Chapter 15 - Nora
I wake up, slowly stretching against the expansive bed. His side of the bed is empty, but still slightly warm. I roll over and inhale his scent, committing it to memory. For a moment I just stay like this, letting it all sink in.
Last night Sayid showed me everything he had prepared for me. A week's worth of clothes, for all occasions, shoes and accessories to match. Everything designer. Nothing I ever dreamed of purchasing before, yet all things that perfectly fit my taste. Then Sayid tucked me into bed, holding me through the night. Nothing more. He told me that I needed as much rest as possible before my exam.
I grabbed some casual clothes from the bag I packed, and went to take a shower. I take my time, letting all the tension in my body melt away with the hot water. I am still a bit nervous for the test, but knew that I had already passed the clinical portion. This is just the knowledge portion of the exam.
I dress in a pair of medium-wash fitted blue jeans, and light purple cotton blouse. I pull my favorite light blue college sweatshirt over top. This is my good luck charm, and will keep me comforted during my exam. Then I pull my hair up into a reliable bun. After slipping my shoes on, I head out in search of Sayid.
And there he is. Standing near the floor-to-ceiling windows, phone in hand, dressed in tailored dark slacks and a crisp white shirt with the sleeves rolled up. His back is to me, his voice low and clipped as he speaks in Arabic. He is absolutely gorgeous.
He turns the second he senses me, his sharp gaze softening instantly.
“Good morning beautiful” he says, slipping his phone into his pocket and walking towards me.
“Good morning.” My face flushes with his sentiment. He embraces me, and kisses me on the forehead.
“Breakfast is waiting for you. You have about thirty minutes until you need to leave for your exam.” He takes my hand, leading me over to the table. There waiting is a familiar to-go cup, and a perfectly wrapped bagel from my favorite café.
I blink at him, heat creeping up my neck. “How did you…you didn’t have to.”
“I remember everything you like.” His tone is matter-of-fact, like it wasn’t even a question. “And yes, I have to take care of you. Eat,” he orders gently, pulling out a stool for me. “You need to be focused for your exam.”
I swallow hard. “Thank you.” I sit, taking a sip of my iced coffee. Perfect. Just how I always order it. Before I can say anything else, Sayid reaches for my bag, sliding it towards me.
“I’ve packed your new electronics inside.” His voice was casual, but his eyes held something deeper. “They’re yours. Use them however you wish. My number is already programmed into your phone. Along with your driver, Khalid.”
I hesitate, fingertips ghosting over the leather strap. “Sayid, this is—”
“Not up for discussion.” He cuts me off with a playful smile, and kisses me on the forehead. Then he places two cards on the table in front of me. A Visa, and a Mastercard. My name— Nora Stevens —embossed in sleek gold lettering.
I stared. “What…?”
“There is no limit,” he says simply. “No restrictions. No catch. Use them for anything and everything you wish.”
A lump forms in my throat. No one has ever taken care of me to this extent. I received gifts from Dr. Kasey when we were together, and he took me with him on trips, but nothing as deep as this.
I lift my gaze to his, my eyes stinging. No conditions. No expectations. A tear slips down my cheek before I can stop it. “Shamsi…” My voice cracks. His jaw clenches slightly, and then, with a deep exhale, he reaches out, brushing the tear away with his thumb.
“You don’t have to thank me for what is already yours, Qamari . ” I stand abruptly, wrapping my arms around his waist, pressing my face into his chest. His arms come around me instantly, holding me against him, grounding me in a way I have never known before. I can feel his love in every one of his actions.
“Thank you,” I whisper against his shirt, meaning it with everything in me. He kisses the top of my head, lingering for just a second.
“Go, pass your exam. And later tonight, we will celebrate.” I nod, stepping back reluctantly. I grab my remaining coffee and bagel to finish on the drive, sling my bag over my shoulder, and head to the door. Outside in the hall, a three man security detail is waiting to escort me.
They lead me outside to the sleek black car waiting for us. My new driver is standing beside the car. “Hello miss Stevens, my name is Khalid, but please call me Kal,” he offers as he takes my bag, and opens the door for me. Kal’s complexion is close to Sayid’s, but Kal’s head is shaved, and he doesn’t appear to have as much muscle. I get in the back, and one of the security guards that escorted me from the hotel gets in the front passenger seat.
Kal gets in, and starts to drive away from the hotel. “This is Roman, but everyone just calls him Rome.” Kal nods towards the man next to him, already distracted by something on his tablet. He doesn’t acknowledge his introduction at all. Rome has a much darker complexion than the rest of Sayid’s security team. Not Middle Eastern, more African for sure.
Rome’s stature is opposite of Kal’s. His muscles have muscles. They are barely being contained in his black polo shirt. His head is also cleanly shaven. It is definitely weird being chauffeured around, but I do feel safer already. “We are here to help you with anything you need, miss Stevens. Just let us know and we can stop anywhere you would like on the way back from your exam.”
