-Hmmm, you seem to have missed me a lot, my king.
- Always, Bianca.
I looked at the number of books on the table and asked curiously,
-What were you reading, so interesting?
She turned to the table and left my grip, closing and arranging the books on the table, speaking a little uncertainly:
-I wanted to ask you something later, but now tell me how was your day?
I told her about the boring meetings I had, the project to encourage the cultivation of handmade pearls, and left the library hugging her, talking about my routine, until we got to her room. Bianca sat on the bed and looked at the bag, wondering if it was me who put it there.
I nodded and she opened the package in a hurry, curious to see what was inside.
-I just won those gorgeous earrings, why are you buying so many presents for me, Nahan?
I know she's ashamed to get gifts, every little treat I give Bianca, she always comes with the same talk, that people can think wrong things about her, that these expensive gifts make her uncomfortable, but I prevent her from continuing to annoy me with their foolish arguments, complaining.
-Didn’t you say, you like making me happy? Well, I'm happy when I give you these little treats, I'm a man of possessions, Bianca, I do not see the point in having so much money and not being able to give to the one I love.
Bianca opened the velvet box and looked at me in surprise, admiring the necklace and bracelet, set of pearls and diamonds.
-It's so beautiful, so delicate, I do not know what to say.
-Then do not say anything, just lift your hair so I can see what the necklace looks like on you.
Bianca lifted her hair, her back to me, I put the necklace around her neck and when she turned around, I checked the effect of the whiteness of the pearls and the sparkle of diamonds on her creamy skin.
She went to the bathroom’s mirror and I smiled at her through the mirror, pleased that she had accepted my gift. Bianca asked me to take the necklace off and put it in the box, putting it in her closet.
I opened the other package and Bianca sat down to see what it was. She widened her eyes in dismay, not understanding my intention, staring at the Iphone in her hands, in silence, until I explained to her why I had given her this gift.
-Bianca, I know that, even though you are happy with me, here in Manama, you think of the anguish of your sister, of your family, without hearing from you. And that also makes you distressed, makes you suffer. So, I've been thinking of a way for you to get in touch with your sister, to try to reassure her, even if it's for a few minutes. Once we get married, you will become a Bahraini citizen and there will be no more risk of you being taken away from here, we can find a way for your sister to come and see you safely. If she is willing to come here, I can arrange an escort for her to come and return safely to Qatar.
Bianca's eyes filled with tears, she released the cell phone and hugged me tightly, kissing my chin, cheeks, mouth, laughing like a girl, saying with emotion,
- I loved the jewellery, but talking to my sister is a priceless gift, I love you, Nahan.
I kissed her back, caressing her face, how good it was to touch her! Even if I'm scared, afraid that Bianca's sister will convince her to leave, that something might go wrong and someone tries to take her away from me, I am still glad to see that this was the right attitude to take. All I have left is to trust that my impulse will not turn against me.
-This cell phone is untraceable, but be careful what you're going to tell her, depending on what you say, a war against us can be triggered, Bianca. I'll leave you at ease to talk to her, I'll be in my office waiting for you.
I left Bianca with her thoughts and a time bomb in her hands, able to end my happy days in a matter of minutes.
I look at the Iphone on my lap and my hands shake, not knowing what to do. I find it necessary to reassure Brenda that I am ok, but when I think that when I speak to Brenda, I run the risk of exposing my whereabouts and thereby starting a war between Qatar and Bahrain, it makes me think of giving up any contact.
I think I will have to convince her that I am well and that she has to keep secrets about my whereabouts, otherwise the consequences will be disastrous.
I call and turn it off before I complete it, until I take courage and call Brenda's cell again. Her voice is in my ears and I swallow the crying at great cost.
-Hello, who's this?
I take a deep breath and speak at once, taking courage.
- Brenda, it's me.
I hear Brenda's screams, a thud, and then Brenda's voice again, hysterical.
-Are you Bianca, Bianca, is it you, my sister?
