Chapter 35
“I just arrived. That’s why I hadn’t called yet, Zoe.”
“You can’t disappear like that, Maddie. On top of that, your phone was dead. You didn’t tell me you were going to Sintarah today, or let me know the blood test result.”
“I’m sorry, cousin. Everything happened so fast, I barely had time to pack. As for the result, it’s out. I’m pregnant. We’re getting married.”
“I’m happy about the baby. Congratulations, my love. But are you sure about everything else?”
“I am. I’m in love with him, expecting our baby, and Kamal asked me to marry him. It wouldn’t make any sense to say ‘no’ just because I’m scared.”
“And you are very scared”
“Yes, I can’t deny that. This whole situation doesn’t feel real—marrying a Sheikh because I’m pregnant with his child, I mean.”
“And Kamal’s family—were they welcoming to you?”
“I already knew the princes. He and one of his brothers don’t get along, but despite Zarif liking to provoke Kamal, he treats me well, although always with mischievous intentions.”
“What do you mean, mischievous?”
“He’s not rude, and he hasn’t been explicit in anything he’s said, but he’s somewhat . . . I don’t know what word to use. Maybe provocative. I’m not sure if it’s because he’s genuinely interested in me or if he acts that way to annoy his brother. There’s some serious feud between the two of them.”
“I guess that’s normal between siblings, right?”
“I wouldn’t know—I’m an only child.”
“Neither would I. I sometimes wish I had grown up with siblings so I could have arguments with them.”
Zoe was adopted and returned to the state several times after her mother, my mom’s cousin, died.
Only when she was a teenager did a family take her in permanently.
I think it left her with deep scars—the rejection from foster homes—because every now and then, even though she’s now married to the man of her dreams and about to start her own family, I can hear the melancholy in her voice.
“Anyway, be careful,” she continues. “Don’t let the brother turn you into a weapon to provoke your fiancé.”
“I basically told him just that in Ibiza. Don’t worry—I don’t intend to get involved.”
“And his mother and sisters?”
“They were kind to me. Even more so than I expected, to be honest. Maybe because his mother is Spanish.”
“What?”
“Yes, I was surprised too when Kamal told me. She is, or was, a Romani. I’m fascinated by this story. Can anything be more exotic than a Sheikh falling madly in love with a Romani?”
“Yes, it can. A Sheikh falling in love with a beautiful American.”
I smile and shake my head. Zoe is a romantic. “Yes, but my Sheikh is not in love with me. I intend to make our relationship work, but I know that this marriage is happening because I’m pregnant.”
“I worry for you, Maddie. As much as I love that you’ll have your own family with the man you’re in love with, I fear you’ll forever be trapped in a world where you feel you don’t belong.”
“It’s not a prison, Zoe. I looked it up.
Sintarah is a very modern country compared to others with the same culture and religion.
Divorce is allowed, and women are no longer left unprotected regarding their children, as used to happen in the past. It’s an agreement between the spouses and their respective lawyers. ”
“I know it’s necessary, and you might call me foolish, but I don’t think it’s very promising that they haven’t even officially announced the engagement and yet you’re already considering divorce.”
“I’m not. You’re the one who brought it up. I’m going to do my best to make our relationship work, but like you, I have issues dealing with rejection. I agreed to marry him because I’m committed to making what we have work, but I don’t know if I can stay with someone who doesn’t love me forever.”
“There are no guarantees when it comes to relationships, Maddie. Love ends, but it also begins. Open your mind and believe in what you both have.”
“That’s what I intend to do. Now, will you be able to come for the engagement?”
“When will it be?”
“Within a week at most, according to what Kamal told me.”
“I need to check with Christos, but I think we’ll come. I’m dying to see what an engagement is like in such a culturally rich country.”
I chuckle. “Only you can make me relax amidst all this tension.”
“You can’t be tense like this, Maddie. Pregnancy is a long-term event, and we already have enough stress with the changes in our bodies and the hormonal war going on inside. Try to relax. Maybe try practicing yoga.”
“Zoe, did you forget you’re talking to me? I’ve never exercised in my life, except in school, and only because it was mandatory.”
“Yoga is not just to keep your body in shape but your mind as well. I’ve had fewer anxiety attacks since I started taking classes.
” She pauses for a moment. “And not to add to your tension, but when do you plan on telling your mother about the engagement? You said you wanted to come to Boston and tell her in person, but once Kamal announces it, celebrity magazines all over the world will explode with the news because your father is in the middle of a shitstorm.”
I sigh, knowing she has a point. “I’ll call her today. There’s no point in trying to postpone it anyway. As for the engagement, I’ll confirm the date with Kamal and let you know, okay?”
“Okay, love. Let me know if you need anything.”
After ending the call, I stare at the phone in my hand, terribly nervous but knowing I can’t avoid confronting Adley Turner-Miller, also known as my mother.
Tapping the screen, I look for the speed dial contacts and take a deep breath to gather courage.
The phone rings at least ten times before she answers.
“Madeline? Why are you calling me at this hour? Don’t you know I don’t like to wake up early?”
I completely forgot about the seven-hour time difference to Boston, but that doesn’t change my mood. It’s eight in the morning there now. Not that early.
“I know, Mom, but we need to talk.”