Although I was taken aback, I quickly composed myself and noticed that he only raised his eyebrow, showing no signs of shock. It was clear that he was not easily surprised.
Mr. Dedhari's outfit unmistakably sets him apart from the rest, with its distinct gold linings adorning every edge, making it the most exceptional attire amongst the crowd.
He simply told me, "I didn't know you were Arab!" He spoke to me and gave me a scrutinizing look with a smirk.
I exclaimed, "I am not Mr. Dedhari!" while rolling my eyes in frustration. "And you Mr. Dedhari, do not appear to be an Arab. So, may I ask what brings you here?" I demanded, crossing my arms and fixing him with an unwavering gaze."
"Sorry, that's a secret I can't share, Khadija," he said in a friendly tone, pronouncing my name in a way that was different from how others, including Ahmed, said it. "You seem quite curious about my presence here," he added with a playful smile, poking my nose like I was a cute little toy.
Why would he think it's okay to poke my nose? I immediately shot him a stern glare, and he responded with a smile and a manly chuckle.
"You look absolutely adorable in that dress, and people inside will be wondering why you're attending!" His deep voice grew serious as he handed me a triangular cotton fabric with a unique design and quickly fashioned it into a circle on my head. "Don't take it off, you look stunningly cool!" I was about to object, but he simply smiled and winked before opening the door and walking in. He might be right, I just let it be placed on my head as it turns out to be my head dress.
When I entered the hall, I noticed that everyone was already there, and they seemed to be in the middle of a ritual. Although I felt a bit unsure and embarrassed, I took a deep breath and scanned the room for a place to sit. As I found a spot, I reminded myself that it's okay to not know everything and that I can always ask someone for guidance if needed. Based on my estimation, there were only 60 Arab nationals in the crowd. Moreover, I noticed several female Arabs wearing dresses with a design identical to the one provided to me by Mr. Dedhari, which I then wore on my head.
As I scanned the area, I immediately noticed two different thobe designs. The first row had someone wearing a thobe with black and gold lining, while in the second row, everyone wore a white thobe with only gold linings. The third row was filled with people wearing plain white thobes. It's clear that there are distinct differences in the thobe designs.
I'm having trouble finding Ahmed as everyone is facing forward. However, I did spot two Filipina women while sitting on the couch to the side of the convention hall.
The friendly Filipina woman approached me and politely asked, "Excuse me, are you here with your husband?"
I smiled and replied, "Actually, I'm here with a friend."
Her face remained expressionless, but I could sense her hesitation. "I'm here with my husband and his second wife!" she said with a hint of sadness. She drew in a deep breath and continued with more conviction.
I am not okay with this. I just responded with, "Wow, that's great!" It is completely unacceptable to have a husband with another wife.
I distinctly saw the lady who approached me with a warm smile on her face, her unwavering attention focused on the ceremony. Witnessing this different tradition was nothing short of enchanting, and the diverse crowd of people from various nationalities left me in awe and brimming with gratitude. As the event progressed, they formed a symbol and knelt down, which I assumed was their way of praying in Islam.
I feel slightly drowsy and let out a big yawn when no one was paying attention. Suddenly, I noticed Mr. Dedhari turning his head towards me and winking at me with a playful smirk, followed by a sweet smile. I was taken aback by his actions. After the event, other Arab nationals slowly dispersed in the convention hall to attend to other formalities and meet other people from Oman. However, I'm still searching for Ahmed and haven't found him yet.
" alyawm alwataniu aleumaniu! (Happy National Day to us Omani!)" the speaker said wearing the golden thobe with black lining and he's a mid 60's man. "Please let us also thank Mr. Lucian Maximus Dedhari who organized this event and be his fathers presence in this kind of important event." the old man announced and about to take the framed certificate to prepare while Mr. Dedhari is heading up on stage to received the certificate.
I have to say, he looks absolutely amazing in that thobe! It's the first time I've seen someone I barely know dress up that well, and it completely blew me away. As he got up on stage and posed, I noticed his gaze searching for someone, and it eventually landed on me. I gave him a look of amazement, and he responded with a smile and a wink. I couldn't help but smile back, and I got completely carried away.
Ahmed was speaking with the speaker while wearing an outstanding thobe with gold and black linings. I'm very intrigued about what makes it different from other thobes. His thobe gives off an impression of wealth and prosperity, and I can't help but drool when I see him. He looks extremely professional and attractive in that thobe.
At the Arab semi-feast, I had the opportunity to try a pricey drink, Hennessy, and it was quite a unique experience. Although I'm not a frequent drinker, I enjoyed the taste and savored every sip. As I indulged in the drink,
Ahmed noticed me and his jaw dropped upon seeing me. He furrowed his brow and gave me an aggressive smile. He immediately took a few steps toward me. "Whoa, where did you get this, my lady!" he exclaimed, touching my hair and then sliding his hands down to my waist.
I'm not sure if it's just the Hennessy I've been drinking, or if I'm simply fantasizing about him. But his words have ignited a fire within me. He slowly leads me to a table where Ali Kemal is sitting, dressed in a plain white thobe without any designs.
"A man with a gold linings thobe gave this to me! He said it would be better if I wear these." I told Ahmed and gave him a smile.
As I reached for my drink, he abruptly snatched it from my hand. "Hold on there, my lady! You've already had two shots of Hennessy. Slow down," he chided with a sly grin. "Tell me, who's the man responsible for that hairdo?" he demanded, his brow furrowed with curiosity. "You look absolutely stunning with that!" he whispered, his eyes lighting up with admiration. He then glanced over at Ali Kemal, who was engrossed in his phone conversation.
