The Five Year Marriage Contract

Chapter 12

‘You don’t look so good.’ I mumble and Elena snaps her head in my direction. Her hair was unkempt, her limbs twitchy and her behaviour erratic. Sitting beside her whilst remembering what Adi had said about her made me feel scared and nervous at the same time.
‘You look a little green yourself. I know that this may sound strange but I only want you to see something. That is why I needed you to come today.’ She turns her attention back to the road and I glance again at the rear view mirror. I knew that Adi must have already found out about this by now and I only hoped that the bodyguards were following us or at least, out looking for us.
The anger that had encompassed me earlier had fled as soon as Elena showed up in my room. Now I was too terrified to think of anything. There were no ill feelings toward Adi anymore. My earlier bravado and resentment was gone. Instead, I felt like a scared damsel In distress. The only thing keeping me sane was the hoping that Adi would come rescue me and the baby I was carrying. If not for me then at least for the baby’s sake. I wipe away the tears falling down my cheeks.
A week ago I had been so excited about this trip and now I regretted it whole heartedly. What did Elena want from me? How serious was her illness that she actually went through so much trouble just to get me here? To see whatever it was that she wanted me to see.
Ugh! I still couldn’t believe this was happening. I peeked a glance at her and wondered as to how she slipped into the house without being detected by any of the guards or the security detail monitoring the premier.
It all happened so fast. As soon as Auntie Fatima left me alone to rest, Elena pounced and forced me out of the chalet. I barely recognised her at first since she was dressed exactly like one of the maids from the chalet. However, that was all it took, that facade and the gun she pointed at my belly. I followed her instructions to keep quiet and not to alert anyone as we left the chalet.  Without being spotted, Elena easily got me to do as she please. In less than five minutes, we reached the run down car that she had parked in an area with overgrown bushes that helped conceal its hideous appearance. Then as soon as we both got in the car, she floored the pedal so hard that I was pushed back against the seat and I rushed to put the seat belt on.
I couldn’t manage the fear enveloping me as my arms hugged my belly. Now, I couldn’t help but think of my past and all of what had happened. It seemed as though my troubles before this moment were worth nothing compared to my current situation.
Elena coughs, drawing my gaze once more.  She was muttering again and I sighed helplessly as she zigzagged her way through the traffic. I found it strange how she kept on repeating her thoughts on how I would understand why she was doing all of this as soon as I saw whatever she wanted to show me. I had no idea what she even wanted to show me. Adi had never said anything about spending time in San Francisco. I knew his company was located in San Jose. His home was also there. So was Elena taking me there, to Adi’s home?
But I could not find out. Every time I opened my mouth to ask her a question, I would close it back again. If Elena was having another one of her episodes then I knew that I had to remain calm. I did not want to agitate her any further or spook her. So instead of asking her anything, I keep my mouth shut. I had to make sure that I kept my baby was safe by not jeopardising anything if I said the wrong thing.

Elena pulls up ten minutes later at a parking lot overlooking the Pacific Ocean. It was a beautiful sight and seeing the beach only brought back memories of the first date Adi and I had shared. Elena, forcefully shoves the weapon she had been carrying against my back, bringing me out of my reverie. I move out of the car and walk two steps in-front of her. Our pace is slow, so I take in my surroundings. A few meters away sat a sort of beach shack. Not the dilapidated kind. An enormous and expensive beautiful house that gave of the beach shack vibe regardless.
Indigo painted wooden panels ran along the bottom of the white sandy walls. A huge white tiled roof gave the house a welcoming sight. Huge floor to ceiling windows scattered along the walls and I could just barely make out the features of the beautiful inside. The outside was also neat and well taken cared off. Tall trees littered here and there helped give the place an exotic vibe. As we got closer to the side, I see a huge patio and comfortable seats that led to the backyard. I spotted a fire pit in the very middle, a barbeque area and even a pool.
If anything, the place looked like it was with the purpose of being a romantic getaway and I couldn’t help wonder if Elena and Adi shared this place when they were together. The thought makes my insides tilt and a fresh wave of nausea hits me so bad that I stumble forward.
‘Stand up. You still need to go inside.’ She gestures at the front door and I sigh. This was not a good idea.
‘I don’t need to see the place you and Adi shared. I know everything that has happened between the two of you. Nothing will change my love for him.’ I whisper truthfully. Her eyes twitch when I finish and she points the gun at me.