-Yes, it's Brenda, I will be quick, I need to talk fast.
Brenda tried to speak quickly, stumbling over words.
- On ... where are you? Who took you, what are the demands to set you free? Say how much the ransom is, speak fast, before they find out you're talking to me.
Ah! My God, why is it so complicated to explain everything to Brenda? I try to calm her down to keep quiet so I can tell how I got here.
-Brenda, I was taken by mistake, it was all a huge mistake, whoever caught me wanted to get revenge on Sheikh Hafiq because of a bomb attack on his family, his wife and his daughter died in that attack. All the evidence led to Hafiq's father, so he kidnapped me.
-And what does he want, what is he asking for? My God, I'm going to have to talk to Hafiq and he ...
I interrupted her, leaving her in surprise.
- No! No Brenda, you can’t tell anyone that I'm here, he gave up taking revenge on Hafiq's family, do not in any way tell Hafiq about our conversation, otherwise this can all cause a horrible war between the two countries and I do not I want this to happen.
Brenda did not let me finish, saying indignantly,
-If he's given up on revenge, why has not he freed you yet, why is he keeping you there? I'll have to ask for help, I'll ...
-No, Brenda. For God's sake, I don’t know how to explain it to you, how it all happened, but things changed, I could leave, if I wanted to go back, I could, but I do not want to, you know?
Brenda stutters nervously, trying to understand why I do not want to go back.
-And why you don’t want to come back, my sister, that fellow keeps you imprisoned? Did he hurt you?
-We fell in love with Brenda, I love Nahan.
Brenda is silent, as if she did not believe what she had just heard.
- What? Are you together? You're involved with the man who kidnapped you, Bianca, you're crazy, is that what I heard?
- My sister, do you remember when you told me that I wasn’t living, that I needed a little crazy in my life? Yeah, the way I got here in Bahrain was crazy from the start. Imagine! Kidnapped by the king of a country I've never heard existed, but time has passed and I started to know the man behind this horrible act, he's just a man, Brenda, a man devastated by pain, who lost his wife and daughter in a car blast, a man like any other, who dreams of being happy, and he makes me so happy, I know this sounds crazy, but today I'm here because I want to be, I want to continue to be next to him, so I ask you my sister, if you really love me, let me be happy with the man I love, as soon as we get married, he'll find a way for you to see me and come back safely, if you tell someone where I am, innocent people will die in a war that can be avoided. I want to stay here with him, we're engaged Brenda.
-Bride and Groom? Bianca, everything you're telling me is so crazy, how can I know if he's not forcing you to say these things, how can you prove me that everything you said is true?
My sister as always amazes me, ah! Brendinha, my crazy little sister.
- Fuck it Bi! So, it really is, Oh! My sister, if you're happy, I'm happy too. I just wanted to see you, when can I go there?
-Soon Bre, I promise I'll call you if you promise not to tell anyone, will you?
Brenda promised me, concluding:
-I promise, you'll call me again, won’t you?
-
Yes, my sister, I'll call you again in a few days, I promise.
It was time for me to say goodbye, I tried to make myself strong, but it was impossible, I said goodbye to Brenda with the promise that I'll call again and as soon as I hang up, Nahan comes into the room, asking me if he I could go in now.
- Did I bother you? Is everything alright?
I get out of bed and throw myself into his arms, looping his neck, curling my legs around his waist. He holds me by the buttocks, kissing me softly. Nahan sits on the bed and I straddle him, crying softly, his head buried in my chest.
-Shhh it’s over, halawi, it's going to be okay, I'm here with you.
Nahan asked me how my conversation with Brenda was and I told him all the details, especially how I feel and the fear I have of Hafiq wanting revenge because of my kidnapping.
-Do not think about it now, what matters is that you spoke to your sister and explained to her that you will remain here with me, and that you are now my bride.
-Yes, I told her how happy you make me and I never want to be away from you again.
I thought about what I could say to Brenda, to make sure I was not being coerced into saying these words, I remember something from our childhood and my voice hangs in my throat, who knows once and for all. Brenda, understands, that I'm really happy?
