by Sara Greene
Vanessa nodded. “But your people do not know that, do they?” she asked. Riza knew her question was a logical one and he did not tire himself to think of an answer.
“Well just like the people of Azizrl, those who live here will have to come to terms with it once you are crowned Queen,” he said. Vanessa looked at him with her big blue eyes. “But what if I don’t want to become Queen?” she asked. “Oh come on Van please don’t put on your difficult shoes. Mumtaz has what she wanted and I think you owe me that much by agreeing to what I say,” he said.
Vanessa shrugged. “Somehow I feel I am not fit for the position you intend bestowing upon me.”
One week later
Vanessa decided to take Azam out in his stroller. The child needed a bit of fresh air as he was closeted in his nursery all the time. She walked briskly toward the nursery her abhaya swirling round her ankles. She giggled at how confident she looked in an abhaya. She has really mastered the art of wearing it. Adilah was feeding Azam mashed fruit and Vanessa saw how he relished it.
Adilah do you think I could take Azam out in his stroller?” she asked. Adilah nodded. “So long as he is shaded from the strong sun,” she said. “Madam, you still don’t know how strong the Zemaba sun can be,” she continued.
Five minutes later Vanessa was pushing Azam in his stroller. The little boy was delighted as he looked around with wide eyes. She stopped to show him a camel and he clapped his hands. Vanessa did not hear footsteps behind her and she jumped when she was spoken to.
“You think you will be Queen don’t you?” said the voice as Vanessa turned slowly and her eyes fell on a furious looking Nazreena. Vanessa smiled. “Hello Nazreena.” “I have not come here to exchange pleasantries with you Vanessa Bowing. Your presence and this child changed my sister completely. You are to blame for her rash decision in leaving Zemaba, where she could have been happy. Mumi was very unhappy ever since you arrived,” said Nazreena. Vanessa lifted an eyebrow and smiled.
“Your limited knowledge of what your sister wanted is very evident from what you just said. I believe Mumtaz and you were never close and so you did not know her inner feelings and her love for Rafeek which had developed into a strong bond over the years,” said Vanessa.
“Rafeek? How do you know about him?”
“From none other than your sister herself,” replied Vanessa.
“So Mumi confided in you,” It was more a statement than a question.
“She not only confided in me, but she did in Riza too and that was why Riza took a decision to set her free and let her go to Rafeek and be united with him.”
“You mean to say that Riza was instrumental in sending Mumi away?”
“You could think what you like and say what you wish, but remember Nazreena that your sister was unhappy here. In fact she told me several times how she wishes she could go somewhere with Rafeek and start life anew,” said Vanessa.
“Miss Bowing you called me Nazreena. Don’t you know that I am a princess and that you should use my title?”
“I didn’t think it relevant as I called your sister by her name and mind you she was Queen and you are only a Princess, so I don’t see the relevance for me to use your title, when…..when you might have to call me Queen in a few weeks time and may be even courtesy to me,” said Vanessa.
Nazreena shivered with anger as she looked long and hard at Vanessa, then turned on her heel and walked away her head held high.
Vanessa wanted to roar with laughter, but she settled for a slight grin only.
Two months later in London
Rafeek Abdullah and Mumtaz were married under special license in London and he took up duties as Managing Director of International Consortium Constructions. Mumtaz loved the apartment at the Corinthia.
Mumtaz turned out to be a typical housewife as she managed their home and went shopping for groceries at the local supermarkets like any woman her age would do. This was bliss, real bliss. No one told her how she should behave. She was plain Mumtaz the wife of Rafeek and she loved every moment of it.
Rafeek managed the company with efficiency and they clinched many contracts after he took over duties. Riza was extremely happy with the progress of his company and commended Rafeek on his dedication and efficiency which were the key factors that had made the company a forerunner in the field of construction.