‘You and David will never be together. He loved me! Me! Not you!’
I almost scream that I did not care but grit my teeth in frustration. But then her words strike me. Who was David? Had she meant Adi? But no, she knew him as Phillip. Something else was going on here. I look at her again. Her twitchy hands and bloodshot eyes that could barely focus on anything. I couldn’t fight against the sudden sympathy surging inside me.
‘Yes. I saw you together. He doesn’t love you.’ Elena continues, ‘He left you as soon as he found out you were pregnant. He never wanted responsibility before so I know. And that is also how I know he will come back to me. I know it!’ her words slap me in the face. She was right. Adi left as soon as he could. When we just found out we were expecting. And he had the audacity to think that I would intentionally hurt our unborn child. Elena was right. Adi did not love me. The only thing I was to him was a contract wife. And now that I was giving him what he wanted most, an heir, he had no need for me and would dispose of me as soon as he could.
I feel a few tears slip out and Elena grins. It was as though she had read deep into my soul and already knew that I was giving up on Adi and me ever becoming a real couple. Our marriage had been a charade from the get-go. I should never have let myself lose control of my emotions. Love was never an easy road. If anything, it was a winding path in the midst of only thorn bushes. Maybe the outcome was appealing but were the challenges even worth it? On the other hand, I had no fruit to reap at the end. In these few months I had already gone through so much. How much could one person be tested for a man who did not even spare a second to think about you?
But I had no right. No claim on Adi. He did not have any feelings for me. He did not love me. It was hopeless to wait or expect that he too could one day develop something for me. I had been thrown into a situation that had no future and I was to blame. As soon as I signed that contract, I had sentenced myself to a life of loneliness.
‘Elena. You don’t have to do this. If you want him you can have him. Just let me go. Please.’ I beg her and I sigh from relief when she lowers her weapon. ‘I don’t want him anymore and he does not love me. You can have him.’ I whisper.
‘I can have him?’ she mumbles and I nod my head. But I regret the action immediately. My head starts swimming and I feel faint. Black spots cloud my vision and I am overcome by the nausea. Something is terribly wrong is the last thought on my mind before I fall and spiral into a void of darkness.
‘Adi!’
 
                                *****
‘Sir, you can’t just go in. There are a few protocols we have to consider first. Acting otherwise would only jeopardise Her majesty’s safety.’ Mathew gives me a look and I sigh. He was right. I had to follow the rules of negotiating with a hostile. For the umpteenth time I run my hands through my hair and grit my teeth together. Aaliyah was in that house with a possibly armed Elena and I was losing my self control. I needed to go in there. She had to be alive!
‘How far out are the paramedics!’ I bark and someone else replies.
‘Ten minutes away, Sir!’
‘How long do you expect us to wait here? What if something is wrong?’ I ask Mathew and he shakes his head.
‘I have someone scoping the area. Miss Elena is armed. We need a way to disarm her first. But we have to do this slowly. If it is a mental breakdown, there is no way of knowing how lucid she is. We do not want to jeopardize Mrs Bashara by being too forceful.’
Mathew was right, again, but I still wanted to run inside there and make sure Aaliyah was okay. I needed to get her out of there and out to safety. Then I was going to lock her up in the palace at Bahrain as soon as we were free to go back home and never let her out of my sight. I now knew why my father had kept her like a prisoner. It had not been because he was cruel. He had only been trying to protect her. I had only been with her for less than a year and already I had broken her heart twice and now I had put her in actual physical danger. I was a failure as a husband. I did not deserve Aaliyah and the only thing I could do was try to make it up to her for the rest of our lives. If she gave me that chance.
But what if she didn’t? What if she decides to leave as soon as she was free? She had confessed her feelings to me two months ago and I, had only remained quiet. Not telling her about the depth of my own love for her that had only ever been increasing from the time we were teenagers. I was such a fool!
‘I cannot wait. I need to know that she is okay.’ The words tumble out of my mouth.
‘I think we should go in.’ David says over my shoulder and I nod. I could not just stay back and watch someone else clean up my mess.
‘Sir...’ I push past Mathew and he lets me go. He knew better than to defy me. I walk forward, my feet carrying me swiftly toward the front door as my heart thunders against my ribcage. I wanted to run and burst in but I knew that would only spook an already edgy Elena. I needed her calm and able to distract her until she is able to forget about Aaliyah. That way I could get Aaliyah to safety exactly like that time in my bedroom.
