The Five Year Marriage Contract

Chapter 3

I was looking at the papers in front of me and the pen in my hand kept sliding down. My fingers were sweaty and my heart was pounding. I was feeling flustered and anxious with Mr Ibrahim constantly looking over my shoulder. The lawyer was explaining to me the different clauses in the contract he had drawn up and the amount of them had my head throbbing. I needed to get this ordeal over with. Quickly!
I look up. Adi was seated on the opposite end of the table, his eyes focused, carefully watching my every move. If anything, he only made me more nervous. I was so grateful for the shawl around my head. That way he wouldn’t notice the beads of sweat forming around my temple.
‘Clause fifteen, Aaliyah Abbas is to bear at least two children within the five years of being married to His Majesty King Adi Phillip Bashara...’ he drones on and on. I glance at the older man and he looks at me apologetically. I didn’t mind the contract and its weird clauses. I was actually grateful that it gave me a chance at freedom after only five years. It was nothing compared to what could have been, had Adi wanted a normal marriage. Especially with me not trusting him and him feeling the same way about me. What kind of future would that even be? What sort of marriage was this going to be like? And what about the children? I shake my head. Maybe it wouldn’t even come to that. Or if it did, then I would think about that when it happened. There was no need to stress over something that was not certain as yet.
When Mr Ibrahim finally finishes I sigh in relief. He points to the page before me and I nod my head. I take in a deep breath and hold up the pen and pray. I was not going to regret this!
At the end of the contract I sign my name. There was a confidentiality agreement form as well. Which I thought was unnecessary. Who did Adi think I was going to tell all of this to, but I sign it none the less.
‘Is all of this really necessary?’ I ask Adi when the lawyer finally leaves.
‘Yes. People don’t really follow through on verbal agreements. When you have it written down, it becomes binding and there is a must to see it through. Both parties play their parts very well.’ He informs me.
‘No. That was not what I meant.’ I sigh, dejectedly. I had just signed five years of my life in service to Adi Bashara. It seemed clinical and unemotional. For some reason, I felt like I had no ownership over myself and now belonged to him. But there was a clause that said that he belonged to me and me alone in those five years. Also if our marriage continued after that, we were to come up with a new contract. I peek at Adi. What if things really did work out between the two of us and I wanted to prolong our arrangement? Was it even possible? Did I really want to have my romantic life dictated by clauses and laws?
‘What did you mean, Liyah?’
‘I only wanted to know why you were making this whole thing so, I dunno. Like some sort of business deal. No feelings attached.’
‘Well, you kept bringing up the fact that it was so cruel, me forcing you to marry me. You said you had no feelings for me and that I was selfish. I had to draw up a contract just to safeguard myself.’
‘Oh well excuse me for pointing out the obvious.’ The atmosphere heats up or maybe it was just the embarrassment building up within me. He made me sound like a constant whiner. I roll my eyes.
‘You know something is out of place here. What I don’t understand is why you were complaining in the first place. Every good Muslim girl will gladly accept her parents choice in her arranged marriage.’
I huff. ‘What do you know about being a good Muslim? I don’t think you have any reason to call out my faults when you had hundreds of girlfriends already even though you already knew you were going to marry me!’ Was it jealousy I was feeling? The thought makes me burn with anger. ‘I never thought I would be marrying someone as condescending as you, Adi Bashara!’
Adi’s usual calm demeanour falls away and is replaced by pure fury. Well, it seemed the ending of all our encounters ended up with someone being angry. I brace myself for whatever he is about to say but, just then Sara knocks on the open door and hastily walks into the room.
‘Your majesty. I-I know you said no disturbances but there is a visitor here to see you.’
‘Who is it!’ he shouts and Sara flinches at his tone.
‘An American. She said her name was Elena Daniels. She is causing a scene and his highness has sent for you.’ My head whips around to look at Sara. Was this true? But she does not look at me. Her eyes are focused somewhere above my head. Why?
Adi swears a bucket-load of bad language that even I find offensive.
‘Stay here!’ he orders me when I start to get up.
‘No!’ I spit out as I march up to my door. I wanted to see this Elena Daniels. Was it one of his girlfriends? Was she a current one or an ex?