One morning Mumtaz was preparing breakfast when she felt dizzy. She moved to a chair and sat down for a while hoping that the dizziness would leave, but then with it came a wave of nausea. She clamped her mouth with her right hand and rushed to the bathroom, where, when Rafeek came into the kitchen, he found her wrenching into the wash basin.
“What is it Mumi,” he asked as he put his arms around her. Mumtaz shook her head and wrenched once more. She raised her head from the wash basin and looked at Rafeek her eyes red. “Let’s see a doctor today,” said Rafeek. “I feel awful Rafeek.”
Rafeek guided her to a chair in the kitchen. “You rest for a while and I will prepare breakfast,” said Rafeek as he popped two slices of bread in the toaster. “Would you like some marmalade to go with the toast?” Mumtaz shook her head. “Plain toast would be fine Rafeek and thank you so much.” “Hey why are you thanking me? I am your husband and am always ready to share your happiness, grief, sickness and every that is you Mumi. I love you so much,” he said bending down to kiss her forehead. Mumtaz’s eyes filled with tears. “And I love you so much too,” she whispered.
That morning Rafeek took Mumtaz to see Dr. William Struder. The doctor looked at Mumtaz over his horn-rimmed spectacles and smiled kindly. “When did you have your last period?” he asked. Mumtaz’s eyes flew to Rafeek. They both knew why the doctor asked that question.
Mumtaz thought for a while. “I guess I am about two weeks late,” she said shyly. “Then we shall have to take a few tests to see what’s the matter,” said Dr. Struder as he summoned a nurse. “Take Mrs. Abdullah to the laboratory and get Dirk to do these tests,” said Dr. Struder as he handed a piece of paper to the nurse.
Rafeek held Mumtaz’s hand all the time and he stood outside the bathroom when she went it with a small bottle to have a sample of urine ready for testing.
They sat in the reception holding hands. “What do you think?” whispered Mumtaz. “I think that…..do you know what I think?” asked Rafeek grinning. “I think that little Rafeek Abdullah has started growing in his mother’s womb.” “Oh Rafeek do you think so?” asked Mumtaz her eyes lighting up. And then almost at once she became serious. “What will I tell my parents? They believe that I am baron,” she said. “Well you can tell them that we threw that report out and now you are not baron,” he said grinning at her and looking like a little boy who had done something naughty and was thinking of what he could tell his parents, so that he could get out of it.
“Oh you are impossible darling,” she said smacking Rafeek playfully on the arm as the nurse came out and called them in. “Dr. Struder would like to see you Mrs. Abdullah,” she said smiling.
“Mrs. Abdullah, from the reports here, you have just past one month of your pregnancy,” said Dr. Struder smiling at both Rafeek and Mumtaz.
Mumtaz was so happy that she clapped her hands and then realized that she was in a dispensary. “Oh I am sorry Dr. Struder,” she said. “That is quite in order. I share your enthusiasm as well,” he said smiling kindly at both of them. “You go back and lead a normal life, eat whatever you desire and be happy. That’s what I tell all pregnant mothers who come to me,” said Dr. Struder smiling, as he wrote out a prescription for the initial dose of vitamins and folic acid.
Rafeek took Mumtaz home and decided that he needed to grant himself a holiday. So he called his secretary and told her that he would not be in that day and was not to be disturbed.
They then got on the phone to Zemaba. Riza answered on the first ring. “Hello Riza, it’s me Mumi.”
“Oh hi Mumi, how are you two doing?”
“We are fine Riza. I called you to share some good news with yo
u. I am pregnant,” said Mumtaz.
“Wow, that’s fantastic Mumi. I am so happy for you and Rafeek. Where is he?”
“Rafeek is right by my side. Do you want to speak to him?”
“Of course, give him the phone,”
“Hello Riza,” said Rafeek.
“Hello Rafeek and my heartiest congratulations. This is wonderful news,” said Riza.
“Thank you Riza. Mumtaz wanted you the first to know about it. We are so happy with the news,” said Rafeek smiling into the phone.
