Omar sighed, and I felt immediately guilty for turning the mood of the date. “Things have just been hectic since father's death.”
I gave his arm a gentle, loving squeeze and changed the subject as we rounded a corner and came upon a huge aviary tucked within the greenery. Exotic birds began to caw and flap their wings at the sight of us. One of them talked back to Omar when he spoke to it in Arabic, and he smiled at me, impressed with himself.
“Just like Doctor Doom,” he said.
I laughed. “What?”
“That character from your country that can speak to animals.”
“That's Doctor Dolittle,” I corrected with a teasing smile. “Doctor Doom is far less nice than him.”
“I did think that was a strange name for a veterinarian,” he laughed.
Omar led us through the aviary as we the conversation moved to lighter fare. We discovered we had much more in common than might be expected of a sheikh and a western doctor. Both of us had grown up restless, taking part in sports and any activity we could be a part of to stave away the dreaded specter of boredom. We both had huge soft spots for animals, and cared passionately about the rights of the oppressed and the working class—something Omar had demonstrated many times in his official work for the kingdom.
I couldn't believe that my date with the Sheikh was swiftly becoming the most successful date I'd ever had. The chemistry we’d been fighting for so many months flowed out of us like a river in spring runoff, surging and full of life.
I realized how foolish I’d been to not see it before; Omar had been holding feelings for me just as long as I had held feelings for him. It was an endless relief to know I hadn't just been holding a candle in the dark, waiting for a day that was never going to come. All that time, Omar had been thinking about me, too. He had dreamed about me like I’d dreamed about him. And we were both so happy to finally come together and say it.
When we reached the garden's intricate fountain, there was already a table set out for us. A selection of Mediterranean delicacies had been spread out over pure white dishes; meats and cheeses, olives, figs, fresh-baked bread, grapes, and dipping oils beckoned to us. Two bottles of wine chilled in a silver, ice-filled bucket, and a small but decadent-looking chocolate cake waited enticingly under a glass dome.
“I know the doctors said to cut back on alcohol, but I figured since you’re not pregnant, a glass of wine might do wonders helping you relax,” said Omar as he lifted one of the bottles out of the ice bucket. “May I?”
“Please,” I said, grateful for the nerve-calming alcohol.
Dinner was a playful affair. Omar told me stories about growing up as a royal son, and I shared with him the gory details of working my way through college and medical school. For some reason, he was enchanted by my stories about growing up in boring old Ohio—stories I usually kept out of my repertoire because they were so mundane. But for someone who had grown up on the other side of the world, learning how to rule a country, hearing about carefree summers catching bullfrogs and climbing trees was like hearing a fairy tale.
“Do you know how I got interested in medicine?”
“No, tell me,” said Omar, a hint of tipsiness teasing his expression.
“I started collecting animal bones I would find along the train tracks outside of town, trying to rebuild the skeletons. Of course, most of them ended up abominations because I had the wrong parts, in the wrong places. Mom hated my collection—she thought it was terribly macabre—but I was just trying to understand how the animals were built so that one day I could help them. Eventually, I decided I cared about helping people more than animals.”
He seemed delighted at that anecdote. “You truly are a scientist at heart.”
“Or maybe I was just a morbid little kid,” I joked.
“Well, if it brought you to such an honorable calling—and to me—then I’m glad for your morbid childhood,” laughed Omar with a wink.
“It certainly got me the hell out of Ohio,” I said, sighing heavily and gazing up over the tall façade of the palace as a flock of white birds passed by overhead, sparkling in the sun. “It’s brought me to some amazing places. I can’t wait to start traveling again.”
Omar’s wine glass was halfway to his lips when he paused suddenly and lowered it, deep in thought. He looked almost sad.
“What’s wrong?” I asked. “Did I say something?”
He shook his head insistently. “You did nothing wrong. I was only thinking—wishing, really—that travel was still an option for me.”
“Why do you say that it’s not?”
“This,” he said, waving his hand toward the palace. “My kingdom needs a constant, steady hand to guide it, or she will fall into disrepair and millions of people will suffer. Their leader cannot be gallivanting around the world, appeasing his own whims. He has to be here, supporting and living among them, attending to all the duties that keep everything running.” Omar sighed. He looked sadder than I’d ever seen him. “Carrie, I fear that when I become king, I will never be able to leave my country again.”
“That’s not true,” I said, desperate to comfort him. “What about diplomatic missions, like the ones your father used to take you on?”
He scoffed. “That isn't traveling. It’s just business negotiations in faceless meeting rooms.”
I couldn’t help but laugh hollowly at that. “I’m sorry, Omar. I feel awful hearing you say things like that. I want you to have what you want.”