I'm not sure if I'm just assuming, but Ahmed keeps staring at me. I might melt. As soon as I noticed Ali Kemal put his phone on the pocket of his thobe, I seized the opportunity to ask him about the differences in thobes, while Ahmed was engrossed in chatting with the other Arab at our table.
"Hello, Ali Kemal!" I greeted with a warm smile and a friendly wave. "I was hoping to ask you something that's been on my mind since I got here in convention hall!"
With a direct gaze and a confident smile, he asserted, "I am happy to help! What do you need to know?"
"Please clarify something for me. I've observed that some of the Arabs here are donning different thobes compared to yours and Ahmed's. Can you explain the reason for this difference?" I asked assertively, scrutinizing my surroundings with a perplexed look.
He gave me a smirk that clearly conveyed his amusement at my curiosity. "Ahmed's thobe indicated his belonging to a highly ranked and wealthy service family as a prince. Those with gold linings, on the other hand, are mere business tycoons, certainly wealthy but not of royal lineage!" He explained, with a confident smile. He then glanced around the room, and, after confirming his statement, he nodded his head in affirmation.
I was completely caught off guard by this huge revelation. Ali Kemal didn't miss the shock on my face. "As for my white plain thobe, let me make it clear that although I may be an ordinary Arab, my parents are affluent and the first servants of Ahmed's family!" He smiled confidently and gave me a nod of approval.
Ahmed still didn't notice about me and Ali Kemals chitchat because he is still seriously talking. From time to time another men approaches him to talk to and indulge businesses. I didn't bother to ask more questions to Ali Kemal. I drink another glass of Hennessy which makes me feel so dizzy.
I may not know everything, but suddenly, I feel small and down in this world of men. These situations seem unreal to me. Is this some kind of Cinderella story? It's unbelievable! In our province, my family is wealthy, but with him, I'm just a tiny bug. I wish this were just a dream. He buys expensive things without worrying about the cost, but I'm not going to let him treat me like I'm insignificant.
I am confident that Mr. Dedhari is following me. My vision became blurry for a moment, but when it cleared up, I saw him giving me an uncomfortable look from a table adorned with gold linings. I rubbed my eyes to make sure that I wasn't mistaken, but when I looked again, he had disappeared. I know what I saw, and it was definitely Mr. Dedhari.
"Hey, are you okay my lady?" Ahmed asked me, with a hint of concern in his voice. "If there's a problem, we can leave and go back to our villa," he suggested firmly, while giving me a reassuring look. His stare was intense, but it also made me feel comforted and safe.
The party atmosphere is quite strange. Instead of seating, only high tables are available and many people are left standing. It's worth noting that the majority of attendees are Arab men.
"Ahmed, don't worry about it! The party has only just begun!" I exclaimed, trying to reassure him and boost his spirits.
"My lady, there's no party here. It's just a small catch up!" I nod in response.
As we were talking, he gave me a small smile and mentioned, "Oh, I borrowed this thobe from a friend." His face had a sincere look to it and I could tell he was being genuine.
Really, Ahmed? I bet he didn't hear what Ali Kemal and I talked about.
"Is that so?" I responded with a tinge of sarcasm, unconvinced of the validity of the statement.
"Would you like to visit a specific location, or would you prefer a scenic tour of the Highlands?" he asked thoughtfully, turning his gaze towards the glass wall and then back to me with a warm smile.
It's 3 pm already, and I'm feeling a bit tired to go on a tour right now. I think it would be more productive to sit here and relax for a while.
"I'm feeling good here, but there are some things we should discuss," I said, trying to be constructive. Despite my slight tipsiness, I smiled awkwardly and scratched the back of my head, eager to have an open conversation.
"Interesting," he said, his left eyebrow raised in curiosity. "May I ask what topic has piqued your interest, my lady?"
"Why did you bring me to this kind of celebration?" I asked, still tipsy and curious. "I don't know why you brought me here. It's extraordinary?"
"I just wanted to express my gratitude for the way you treat me. You're the first girl who has ever been kind to me, and your company makes me feel really comfortable," he said in a positive tone, leaning forward and placing his chin on his hand.
"Ahmed, let me tell you, every Filipina knows how to treat you with kindness!" I said confidently, punctuating my statement with a small chuckle to show that I mean what I say.
"You're different, and I can't quite explain it, my lady!" he stated firmly, leaving me too intimidated to add in another question.
As I observed the crowd slowly dispersing from the venue, I realized that it was time for us to leave too. Just as I was about to suggest to Ahmed that we should head back to the villa, he came near me and held onto my waist, whispering, "Can I be excused for a moment, my lady? I need to have a conversation with a very important guest!"
I was utterly stunned by his daring move, and I couldn't help but feel a sense of exhilaration. I kept my eyes fixed on him as he made his way to Mr. Dedhari's table with a bold, confident stride.
As I watched them converse, I couldn't help but notice Mr. Dedhari pointing directly at me while speaking to Ahmed. It was painfully obvious that I was the subject of their discussion.
Ahmed, in contrast, simply nodded along with whatever Mr. Dedhari was saying. But then he came over to me and confidently placed his hand on my waist, whispering, "Let's go, my lady!"
Ahmed looked slightly annoyed, but still kept his hand on my waist as we left. As I glanced back, Mr. Dedhari's face remained expressionless.