Coming Home (English Version)

37. Tension

She gasps.

"I couldn't help myself." I confess.

"What did you get? Show me!" She urges with a sparkle in her eyes.

I open the top drawer of the bedside table and retrieve the small white box. Holding it with one hand, I slowly take the lid off.

"Aw, Hamdan," she says when she sees the tiny bunny slippers inside. "They are adorable," one by one, she takes them out of the box and places them on her palm. "So tiny!"

"Whether it's a boy or a girl, the baby can use them, right?"

She ignores my question and lowers her voice to a whisper. "There's little bunny ears on them."

I laugh. "Yes, they have little bunny ears."

She pecks me on the lips. "I love them."

"I really want to go baby shopping with you," I let her know while putting the slippers back in the box.

"I hadn't thought about it, but we could find a store a bit away from here, so we could do some shopping in private. Because back home, there's no way we could get away with that."

"Let's do it! Sometime this week, okay?" I suggest.

Once we're in the car on our way to the racecourse, my fingers keep drumming on the top hat I carry on my lap until Layla puts her hand above mine.

"I'm nervous," I admit to her.

I have a gut feeling we might win the Gold Cup this year, but that race won't happen until the day after tomorrow, on Ladies Day, and the anticipation is killing me. I wish I could skip these 48 hours and be there already.

This reminds me about another thing I cannot wait for.

"Hey," I say to Layla. "Do we really have to wait another three weeks to see Dr. Evans again?"

"Yes," she replies, elongating the e.

I let out a dissatisfied groan.

"You truly want to hear that heartbeat, don't you?" She guesses.

"More than I want to win the Gold Cup."

When we arrive at the Royal Enclosure, we head straight to our box, which is filled with family, friends and horsing partners. After a while, Layla discreetly lets me know that she's too tired to keep meeting people and goes to sit in a quiet corner with Maryam. I check on her every once in a while and now I'm starting to wonder if an event like this could be too much for her, we never anticipated how fatigued she was going to feel.

"I could ask Saeed to take you back to the hotel if you want to." I offer her.

She shakes her head. "No, I want to at least see one of your horses race."

"Okay," I look at my watch. "Races will start soon but let me know if you change your mind."

I hear my father call my name and I go to shake more hands. My main interest in the Royal Ascot is definitely at winning races, but a lot more happens over these few days every Summer. Partnerships and business deals are made, the horse racing industry moves billions around the world and every important player is here and, like every other business there is, it is all about who you know.

Finally, it's time for the first race and Layla and I take first row places at the balcony.

She grabs the binoculars excitedly. "I can't see them."

"They're too far away but you will see them soon once the race starts," I explain.

She lowers the binoculars to look at me. "They'll do great," her fingers scratching my cheek tenderly.