-Bre, remember what I told you the day Dad bought that pink bike on my birthday and I walked in it for the first time?
Brenda answered me in a whisper:
-You said that was the happiest day of your life, and that you had never been happier than at that moment.
-Yeah, that's how I feel every day when I'm with Nahan.
Nahan kissed one of my eyes first and then the other, wiping away my tears, then laid soft, wet kisses on my cheeks, my chin, my ear, my mouth.
-So, you tell me you're never going to leave me, I need to hear, halawi.
-I'll never leave you alone, I love you, Nahan.
Nahan smiled and a stubborn tear fell from the corner of his eye, before he kissed me once more until he took my breath away, smiling with excitement.
-I love you more, Bianca, so much that I'm afraid.
-Don’t, I'm yours, my love.
He lays down, bringing my body close to his, brushing his lips against mine.
- Mine, my halawi.
CHAPTER 19
QATAR- Capital Doha - NORTHWEST OF BAHRAIN
QUEEN ANTÔNIA HASSAN
Until finally I got rid of the "pleasant" visit of Jandira Mustafa, I no longer saw the time of this crazy rag to leave my house and give my ears a rest from the whining of their marriage.
- I do not know what to do, Antonia, Rashid every day appears with a new lover and now wants to make me swallow a third wife, a third one, Antonia, is already the second time he hits me and barely touches me for months.
Rashid is one of the ministers of Hafiq, a damn macho who thinks he has the right to mistreat his wife, distorting what religious laws preaches. My tongue itches to tell Jandira what I would really do if Hafiq got me one of these, but every time I have this kind of conversation with married women I am friends with, Hafiq complains that I should not say everything I think, for I am subverting them, inciting them to set fire to their houses, as if these gross men, who call themselves, their husbands, did not deserve a beautiful kick in the middle of the balls.
Ah! I count one, two, three, fifteen and FUCK, ready! The filter that connects my brain and my mouth shuts off just as Jandira tells me that Rashid's unhappy man hit her twice, twice, is that what I heard?
-Look here Jandira, I might not even have to tell you these things, Aff! If Hafiq knows I told you what I really think, he's going to get pissed off, but the truth is only one, this little guy who says he's a husband, would have his days counted in Brazil, we do not allow these things to happen under any circumstances, if Hafiq treated me the same way Rashid treats you, ah! My friend...
Jandira cries copiously and picks up her purse going towards the door, asking me before leaving:
-I don’t know what to do, Antonia, if Sheikh Hafiq did this to you, what would you do in my place?
When I remember Jamila, the burqa who thought of taking my husband away from me and Jandira's question echoing in my ears, I can almost feel like tearing a vase right in the middle of Hafiq's head, who knows I could even cut his cock very slowly and painfully, though it would be a tremendous waste to spoil a haunting stick like Hafiq's, but if he put that damn penis on someone, he could not, for sure , to be called a sheikh, would be the first eunuch prince in Qatar history, certainly, or I would not call myself Antonia Hassan.
I am about to vomit all the atrocities I would do with Hafiq, and I remember what we talked about last week after the incident with Malika, where my sister-in-law, after mistakenly believing that she was being cheated by her husband, accidentally cracked an ashtray on the poor guy's head.
It was a God’s thing, of course, the fault fell on who? Whose fault it was? Mine, all because I told Malika not to accept any bullying, but I would never have guessed she was going to fight over a non-existent lover, when in fact Graham, poor fellow was late because of the medical check-up at the hospital.
I can still hear Hafiq rampaging.
-I'm sure you have stuck your nose in this madness of Malika, my sister has always been a quiet, calm woman, and now suddenly, she puts an ashtray in Graham's head, what the fuck did you tell her? I already told you Antonia, you have to learn how to hold your tongue, you are now a queen, people come to you for advice, to hear something sensible when they are lost, and then what do you do? You encourage women to break their husbands' heads, this is not right habibi.
