Chapter 36

                                    

                                          

Emma
 Dawood and the Indian student left, and I watched them go. Today, he kept surprising me with new behaviors. When I came home to find the lasagna completely burned, I was sure he would find any excuse to make fun of me, but to my surprise, he seemed concerned.
It was hard to tell if he was acting, but his facial expressions suggested otherwise. When he took me out, that was another shock; despite my hunger, I hesitated to hop on his bike and follow him. For some reason, it felt way too close for comfort. He was my husband, and even before we were married, we shared many intimate moments. I can't explain it, but this felt like we were breaking through a barrier in our relationship and sharing a private moment.
There was no way I could put my faith in Dawood. Since he would never pass up an opportunity to harm me, the fact that he was suddenly acting so concerned and caring about me piqued my suspicions. I was afraid of giving in to his charm and having my heart broken. He may be hatching a plot to get even with me, so who knows?
Dawood was hurtful; he admitted as much; he married me to hurt me, and now he was acting all strange, and I couldn't make heads or tails of it. I couldn't decide if I should trust him.
"Due to the boy's inability to save money, Dawood covered his tuition for the previous semester. He has it stashed away and plans to give it back to Dawood, but I doubt Dawood will accept it. "When I heard Hande's voice, I snapped out of my reverie.
"Many international students rely on his assistance. He referred all students who work at our restaurant," Eymen agreed with his wife in her admiration of Dawood and joined in on the conversation.
First, I had no idea Dawood would lead me to such a revelation as this. Before today, I had assumed that Dawood was all about his status and wealth and lacked any sense of modesty.
In all my time knowing him, I've never witnessed him interacting with others so casually and comfortably as he was doing at that moment. Since we got here, he's been wearing a genuine grin. He didn't look like the conceited, self-important Dawood I'd known for the previous fifteen months.
How many layers did Dawood have? His persona changed depending on his environment. There was a big difference between the Dawood I met in Turkey and the Dawood I knew in law school. Though I've always thought Dawood was smug, I saw his new side today.
"I didn't know about this," I told the couple staring at me curiously.
Eymen smiled softly and said, "Dawood doesn't like to talk about this. He is the one who believes in doing good and not showing off."
Eymen was probably correct. No one at HLS ever mentioned Dawood as helpful. He was well-known for his academic prowess, attractiveness to women, and skill in the sack, but not for helping immigrant students. 
After a short while, the guy Dawood was with returned, his eyes shining with an appreciation for Dawood. Soon enough, I realized that Dawood had turned down his payment offer.
After a short conversation with the couple, Dawood gestured for me to follow. A few couches surrounded a massive table in the adjoining room he led me into. While waiting for the server to take our order, we relaxed on one of the couches.
Having no prior knowledge of the restaurant's menu, I deferred to Dawood's judgment when he asked what I wanted to eat. During their conversation, Dawood placed the order and inquired the Indonesian man about his schooling before he left.
I couldn't help but say what had been on my mind since we arrived: "I didn't know you were into helping immigrants."
He shrugged and said, "It's not a big deal. The students are scared when they arrive here, and if not guided properly, can fall into wrong habits and company."