‘Aaliyah, I ordered you to stay here!’ Adi whispers as his eyes flash angrily. He beats me to the door but I manage to move past him and into the hallway where I bump into the king.
‘Oh! Uncle! I am so sorry.’ I start to mumble out apology after apology until he laughs quietly.
‘Aaliyah my child. Just because I am sick does not mean that I am a fragile creature. Now, where is Adi?’ he looks behind me and frowns when his gaze reaches Adi’s. Both men share a long look and I wonder what they must have been thinking.
‘Liyah, I think it is best if you stay in your room. Adi has something to take care of now.’
‘Uncle. In three weeks I will be marrying Adi. You can’t keep protecting me from the world forever. I need to know everything about the man I am getting involved with.’ I tell him with my head bowed down. I peek up, fully expecting the king to be angry but he just sighs sadly.
‘I am sorry my child. Maybe just a little longer. I promised your father that much.’ He pats my shoulder and then turns to leave. He calls out for Adi who comes to stand in front of me.
‘Aaliyah, you disrespected me just now when you disobeyed my order. You do know there will be a price to pay...’ he whispers in my ear and I shiver slightly. Was he really going to sentence some kind of punishment just because I did not obey his order?
‘Ma’am?’ Sara calls expectantly and I turn to follow her hesitantly back into my room.
‘Sara. I am going to bed.’ I tell her but she gives me a suspicious look and I knew right then that she would be watching outside my door in-case I tried to leave. I sigh as her gaze quickly wanders around my bedroom. I too follow her gaze. The huge walk-in closet and modern ensuite bathroom took up the left side of the room. On the right, a four poster bed positioned near the window. A beautiful vanity with all of the pictures of places I wanted to go to, tucked around the mirror. A changing screen, chaise lounger and chest of drawers made up the rest of my bedroom furniture. I had my own sitting and dining area as well but that was outside of where my bedroom was situated. Both areas were separated by a smooth curved arch way. Nothing suspicious.
Sara then closes my doors and bids me a goodnight. I sigh again as my gaze lands on the bookshelf laden with tonnes of books. So innocent looking. The bookshelves...not a single person from the palace knew its secret. No one except for Adi and me knew that behind the shelf was a hidden door that led to the underground passages. It must have been a safety measure from long ago, only now it had been forgotten. The tunnels were low without any source of light but each room above had tiny holes drilled into the bottom sides of the walls to give the tunnels a form of ventilation. It also helped light seep through.
However, since it was evening and bound to be pitch black inside, I take my mini torch with me.
The bookshelf was not very heavy to pull open so I manage to escape soundlessly down the stairs leading to the secret tunnels. I switch the torch on and head for Adi’s room. He must surely have taken Elena there considering the fact that the palace had so many guests filtering in here and there. It would create a scene if anyone saw him talking to someone he had been involved with romantically just before his engagement party.
It made sense. He was going to hide his dirty laundry. Well too bad. If I caught him with her, doing or saying anything to suggest they were still together, then I could finally escape this arranged marriage. Uncle and Auntie would definitely see reason if he was currently involved with someone else. Despite the giddiness of being so close to freedom, an unknown emotion settles down in my belly and weighs me down. For a brief second, I almost wanted to go back to my room and just sleep this out, hoping to wake up an find out that Elena Daniels did not exist.
‘No.’ I almost choke but I shake my head to get a grip on myself. Only when I feel better, then do I start walking again. It was surprising that I still knew the path that led to his room. Even in the darkness, I knew where to turn and when to stop.
Just as I reach the right tunnel way I start to hear Adi’s voice. He was whispering but even the slightest sound could be heard down here.
‘Why did you come, Elena? You were doing fine back home. Why are you even here? I thought everything was starting to get better.’
‘I heard you were becoming the new king of Bahrain. I wanted to see you. I missed you.’
‘Why is that?’ He drawls out. His accent was funny. He sounded American.
I move closer to the tiny hole to peek up at them. Elena was standing in front of him, her hands around his neck. I quickly cover my mouth to cover my gasp. She was a tall blonde, wearing a pair of pink skimpy shorts and a white crop top. Wow! She looked confident and beautiful!
