by Leah Leonard
“Exactly.”
“I wasn’t aware there was such a thing anymore.”
Safina answered her with a shrug. “Of course there is.”
“Do you love him?”
The question had a visible impact on Safina. She pursed her lips, her gaze fell to the table cloth. The peaceful hands began fidgeting uncomfortably as she sat motionless in her chair. After an awkward moment, she picked up a roll from her plate, buttered it and took a bite.
“I’ll take that to mean no. So why not call it off?”
Safina kept her gaze averted and mumbled under her breath, “I cannot do such a thing.”
“Why not?”
“I made a promise.” She glanced at Kelley. “I must keep my word.”
“You didn’t make any promises. It sounds like your parents decided this over dinner, like they would really even begin to know who the two of you would be some twenty years after you were born. That’s crazy! Sorry for saying so, but come on, Safina, what about the university? What about Josh?”
The mention of Josh agitated her friend more than she expected. Her eyes widened under her veil. “Do not ever mention him again! Please, I must never speak of him.”
“It happened, whether you want to admit it or not.” Kelley insisted.
Safina started to quietly cry.
Kelley felt about an inch high. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to upset you. Don’t worry, I promise I won’t say anything about our time at the university. I assume Khalil thinks you’re a virgin?”
Sniffling and dabbing her eyes, Safina nearly jumped out of her seat when a servant approached from behind with a pitcher of water in one hand, tea in the other. “More to drink, madam?”
“No thank you.”
He approached Kelley, “And for you?”
“Yes please,” Kelley held out her teacup. She loved the sweet strong flavor. It was unlike any she had before.
“Certainly,” the servant poured, bowed and disappeared.
Several more servants cleared the plates in an orderly fashion.
Kelley panicked. She needed to tell Safina about Josh and the fact he would be landing here in less than a week. She had a bad feeling this wasn’t going to be very well received. What could she do though? It was too late to call it off. The plane tickets were bought and there was no turning back. She couldn’t very well ask Josh to stay home after he’d been working with her for over a year helping her with research on this once-in-a-lifetime endeavor. If it hadn’t been for him, Kelley would never have finished the grant on time and wouldn’t be here in the first place. Once the servants were out of the range of hearing, Kelley leaned in and whispered, “Don’t worry, they didn’t hear anything.”
“How do you know? They are everywhere.” The startled look on poor Safina’s face said it all. Was she afraid of Khalil, or was she only troubled by the fact she knew she didn’t love him and still had feelings for Josh?
Either way, Kelley felt terrible. She’d done nothing but cause trouble for her friend since stepping off the plane. And to top it all off, she still felt tingly when she thought about Khalil. To have such a man as him would be amazing! And yet it was glaringly obvious Safina felt nothing for him but the common regard she would have for a business associate.
The even sadder part of the equation was the fact that she could tell Khalil felt the same. What a waste!
Josh would be landing here in less than a week, and by then, Safina would be married to an already married man. The poor guy would be absolutely heartbroken. Devastated!
She really and truly believed Safina and Josh were meant to be, so much so, she had a hard time believing Safina actually left the States in the first place. The way they looked at each other, the way they looked with each other, it was as if they really and truly belonged together. They acted like typical engaged couples should.
Despite everything, Kelley knew Safina. Despite her wild party days, she was a good girl, a people pleaser who wanted her parents to be proud of her.
If she really promised to marry Khalil, and had known about that since childhood, the last thing Safina would ever want to do is disappoint her family. But still, what about happiness?
How horrible to know in your soul that you love one person but have to marry another!
Kelley realized she would have to pick Josh up at the airport and take him straight to Ephesus without Safina knowing. With the wedding less than a week away, getting Safina and Josh together again would only cause pain and suffering to them both. Plus, Safina still had a whole wedding to plan.
Kelley also had her own selfish reasons for wanting them both along to help. While the grant was generous, she worried she might not have enough funding to pull off her quest without the extra set of hands. Time was of the essence. She needed to dig, and dig quickly. Unfortunately, she would have to find a way to work around this challenge. “Look, I’m sorry. I want you to be happy. I swear I won’t bring the past up again.”
Before Safina could answer, the deep purring voice of Khalil startled Kelley out of her skin. “Ladies, I trust you enjoyed the meal?”
Kelley nearly dropped her fork. “I did. Very much, thank you.”
“Indeed, thank you for your generosity,” Safina answered with the formality of a stranger.
Khalil stood tall, shoulders back, his hands clasped together as though he was making an important presentation to a board of directors somewhere.
God was he stunning! So powerful and in control!
He cleared his throat. “I am sorry to announce I must be in… a meeting…today. I will be unable to join you. If you would like, I shall have the driver take you both to town for shopping, or if you prefer, you may stay here and enjoy the pool from the western deck.”
A sullen expression came over Safina’s face. “That is fine. Kelley can decide.”
They both turned toward Kelley, who had no idea what to answer. “Uh…It’s up to you two. Really, I don’t care either way.”