I enjoy the rest of the ride in silence as I eat my breakfast while lost in thought. Not obsessing over the test waiting for me, but wondering if this is what my life could be like with Sayid. The love that is already growing inside me for him is anchoring deep. I don’t know exactly where our relationship is heading yet, or how we will work out the details of being together. But I do know that this is a new beginning for me—and I am no longer afraid.
∞∞∞
I step out of the university’s testing center, two hours later, and retrieve my bag that they had me place in a locker out in the waiting area. The weight of the exam is finally off my shoulders, but exhaustion clings to me. I need caffeine before heading back to the car.
There is an espresso bar up ahead, and I get in line. A blended energy drink sounds like just the reward I needed after that long test. While I wait in line, I pull my new phone from my bag, and see one notification. A text from Sayid: I am so proud of you! How do you feel, Qamari?
A soft smile tugs at my lips. I start to type a response when a voice cuts through the hum of hallway chatter.
“Well, look who it is.” The deep familiar timbre sends an unwanted chill down my spine. I don’t need to turn around to recognize it came from Dr. Ian Kasey. Still, I force myself to look. He stands a few feet away, hands in his pockets, his usual polished appearance.
He has his doctor’s coat over a pair of black scrubs. He must have come from the hospital. Even though he is in his early forties, he already embraced the appearance of a silver fox. Though not long ago I found him very attractive, there is something in his smile that gives me a completely different feeling than before. “Dr. Kasey.” My voice is neutral, careful.
His smile widens at the formality. “Come on, Nora. No need for that.” His tone sends a chill down my spine. Something about this interaction already has me uneasy.
“I was just grabbing a drink on my way out. What are you doing here?” I try to keep my tone as casual as possible.
“I was giving a guest lecture for a friend of mine. Heading back to the hospital soon.” He steps in line beside me, his presence too close. “Why don’t you let me take you to lunch, in celebration.”
“No, thank you.” My response is quick, I don’t even fully register his words.
He chuckles. “You don’t even want to think about it?”
“There’s nothing to think about. I’ve got to get going.” I step out of line, and start walking, but he moves with me.
“Nora, come on. It’s just lunch. We were friends too, weren’t we?”
I clench my jaw. “I don’t recall friendship being part of what we had.”
His smile tightens, and his body shifts closer to mine as we walk. “Then let’s change that.”
I stop, finally registering what he said earlier. “How did you know I had my exam today?” It is one thing to just run into someone, but how did he know why am here in the first place?
Ian shrugs, casually. “We both work at the same hospital. People talk.” I narrow my eyes. That doesn’t explain how he would know, and his smirk doesn’t waiver. “It wasn’t hard to figure out. You always wanted this, Nora. I knew you’d go through with it eventually.”
I fight the urge to shudder. He doesn’t answer the question. Not really. Something flickers in his eyes, but he masks it with another easy smile. “You’re tense. And I know exactly what helps when you get like this.” His hand lifts towards me, before I can pull away he caresses down my forearm.
I step back sharply. “Don’t touch me,” I say firmly, making myself clear, but not loud enough to draw attention and make a scene. He lets his hand drop, but the smooth expression on his face doesn’t falter.
“I miss you, Nora. I miss us.”
“There is no us, Ian.”
His jaw flexes, and his cool composure starts to waiver. “You don’t really mean that.”
I scoff, taking another step back. “I absolutely do. I haven’t wanted to see you since I left you, or since you started working at the same hospital as me, and I have no interest in seeing you now.”
He exhales slowly, shaking his head. “Did you ever stop to think that maybe what we had was actually good for you?” His voice lowers. “That no one else will ever—”
“I have a boyfriend.” The words snap between us, sharp and final. Not able to take his lies any longer. Ian stills. For a moment, I think he will call my bluff, press further.
Instead, his lips part, his expression caught between disbelief and something darker. “A boyfriend?”
“Yes.”
His gaze roams over me, searching, dissecting. “You don’t do boyfriends, Nora. Who is this man?”
I lift my chin. “Not that it’s any of your business, but I am with someone and I belong to him.” I hoped the weight of my words will sink in, and that he understands the meaning behind them. Maybe then, he will finally let me go.
Ian exhales through his nose, his mask of charm cracking at the edges. “Lucky man,” he says finally, though his tone holds no sincerity.
I adjust my bag, and glance towards the car I know is yards away, waiting for me outside. “I have to go. Goodbye, Dr. Kasey.” And this time, I don’t wait for his response. I turn, walking swiftly towards the waiting car.
“I’ll see you around, Nora.” He calls as I walk away. I know we work at the same hospital, but I can’t help but feel there is another meaning to his words.
As soon as I walk out the doors, Rome instinctively gravitates towards me as I approach, escorting me the remainder of the way to the vehicle. I don’t know if my face gives away my feelings, but I can sense his concern as he opens the door for me.
I climb in, my heart finally settles a bit. Safe—for now. But as we start to drive away, I look out the window back towards the building, and see him watching, his gaze burning back at me.