I peep again and see her blue eyes, pink nose and pouty lips. She looked familiar. Had she been on one of those magazines?
‘You know why I am here. I love you.’
‘Do you? Do you know who I am? Who you’re speaking to?’ She moves closer to him. Her body was pressed against his.
‘Yes, I do.’
‘Did you notify anyone when you left?’ he pulls away from her and takes out the cell phone from his pocket.
‘Why? No one could stop me from being with you, Philip.’
Philip? No one called Adi by his English name. Except for his girlfriend. Adi had a girlfriend! And she was a beautiful blonde. No wonder he asked me about my hair earlier. It was because of this. My father was Asian so I was not an exotic woman like my mother. I was plain and average. I wore full length clothes that hid the shape of my body. My hair was straight and long and ordinarily dark brown, almost black. My nails were short and free from any polish. Yes, Aaliyah Abbas, an old fashioned ordinary Muslim girl. Not an exceptional beauty. Just plain and simple and unattractive as a piece of flat stone. A bird in a cage that was about to be forced into marriage with a man who had no feelings for her. A man who had his hands wrapped around another girl who wore cute clothes and looked like a super model. She was almost as tall as he was and so beautiful. She said she loved him. He probably loved her too.
I grind my teeth in frustration. This was the best reason to end our coming union. But instead of being excited, I feel my heart pounding. My chest ached. From jealousy or betrayal? I wasn’t sure. But I could feel something inside me starting to break ever so slowly. I had been in denial all this time. No. No! I had no feelings for Adi Phillip Bashara. I shake my head trying to rid the image of Elena’s arms around Adi’s waist.
However, if that were not true...if i really had no feelings for him then why did I abandon our friendship when I realised I meant nothing to him? Why did I lose myself when Adi left eight years ago? I always knew that he had taken a piece of me with him that day. Why had I kept all of those magazines that had information on Adi? Why did I run down here as soon as some girl from America showed up? I disobeyed my uncle and Adi too because of what? Was it curiosity burning within me or was it just jealousy over someone I cared for deeply?
Try as much as I could but I couldn’t deny it any longer. I had strong feelings where Adi Bashara was concerned because I had always considered him mine. My one and only friend. My one and only...everything.
The realisation hits me between my ribs and the constant ache that had become a part of me now grows into something unbearable. Tears slip down my cheeks. I let them fall.
How did I never notice my feelings for Adi before? Why had I been in denial for so long? 
Love was such a complicated thing.
Love? Was I truly inlove with Adi?
I did not want to find out. So I turn and run back the way I had come. As soon as I enter my bedroom again, I close the bookshelf door and silently vow to never go back to the secret tunnels again. It only seemed to make me feel worse as I found out more and more about the things that could only hurt me. Besides, there was probably no way out of the palace. I had only been running around in circles and wasting my time with something that only solidified the fact that I was not free no matter how much I tried to believe otherwise.
I look at the large clock hanging on the wall. It was half past eight. Tomorrow was my engagement party and I had no idea if Adi was even going to go ahead with the wedding now that his girlfriend had come for him. Maybe he would marry her instead. No?
I wanted to wait until some form of news from Adi but the days events had already tired me out. I head for the bathroom to have a quick shower instead. While scrubbing away the days stress and the image of Adi embracing Elena, thoughts of the past come rushing back. 
I smile as I remember all the times Adi and I had gotten into trouble with the kitchen staff because we always got caught stealing all the desserts. We would cause problems for the cleaning staff because we kept making things dirty as we played. We were always doing something that would get on someone’s nerves. Back then, we truly were inseparable.
I smile wistfully as tears start to slip down my cheeks. I had to admit that I had missed Adi in all of this time. My Adi! I thought I had forgotten him only to realise that I had been pining for him all this time. I hadn’t changed, I had only been sulking. Waiting! I emerge from the bathroom feeling lighter about knowing how I truly felt about my fiancé. But there was also a sadness I couldn’t shake off. Was it because I knew that the feelings I carried for Adi would never be returned.