He looked at me softly, studying the details of my face as if he were trying to memorize them. After a few moments of silence, he spoke quietly. “What I want is to travel the world with you.”
I couldn’t take it any longer. The feelings I’d been trying to hide for so long bubbled up too strongly, and there was nowhere left for them to go.
Without warning, I leaned forward and smashed my lips against Omar’s. He moaned in surprise for a moment, but then melted into the kiss, pulling me into his lap as his tongue pushed gently into my mouth.
And suddenly, the feelings we’d been holding inside came bursting out. Omar wrapped his strong arms around me, holding me close as he passionately kissing me, both of us moaning into each other’s mouths. One of his hands tangled itself carelessly in my hair, bringing my face closer to his as if he wanted to meld us into one body.
“Carrie,” he whispered against my lips. “I’ve dreamed about this so many times.”
“So have I,” I replied, my voice deep with lust. “So many nights I’ve wanted to feel your lips against mine.”
Omar smiled and kissed me again, holding me tight. In one sweeping motion he stood up and brought me with him, holding me like a fairy-tale princess and making me squeal in girlish delight. I didn’t care how silly we looked to the entourage of guards stationed all over the garden, I was just happy to finally be in Omar’s arms.
Moments later, he was carrying me into the palace where, hand in hand, we rushed back to his royal suite as fast as our legs would take us.
NINE
The next fortnight felt like a blissful paradise; I was being swept away by a handsome prince and showered with love and affection like I had never known. Since my duties at the palace had ended, my days were spent pampering myself, resting, eating fresh fruit, and enjoying the gardens until Omar was able to tear himself away from royal business to be with me. We spent hours in bed, cuddling and talking and sharing dreams of our future child.
“You should get him a pet,” I told Omar as we lounged around one afternoon, waiting for our appointment with the OB/GYN doctors. “Like a good dog, or a cat that will follow him around the palace and chase birds to make him laugh.”
“A pet?” asked Omar curiously. “I never did have one of those, unless you count the birds in the aviary, or the fish.”
“No, I mean something that could be his own,” I said. “I had a dog, growing up in Ohio, and it was the best. You always have companion with you. It helps a lot with loneliness.”
The suggestion seemed to stick with Omar, who had expressed his own loneliness as a child to me during one of our deep evening talks. He nodded thoughtfully.
“Plus, if you get a big, well-trained dog, he could even act as another bodyguard to keep him safe.”
“I suppose we should start thinking about the best breed, then,” agreed Omar. “I’ll have my researchers begin looking around for trainers, as well. Wouldn’t it be ideal to have the puppy around soon after he is born, so they can grow up together?”
“I think that’s just about the sweetest thing I’ve ever heard.”
Omar leaned over me where I lay in his bed, and gave me a gentle kiss. “I’m so lucky that you’ll be carrying my heir. He’s going to inherit so much of your goodness and beauty, I just know it.”
Grinning, I kissed Omar again. “And he’ll inherit your strength and smarts.”
“He’ll be unstoppable,” joked Omar.
We made our way through the palace slowly until we reached the medical ward, where the doctors were waiting to conduct the second insemination attempt. Even though they had told me to be patient, and to prepare for it taking several tries, I was still feeling pretty wound up inside about the first attempt not having taken.
Again, Omar waited outside the examination room while I was given a pelvic exam before the process could begin. The doctors assured us that, as before, he would be invited back in to support me during the procedure; it was invasive and uncomfortable, and having him by my side made it much easier.
Having taken a blood sample, Dr. Issa returned from the lab with a curious expression on her face.
“Is something wrong?”
“Not at all.”
There was a grin on the corner of the doctor’s lips as she spoke.
I could hardly hear anything over the sound of my heart pounding in my ears. “What is it?”
“The hCG test is reading a positive,” said the doctor. “But we’ll need to do another test to confirm.”
Quickly, the doctor painlessly drew a second sample of my blood. I re-dressed and went into the hall to wait anxiously with Omar as she did the lab work.
She called us both back into the exam room after ten tense minutes. The doctor was grinning widely.
Omar sat next to me, concerned, and took my hand. “What is it, doctor? What’s wrong?”
“Nothing’s wrong, Your Highness, we just won’t be performing the procedure today.”
“Why not? We’ve done everything you recommended—”
“Because Carrie is already pregnant,” said the doctor in a triumphant voice. “Congratulations to you both!”
A wave of shock rolled over my body. It seemed impossible—we knew the procedure hadn’t worked the first time, the doctors had confirmed it. And yet… here I was, with child.
As Omar’s wide eyes looked deeply into mine, I realized that I must have gotten pregnant the night of our first date, two weeks ago, when we made love for the first time. I gasped and covered my mouth as tears streamed down my face.