I look around at the front porch and a pang shudders through me. This place was foreign to me. So why was she here and why did she bring Aaliyah here? I glance sideways and figure it out.
‘David. I think you should talk to her. This is obviously between the two of you. While you distract her, Ill get Liyah.’
‘Yes. I figured that out already. Phillip-?’ he starts to apologise but I couldn’t hear it. Not now! We did not have time for him to finish. My thoughts were solely focused on Aaliyah.
‘Save it for after we get through this.’ I tell him to take away the sting if my abrupt behaviour. He nods and then knocks on the door. After a minute of nothing but quiet, he knocks again. I make sure to stay out of sight when the door opens. Elena steps out, a gun in her hand already aimed but just before she reacts David wraps his arms around her. She recognises him immediately and a few moments later, she starts sobbing. He starts rubbing her back soothingly as they both sink to the floor. I hurriedly but gently pull the gun away from her dangling hand and walk passed the two of them and into the huge open plan house to search for Aaliyah.
‘Liyah!’ I call out but there is no response. I internally shudder from not knowing how this would all turn out. Footsteps close behind me alerts me of the incoming guards but I don’t wait for them and continue searching. ‘Liyah!’ I call again after clearing most of the rooms, with only the last one to check. It was situated at the far end of the house and I hadn’t expected it to be the one...
I push open the door, a silent prayer on my lips and my heart in my mouth, and almost fall from relief. Aaliyah!
Her unconscious body is lying on the bed in foetal position. The image of her like this is heart breaking, she looked so sad. I rush toward her and only relax when after pressing against her neck to feel her pulse. Right on cue, the paramedics arrive. They begin the mandatory tests but when Aaliyah does not respond or wake up, everything goes into a frenzy and I am ushered outside the room to give them a clear space to work.
‘Her highness’s blood levels are low. This must be due to the constant throwing up. She is also dehydrated and needs lots of fluids. This all with the added stress of what just happened and the adrenaline decline...if she had  gone on like that for longer, it would have been disastrous. I’ve got her on an IV drip. She’s awake now. You can go see her but I think its best for her to go to the hospital for a full check up to make sure all is well, with the baby especially.’ The paramedic informs me and I nod, shaking his hand to show my gratitude.
‘Adi.’ Aaliyah whispers as soon as I walk inside the room. I immediately reach for her hand.
‘I’m here Liyah.’ I kiss her forehead and whisper soothing words into her ear. A few moments later, the paramedics come back in to move Aaliyah onto a stretcher and then wheel her into the back of the waiting ambulance.
I barely register another ambulance taking Elena away with two police cars following closely behind it.
‘We had to call the police,’
‘I understand.’ I tell Mathew and he leans back in his seat. The paramedic gives us both a sympathetic look and I turn my attention back to Aaliyah.
I wished we were alone in the back of the ambulance so I could at least hold her in my arms. The need to reassure myself that she really was here and okay was overwhelming. The only thing I could do was wipe away the continuous tears streaming down Aaliyah’s cheeks as she began to doze off.
Mathew shifts beside me awkwardly, drawing my attention. His face glum.
‘I am sorry about all of this, Sir.’ He mumbles and I nod my head. It was not his fault exactly but his men who had stayed behind at the chalet. Mathew had been with me at the time of the incident.
‘I think you know what to do.’
‘Already done.’ He reassures me and I sigh. Firing people had never really been my strong suit but it was necessary in times like this.

At the hospital, Bianca checks up on Aaliyah and the baby. A few tests are run and thereafter, I am informed that Aaliyah would be fine. Her body was probably only exhausted and taking time to adjust to the pregnancy and the traumatic day.
‘Adi. Why don’t you go rest. I will stay here with Aaliyah.’ My mother pats my back and I shake my head.
‘No it is fine. I actually don’t want to leave her side. Never again.’ I put my head in my hands and take deep breaths to calm myself down.
She was safe. The baby was safe. We were going to be fine. I keep reciting the mantra over and over in my head. The first thing I had to do when she woke up again was tell her how much I loved her. How much...
