Chapter 22 – The Lawyer's Call
The first week of being *us* passed like a dream.
Every morning Adrian and I woke up together, had coffee, ate breakfast, kissed goodbye at 7 a.m.
Every evening he came home at 8, we ate dinner, sat on the couch, said "I love you," kissed, and went to bed together.
Layla kept calling me "Mama Lila" at our Wednesday visits, and each time my heart melted a little more.
On Saturday morning, we were at the kitchen table eating pancakes.
Adrian's phone rang.
He looked at the screen, his smile fading.
"It's my lawyer, Mr. Salem," he said.
"Answer it," I said.
He answered on speaker.
"Adrian," Mr. Salem said. "I have news about Karim Hassan."
Adrian sat up straight. "What is it?"
"The trial date is set for three weeks from now."
Adrian nodded. "Good."
"There's something else. Karim's lawyer is trying to get the case dismissed."
"Why?"
"He's claiming lack of evidence. The body was found in an abandoned warehouse, but there are no fingerprints or DNA linking Karim to the crime scene."
Adrian's face hardened.
"What does that mean?"
"It means if the judge agrees, the case could be thrown out."
I felt my stomach drop.
"Is there anything we can do?" Adrian asked.
"We need a witness. Someone who saw Karim with Nadia the day she disappeared."
Adrian was silent.
"I'll think," he said.
"Call me if you remember anything."
The call ended.
Adrian put his phone down.
He didn't touch his pancakes.
"Lila," he said.
"Yes?"
"If the case is dismissed, Karim will go free."
"I know."
"He killed Nadia."
"I know."
Adrian ran his hand through his hair.
"I have to find a witness."
I reached across the table and took his hand.
"We'll find one."
He squeezed my hand.
"Thank you."
I squeezed back.
"Do you want to eat?"
"Not right now."
He stood up and went to his office.
I cleared the table.
I washed the dishes.
I went to my room and sat on the bed.
I thought about Nadia.
I never met her.
But I knew she was a good person because of how much Adrian and Layla loved her.
I thought about Karim Hassan.
A man Nadia had fired for stealing.
A man who had taken her life.
If he went free, it would break Adrian.
I couldn't let that happen.
I opened the notebook.
*Day 101 – The trial is in three weeks.*
Under it:
*She's Lila. We need a witness.*
I closed the notebook.
At 8 p.m. Adrian came out of his office.
He looked tired.
"Did you eat?" I asked.
"No."
"I'll make you something."
"Thank you."
I made him a sandwich.
He ate it standing in the kitchen.
After he finished, he sat on the couch.
I sat next to him.
"Lila," he said.
"Yes?"
"I've been thinking. Nadia told me once that her coworker, Samira, saw her arguing with Karim the week before she disappeared."
"Do you know Samira's last name?"
"No. But I know she worked in accounting with Nadia."
"Do you know how to find her?"
"I can call Nadia's old company on Monday."
"Good."
He put his arm around me.
"Thank you for being here with me."
"You're welcome."
He kissed my forehead.
"I love you."
"I love you too."
We sat on the couch until 10 p.m.
He went to his office.
I went to my room.
That night I opened the notebook.
*Day 102 – Nadia's coworker Samira may have seen the argument.*
Under it:
*She's Lila. She's helping me.*
Sunday morning we woke up together.
We had coffee and breakfast together.
Adrian left at 7 a.m. after kissing me goodbye.
I spent the day cleaning and cooking.
At 8 p.m. he came home.
He looked exhausted.
"How was your day?" I asked.
"Hard. I tried to remember anything Nadia had said about Samira."
"Did you?"
"I remember Nadia saying Samira was pregnant and was going on maternity leave."
"That could help. If she's on maternity leave, she might still be in the company's records."
Adrian nodded.
"I'll call the company tomorrow."
"Good."
I served dinner.
We ate.
After dinner, we sat on the couch.
"Lila," he said.
"Yes?"
"Thank you for helping me think."
"You're welcome."
He kissed my forehead.
"I love you."
"I love you too."
We sat on the couch until 10 p.m.
He went to his office.
I went to my room.
That night I opened the notebook.
