The first of the morning light is trying to come through the curtains, while the last of the night glow disappears. You feel my lips nibbling on your ear. “Aliyah, good morning,” I whisper. You are lying on your side, and I am lying behind you, my body right up against yours. My heat warms you and you wriggle a little but still not able to open your eyes. I kiss you on your neck and you can feel my breath on your skin as...

I stir in my sleep as the phone buzzes on the bedside cabinet. I quickly look at the digital bedside clock and moan quietly as I press one of the side buttons on the iPhone to silence the buzzing. Who the fuck would call at 2:00am? I turn around to see if my wife is still asleep. All hell would break loose if her sleep got disturbed. Thankfully, she is still snoring, probably in some dream about clothes and shoes. I am no...

I am waiting in the lobby of the hotel where I checked in earlier after flying into Cairo. I have been at the conference during the day but managed to get some sleep for an hour or so. I am feeling rested, full of energy, and hungry, and that hunger is not far from any culinary delight. You walk into the lobby wearing a light grey long jumper, a long black skirt, and a grey hijab over a black headband. I notice you straig...

I see you again, sitting in your seat on the train reading your book. We have been seeing each other on the train for the past week and we have been ‘eyeing’ each other all week, stealing a look here, grabbing a look there. Holding each other’s stare for long minutes before one of us can’t hold it anymore… most of the time, it’s me who pulls away. It is too intense and too much for me. This time, I decide to sit opposite...