“I prefer to stay here today, if that is all right?” Safina asked Kelley.
“Yes, the pool sounds great. I’m still a little jet lagged from the flight over.”
“Indeed,” Khalil bowed. “If you don’t mind, I shall be on my way then.”
“Very well, thank you,” Safina smiled demurely.
“I will meet you for dinner this evening.” Khalil spun around with the precision of a military commander, and then marched across the ballroom.
Completely unable to control herself, Kelley turned her head and watched Khalil disappear out the door on the farthest end. Her mouth watered from watching his perfectly formed backside, his gorgeous posture and mannerisms. God was he sexy!
Painfully aware of his every step, she sensed an overwhelming magnetism drawing them together whenever he came anywhere within a few hundred feet of her. She realized she needed to stop flattering herself. He likely affected everyone that way. The feeling had to be one sided. She was only daydreaming that he was attracted to her too. God help her, she had to stop thinking about him! Maybe a good cool dip in the pool would cool her off. She needed it, big time.
Six
After lunch, Kelley and Safina changed their clothes in a standalone building near the swimming pool that was so huge, it reminded her of a full sized locker room at her gym.
The staff presented her with a brand new black swim suite with a high neckline to cover any cleavage and long leggings and sleeves. It reminded her of the old fashioned suits people wore in the 1940’s in the United States.
Once again, she received a stern reminder that she was in a new culture with strict rules. She would need to start dressing more appropriately, staring right now.
She would have changed sooner except the servants carried her bags off to parts unknown. Tomorrow and hopefully later today she would have the opportunity to get some pants and long sleeve blouses out to wear.
Even on the way to the hot tub, her friend walked to a stack of rolled towels on the de
ck and draped her body, completely covering her shoulders and waist and only dropped them once she neared the water’s edge. Faint visions of the old school days and the fraternity parties flashed through Kelley’s mind. She recalled Safina sporting a string bikini there. Things had changed a lot since then.
Once they were submerged in the water, Kelley felt Safina loosen up a bit and she actually smiled, laughed a little and seemed to enjoy herself. “Tell me about your grant.”
“This is the same project I was working on when you were still in Boston,” Kelley explained.
“So you followed up on the note, did you?” Safina referred to the anonymous tip Kelley received via email that ultimately led her to the project and to the first real grant money she ever received since beginning the journey to her Ph.D.
Kelley was happy to know Safina still remembered any of that at all. The arrival of that email seemed like a lifetime ago. “Who would have thought things would’ve turned out so well?”
“You deserve it, my friend,” Safina smiled. “And what about you and Ian? Will he join you on the trip?”
The name made Kelley cringe. “He’s gone. We’re finished.”
Safina looked stunned. “Really? I thought you two were going to get married.”
“You and me both.”
“Weren’t you working on projects together?”
“Yes.”
Safina scowled. “What happened? I thought you were perfect partners.”
“So did I, until he showed up to breakfast one morning and introduced me to his pregnant girlfriend.”
Safina’s mouth fell open and she laughed. “No!”
“Think that’s funny, huh?” Kelley teased.
“No,” Safina grew more serious. “I must say I am not surprised. Who was it?”
“One of his students, if you can believe that. Barely old enough to drive.”
Safina warned Kelley about Ian when they first hooked up. Apparently, her first impression was right.
“Go on and laugh then, make fun of me, why don’t you? Wanna say I told you so?” Kelly encouraged.
“Of course not.”
“You weren’t the only one who thought he was a jerk.”
“Not a jerk,” Safina said. “How do you call it? A…creep?”
The two laughed, and for a few minutes, it was like nothing had changed at all.
A uniformed man approached with another beverage in a tall iced glass. “More?”
“Thank you,” Safina’s demeanor changed back to the stern lady of the house. “That is all for now.”
“Yes, madam.” The servant topped off both their glasses, bowed and disappeared.
“Oh good, now we can talk. Forget my boring life. What about you? You’re engaged to a very wealthy man. You look great. Your life appears to be going in an amazing new direction, so cheers!” She lifted her glass, toasted and sipped the dark sweet tea.
“Thank you,” Safina took a sip of the beverage, but still didn’t have much enthusiasm at all.
“I don’t want to be nosy, but what exactly does Khalil do for a living?”
“He has many business dealings, owns several companies with his family.”
Kelley leaned in and whispered, “Oh? Like what exactly?”
“Khalil is a Sheikh. His investments are complex. I am lucky to have him, or so my parents say.” She rolled her eyes slightly.
The hollow look in her eyes said it all. Money was nice, but it certainly couldn’t buy the kind of happiness your one true love would bring. “The Sheikh’s father is a good man. His brother is kind, they have all welcomed me.”
“I’m glad. I hope you’ll be happy.”
Her friend remained silent. They spent the next awkward moments listening to the gentle sound of water dripping off the edge of the stunning infinity pool, gazing out over the distant cliffs surrounding the home.
“On another subject,” Kelley decided to break the silence. “I need to use your family home in Ephesus, if that’s still okay.”