Just as I quickly slip on my pyjamas and head for my dark bedroom I let out a squeal from fright after I notice the silhouette of a person standing at the foot of my bed.
‘Relax. It’s only me.’ Adi whispers as he walks toward me but I move away. I didn’t want him seeing me. Not when I only realised just how much I cared about him. Would he be able to read the love I had for him in my eyes?
‘Do you know how rude it is to loiter in a girls bedroom at night?’
‘Why? Because I saw you without your body armour?’
‘Seriously, Adi?’
I switch the bedroom light on and quickly step behind the changing screen. I pull my long sleeping gown over my short PJs. Even if I was supposedly marrying him, he had no right being here in my bedroom this time of the night. Why was he even here? I ask him the same question but he only chuckles softly in answer.
‘Shouldn’t you be with your girlfriend? Elena?’ I say in a bored tone.
‘No.’
‘But, she loves you. Maybe she came here so that you wouldn’t get married.’ I wonder out loud.
‘She’s not inlove with me and she isn’t herself at the moment. Trust me.’
Trust him? No way! For all I knew, he could be lying. Besides, I already saw and heard it all. How could it not be true?
‘So your girlfriend stopped by for what exactly?’ I ask when I step out from behind the screen.
He sighs and runs his fingers through his hair. It flops onto his forehead and my heart sputters. He was so damn gorgeous and maybe I too wanted to run my fingers through his hair. Gosh! I wanted to slap myself for thinking such thoughts.
‘Elena is not my girlfriend.’ He tells me and I shrug. It was fine if he did not want to tell me. I was not going to beg him to be honest with me.
‘Why are you here? I was just about to go to bed.’ I ask him. He eyes me up and down and rolls his eyes.
Adi steps forward again and this time he catches my hand, pulling me close to him. I get a whiff of his scent. It was like sun dried vanilla. I wanted to rub my face against his broad chest. I settle the matter by mentally slapping myself. Where were these weird thoughts coming from?
‘I’m here to give my fiancé her punishment for disobeying me earlier.’ I look up in shock. He was serious. What was it going to be? ‘Don’t freak out. It’s not a death sentence.’
‘Then what is it?’ I whisper, the fear was audible in my voice. Adi runs his fingers against my jaw and then he cups my chin, lifting my head up until our gazes connect. My breath catches and I have to force myself to breathe. His brown eyes were darkening, almost smouldering and I couldn’t help thinking how much I cared for him. I cared about him ever since he took me under his wing. Even before he had become too good looking. Geez! Handsome was not the right word. He was too beautiful for words...People always said the devil was beautiful and only now did I believe it.
‘Don’t make any noise.’ He whispers into my ear and I blink. His gaze finds my own again and I find that I am unable to look away.
‘Why would I make noise?’ I ask. My voice comes out a little hoarse and he only smiles in answer. He pulls on the belt of my gown, letting it open and it falls on the floor. His fingertips gently slide across my shoulder blades. I gasp out in shock. I was terrified and excited all at once. I had forgotten how to move. How to talk. How to breathe.
Adi bends his head again and this time his lips trails my neck with tiny hot kisses. My knees tremble and I almost fall but his arms wrap around my waist, holding me up against his hard strong masculine body for a few seconds. Then he quickly lifts me up and deposits me on my bed.
‘So innocent and decent!’ Adi spits out. ‘My wife, the virgin.’
‘Why is that such a bad thing?’ I ask, confused.
‘It isn’t. But don’t you see Liyah? You’re good and I-I am not.’
‘Please stop.’ I beg.
‘Stop what? This is your punishment. Remember?’
‘This?’
‘Yes. Why, do you have a problem with this?’
‘I don’t know. I don’t want this to turn into something else we might regret. We are not married as yet. Are-are you even marrying me?’
‘What?’ he sounded confused.
‘She is here. I thought you would cancel the wedding now?’ I ask as I think of the pretty blonde girl.
‘Why are you pretending to be dense? Can you not see just how much I want you. You and not her?’
