“We have to make a plan now. Time is against us.”

Ezra turns down the volume on the soccer game he's watching. He leans back on the couch. He turns to face me and speaks with a seriousness I've never seen in him before. “Yes, of course. But first let's set clear rules. After all, this marriage won't be a real marriage. And we will share a house. We need to make things clear.”

I cross my arms. I raise my eyebrows. So, of course this is a fake marriage. Still, I can be a bit of an asshole. “Like I would ever want to have a real marriage with you.”

He curls his lip, shrugs. “Sure, sure, no doubt about it. But I'm serious. I'm unemployed now and I'm going through a little grieving process because of Claire. But when it all works out, there will be a lot of girls coming in and out of here who won't be able to say no to this sweet face.” he points to his face.

I take a deep breath, “So? Should that matter to me?”

“I just want to be clear, people will come and go from the casa.”

“They can come as much as they want after we get through this interrogation thing. But before that, I don't expect anything except for you to be careful. Of course I'll bring people to this house.”

He frowns, mumbling, “Sure, if you eventually meet someone...”

If I eventually meet someone? So he thinks I won't? I'm getting angry. I get up so that he can't tell by the tension in my muscles and the hardness of my gaze. I get a notepad and a pen from my room. “Well then, let's write down our rules first. Rule number one, no sex. Don't be afraid, we are free with others. Not with each other.”

He looks thoughtful, after a few seconds he speaks. “I never thought about the possibility of sex anyway, it's strange that you want to write it down as a rule. Do you think about me sometimes?” He blinks.

Another deep breath. I keep writing. “Rule number two, no innuendo jokes about sex like the one I just made.”

“You're a fun killer.” His shoulders slump.

“Shut up. Rule number three, no sex with other people in common areas. Like on the couch we're sitting on right now.”

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“The couch is nothing, but even in the kitchen? Or in the bathroom?”

I gag. “Ew. We don't even have to talk about it, of course not.”

He rolls his eyes, “Okay, that's fine too. I have rules too. Pick up your hair when it falls out in the bathroom. It's disgusting to see hair on the floor. And when you get your period or something, remember that I'm not your real husband and please don't give me attitude.”

Both of those things he said are repulsive. “I don't expect you to pick up after me and show me emotional support anyway. So I'm adding a rule and if you're okay with that, let's finish. Rule number six, don't get drunk and cry in my arms when you think of Claire or something. I can't take it upon myself to sober you up all the time.”

He puts his hands over his heart, “Ouch. That hurts.”

I sign my name at the bottom of the paper I wrote the rules on. I make him sign it, too. I pin it to the fridge with a magnet.

“Now we can start planning. I've done some research. This has to be convincing. If we walk around like lovers for a few days, maybe your friends can see it, it might make a positive impression.”

“Okay, yeah, that makes sense. May I ask where you learned to lie in such detail?”

Is he going to keep attacking me like this? “If you grew up in a repressive family like mine, you could have become an expert at lying. Anyway, shut up and listen. You're going back to the bar. We'll go back together. It mustn't look like I'm paying you.

"We'll spend some time there together. You need to convince Georgie that you're completely free of Claire. And to do that, after we've been there for a week or two, you're gonna propose to me there one night. You're gonna do it in front of everyone.

"Everyone will understand that we need to finalize this before my visa expires. I'll ask Georgie's wife to come with me to buy a simple wedding dress. Since I have no one here, they will support me on this special day.

"If they ask about my family, the answer is simple. When they heard I will be married to a non-Muslim, they rejected me. This is what we will say. We will also say that we hope they will forgive us somehow after the wedding.

"You'll ask Georgie if we can have the ceremony in the bar. And that's how we'll be married. Oh, and don't forget, we're going to bicker. To make it believable.”

I finish and look into his eyes. He's watching me as if hypnotized. After thirty seconds of no reaction, he shakes his face from side to side and stares at me in amazement. “Wow, how did you think of all this? There is not a single point I can dispute. Don't worry about the bickering. It's our natural state.”

I smile and hold out my hand. “Then it's settled, partner.”

***

We go to the bar to carry out the first stage of the plan. Georgie nods slightly when he notices Ezra walk in. But he doesn't speak. Boys' anger must be the same all over the world.

Ezra turns and looks at me as if to say, "What am I going to do?" I nudge his arm and push him in front of the bar. After a brief pause, Ezra says, "Hi, can I talk to you for a second?" Georgie nods vaguely as he pours a shot of whiskey. As I leave the two of them to talk, I touch Ezra's arm with my hand, a touch that catches Georgie's attention. I achieve my goal.

I move to a table and watch the two of them, trying not to show it. After a few minutes, everything seems to be going well. Georgie even looks at me and smiles. I smile back. He brings me a beer, and as he sets it down on the table, he leans in to whisper in my ear. "I've never seen anyone affect Ezra so much after that.... Uh..."

Very calmly, "After Claire. Don't worry, I know everything."

He straightens. He puffs out his chest and breathes a sigh of relief. "I was scared I'd slipped up. I don't want to ruin something so new and good for my friend."

I smile. "Don't worry Georgie, it's not a childish game between us. We talked about everything because we wanted a solid relationship."

"You're a mature woman and Ezra needed something like this. To grow up. So welcome to our family."