Marrying the Sheikh

Karim looked up at Ella with defeat in his eyes. “Because it’s the logical choice. It’s the right thing to do. It’s what I’m supposed to do for my career, for my family.”

His words came out sloppily and in long breaths; he was obviously quite drunk. Ella wanted desperately to reach out and console him, but she knew it was the last thing she should do. Instead, she got up and grabbed his hand.

“Get up,” she said, shifting gears. She had strong feelings for Karim, there was no denying that. But if she couldn’t be with him romantically, then she would be there for him as a friend.

“What? Where are you taking me? I’m about to be a married man, you know,” Karim said, splashing his drink as he stood.

Ella rolled her eyes. “Yeah, yeah, so I’ve heard.” She felt better now that he was joking around.

She led him over to the balcony and stepped outside with him. They stood and looked at the river, the long shadows of the buildings, the lights up coming on up and down the city skyline. Cars and people moved about below like little ants, making the whole scene look like a painting that had come to life.

“Do you see that?” Ella said, pointing over to the business district bustling with early evening traffic.

Karim didn't respond, but nodded as he swayed slightly.

“Do you see all of those people running around like little rats because they want to have successful careers?”

Karim nodded again, steadying himself against the high railing. He stared down and watched the activity below. Even through the alcohol, he knew what Ella was trying to do.

“It’s not just about money! There’s more to life than being successful, Karim.”

Ella turned to look at him and watched as Karim let a tear slip down over the edge of the balcony.

“I know,” he said softly, pulling himself away from the railing. “I know, I do. It’s just…”

Ella looked at him with pangs of regret in her heart. Would she ever be able to get through to him? Would she ever be able to make him understand that life was about more than just getting ahead? Karim already had enough money to last several generations. If only he could see that love was the only thing that mattered.

She walked toward him, hoping to get his attention and make it clear to him that he shouldn’t go through with the wedding. She had the words in mind. She would tell him what she thought about him and Nadia, without mentioning her own feelings for him; she couldn't be responsible for complicating things further.

She opened her mouth to speak just as Karim leaned down, his lips falling softly on hers in a tender kiss.

Ella jumped back, shocked at what just happened. She had kissed a client! She had never, ever crossed that line. It was the one thing she had sworn she would never do.

She stepped back quickly with a look of confusion on her face. Karim opened his mouth as if to say something, to apologize, perhaps, but Ella held her hand up. She turned and ran out of the apartment, into the elevator, diving past the doorman and into a cab as soon as she reached the first floor.

FOURTEEN

“I can’t believe I did that!” Ella said as she and Hannah combed through baby items at the upscale boutique. “I mean, I've never, ever done anything like that before!”

“Are you sure you and Trent didn’t make out?” Hannah joked, referring to her husband.

Ella glared at her best friend over the rack of over-priced bibs. “That’s not funny,” she said.

“Lighten up,” Hannah said as she joined Ella’s side. “You know I’m just kidding.”

Ella poked her elbow into Hannah’s side. “Hey! You’re gonna wake the baby!” Hannah said, laughing.

The two women moved about the store, looking for different items to add to Hannah’s baby shower registry. They held up little gowns, little onesies and soft blankets trimmed in satin. Ella watched Hannah as she moved about, rubbing her swollen tummy gently. Her mind instantly went back to Nadia.

When Ella had thought Nadia was pregnant, she had felt a pang of jealousy. But now that she knew that wasn’t the case, she wondered. She began to think about what Karim would be like as a father. She imagined his strong arms cradling a baby, his dark features soft with the overwhelming love a father can only have for his child. Ella began to see herself in that picture, sitting in bed with Karim as the played with their newborn baby, bouncing him on their knees as he giggled with delight.

“You know that, right?” Hannah asked. “Ella? Earth to Ella?”

Ella blinked as she came crashing back to reality. Her vision of the perfect little family disappeared over the racks of layettes and rows of baby booties.