time as Dina was in the Consulate and after Bill had left, Joseph went up to Rich's apartment and got ready for Rich's return. He took a shower and after that he ordered a pizza for supper. He was lying around in Rich's bathrobe when he decided to place a call to Fazzi.

“Hello Fazzi here.”

“Good evening Habibi. I miss you and I felt the need to speak with you. I hear you have good news for me,” Joseph said. “Dina told me the great news and I'm really happy about it. Did she tell you how and why she decided to do it?”
“Well not in so many words or the details. You naughty boy! Why didn't you tell me you were going to the Cafe last night.”

“Because I did not know I was going. It was really a last minute decision and Sarah suggested it and everyone just almost forced me to go.” He laughed.

“I'll just bet they forced you.” Fazzi smiled into the phone.

“Anyway, the Worthingtons and myself bombarded her with requests for her to appear and she finally said she would call her agent and see what could be done. She asked me to meet her for lunch this afternoon and she told me the good news.” Joseph relayed to him.
“So you had lunch with her - anything else?” he asked warily.

“You know I don't like to lie to you, Habibi. Do you really want to know the truthful answer?”

After a few seconds of thoughtful reflection Fazzi said, “Do you still love me Yussef?”

Trying to evade the question, he said, “You know that whatever I did-I did it for you. I thought I had to show my appreciation for her making you so happy.” And then he continued, “Look, I could lie to you and tell you that my thoughts were of you all the time, but you would never believe it. Would you care to hear all the details or will you just accept my apology?”

“You know, Habibi, I have never had a lover like you. You prostituted yourself out to others for my sake and then you ask me to forgive you…Darling it is I that should be asking your forgiveness. I should beg you to forgive me for making you feel that you even had to do this for me. Yussef, I love you more than ever, if that is possible, but I will not have you feeling that you have to do things like this to prove your love for me. No, not that, not now, not ever again! There is only one thing that I want from you. You know that it has been my dream and fantasy to have you beside me forever as my life partner. I know that within your culture and even to some extent my culture this is impossible without marriage. I am working out another way to have that become reality, but there is one thing more you must do to make it happen.”

“What is that lover?”

“I want to adopt you as my son, but to do that you must be a Moslem.”

“You know I could never do that, I am what I am and so far I can see no reason to change, yet.”

“Yes I know that, but I keep praying you will and I think that in time you may come around.