I take a deep breath and say to Jandira with a fake smile on her face:
- Jandira, I am impulsive, I am not an example to anyone, the right attitude to take is to make Rashid see that he is losing you, take the reins of your life in your hands, my friend, just so he will start to respect you in the way that you deserve.
Jandira left and I go up the stairs to my painting studio thinking it was not so difficult, to appear docile, serene, sensible.
The cell phone rings insistently and I see it's Brenda, my pal. Ih! What the fuck, I forgot that today is a day to play biriba at Brenda's house as soon as I hang up, I'm going to take a shower and get the bottle of wine that is freezing in the fridge and go to her house. I answer, apologising.
- Hi, Brendinha, how are you, honey?
Brenda responds in a serious tone, totally different from her usual crazy mood.
- Hi Tonia, I really need to talk to you, are you coming here?
- Yes, I'm finished taking a shower.
I hate to lie, but if she knows I'm still in the studio, she's going to curse me until my tenth generation.
-Then come as soon as you can I need to talk to you, dear.
I hang up, worried about it, it must be something very serious for Brenda to be like that, so I take a quick shower and ask Thomas to pick up Seth and Layla at school, because I'm going to be late to get home.
I get to Brenda's house fast, we both live nearby, in Pearl Qatar. Basmah, Brenda's mother-in-law, opens the door and I kiss her, asking how she's doing. Basmah tells me she's okay and Brenda's waiting for me in the bedroom.
Brenda waits for me sitting on her bedroom’s balcony, looking thoughtful, I approach her and she holds me tight, I look at her face and I watch her cry, why the hell did Brenda cry, what happened to my whitey?
- Hey, Bre, how are you, honey?
Brenda makes me sit down and before I can get ready, she asks me visibly nervous:
-Tonia, if I tell you one thing, do you swear by all that's most sacred that you keep it a secret?
I speak low, worried about Brenda's tone, what's happening after all, if Brenda's crying motive is Youssef, I swear I'll kill him, so I'll soon reassure her of all the bad things we can do with him if he has some ordinary on the street.
-Bre, do not be like this, I know you cried, if it's some
Youssef's trick, we can get the two of us together and munch on him, I swear ...
Brenda interrupts me and throws the shit at me.
- Bianca contacted me, she's alive, Tonia, she is all right and worst of all, she got engaged, the bride of a king from a neighbouring country.
DAMN IT FUCK ME!!!
-What are you telling me, Bre? How was it, she was kidnapped, how did this king rescue Bianca from the kidnapping and got engaged to her, all of a sudden?
Brenda looked at me seriously, pulling me to whisper.
Why is Brenda whispering if it's just the two of us here in the bedroom, I do not know! Bre is totally out of her mind, I just get crazy friends.
-Hun, you do not understand, the guy who kidnapped Bianca is the same one that asked her to be his wife. He hijacked Bianca by mistake, in fact he wanted to kidnap you, to get revenge on your father-in-law Karim Omar.
Kidnap me, why would he do this to me and what does my old Karim have to do with it? What a crazy story.
Brenda told me all the details of the conversation with Bianca and I promised her that I will keep it a secret, after all, a lot of innocent people could get hurt in a war between Qatar and Bahrain. But something does not fit, no matter how much I know about what Karim has done in his life, I know he would never have an innocent woman and a child killed and I still wonder why? I'm going to investigate this attacking story and question Hafiq about my father-in-law's real involvement in this murder. However, I find it difficult for my intuition to betray me, for me this king is very mistaken as to the involvement of Karim in this attack.
-And what do you intend to do, Brenda?
Brenda whispered again and I went into her craziness too, I huh! Craziness is contagious.
-I'll keep it a secret from Youssef, and as soon as Bianca says I can go to Bahrain safely, I'll see her, I need to see with my own eyes if this man is treating my sister right. I promised Bianca that I would not tell anyone, even more to Hafiq, Tonia. He can’t dream that Bianca is in Bahrain.
Lovely Concubine Page 17