Promise This (English Version)

15. Careful

Hamdan did not see much of Sarah the days after their dinner. He was busy and much to his surprise, she was almost as busy as he. She was not fully back to training until Princesa made a complete recovery, so she told him that she was using the free time to volunteer extra hours at this charity that she loved. She also had that other job and night outs with her friends.

Hamdan, on the other hand, had lost count of how many times he had taken the helicopter to be where he was needed at the time. After his morning workout, he would be drifting between events; meetings, paying condolences to the families of military martyrs, weddings and ceremonies . He attended the Dubai Police Academy graduation on behalf of his father, it was a very formal occasion, he was there with the golden bisht looking at the big display of police cars and military air crafts. Sarah saw an article in the newspaper about it and sent him a picture. That made the difference; knowing she was there, that he could at least call her and hear her voice before sleeping every night and do it all over the next day. His schedule was hectic as usual but nothing was the same anymore, he wasn't dreading it, he was enjoying life again.

Princesa went back to training the week after but he had scheduled a hunting trip to the UK with his friends. He purposely left his home around the time training would be over and decided to take a little detour to the stables. They would be late for the airport, as Uncle Saeed kindly reminded him, but he needed to see her. Besides, it was not as if his own private plane would leave without him.

Saeed Hilal, A.J. and Hammed were also with him, so it was going to be a bit of a challenge to talk to her but even if he could just lay eyes on her, that would be enough. For now.

The men were entertained admiring the stable's latest acquisition; a black, stallion with lustrous hair. Salem was going on and on about the horse's genealogy as Hamdan's eyes kept searching for her, but Sarah was nowhere to be found. The red Jeep was in the parking lot, he knew she was there. He had always considered himself a resourceful man, so he started ransacking his brain for ideas. When he saw little Mohammed bouncing around, the light bulb went on in his head.

What would I do without this little lion?

Hamdan stepped away from the group and signaled Hammed to get closer. Kneeling down, he challenged his best friend to a race. The boy nodded excitedly.

"All the way over there," he told Hammed, pointing at the stable where Princesa's stall was.

At the count of two the five-year-old started running and Hamdan chased after him, letting Hammed take the lead all the way until the boy made it to the finish line. His heart jumped when he heard Hammed shout Sarah's name when he entered the stable. She was hugging Hammed at the end of the hallway in the middle of the barn type building. How he wished he could do the same. He looked back and no one was around. Still, it was too risky. He had to hold back.

"I didn't know you guys were coming!" She smiled at Hamdan, letting go of Hammed.

He smiled back. "Surprise!"

Sarah was wearing black leggings and a grey activewear jacket, her hair up in a ponytail. She had no makeup on but her cheeks were red from the training. Every time he saw her, she appeared more beautiful to him.

"We're going hunting!" Hammed exclaimed, pointing around with an imaginary rifle and making Sarah break eye contact.

"Wait, you're going too?" She frowned.

The boy beamed affirmatively.

Sarah crossed her arms. "And what about school, Hammed?"

Hammed's smile vanished and he glanced at Hamdan with a lost puppy look in his eyes. Hamdan's mouth opened but nothing came out. Hammed shrugged and ran away out of the stable. Then, Sarah was looking at Hamdan, still waiting for an answer.