‘As if I know what’s going on in your head. Besides, that’s a lie and you know it. You left me years ago. You never even wanted to talk to me. There were no letters, calls...nothing. You forgot about me the day you left. Even if we were only friends, you couldn’t have been more of a jerk. Why don’t you just leave me alone and go play house with your Barbie.’ I shake my head and my long hair tumbles down, hiding my face. I wanted to cry.
Adi pushes me back against the pillows and winds my hair around his hand. He tugs gently and then comes to lie down beside me. He turns my face toward him. His eyes boring into mine.
‘Don’t hide from me. I never stopped thinking about you Liyah. Yes, I left for my own selfish reasons but you were always on my mind. Elena and I are not together. She and I do not have feelings for one another. I am not lying. Trust me Aaliyah.’ He pleads as he gently kisses my forehead. I try to turn away but he doesn’t let me.
Why was he lying to me? I knew Adi was manipulative. But to go so far with so many lies, especially about having thought of me... No! I start to move but my hair was still wrapped around his hand and it pulls so I have no other option but to lie back down.
’You still don’t believe me. Aaliyah, look at me.’ Adi whispers as he lifts my chin up and my eyes lock onto his.  My heart starts to flutter wildly in my chest, despite the rioting emotions inside of me, and I couldn’t help but wonder if he could feel the way my pulse sped up as his hands roamed across my wrists, up my arms and around my head. His hands fisted again in my hair, the sensations...something I could not describe. My eyelids flutter at the sight of the heat smouldering in his eyes. It was plain and unbridled desire. He desired me?
Adi leans down and places a kiss against my lips. It was warm and inviting. Butterflies flare within my belly and my heart starts beating a wild dance, moving in rhythm to the soft kisses he places on my lips, again and again. I open my eyes and take in a deep breath. Adi was still staring at me, he brushes away a lock of hair that had fallen on my face. Then he bends down to kiss me, properly this time. My lips part open to invite him in as thoughts of Elena and my hurt feelings washes away. I lose myself in the kiss. I lose myself in Adi.

Only after he was gone, an hour later, did my common sense nag at me. Why did I let him kiss me? Was that really his form of punishment? I quickly run to the bathroom and switch the light on. My eyes were twinkling and my long brown hair framed my face. I looked different somehow. My skin was tinged a light pink. My lips were swollen and a little bruised. I had dark spots all over my neck where he had bitten and sucked on the delicate skin. I blush.
What a way to look on the night before your engagement party.
As I head back to bed, I couldn’t help notice the throbbing aching need and discomfort brewing deep in my belly. Oh Adi!

                               *****
She was driving me crazy. I couldn’t keep my hands off of her. I had always known that what I had felt for her was strong. But it seemed to be getting worse each day ever since I came to Bahrain.
I wished I could tell her. Show her how much and how deeply I cared for her. Maybe then she would let me into her heart. Perhaps even giving the chance for the two of us to build a real relationship together.
It hurt me whenever she said that she did not want to marry me. And the fact that I couldn’t let her go...I had to resort to something as shallow as the contract just to get her to give me that chance.
I thought it was all going to work out after that but now things got screwed up even more. Elena had showed up. How did she even get past security back at the facility? How did no one notice her absence? Thinking of how she managed to escape and find aa plane and manage to get here was boggling. I hadn’t even been notified that she had been gone. I pull out my phone again and find a waiting message.
They had been searching for her in Miami and had no clue how she got here. It was insane. This was only going to make things between Aaliyah and me even more complicated. She would close up her heart forever. She already thought Elena was my girlfriend from America, only that was not the truth. How was I even supposed to explain everything to her without her reacting badly, For all I knew, she could leave me. She would end the engagement and leave. It could stand as an excuse, a way to end this engagement...if she wanted to use it?
I sigh and rub my face with my hands.
A knock on my door has me sitting up. I perk up at the thought that it could be Aaliyah. I did leave her on edge and unsatisfied. If she was still the same Aaliyah who could put me to shame with the mischief she stirred up in the past, then leaving her like that would only force her to seek me out to finish what I had started. I’d be lying if I said that it hadn’t been a part of my plan but then, Aaliyah already knew that I was cruel. So why not take advantage of the fact.
I rush to open the door and deflate when I see my father standing there. I feel even worse for what I had been thinking only seconds before when I notice his face – a heavy and ashen look. I sidestep to let him in.
