn, nothing...Just, well, the tabloids!"
"Talita, this is not a conversation for you." - Hume
"No, no. I want to hear" - the Uncle
The women started to giggle.
"Well, this entire conflict in the Middle East....People in the West are not aware that the Business of News creates the battles through tabloids for Political purposes and oil speculation. And there is the speculation of fire weapons also. The factories are everywhere in Africa too. It's sad. And the situation in Africa is even worse because besides the war they have the starvation and the diseases....No one talks about African conflicts in America, it is a forgotten continent. Africa's economy runs around cell phones, it is so backwards, considering their potential for arts and fashion, if they just had the media for it. And it is such a shame because Africa could be a powerful market if the rest of the world could find a way to reach to them. But this African liberation will just happen when the oil speculation is more democratic, that is, when the West allows the owners of the oil to have all profit from their land, so that the money will be able to have free flow. I still don't understand why the White world is so angry and jealous of the Dark society. All dark society has been kept hostage by them....: the Chinese, the Indian, the Africans, the Arabians, Brazil….! Are they jealous of our culture, our intelligence, our detachment from the system, our gorgeous women? I wouldn't know. But I hear the scream of the dark refugees:
Leave us be! Leave us to our culture!"
"True. But, Talita, we keep polemic subjects to men here." - the brother.
(Talita, in Arabic) "Oh, I'm sorry! I didn't mean to....Oh!"
(Aunt, in Arabic) "Again? She is answering back! How dare, she!"
Big noise, in Arabic....Talita goes out of the house to the back yard. Hume goes after her: "Please, be calm. They are not going to change how I feel for you. You complete me, in my work, as a man. And you are talented too, everybody in the city knows that. Just four more days, okay? And don't say things. Keep them to yourself. It is going to be a good exercise for you too." "I don't know if I can." "Alright, I didn't want to, but I have to tell you something...The reason why I brought you here wasn't exactly to make our relationship formal. I don't care for what they think, this is why I left here in the first place! There have been threats" "What??"
"Yes. Threats. They say you are loud and your political opinions are hurting their stability. You see, most people don't know these things and when you make them heard on the bus, or on your blog, the big ones get mad. It is dangerous for me too, I am an important journalist! Now, tell me the truth: Are you learning Arabic?" "I was taking basic word lessons with a girl over Skype. Why?" "Please, try not to. They don't like it" (Talita, in Arabic) "I'm sorry" "Talita, please." "What?" "You are doing it again" "Oh, no....I just don't realize. I want to go home, please!" "We can't back down now. You have to learn how to control yourself"
She cries. He holds her.
On the next day, Maja takes Talita to the market. Talita takes U$300,00 and buys all sorts of beautiful things. Maja gets surprised on her ability to shop "Why don't you work with decoir or something alike?" "I don't know, I don't have much money to invest" "Maybe after you've met the family they will want to help you with a new career"
"Maybe."
When they arrive home, the women gather together to see what she's bought. Jamila - "Where are the clothes and shoes and jewelry?" She had just bought material for artcraft. Talita - "Come here, Jamila. I want to teach you how to make a necklace."
They start to work on artcraft and Talita starts to tell her story, her trips through all America as a low-budget artist and the many adventures she had been through. The following days went by like that. As the men would go for business in town, Talita and Jamila sat for artcraft and stories. The other women would sit around pretending they were doing something, just to listen to them. Talita also taught Jamila songs that she had written herself.
At night, the women would tell the stories and the songs to their husbands and they asked the wives to listen more on the following day.
It had been 10 days since they had arrived and the family didn't want to let them go home. Hume was starting to become impatient and so was Talita. One morning, the family was waiting for them at the breakfast table and they showed up with the suitcases.
"We wanted to announce that we are leaving. Talita wants to spend a week in London and I have to go back to work too"
(the Uncle, in Arabic) "You can't go now. You have to stay a little longer"
(the brother, in Arabic) "He is right, Hume. The women have taught Talita too many things and she has strong political ideas. It is dangerous for her and for you."
(the mother, in Arabic) "Oh, my son barely comes through the door and he wants to return to that horrible land! I will not let you leave this time!"
(the father, in Arabic) "If you came back to leave your mother like this you had better not to have come visit!"
(Hume, in Arabic) "Please, don't do this. I won't stay not even one day longer. We have to go (in English, to Talita) Let's go!"
(the cousin, in Arabic) "She can't go!"
(Hume, in Arabic) "Why not?"
(the cousin, in Arabic) "I have her passport!"
(Hume, in Arabic) "No, It's not true" (in English, to Talita) "Where is your passport?"
Talita goes through her things "I can't find it!"
(Hume is in loud murmured tears, in Arabic) "Where is it?"
(cousin, in Arabic) "If you want to go, go! It is too dangerous for her"
The taxi cab arrives at the door:
(the brother, in Arabic) "Your taxi is here. Leave her with us for a couple of weeks. We know what is happening in your city, the conflicts because of her protests. We read her blog. We will teach her how to behave within the war."
The taxi honks its horn.
(the Uncle, in Arabic) "You have to go. And she is very ugly for you anyways. You will be able to have more beautiful and talented women in America"
(Hume, in Arabic) "No, don't do that! Please!"
The taxi driver enters the house, takes the luggage and the purses.
Talita - "Hume, what's happening??"