‘Adi?’ Aaliyah’s voice breaks through the overwhelming guilt bearing down on ne. This time when I look up at her, her eyes are open and she is taking in her surroundings clearly. She sighs in relief after I grasp her hand and she falls back gently against the pillows behind her. ‘You found me. I knew you would.’ She sighs and I sit beside her on the bed. It squeaks a little but I lean forward and place a kiss on her cheek.
‘I will always come back to you no matter where you go.’ I say sincerely, not bothering with the fact that my mother was standing right beside me. My voice sounds deeper than usual and I feel the burn of tears behind my eyelids.
‘Aunty. How are you. I hope you weren’t hurt.’ Liyah addresses my mother who only shakes her head. Tears fall from her eyes and land on her cheeks.
‘I am so glad that you are okay. I should never have left you alone. I was a fool. You went through such an ordeal and it’s my fault!’
‘No it was my fault. I should never have pushed the both of you away. I was selfish and couldn’t see beyond my own feelings.’ Liyah interrupts but I hold up my hand to stop my mother from answering her with claiming the fault when neither of them had done anything wrong.
‘Mother, I would like to speak to Aaliyah alone for a few minutes.’
‘Sure Adi. I just want to congratulate the two of you again.’ She says after giving the both of us a hug and then leaves but immediately after, David walks in. He bows his head when he approaches the bed and Liyah gives him a startled glance. She still hadn’t met him as yet and did not know who he was.
‘This is my friend and business partner. David Lopez.’ I introduce.
‘Oh!’ Aaliyah says as she takes him in.
‘I would sincerely like to apologize on behalf of Elena, Mrs Bashara.’ He bows his head again.
‘Please call me Aaliyah. And thank you. I already know about her illness.’ She smiles at David and he returns it. A pang of jealousy strikes me in between my ribs and I grasp her hand in mine. David coughs to hide a smile. He had noticed. I was being possessive but I didn’t care and Liyah was naive enough not to notice.
‘David, do you...’ but I don’t get to finish before Liyah interrupts.
‘David! Now I remember. Elena kept talking about you. I think she is still inlove with you. All this time I thought she had meant Adi.’ She looks at me in bewilderment and I nod my head. Elena had had her first episode after David broke up with her.
‘Yes. That is why I want to apologize. This whole thing is my fault. If only I had embraced my feelings for her sooner instead of running, none of this would have happened.’ He sighs wistfully and I feel the same. I too had been running from Aaliyah for two decades now. It was time I put it all to rest.
‘Thank you.’ Liyah tells him and he nods his head again before leaving. The guards waiting at the door look up at me and I signal them to wait outside. I turn my attention back to Liyah whose hands are around her belly. Her eyes are closed and the soft smile playing on her lips forces me to bend down and kiss her. It does not take long before she starts kissing me back. My body starts to harden with need and I let a little of my self control go.
Aaliyah gasps and opens her eyes when I start to push the hospital gown off her shoulders.
‘Adi. Not here!’ She warns me and I pout. I wanted to hold her close to me. Feel her, sense her and have her around me to push the fears of almost losing her away.
‘What were you thinking before?’ I gesture at her hands that were still around her belly and she smiles again. Tears fill her eyes but she blinks them away.
‘I was thinking about the baby and my future. I would never be alone. Never again.’ I couldn’t help but notice the my in her admission. Not us! It stung and I knew I was to blame for that line of thinking. She had made up her mind to leave me as soon as she could and I had no idea if I could win her back after all if this.
But I had to try!
‘Liyah. There are some things that I need to tell you. Maybe you will hate some of it but I need you to know everything. I-I don’t want to lose you.’
She looks up at me and her amber eyes catches the light. Her brown hair shines brightly like a halo around her sweet and gentle face. She was an angel. So beautiful, caring and sweet. Mighty heaven was she sweet!
‘Tell me what?’ the surprise was clear in her voice. She had no clue as to how I felt towards her. She was so naive and pure. This girl who had been my constant companion. My light in the darkness. My homing beacon. How could I have ever hurt her, made her feel rejected or even discarded? I loved her from the moment I knew what love was and I had wasted so many years of my life doing things that were unimportant when I could have been with her. Happy!
‘I want to tell you everything, Liyah.’ I put my hand on hers against her flat belly and take a deep breath. ‘Please trust me. I am not just telling you this because of the baby we are going to have. I need you to know the truth about my feelings and why I kept them hidden all this time.’