‘Son. I know how you said that this girl was sick and you had to see to her. But, now you are getting married. You are going to be king soon after and maybe a father not long after that too. I need you to get someone else to handle this situation. You are a prince for heaven’s sake. Why should you have to deal with something like this in the first place? This is why I should have never let you go.’
I sigh. He was right and I knew it. Only, even if Elena was not my problem, I had also added some fuel to her already raging fire. I was to blame for some of the things she was experiencing. I had to bear the brunt of that even if it meant taking care of her personally. I explain this to my father and he shakes his head.
‘I spoiled you too much. I truly should have never let you go. I should have kept you here the way I did to Aaliyah. It may have been cruel to seclude you from the outside world but it would have kept you safe.’
‘Dad. I am truly sorry but this is something that I just need to deal with on my own. Otherwise it will only get worse.’
‘No. I will deal with it. You are getting engaged tomorrow. Focus on that. I want you and Aaliyah to work. Not just for the future of Bahrain and because you care about her, but for her happiness. I know how much she hates being tied down here but I need her to be safe. I don’t want her having any kind of exposure to things that would hurt her. I promised her father that she would be well taken cared off, I intend to keep that promise till the day I die. I want you to promise me the same thing, Adi.’
It hurt that he never trusted me. Then again, I had given him much reason to doubt me.
‘I promise, Dad. What are you going to do with Elena?’ I was curious and annoyed at the same time. Even still, I could not go against the king.
‘I will have her taken back to America tomorrow after the engagement. I called Saint Anthony’s Doctor Abraham. He will be seeing to her from now.’ I nod my head.
‘Thank you.’
‘No need to worry. You have had to deal with this for far too long. Let me help. After all, you will be carrying a much heavier responsibility of mine much soon.’ Tears glisten in his eyes and I mistake them for sadness.
‘Dad. Do not talk like that.’ We both dab at our eyes and laugh. My father always laughed. He liked living happily no matter what kind of situation popped up, he would always face anything happily. I remember him always being this way. Not that he never took anything seriously, he just never wanted to over stress or react badly. All in all, he was a good father and an even greater king. I could only hope that I would measure up to him some day.
‘Aaliyah is not taking this well.’ He grasps my shoulders and I see concern in his eyes. ‘Especially now that Elena has shown up. You know how she over thinks things. Nothing will be easy. I am still wondering how she agreed to marry you without putting up a fight.’ He ponders and I keep my mouth tightly shut. He would murder me if he knew about the contract I made her sign. ‘Do you think she hates me?’
‘No Dad. If anything, she is more worried about you. Why did you keep the illness a secret from her? Why do you keep her in that bubble?’ I was genuinely interested in his answer. From the time I had arrived back home, all my father had done was lecture me while teaching me the ropes on how to handle Bahrain. We had been visiting parliament twice a week. Going over to the treasury once a week. And an endless amount of other things to over see. Being as meticulous and attentive to every care and detail, I wanted to know why a king would deliberately leave his future daughter-in-law, whom he cared for like a daughter of his own, in the dark about his illness.
‘There are things that just must be done. I never told your mother a lot of things. Women worry unnecessarily. All for good reason but I figured it would only make things simpler for them if they knew as little as possible about things that would not affect them personally. My death would only make Aaliyah sad and whatever else she may feel but I am not her father. I did not have the right to make her worry while I am still around. Your mother on the other hand is my wife and such things have to be confided with her. I just keep Aaliyah in the dark because she is not meant to carry any of my burdens. She is my joy. I always want to see her happy even if its at my expense.’
I was shocked by his answer. Maybe even a little jealous of the power Liyah held over my parents. They loved her too much. I wonder what they would have done if I had never agreed to marry her.
‘Don’t look so baffled my son.’ My father pats me on the back and I breathe in deeply. ‘You love her too. I know you will treat her even better than I could. When you finish with the engagement tomorrow, remember to make her dreams come true, fill up the emptiness in her heart. Make her laugh and keep her safe. Give her everything she desires but most importantly, make her happy.’
‘I will, Dad. I promise I will.’