The Sheikh's Claim (Desert Nights 2)

This time, as he stared at his mother, he wondered if he’d ever find words again. Ya Ullah…that conviction that she was ultimately doing this for his best.

His mother turned away, went to the open window where dawn had conquered the night. “It’s a simple equation, Jalal. I have to be your eyes and your logic until both are working again. I might have let you wed her so you’d claim the child, but when I learned you were leaving the essmuh in her hand, that you were giving her the sole power to divorce you, and control of your assets, I knew I couldn’t wait for you to wake up. You can claim your son, who does have your blood, but her and her family, never.”

Silence shrieked in the wake of her last words.

Then he finally pressed Lujayn’s shaking hands and rose, went to face his mother.

“Here’s my simple equation, ya ommi.” He marveled at how calm his voice was, how clearheaded he was. He knew this would be his last effort where his mother was concerned. If she responded unfavorably, he would have no mother anymore. “I won’t say that inside you is a mother who doesn’t want to hurt her son, for I know I can’t budge you from your belief that you’re saving me. But there is a mother who doesn’t want to lose her son, even if he isn’t her favorite, and a fool to boot. I know blood means everything to you, and you won’t risk losing the third person you’re equipped to love—your firstborn grandson. And you will lose me, and him, irretrievably, if you pursue this, and if you hurt Lujayn again, in any way. That isn’t a threat. It’s a promise.”

His mother looked at him for what felt like an eternity, a lifetime of unsaid things passing between them, profound things he’d never dreamed existed.

Was that concession he saw in the depths of her eyes? Surprise? Even distress? Or was he just seeing the things he hoped to see?

But when she spoke her voice carried traces of all that, and dared he think, defeat, too? “Zain. I will back off.”

Did that mean she feared losing him so much she would go against her nature? Could he hope?

Then she went on, and said nature was back, hale and hearty. “But you will come to regret your decision. Just pray it won’t be ‘irretrievable’ when you do. And do promise you won’t feel so foolish then that you won’t come to me for help.”

What do you know? The dragon lady was shaken. She’d gambled big and lost, was trying to scramble back to higher ground.

“I can tell you from now to not hold your breath, ya ommi.” He suddenly did what not even he had expected, pulled her into a fierce hug. “But I can’t tell you how much I hope that you one day will regret your actions, change your mind and make a new start. Think about it. Your family is growing, and instead of wary, infrequent visits from your sons, you can choose to connect with us all and find some peace and contentment.”

His mother remained still in his arms. He knew it would be too much to expect an immediate response, and in front of Lujayn, too. Maybe never. But for his own sake, for Lujayn’s and Adam’s, he didn’t want to harbor any bitterness toward anyone, starting with her.

He finally stepped away, hoping to get some reassurance from her. Her face was carefully empty, which told him more than any expression would have.

Then she gave him a slight smile, patted his cheek and swept away. There was majesty in her every move as she sat down on the couch, facing the frozen Lujayn, and rang a crystal bell.

“Might as well have breakfast,” his mother said, looking at Lujayn as if she’d just met her. “Do you have any preferences?”

* * *

“Pinch me.”

Jalal immediately pinched a handful of Lujayn’s delightful bottom. She yelped then chuckled, still jumpy, her eyes dazed.

“I mean, your mother blackmails me into standing you up at the ma’zoon, then serves me breakfast half a world away? So, was this a hallucination? A breakdown?”

He grinned his love and relief down at her. “Whatever else she is, my mother thrives on being flabbergasting.”

“Tell me about it.” She melted deeper into his arms in his private jet’s reclining seat as if she’d burrow into him, hide under his skin if she could. “Oh, God, Jalal, she was so convincing. I almost bought her version of what happened. As you said, it explained everything far more neatly than the truth. But you believed in me, against all damning evidence.”

His hug tightened. “I did tell you I won’t ever doubt you again. Turns out I not only won’t, I can’t.”

Her giggle was almost delirious. “Sounds like you’re under some hypnotic influence like your mother thinks you are.”

“Maa’loom, for sure, I am enthralled fathoms deep with no desire whatsoever to ever resurface.”

She squeezed him, her eyes filling with tears and reciprocation and they fell into a silence full of communication and communion.

Suddenly she jerked up. “God…your campaign! Will you be in a weaker position as a candidate now?”

“You mean because I couldn’t even rule my bride?” At the pure mortification on her face, he couldn’t help it and laughed his joy out loud. “Aah, ya habibati, I can’t tell you how…irrelevant this is to me.” Now she sputtered, her color dangerous. “But just to alleviate your misplaced guilt, all the drama, contrary to what my mother said, will probably boost my image, especially with women and younger people. We’ll be an even more memorable romantic couple and our matrimonius interruptus will become the stuff of new-spun legends. Not that a popularity poll should decide what’s best for Azmahar. But I’m not about to let the throne go, to anyone. Even had I wanted to, Haidar wouldn’t forgive me if I didn’t give it my all like always, and Rashid, after that stunt he pulled with you, has one hell of a fight on his hands. And may the best man win.”

“You. You’re the best man on earth!” Her kiss was fierce with everything inside her heart. “And I’m right there with you in any fight. I’d fight the very devil for you, for our future and our son and our happiness.”

He guffawed. “You already did when you walked into the dragon’s den to have that showdown.”

“One I lost,” she groaned. “You’re the one who bailed us out.”

“No, you did. The woman she thought you were would have gone ahead with the ceremony and either told herself that my mother wouldn’t truly hurt me, or assume I could protect myself. That woman would have let me deal with any fallout after she’d secured her place and interests. By complying, and going to her at that exact crucial time, you proved you love me so totally you’d give me up to protect me. I bet that messed up her projections, forced her to recalculate. Then she saw for herself how clear and certain I am in my love for you, how I trust you so totally, and that must have reinforced the new realization that there’s more to you than she thought. It’s the real reason she backed down. I do believe she was trying to do what was best for me, and if she’d still suspected you were after my money or power, she would have taken me apart to get rid of you. So you, and only you, won that fight.”