“We did it,” he whispered, his forehead nuzzling against mine. He wrapped his arms around me and pulled me close to his chest. “We did it, Carrie. We created a new life.”
“Omar, I can’t believe it.” I grasped his white linen shirt in my hands and put my head on his shoulder, completely overwhelmed. A life—our shared life—was growing inside of me already. It seemed like a waking dream.
“I’m so very happy for you both,” Dr. Issa beamed.
Omar turned to her, his cheeks stained with tears. “Doctor, thank you. Thank you so much for helping with this miracle.”
“If this isn’t too forward of me, Your Highness, from the looks of it I didn’t have much to do with this at all,” she teased.
We both turned red as we shared a knowing glance.
“Please, Doctor,” Omar said, “keep this information to yourself. While my family is fully aware that I’m trying to create an heir, none of them know about Carrie yet. I have to find the right time to tell them, and it has to be done delicately.”
“Sir, say no more. This is all doctor-patient confidentiality. My team and I are here for you, Carrie and the baby, and that’s all.”
Omar nodded happily and gave her a sudden, intense hug. The doctor laughed and returned it, patting him warmly on the back.
“I think I can see now why people choose OB/GYN over trauma care,” I said jokingly to her.
She nodded from over Omar’s shoulder. “Bringing in new life is just as satisfying as saving one.”
TEN
We left the medical wing in a dazed happiness. Omar whisked me back to his suite and immediately ordered dinner from the chefs, including some celebratory sparkling apple juice. “I will quit drinking alongside you, my dear,” he told me after hanging up the phone. “We’ll endure a new, healthy lifestyle together for the sake of our child.”
“Our child,” I said thoughtfully, rubbing my still-flat belly. “I can’t believe we did it. All that medical science, but all we needed was to come together naturally.”
“And now our son will be born of love, and nothing else.”
I held my breath at his words. “Omar, do you love me?” I asked tearfully.
He stepped over to me and wrapped his arms around me. “Of course I do, Carrie. I’ve loved you for a long time; this past fortnight has only confirmed all the beautiful things I already knew about you. And now you’re going to give me the greatest gift of all: a beautiful baby boy.”
“Or girl,” I teased through my tears. “It could still turn out to be a girl, you know.”
“And I shall love her with all the fire in my heart,” he replied.
“I love you too, Omar. I’ve been waiting so long to speak those words to you. So many months watching you spend your affection on other women… it was so difficult.”
He stroked his hand gently over my hair and kissed my forehead, then my lips. “Those days are over now. It’s the dawn of a new time, and a new family—our family.”
His words melted my heart. I leaned into Omar and let him envelop me in his strong arms, listening to his heart beat underneath his skin.
Our family… that’s what this would be. And yet, this had all begun as a business arrangement—a labor I was carrying out for money. I’d never planned to stay around and be with my son after he was born. My intention had been to earn enough money to follow my true passions, and leave behind the doldrums of being a palace doctor.
But that was before all of this, and before Omar had confessed his feelings to me. Before we had finally made love and spent the night wrapped in each other’s arms, sharing dreams and fears and hopes for the future. Was I going to leave all of that behind still? Would I be able to do it, even if I wanted to? Would I be able to look into the face of my beautiful son, and the eyes of his father that radiated so much love for me, and turn and walk away?
Or would I be here forever, in this decadent but sedate life, away from the people who needed my help and the career I had dedicated my entire life to building?
There were no easy answers to these questions, and they began to haunt me, gnawing at my gut. Omar must have sensed the change in me, because he became even more doting and attentive than usual, turning down a phone call from one of his senior staff members in order to stay with me and make sure I had what I needed. When dinner arrived, he made me stay in bed and did all the serving and cleaning up.
After dinner, when he finally asked me what was wrong, I only told him that the shock of everything was settling, and the reality that a baby was growing inside me was beginning to take hold. “I think I’m just tired,” I said—not entirely untruthful.
Omar seemed to understand that, and readily accepted that the pregnancy was already doing things to my mood and body. “What do you need, my love? Ask for anything and I will bring it to you.”
“The only thing I think I want right now is some chocolate ice cream,” I giggled at him, running my hand through his
hair.
He smiled at me. “Then you shall have it. I’ll call the kitchen.”
“With sprinkles!” I called after him as he moved across the enormous bedroom to the telephone.
As Omar made the call, I fretted over whether to burden him with my worries about staying or going. Everything had seemed so simple before, when I was providing a service to him and saying my goodbyes.
But now everything was different, and I didn’t know what I was going to do.
I couldn’t tell him, not now. The joy on his face at knowing he was finally going to be a father was too much. I couldn’t strip that joy away from him so quickly; I couldn’t break up the dream he clearly had of us being one big, happy royal family.
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