Note: I feel like I’m writing a lot of these notes! Anyway, THIS post is going to be a surprise for my dad, because he doesn’t know about this little trip that Yassine made BEFORE the decided date when they were supposed to meet (Sorry, Daddy!) So I thought you guys should know that I’m risking a LOT just to give you the scoop 😉
Well, we were mid-November when my dad gave me the yellow light (not green just yet.) And although I’d just left Yassine in Paris, it felt like I hadn’t seen him in ages and I missed him so much!
I told him about my dad wanting to see him at the end of December, and we were all set for that, but this crazy idea hit both of us at the same time.
“I’m gonna book a flight and come for a few days to see you,” he said. I got super excited and he got his tickets right away.
And then I realized, my dad thinks Yassine is coming in December. I can’t just turn around and say that he decided to come earlier because we missed each other! That would ruin everything; and we’d gotten so far!
So, we decided to keep it a secret (here we go again, right?) – at least from my dad. I told my mom and grandpa so they could have my back and so I wouldn’t feel super guilty.
Well, the day came and I told the family I was going out with friends, but in fact I was speeding over to the airport to pick up my love.
Adrenaline was rushing through my body. This was too crazy for me! I was so nervous that I couldn’t even concentrate on what Yassine was saying the whole car ride.
As soon as we got to the hotel, I was looking around hunting for possible spies. Not even kidding you, I was convinced that my dad found out and sent detectives to the hotel to report back our every move. That’s how bad it was.
I think Yassine was getting annoyed at me, but I couldn’t help it! And I could totally see my dad doing the whole spy thing.
Anyway, I managed to get over it for about 30 minutes when we were exchanging our three-month-anniversary gifts. I got him a chessboard because he’s a chess geek, participating in all sorts of chess championships when he was like ten (so cute right!) and he got me a bracelet that I still wear to this day.
The next day after breakfast, I told my dad I was going to Tahrir Square for work and Sarah and I fled the house.
We took Yassine to get started on the day we planned, including the Citadel, driving around and then heading over to Tahrir Square because there were some protests there and Yassine wanted to see it so badly.
It was perfect because I wanted to shoot some video there for work, too (so I wasn’t COMPLETELY lying to my dad).
As soon as we got there, Yassine started taking loads of pictures (such a tourist) and we walked around the right side of the square. And suddenly my phone rings. It was my dad.
My heart literally sank to my feet. I stuttered while saying hello and he excitedly exclaims that he’s in Tahrir Square with his friend and that I should come see them. I got hot flashes and half my body was numb at that point.
I called my grandpa and mom straight after, and they literally just said, “Run! Hide!”
Great. I managed to pull it together and realized there’s no way he saw us because I would be deaf from all the yelling by now.
So I frantically gave commands to Sarah and Yassine to run towards the car and that I’d catch up with them.
Thank God my dad was hanging around the left side of the square (in front of Hardee’s). I spotted him drinking tea with one of his best friends. I walked towards them, camera in hand and thanking God that I decided to take it because it really showed that I was at work.
My dad started gushing to his friend about how hard I work and how I’m always in Tahrir shooting and covering events and I was just feeling SO guilty.
I was planning to stand with them for a few minutes and leave, but I felt so bad since my dad wanted to show me off to his friend, so I took them around showing them the ins and outs of the square.
As we were walking, we bumped into my mom’s aunt. I LOVE this woman. She is super active, always looks put together and isn’t afraid of publicly announcing her every opinion. Plus she’s super talkative. Bingo.
I ran to her (my dad trying to pull me back because he didn’t have the energy to entertain her), which made me run to her even faster! She got super excited to see us and I literally pushed them into a café and excused myself because I had “a lot of work.”
He gave me the “you owe me one” look as I was leaving and I jumped in the car with Sarah and Yassine and sped off.
Phew! That was close! Although we almost got caught, we had an amazing few days.
It was time for Yassine to head back, but after he witnessed that freak out I had over my dad, meeting him was starting to weigh on his shoulders. He was starting to have a mini-freak out himself, and rightfully so, because he had no idea what was in store for him.
WE SAID THIS: Check out the whole Bride to Be series here!