*Day 103 – Samira was pregnant and on maternity leave.*
Under it:
*She's Lila. She's helping me.*
Monday morning we woke up together.
We had coffee and breakfast together.
At 7 a.m. Adrian left for work.
At 10 a.m. he called me.
"Lila," he said.
"Yes?"
"I called Nadia's old company."
"What did they say?"
"Samira Ahmed. She's still on maternity leave. They gave me her phone number."
"That's great."
"I'm going to call her now."
"Good luck."
"Thank you."
The call ended.
I waited.
At 11 a.m. my phone buzzed.
It was Adrian.
"She answered," he said, his voice tight.
"What did she say?"
"She remembers the argument. Karim was yelling at Nadia about the money he stole. She said Nadia threatened to report him to the police."
"That's important."
"Yes. She's willing to be a witness."
"That's wonderful."
"I'm meeting her tomorrow at 2 p.m."
"Do you want me to come with you?"
"Yes. I want you there."
"Okay. I'll be there."
"Thank you, Lila."
"You're welcome."
The call ended.
I sat on the couch, my heart racing.
We had a witness.
If Samira testified, Karim would go to prison.
At 8 p.m. Adrian came home.
He hugged me the moment he walked in.
"We have a witness," he said.
"I know. You told me."
He kissed me.
"Thank you for wanting to come with me."
"You're welcome."
I served dinner.
We ate.
After dinner, we sat on the couch.
"Lila," he said.
"Yes?"
"Thank you for being my wife."
"You're welcome."
He kissed my forehead.
"I love you."
"I love you too."
We sat on the couch until 10 p.m.
He went to his office.
I went to my room.
That night I opened the notebook.
*Day 104 – Samira Ahmed will be a witness.*
Under it:
*She's Lila. She's my wife.*
Tuesday morning we woke up together.
We had coffee and breakfast together.
At 7 a.m. Adrian left for work.
At 1:30 p.m. I met Adrian outside the coffee shop near Nadia's old company.
He was waiting for me.
"You came," he said.
"Of course."
He took my hand.
We went inside and sat at a table.
A few minutes later, a woman arrived.
She was in her late 20s, visibly pregnant.
"Adrian?" she said.
"Yes. You're Samira?"
"Yes."
"Thank you for meeting me. This is my wife, Lila."
Samira smiled at me.
"Nice to meet you."
"Nice to meet you."
We sat down.
Adrian spoke first.
"Samira, thank you for agreeing to be a witness."
"You're welcome. Nadia was my friend. I want justice for her."
"What do you remember?"
"The week before she disappeared, Karim came to her desk. He was angry. He said she was ruining his life by firing him. Nadia told him she had proof he stole 200,000 pounds from the company and she was going to the police."
"Did anyone else hear the argument?"
"No. It was late. Most people had gone home."
"Thank you, Samira. This is very important."
"You're welcome. I'll tell the court everything I saw."
"Thank you."
Samira left.
Adrian exhaled.
"We have her testimony."
"Yes."
He took my hand.
"Thank you for coming with me."
"You're welcome."
We left the coffee shop.
On the way home, Adrian was quiet.
"What are you thinking?" I asked.
"I'm thinking that if Samira testifies, Karim will go to prison."
"I hope so."
He squeezed my hand.
"I love you."
"I love you too."
When we got home, we had dinner.
After dinner, we sat on the couch.
"Lila," he said.
"Yes?"
"Thank you for being with me today."
"You're welcome."
He kissed my forehead.
"I love you."
"I love you too."
We sat on the couch until 10 p.m.
He went to his office.
I went to my room.
That night I opened the notebook.
*Day 105 – Samira's testimony will send Karim to prison.*
Under it:
*She's Lila. She's my wife.*
I closed the notebook.
I went to bed.
Adrian was already in bed.
I got in next to him.
He put his arm around me.
"Good night, wife."
"Good night, husband."
He kissed my forehead.
I fell asleep.
The next morning we woke up together.
We had coffee and breakfast together.
At 7 a.m. Adrian left for work.
At 8 p.m. he came home.
We had dinner.
We sat on the couch.
"I love you."
"I love you too."
He kissed me.
We went to bed together.
The trial was in three weeks.
For the first time since Nadia's death, I felt hope.