“Of course you should be happy. I will let Vanessa know about it too and I am sure she would be over the moon when she hears the good news.”
“Please do Riza,” said Rafeek as he handed the phone back to Mumtaz.
“Mumi listen to me, you have to be very careful. Don’t overwork and if Rafeek needs to stay at home and help you around, let him,” said Riza sounding like a big brother.
Mumtaz’s eyes filled with tears. She knew that there was sincerity in every word that Riza spoke.
“Mumi are you crying?” asked Riza. “Oh Riza, you sound like an elder brother,” said Mumtaz sniffing. “Of course silly, I am your elder brother,” he said.
“Oh and Mumi before you hang up there is something I want to tell you. Vanessa and I will be getting married next month. She will be crowned Queen on the same day as our marriage and I want you to fly out here with Rafeek. Now don’t tell me that you are afraid to face the people of Zemaba because you are pregnant. You have to be here for our wedding,” said Riza. Mumtaz nodded tears pouring down her cheeks. “We will definitely be there Riza,” she said as they hung up.
“Riza and Vanessa are to be married next month,” said Mumtaz turning to Rafeek. “And he wants us to come over.”
“Indeed we shall go,” said Rafeek. “You have nothing to fear as long as you have me by your side habibti.” “Oh Rafeek I love you so much,” said Mumtaz throwing her arms around him and kissing him full on the mouth. “And I love you too my darling,” said Rafeek. They snuggled together on the bed and drifted off to sleep and it was only eleven in the morning!
Chapter 11
Zemaba had come alive with celebrations taking place on the streets. It was only three days to the royal wedding and everyone was so excited, except for two people, Reffai and Nazreena.
Nazreena sulked all the time and Reffai walked around a permanent frown plastered on his face.
“I simply cannot come to terms with all this,” said Nazreena. “Things like this never happened in the history of Zemaba, I guess.” Reffai nodded. “Father would have been so angry and disappointed with Riza at the stand he has taken,” said Reffai angrily.
“Well there is nothing we can do about it, is there?” asked Nazreena with a sneer in her voice. Reffai nodded. “We will only have to make the best of it and put on fake smiles to show the world that we approve of all this nonsense.”
Vanessa was exhausted from the preparations. She had lost count of the number of times she had put on her dress for the wedding and how many times it had to be altered as and when Madam Azeeza changed her mind. She wanted Vanessa to look her best and was sure she would do.
Vanessa saw less of Azam as he had switched on to solids and she only nursed him at night before he went to bed.
Vanessa was about to try on another pair of shoes when Shanaz came bounding into the room breathless from running.
“What is the matter Shanaz?” asked Vanessa as her mind raced to Azam. Shanaz sensing that her mistress thought that Azam was in danger, smiled. “Oh no Madam Azam is fine. His Royal Highness wants you to come into his office now,” said Shanaza. Vanessa sighed in relief.
She put away the shoes and told Feroza that she would be back soon. Vanessa padded along the corridor leading to Riza’s office wondering why he wanted to see her. She tapped lightly on the door and was summoned in.
Vanessa let out a shriek when she saw her mother and Aunt Molly seated opposite Riza. “Oh Mum, I am so glad you and Aunt Molly could come,” she said as she ran into her mother’s outstretched arms. They hugged and kissed each other and then Vanessa turned to Aunt Molly whose eyes glistened with tears. “Oh Aunt Molly thank you for coming and thank you for everything,” she said as she hugged Molly and they cried openly. Riza watched his reunion and felt elated that he had sent for Margaret and Molly. He knew how much it would mean to Vanessa to have her mother and aunt present at her wedding.
Vanessa took her mother and aunt to the guest rooms and settled them in. “Make yourselves comfortable, as I am going to pamper both of you,” she said grinning. “Where is Azam?” asked her mother. “He is in his nursery. We shall go and see him in a while, until then both of you settle in. I shall be back in an hour Mum, there is so much preparations before the wedding that I feel dizzy at times,” said Vanessa. But her mother and aunt knew that she loved every moment of it. They smiled and nodded. “Run along Van, we shall be fine,” said her mother smiling.
