by Aria Ford
The taxi dropped her in at the train station where she put her luggage in a locker and went in search of a car dealership. She hated to be walking in, it made her a target, but there was nothing else she could do. Used cars were plentiful in a town where tourists were caught up in the gambling flu.
She bought a mini-van, thinking she could sleep in it if she needed to. She picked up her bag from the station and then headed east out of town. She couldn’t get far enough away from Vegas.
Chapter Ten
Gabrielle kept driving until she was hopelessly lost. This suited her perfectly and she pulled into a motel and took a room. LaPorte was a small town in Kentucky; the kind with a courthouse that sat in the town square. It was surrounded by benches holding old men without teeth telling war stories. There was an unassuming peace that permeated the atmosphere and it felt so far different from the Vegas lights that at last Gabrielle began to relax.
She’d spent over two thousand miles hating Arran but despite that, she knew she was still in love with him. Rationale told her that the devastation stemmed from his betrayal – no matter the cause, he owed it to her to stay in touch. Most of all, he owed it to her to mention that he was marrying.
She discovered, much to her chagrin, that much of Kentucky was dry and there were no bars where she could waitress locally. She drove to the nearby larger city of Louisville where there were all kinds of clubs and began applying for positions. Her résumé including the Bellagio went a long way toward getting her interviews and she finally accepted a position at the cocktail lounge at the Hyatt. Her new boss was Margie Carr, a woman of mysterious descent who smiled often and worked very quickly. She and Gabrielle hit it off immediately and it wasn’t long before Gabrielle fell into the familiar rhythm of a server’s life.
With her first paycheck, she found an apartment in town in a very modest, working man’s neighborhood. Her neighbors were young parents and some seniors for the most part, although there were a few misfits from society who didn’t seem to fit in anywhere. The building had two stories and a grassless, miniscule front yard with only on-street parking. Gabrielle was glad she’d not bought an expensive vehicle; the temptation to thieves in the area would have been too great. She felt at home here, despite the shady environment. These were her kind of people – they may not have owned much in the way of possessions, but there was an unspoken sense of integrity. If you made a bad name for yourself in this world, there was nowhere else for you to go.
Gabrielle had a tiny balcony, barely large enough for a folding chair and a single Gerber daisy in a pot. She sat there, drinking orange juice and marveling how much her life had changed yet again. She had gotten rid of the cell phone that Arran had provided and bought an untraceable model with mobile minutes. That suited her purposes quite well. This life was so much simpler… or so she tried to convince herself. She made no plans for the future, but had decided that for the moment, she would let life come to her unscripted.
Margie had a large family she supported. Her husband had been killed by a drunk driver and this made her all the more wary of how she served her customers. She lived in a double-wide mobile home on the far west end and one Sunday she had invited Gabrielle for dinner.
Gabrielle arrived with a tray of fresh fruit in hand and found Margie’s heart to be big, but her house, not so much. Her children were all under the age of fifteen and they ran in and out, fighting and screaming at one another. When she opened the lid of the fruit she’d brought, they set upon it like locusts. She had the feeling that Margie couldn’t afford such fresh foods for her family and this made Gabrielle very sad. Was this what her own future looked like now?
Gabrielle headed home that night counting her blessings. She had no idea what lay ahead.
* * *
It was Friday night and there was a huge convention in town. The cocktail lounge had seen a steady flow of primarily men since noon. There were essentially two kinds: those who came with their wives and drank to forget that fact and those who came without their wives and were trying to find a lady for the night. Often the loner left the bar with someone’s wife in tow. It was very entertaining to watch the soap opera of partners on a convention weekend. For two precious days people lost their inhibitions and behaved like depraved animals. By Sunday night they were traipsing out of the lobby, wet cloths over their foreheads, dragging suitcases and dressed in whatever rumpled clothing they rescued from the room floor. She got more than her share of proposals. People seemed to think that hotel employees were there for whatever pleasure the guest wanted; no holds barred. She systematically smiled and walked away.