“Of course, my father gave me the keys. It’s a cottage,” she apologized. “Nothing like this.”
“Thank God! Could you imagine? I’d get lost!”
They shared another laugh.
“I was thinking about going tomorrow, but that was before you told me your news. I could postpone my trip, stick around and help with the wedding.”
“Not necessary,” Safina said.
“I don’t mind.”
“No. We have enough help, as you can see.”
That was certainly an understatement. “Want to come along? You always were great at using a hammer.”
Safina sighed. “I can’t. There is much to do here.”
“Which is why I could stay. This is your wedding, your once in a lifetime…Who better to help than me?” Safina had no other siblings and Kelley had no idea if she had any girlfriends who would throw her a party, or if that wasn’t permissible, at least be here to offer her moral support.
“Your work is more important.”
“No it’s not. I’ll help you with anything, just say the word.”
“All right.”
“Is that a yes?”
Safina shrugged. “I shall think on it.”
“Let me know if you want me to stay or if you’d like to take a quick road trip for a couple of days. It would be fun, like old times,” Kelley encouraged. “I could bring you back here in a couple days, in plenty of time for the wedding.”
“I shall consider this. I will see what Khalil thinks.”
Kelley and Ian had such a different relationship than Safina and Khalil. Kelley would never need to ask Ian’s permission.
Kelley could bring Safina back on Monday, then pick Josh up from the airport and go on from there. The plan had been crystallizing in her mind ever since she first got into the limo earlier today. She figured this was the only way to get both Safina and Josh to help her without them seeing each other or causing either of them any pain.
****
After the hot tub and an invigorating swim in the infinity pool, the girls went back inside to the ballroom area where they ate earlier. Wrapped in her towel, Kelley walked toward the farthest corner where Khalil’s first wife stood a couple hours earlier.
“Stop,” Safina warned.
Kelley paused and turned to her friend. “What’s wrong?”
“Not in there. In here is where you and I shall go.” Safina led Kelley to the left hand door which she had not seen open yet. “This is where I live.”
“So the other wife lives there and you live here?”
“Yes.”
“How many other wives does Khalil plan to have?”
“He could choose up to four, however Khalil assures me he shall only have two.”
“I see,” Kelley said. “Is that normal?”
Safina shrugged. “His brother has four, his father has three now, plus some…others who are not wives.”
Kelley had that all-too-familiar feeling of her jaw gaping open. “You mean like a harem?”
Safina lowered her gaze. “Khalil does not adhere to the old ways like the other members of his family.”
Images of horny men surrounded by bevies of stunning beauties filled Kelley’s mind. Poor Safina! If she really believed that someone as drop dead gorgeous as Khalil wasn’t out having a bootie call every night of the week, she was sorely naïve. The man likely had women falling at his feet every hour of the day.
If he weren’t her best friend’s husband, Kelley would certainly feel that way about him. Sadly, some men were too shockingly beautiful for anyone’s good. Someone this gorgeous could only bring trouble. “And does his whole family live here?”
“Part time, yes. This is a quite a large facility and each family has their own section of the building. The elder Sheikh has since built another compound, closer to Istanbul and stays there most of the time to be close to the airport. He often travels internationally on business. Khalil’s brother has small children wh
o attend school in Istanbul, so his family is there most of the time.”
“I see…” was about all Kelley could manage at hearing about this strange arrangement.
“I am lucky, as my parents have told me, I have my own set of apartments, apart from the others.” Safina led Kelley through the door down a long stunningly decorated hallway with richly colored intricately placed bright blue mosaic tiles splayed out in incredible designs.
“This is gorgeous!”
The hallway stretched for what appeared to be at least half a mile before they approached an open courtyard with a stunning tile fountain with a gleaming gold statue of a Sheikh in the center.
Safina sat on the edge of the trickling fountain. “Come. Take a look.”
The ceiling was covered with a dome, while the sides were open to the mountains. Birds chirped, pots filled with delicate flowers sat every few feet, and vines crawled up the stucco.
“I can’t believe you live here. It’s incredible.”
“This is my private area, my thinking area where I can come to read, to rest.”
“I would say it would be pretty easy to unwind here,” Kelley teased, although Safina never let go of her pained expression. So sad! She didn’t want this life, and yet here she was, unable to escape her supposed fate that her parents planned for her before she was old enough to crawl.
Next she led Kelley through this area down another more enclosed hall with several doorways. She pointed to the elaborate set of double brass doors at the end of the hall. “Those are my quarters if you need me, and this,” she paused in front of one of the side doors and opened it. “Is your home away from home.”
The door swung open and Kelley gasped. The room opened up to the same side of the home where the pool had been, only the mountain view was perfectly framed in the floor to ceiling single glass window. Kelley thought she was on the first floor of the palace and initially wondered if the groundskeepers would be able to see her from here, but when she walked to the window, she saw her room was actually built right into the cliff and down below was nothing but an intricate rock garden that led to the bottom of a steep cliff. Nobody would see her, that was for sure. “This is incredible.”