Vanessa went back to her suite and found Madam Azeeza waiting for her. “The dress has turned out beautifully,” she said beaming at Vanessa.
Vanessa looked proudly at her wedding dress which hung on a sturdy clothes hanger. The ivory colored dress was made of pure silk and delicately worked with diamonds and crystals. She would wear no veil to cover her face but only a head veil that tapered down her waist and was equally worked with the same diamond and crystal design. Her shoes were ivory silk, intricately worked with the same design of her dress.
“You are going to look beautiful Vanessa,” said Madam Azeeza as she stood back to admire Vanessa. “I can now see why His Royal Highness fell in love with you. It would have been only a fool who would have looked the other side and ignored your beauty.”
Vanessa smiled. “Oh Madam Azeeza you are too kind,” she said.
“I speak my thoughts and I always speak the truth. If I want to say something adverse to someone, I don’t….how to the English say it…I don’t….”said Madam Azeeza trying hard to think of the correct saying. “You don’t beat about the bush,” completed Vanessa grinning. “Ah that is what I wanted to say….I don’t beat about the bush,” she said smiling at Vanessa. “But there are no bushes here, except cactus’s and it would be very hard to beat cactus’s,” said Madam Azeeza as everyone roared with laughter.
Vanessa stopped by the nursery to pick up Azam so that she could take him to see her mother and Aunt Molly. He was dressed in a cute romper with a huge Mickey Mouse appliquéd on the front of the romper. Azam looked so cute and big now. He was eleven months now and very active and mischievous. He had Adilah and Shanaz at his beck and call and the two nannies loved every moment they spent with the little Prince.
Margaret beamed when she saw her grandson. “Oh darling Azam you look so big,” she said as she hugged him tight. One thing Azam loved was when some hugged him. He squealed in delight as Aunt Molly tickled him under the chin. “He is so beautiful Van and looks just like you with a tinge of his father’s looks too,” said Molly.
Vanessa was going to be very busy the following week and she hardly saw Riza except when they all had dinner together. He was equally busy as she was preparing for the big day when he would marry her.
Three days before the wedding was the Mehndi ceremony where all the ladies of the palace gathered together in Vanessa’s suite to perform this important ceremony. The Mehndi ceremony is an important and traditional pre-wedding ritual. An intricate Mehndi design is applied to the bride’s hands and feet. Sometimes hidden within the Mehndi pattern are the name and initials of the groom. Mehndi symbolizes the strength of the union between the soon-to-be-married couple and it is believed that the deeper the color of the bride’s Mehndi, the happier and more prosperous her marriage will be.
All the ladies of the palace were in high spirits as they performed the Mehndi ceremony and stood back when they had finished to admire their handy work.
“Your hands are so beautiful Madam,” said Farzana as she clicked photographs us
ing her smart phone.
The day of the wedding dawned bright and sunny as if mother-nature was aware of how special the day was to Vanessa and Riza.
Vanessa stayed in bed for a while listening to the sounds of the palace as everyone rushed around preparing for the ceremony. She stretched and sighed. She was still not sure of why she was getting herself into this, but for Azam’s sake she would do anything.
There was a tap on her door and Madam Azeeza stepped in with her retinue of assistants. “Oh Madam is still in bed. Get up, get up, lazy bones,” she said as Vanessa threw the covers and sat up in bed looking beautiful.
Madam Azeeza’s assistants were already running her bath with scented oils and perfume. Vanessa stepped into the bath and sank slowly savoring the luxury of the warm and scented water. “This is bliss,” she murmured and the girls laughed and giggled.
“Is he ready?” whispered Vanessa to Madam Azeeza. “Of course he is. He has been ready from very early in the morning. I guess he cannot wait to wed you,” she whispered. Vanessa laughed out loud.