One night there had been a particularly aggressive guest. He was dark-haired and dark-eyed. She thought she saw Arran in his face. She had a drink with him on her break and although he wanted more, the reality sunk in and she left the table in tears.
On this particular night there were no dark-eyed strangers to tug at her heart. She went about her work routinely, pocketing healthy tips throughout the evening. She was really tired by last call and there was still a considerable mess in the lounge to clean up. It was well after three in the morning before she left to go home.
Traipsing the three flights up to her apartment, she stumbled from being so tired. Gabrielle struggled with fitting the key in the lock and once she got inside, she leaned against the door with relief, reaching to flip on the light. All at once she felt extremely nauseated and ran for the bathroom. There was little relief and it was several hours before she fell asleep. The next afternoon she showed up for work looking a bit haggard. Margie noticed immediately and asked if something was wrong.
Gabrielle nodded. “I’m pregnant.”
Chapter Eleven
She’d known it since she’d missed her menses. She wanted to believe that the home tests weren’t reliable and was too afraid to get a doctor to confirm it. Now, there was no choice. She was going to have Arran’s baby.
There was no question about keeping it; she would never harm a baby. The only question that remained was whether she would stay where she was or journey back to Vegas and ask Arran to contribute to his child’s welfare. She knew she could take care of the baby herself on her small salary, but Arran had so much. It was only fair that his child have the advantage of parenthood. This was a sensitive spot with her. She had grown up without parents and did not want anything but a complete set for her child; even if they weren’t married and didn’t live together.
Her fear, however, was that Arran had too much. What if he decided he wanted custody of the child? Would he be able to take it away and perhaps even out of the States? It was such a huge risk. She decided to stay status quo and to look for a better job that would allow her to be at home nights with the child. She wouldn’t be the first single mother to raise a child, that much was sure.
She began to scour the papers for jobs. She couldn’t wait too long. No one would want to hire a pregnant single woman and at the same time, she couldn’t work in the cocktail lounge with a protruding tummy. It was terribly discouraging. She confided in Margie about her problem.
“You’re fired,” Margie said.
“What?”
Margie grinned. “If I fire you, you can collect unemployment and then you can be home until after the baby is born.”
“With no insurance.”
Maggie grimaced. “Good point.”
“So, what do I do?”
“Pray, darlin’, you just gotta pray.”
“Pray,” Gabrielle mumbled to herself. I wish it was that easy.
“Just keep busy. Something will turn up, you wait and see,” Margie said with confidence.
Gabrielle nodded.
Margie ventured a question. “You know who the father is, I take it?”
“Oh, yes. There’s no doubt of that.”
“And…”
“And, he recently got married.”
“Oh.” Margie’s face fell.
Gabrielle smiled. “It’s okay. I’ll get through this.” Sh
e patted Margie’s hand and headed for a new table of customers.
Her stomach was rocky all evening and twice she had to make a run for the ladies’ room. She was utterly miserable and had no plan to follow. That made it all the harder. Things were really slow as it drew late and Margie waved her over. “Why don’t you take off. I can handle anyone who shows up from here on out. The place is empty.”
Gabrielle was extremely grateful for the reprieve and waved goodnight as she left. It had rained earlier and she shivered a bit in the cooler breeze. She was looking forward to a soft bed and warm blankets.
Gabrielle unlocked the door to her apartment and bumped it open with her hip. She leaned against it in relief and was startled when a light flipped on in the living room.
Arran sat before her.
Her mouth fell open with fear and surprise at once. As soon as she recognized his face, her first instinct was to run to him, but she held back. He no longer belonged to her, but to another. She felt her stomach turn and fought the impulse to run for the bathroom. She stood her ground and swallowed hard.
“How did you find me?” she asked him in a level voice. She could feel the tears surfacing and wanted to run to his arms and have him take care of all that was wrong.
