Chapter 2

The next morning after breakfast, they took a taxi straight to the Central Police Station. When they showed the officer at the information desk their documents, he did a double take and asked if Qadi Bashir Hussein performed their wedding. When Davud confirmed it, the man’s demeanor changed and was very helpful and escorted them to the counter where they could apply for Mina’s passport and have her photos taken. When that was completed, the woman took Mina’ s application for a copy of her police record. The fees totaled $24.00 U.S. Davud and Sarah thanked the officer for his assistance and left for the Swiss Embassy.

They arrived at the Swiss Embassy at 10am. They were introduced to Dieter Keller, the Swiss Consul for American affairs. Mr. Keller asked them what they have done so far about getting Mina’s passport and criminal record. They would be needed before any application could progress. Davud gave Mr. Keller the short story about the morning’s events. He said, we might as well get her physical out of the way and give her any vaccines if necessary.”

After her physical by the embassy physician and given a smallpox and covid shot, they were they were told they could return in five days to pick up Min’ passport and criminal record.

Mr. Keller took them into a conference room where a court-type reporter would take their diction and record their statement along with the entire deposition being tape recorded. He told Sarah to wait in the other room while Davud gave his testimony. Davud testified he and Sarah, his mother, were watching a wedding conducted and his mom was taping it with her phone. When the ruckus with Mr. Assad and Mina began, she continued to tape, and she didn’t stop taping until Davud and Mina descended the stage after the wedding. to witnessing Mina’s father trying to get a bid for a bride price, but no one would make an offer because of all of Mina’s handicaps. He then explained that was when Mr. Assad pulled out a dagger-like knife and put it to her throat, and how he accidentally cut her. It wasn’t until he made the move to begin to move his knife hand to cut her throat from the opposite side of his cutting hand that Davud made an offer of $100, but it was rejected. Mr. Assad replied that he would accept a bride price of $200 U. S. He didn’t not mention that she had wet herself.

Davud went on to tell how Mina, scared to death, blindly swung at him hitting him in the face when he approached her. After he had her in a one-arm hug, that she calmed immediately when he began to gently stroke her cheek. She turned in his arms and wrapped her hands around his neck and laid her head on his shoulder. From that point on, she was very docile and clung to him, allowing him to place her fingerprint on the Nikkah. The Qadi conducted the marriage without any further issues.

Davud also explained that the qadi assured him that the marriage was completely legal, and that he would receive a marriage license that was acceptable to the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS). He finished his testimony about going to the Central Police station that morning and applying for expeditated service for Mina’s passport and obtaining her police record, being told it would be ready in five business days, meaning, that Friday.

Mr. Keller next deposed Sarah. When all three were together again in the conference room, Sarah showed him the phone video. Keller said that this would be invaluable because it corroborated both of their testimonies to the letter.

Keller gave Davud some USCIS forms to fill out and bring back when they returned on that Monday to make their application for Mina’s immigration to the United States. He gave David an I-846 affidavit of Support, an I-130 Application to bring and alien relative to immigrate to the U.S. Mr. Keller gave him a sheet with instructions to go online and fill out the DS-260, the Immigrant Visa and Alien Registration Application. It is a required online form for foreign nationals applying for family-based green cards from abroad. They would be able to move forward in the marriage-based green card consular process once their Form DS-260 was approved.

Mr. Keller reminded Davud and Sarah that he was only a middle man acting on the behalf of the U. S. government. It is possible that they will assign an Assistant Secretary of State to the case to expedite thing and rush things along since they are on a very tight schedule with only 14 calendar days left on their visa. Giving them his card, he asked Davud, “Please complete the forms and transfer the phone video to a flash drive to provide a copy and return with everything tomorrow. That way, I can forward everything and when you pick up Mina’s passport and criminal record, you will be finished. What we are doing is expediting everything. They shook hands and said their goodbyes very cordially and left.

“I understand,” Davud replied, “I’ll fill everything out today, transfer the video and return first thing in the morning with everything including the fees. Let me give you my cell number. Have an Iranian disposable phone to be used while we are here in Iran. It’s 0954-111-3333”

“Fine. I’m glad we have this to use in case of emergencies. I’ll expect to see you tomorrow morning. Have a great day.”

