Hamdan spent most of the night tossing and turning and stopping himself from calling Sarah. Getting out of bed was hard the next morning, he dragged himself to the closet and changed into workout clothes before leaving for NAS. Saeed silently accompanied him on the passenger seat.
It was a sunny day with bright blue skies, a few puffy clouds and birds chirping on the palm trees, but everything seemed to be covered by a sorrowful veil that was taking the life and joy away from it all. He went straight upstairs and started trotting on a treadmill. The glass wall in front of him overlooked the soccer field and he could not keep his brain from reliving how Sarah laughed at his failed penalty shot.
"It's not my fault that you suck!"
An aching smile drew on his face, one of the best nights of his life had turned into a painful memory. He increased the speed on the treadmill and started jogging, as if that would help him escape. He closed his eyes briefly and remembered how the soothing ocean breeze brought her scent to him as she cuddled up in his arms in The Smeralda.
"Stay with me."
He tried to think of something else. Work. His schedule for the next few days, events, weddings to attend. Maybe he could plan something with the guys for the weekend. Looking at the morning sky, he wished he could be a falcon soaring across the clouds, flying away, leaving everything behind.
Her stunning face popped up again in his thoughts.
"Where am I? Here. Who am I with? You. Risking everything I have and then some because that's how much you mean to me."
Increasing the speed, he started to run. Droplets of sweat began to form on his forehead as he recalled the first time they made love. Flashes of her body swirling in his mind making his heart throb in his chest.
"I've never been happier, Hamdan."
Every footfall pounding on the treadmill's belt as he quickened his pace to a sprint. His arms swung vigorously as he kept repeating to himself that he had to let her go, but his mind and his heart were tugging in opposite directions, tearing him apart.
"I want us, nothing more."
Sweat rolled down his face while he felt his lungs were about to burst. He slammed the stop button and grabbed onto the handles before his legs gave up on him. His raspy throat gasping for air. There was no escape. Memories of her would never leave him, even more, he would treasure them as his most valuable possession. They were all he had left. He started to doubt his will power. Could he really let her go? If he did, it would definitely be the hardest thing he had ever done. He was not sure if he was capable of it.
Arriving at one of the family's farms in the desert, he put on a brave face for lunch with his father, brothers and friends. No one would notice how he really felt, he had years of practice showing people what they wanted to see. Nothing more, nothing less. After greeting everybody, Hamdan approached his father.
"Can we talk?" He whispered in his ear.
Sheikh Mohammed looked at him over his glasses and nodded. They leisurely walked away from the group of men that were gathered around the hefty pots of food over fire pits.
"I want to apologize for how I talked to you the other day," Hamdan began. "I had no right talking to you the way I did and for that, I'm sorry."
"Thank you. I accept your apology," Sheikh Mohammed replied and stopped for a second, Hamdan could tell he was not done talking. "I often have to make choices that don't necessarily make me or others happy, but I have to think about the bigger picture, son. I realize what I did was going to hurt her and you, but sometimes it takes a bold move to get your point across. In the end, it's worth it if you know you're right."
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Promise This (English Version)
Fanfiction"A strand of hair was laying over her left eye and he slowly tucked it behind her ear with his index finger. His hand kept going down to the back of her neck and he caressed her blushing cheek with his thumb. She did not seem to be cold anymore. His...