“You really need to ask?” he said in a very soft voice. It almost gave Gabrielle chills. “I know you tried to hide, but when you began getting paychecks, well…” he let the sentence go unfinished.
“What do you want from me?”
“Why did you leave?” His eyes stared at her intensely.
“Why did I leave? You must be kidding.”
“No, Gabrielle, I assure you, I am not kidding.”
“You went radio silent and then when you finally bother to send me a message, it’s to say that you’d gotten married. Why on earth would you think I would stick around?”
Gabrielle couldn’t dismiss the rolling tummy a moment longer and ran for the bathroom. When she came out, she had a wet washcloth on her forehead and headed for her bedroom to lie down. Arran could do as he pleased. As it was, he walked around the corner and sat down on the edge of the bed. “What’s wrong? Are you ill?”
Gabrielle said nothing. She simply held the cloth over her forehead and eyes and tried to breathe deeply.
She felt his hand on her leg and pulled it away as though his touch burned. “Don’t,” she barked at him.
“Gabrielle, I want you to listen to me. I will sit here until you do. I’m not leaving.”
“Suit yourself,” she said stubbornly.
“When I returned home, I found that there had been a crisis in the currency of my country, and more importantly, in my banks. Our country relies very heavily on the value of our money against the dollar and the yen; it was nearly catastrophic. I was completely overwhelmed with resolving our stand and thought you were being quite well taken care of. I also couldn’t risk discussing that business in any communications. It’s all about strategy.”
“That’s hardly the big issue, Arran,” Gabrielle pointed out.
“Allow me to continue. While the current crisis has been resolved, the end is not in sight. It will take close and constant monitoring for some time. That would require my being there, perhaps permanently.”
“So, what are you doing back in the States? Come to clean out your closet?” Gabrielle couldn’t help but be a bit sarcastic to him. She was feeling miserable, in more ways than one.
“Are you going to allow me to complete the story or do you just want to fight me, Gabrielle?”
“I can’t imagine what you could possibly say that would make things better. You have no idea the disaster you’ve caused and how much you’ve hurt me.”
“What do you mean by ‘disaster’?”
Gabrielle pulled the washcloth off her forehead. “I’m pregnant, you ass!” she screamed and slammed a pillow in his face.
Arran blocked the pillow but his face bore a look of shock. “Are you sure?”
“Why do men always ask that? Of course I’m sure. You don’t think I would check with a doctor if I have all the symptoms. Did you just miss where I was a moment ago?”
“Gabrielle this is something I didn’t count on,” Arran said in a calm, but troubled voice.
“Oh, I’m quite sure you didn’t. What are you planning to tell your wife? You’re not getting your hands on this baby, Arran, so don’t even think about it. You go off and have your happily ever after, but this baby is staying with me. You hear me?”
“You just don’t understand. Please, lie quietly and let me talk.” Arran scooted to sit next to her, attempting to lie down beside her and hold her. She pushed him away, but Arran took control and wrapped his arms around her, pulling her next to him. “Shhhh… don’t fight me. Just lie quietly and listen. I was forced to make a decision. My responsibility would demand that I not return to the U.S. and that would mean not coming back to you. So, I had to make a choice. That’s exactly what I did, Gabrielle. I gave up my position to my younger brother, Sinhad. He is now the Sheikh and the head of all the family businesses. I am only an advisor from here on out – although I will look after our American interests. He is the one who got married, Gabrielle. Not me. I couldn’t do that to you.”
Gabrielle whipped the washcloth off her forehead and stared into Arran’s brown eyes. “Are you serious? You gave up your future for me?”
He nodded. “Yes, I did, sweetheart. For you and it seems now, for our child. That’s the part I’m not happy about. If it is a boy, he deserved to inherit my place in the family.”
Gabrielle was hugging him, kissing him all over his face and laughing. “You can build him a kingdom here in the States.”
Arran accepted the kisses and lavished even more in return.