“You too, Sir. It’s been a pleasure and we thank you for your diligence, kindness, and assistance. Goodbye until tomorrow

They next returned to the hotel at 12;15 and they went to the hotel’s beauty spa. The girls would get the works: pedicure, manicure, facial, full body massage, and the dreaded waxing ― even down to any hairs on their toes. Iranian women hate body hair with a phobic passion. They wax everything below the neck, the exception being that only married women are allowed by Iranian law to wax the vulval area. Iranian women even consider arm hair to be very masculine. The norm is to commit to hairlessness, which is ironic for a population predominantly blessed with thick, dark hair. Women who embrace the natural hair on their bodies are deemed unattractive, nonconformist and unsophisticated, but most of all, undesirable.

The medium to remove body hair most efficiently is by waxing. Sugar waxing is less painful and harmful to the skin. It’s made from Sugar, lemon juice and water, and is completely edible. So, Mina would get her armpits, legs, her slightly noticeable mustache, any forearm hair and her vulva waxed, and her eyebrows shaped and contoured. The other thing that Iranian women are phobic about is their noses. Iranian women are the middle East’s leader in females getting rhinoplasties. The entire day, with all the bells and whistles cost €24 per person, or $140 dollars each, compared with the U. S. price of $650/day.

While the womenfolk were getting denuded and pampered, Davud went back to the room and filled out the required USCIS forms and downloaded the video to a flash drive. The whole process took him about three hours, after which he laid down and took a nap.

Meanwhile back at the spa...

When Davud dropped the girls off, he wondered how Mina would react to everything ― especially the waxing. Hopefully, Sarah would be able to handle things. Men were not allowed in a female beauty spa: period, no exceptions.

From the front door forward, Sarah took Mina’s hand and led her down the road which would become, for an Iranian woman, a lifelong ritual that occurred every three weeks. They went to the locker room where Sarah undressed Mina and herself. They donned, soft, terry robes and put their clothes into a locker and put the key around her neck with the attached long lanyard-type necklace.

Where’s my protector? Why is the one like me taking care of me? And why, I wonder, are we taking our clothes off. At least she put a thing on me that covered me completely and is very soft...

Next, they met their beauty consultant, Aiya, who would supervise their treatment from start to finish. Sarah explained the challenge they would face with Mina. Aiya said that she would handle Mina with gentleness and care. Even so, Sarah said that she had better stay with Mina during the waxing part of the treatment. Aiya agreed that might be best. They entered the waxing cubical and pulled the curtain. Mina allowed Sarah to remover her robe and help her up onto the table. But ... Mina seemed a little apprehensive and fidgeted when Sarah took Mina’s legs, splayed them open and brought the soles of her feet to press together, leaving her vulva wide open.

Whoa! What’s going on here? Why are my legs spread completely open and my secret place open to full view?”

She felt the one like her who she lived with stroke the side of her face and she calmed. She both smelled and felt when the technician sprinkled baby power on her legs and rubbed it in.

Hmmm, smells like a powder, but the person’s hands feel weird ... Something is covering them.

She then felt the woman spread the putty-like was on a six-inch portion of her leg and Rrr-ippp!

Mina flinched and emitted a loud cry.

Yipe! What was that!?

After the second pull of the wax, Mina knew whatever they were doing was kinda painful, but not hurtful, so she relaxed and went uncomfortably with the flow. She though it funny when they even did a couple of toes on each foot. When her legs, toes, forearms, and armpits were finished, they did her upper lip and removed her faint mustache. When the pulled her feet back up with her soles pressed together and the powder applied, she knew what was coming next.

They applied the wax, and she gritted her teeth... RRR-iiiiipppp!

“YEee-ooow!! My that hurt my pee-pee a lot!

Mina painfully accepted whatever it was they were doing to her and bore it begrudgingly. It was all over soon enough, and she knew what they were doing when she felt her sore little kitty,

Oh my! They took away all the hair! I’m like I was when I was a little girl: smooth and soft! I like it!

Next, they went for the pedicure. Now, the issue was trying to keep the tiny girl still. She was ticklish and when the woman handled her feet, she was squirming and laughing, but as with the waxing, she settled down and stopped wiggling her toes for the polish when the girl lightly slapped her foot when she moved her toes. The de-brided her soles and heels and when they finished, her feet were baby smooth.

The next area to be worked on was her hands. This body part posed no issues and Mina let them do whatever they wanted with her hands. Next and finally came the full body massage. At first, she was a little shy when they again remover her robe and had her lie on the table completely naked.

When the woman spread frankincense oil on her, she floated off into a soothing place and nearly fell asleep as the woman’s hands worked magic on her muscles. Mina loved it!

Hmmm! Oh, this feels so nice! Her hands are like magic!

Oh yes, right there!

My feet too? My, my this feels so wonderful!