(cousin, in Arabic) "Your suitcases are already in the car. You have to go now."
(brother, in Arabic) "I'll go with you. Come." He takes Hume by the arm.
(Hume, in English) "I love you. I'll be back for you"
"Please, Hume, don't leave me here! Don't....please....." - Talita
(brother, in Arabic) "Let's go!"
(mother, in Arabic) "They are taking my son away from me again, all because this ugly dancer!"
Hume enters the car and cries deeply.
For the following three weeks, Hume writes Talita emails and telegrams, but he gets monosyllables as an answer. His family says she's fine, but they don't want her to be in danger. They say that if he has chosen a life like this, Talita shouldn't be harmed for that and that if he really loved her, he would let her stay with them.
So Hume got depressed and cried for hours every day. He wasn't eating or working.
A month after he had returned, he received a letter from England. He opened and he discovered it was Jamila who had written it, from Lebanon and asked a friend in England to forward it. It said:
"Dear Hume, I know you were forced to leave Lebanon back to America. But you have to understand what Talita is going through here. They are treating her as an enemy. They never speak English around her, and when she tries to speak Arabic with them, they are rude to her. They don't allow us to talk anymore, I was her only friend.
And now, I think they want to fix her a marriage. They set a date next Tuesday for her to dance. They bought her a beautiful pink dancing outfit and many single men will be there, including your brother. You have to do something because you love each other. Please, hurry!"
Of course Hume went desperate.
And he started to remember the first times they spent together, all those days working at the office, talking and exchanging smiles. How much she had grown! He remembered all both of them gave up to be together and why he loved Talita so much. She had the skill to make anyone love her. Actually, he knew this is why they didn't let her come with him. They had fallen in love with her too.
So he decided to have this people who loved her so much to help him have her back. Until then, he had kept this problem a secret because the Arabic world already had too many problems and he didn't want his family to be the reason of another scandal. But now he realized that this pride was stupid and that he had to come clean with his people. He published the following note on all major newspapers and sent it as a chain to heads of newspapers and magazines all over the world. He also made an youtube video with the same content.
"Talita, my true love is not home. Talita has been captured as a princess. But she is my queen and her place is among those who love her, the American people. I won't remind you of all the times she cheered us up with giggles and jokes on the backstage, because those times were countless. By the way, she has been on the backstage for an option too, because she is talented and caring. I gave up many things to be with her. As my family says she is too Arabian for me - I am Lebanese and she is Brazilian - I just want you to help me exercise what I have chosen. America is the place where choices happen, we are a Free country. Help me have her back. I don't want conflict, I don't want blood. She is all about love. I want you to say in a 45 second youtube video why Talita has to come back to America. Please be sure to do that before Saturday. They are finding her a husband, a real Arabian husband, on Tuesday. Thank you all!"
The video was broadcasted in all major tv news all over America. As a result, every two hours 12 videos were posted on youtube. This was the first youtube petition of the History.
Hume sent all the links to Lebanon Media and took a plane to Beirut. As he arrives at the house, just Maja is there.
(Hume, in Arabic) "Where are they?"
"Talita got very sick and they had to take her to the hospital"
"Take me there"
They arrive at the hospital and Hume gets to see her.
(Hume, in Arabic) "Leave me alone with her" - firm and loud.
"Talita, it's me!"
Her eyes, full of happy tears.
"Don't say anything. I am so sorry, it was my fault! You never wanted to come in the first place and I should have never left you here! I was such a coward! This is how I've always stood when it comes to you. I was never brave enough to admit that you are what I always expected from any person. And I heard everybody giving opinions about why we shouldn't be together.....I never helped you! I never stood by your side. And you chose me anyway. I am so sorry, and I would understand if you would never forgive me...."
"Just take me home, ok?"
Hume grabs a nurse by the arm
(Hume, in Arabic) "Listen, she is a famous American writer and a wonderful dancer too. She lost her passport. Can you call the American embassy?"
(the nurse) "Why don't you call yourself, sir?"
(Hume) "For the same reason why I couldn't call them a month ago when I had to return to the USA and left my fiancée here without a passport. Will you call them, please?"
(the nurse) "Oh, please wait here with her, sir. I'll keep the others outside. Whatever you do, don’t leave the room"
Forty-five minutes later, the embassy arrives.
"Talita, what happened" - they ask
"I lost my passport at the market last week while I was shopping for material for artcrafts. I didn't have time to solve this problem because we were preparing for my big presentation tonight. But I fear I won't be able to present because I feel really ill. I just want to go home!"
"It’s okay. Listen, I just got the news that you have been released from hospital. I'll take you and Hume a room in a nice hotel near the Embassy and you'll be on a plane in two days. Don't worry. You are safe now.”
"Thank you. I could not be happier"
Holding hands on the plane, back to America.
“Mission accomplished. They didn’t find out…..”
“They knew it all along.”
“I don’t know. At least now you are a famous American refugee hero.
By the way, thank you for not placing a formal complaint at the Embassy….!”
“Your family is good people. They were kind and respectful all along. It is just that I wasn’t one of them…..yet! They were working on that when you arrived. You….an youtube petition!”
"Yes. Are you going to write about all this? I can find you an editor!”
"Oh, now you can find me an editor! No, no….better not. I am retired from being a blogger. Ugly strippers run a safer business."
Laughters.