Gabrielle sighed and looked at him. “I thought you were married – that’s what the note said. I never dreamed your position could be transferred. I was so hurt, Arran. I packed up and left without a word.”
“I know. I had a devil of a time finding you.”
“That was intentional,” she smiled and cuddled closer to him.
Chapter Twelve
Gabrielle became Mrs. Arran Muhalla in a garden ceremony beneath blooming dogwood trees. Margie was her matron of honor and Alahan stood up for Arran. The bride wore a silvery white gown that set off her unusual color and the groom wore a tuxedo with a silver tie.
Arran liked the climate in Louisville as it had four seasons; something he wasn’t accustomed to. He also realized it was central to most of the country and had an international airport, so he brought his jet in.
He and Gabrielle honeymooned on the Gulf coast of Florida and while they were there, Arran bought a condominium penthouse overlooking the water. He left orders for his yacht to be brought over and secured a dock moorage for it nearby. He gave in and let Gabrielle furnish both the condominium and the house they bought in Louisville exactly the way she wanted. She gathered pale, weathered colors for the condo, extending the light beyond the day and making it shine in the moonlight. She knew it set her own coloring off well and Arran was mesmerized by it. The condo had eight bedrooms and en-suite baths; enough that any family or business associate could come and stay with them. He had an office built and while Gabrielle busied herself furnishing a nursery at the condo, he and Alahan set about establishing this office as the primary location for his new business, Silver & Associates.
It was here that the baby was born in late November, just as the leaves had dropped from their branches in Louisville. Young Arran Muhalla, Jr. was healthy and had a beautiful bronzed complexion. His father insisted that his tiny son’s bassinette be present in his office while he worked. “He will learn very early what it takes to be successful,” he explained.
When Christmas came, they moved to Louisville to celebrate the holidays. Gabrielle hadn’t had much time to pull their mansion there together, but she wanted to see a white Christmas and there was a far greater chance of that happening in Louisville.
Their sta
ff travelled with them and the chef prepared a magnificent Christmas dinner with goose, ham, and all the trimmings. Margie and her children were lined up at the dining table while Baby Arran’s eyes were fastened on the colored string of blinking lights.
Arran had given Gabrielle a magnificent canary diamond ring for their wedding, while he insisted on nothing more than a simple gold band for himself. For Christmas, he gave her a matching set of necklace and earrings, wrapped in a box covered with silver foil and a huge silver ribbon. There was also a new car waiting in the drive; a baby blue Mercedes convertible.
Arran’s business was already exploding. He was providing financial advice and leveraging his American connections with businessmen from the Middle East. He made the ideal liaison and invitations to dinner at the Muhalla mansion, with the breathtaking Gabrielle Muhalla as hostess, were highly coveted.
Just after Easter, Arran’s brothers and their wives made a surprise visit and the three couples attended the Kentucky Derby with box seats Arran had managed to secure. They made quite a spectacle in their finery; particularly the ladies in their hats. Gabrielle was thrilled that the women spoke perfect English so they were able to chat about fashion, differences in culture, and the fact that Arran’s brother, Sinhad and his wife were expecting their first child. Baby Arran was handed around regularly and bounced on knees to his parent’s delight. It was decided by Sinhad that since Baby Arran was the eldest male in the new generation, he would pass the title “Sheikh” down to him – it was only fitting since it rightfully belonged to his father. This thrilled Arran but Gabrielle was a bit worried about what that meant for his future. It was a long time off, however, and she wasn’t going to waste time worrying.
Sinhad, Farrah, and their wives accompanied Arran and Gabrielle down to Florida to see their condo. It was a short journey in their jets. Arran’s brothers were enchanted with the proximity to water, just as he knew they would be. Under his guidance, they each bought condos in nearby buildings and it was decided this would be their American headquarters as well. Gabrielle felt a pang of sadness when they bid goodbye to her in-laws. It felt good to her to have a sense of belonging and she was extremely happy that Baby Arran would never know what it was like to be an orphan.