The Sheikh Doc's Marriage Bargain

Tariq stepped back and gave the King an appraising look. “It is good to see you, brother.”

“Now you have made me rude. Who is this lovely woman you woke me to tell me you were marrying?”

The King wore a warm, welcoming smile. With his hand extended, he came forward to greet her. “Dr. Martin, or should I be the first to say, as you might in your country, Mrs. Tariq Al Marktum, we are glad to have you in Zentar and a part of our family. How like Tariq to bring home a bride without telling anyone.” He gave Tariq a stern look that would have weakened a lesser man. “I have heard much about you from Tariq before he left. He was excited at the thought of meeting you,” the King added with a winsome grin.

He had been? What had Tariq told him about her? That she had refused to come at first? That she had lost her funding? Had he confided that the marriage was a sham? That she only wanted to do research, not be a member of the royal family. She managed to squeak, “He was?”

“Yes,” the King continued, “he speaks very highly of you and your skills in the medical field. As usual he failed to mention he had fallen in love with you as well.”

“That was a surprise to us too.” Laurel managed to make that sound sincere.

“This is my wife, Loulisa.” A pretty but shy woman with streaks of gray in her hair stepped forward.

“It is nice to meet you,” Loulisa said. “Those...” she pointed in the direction where Roji was playing with an older boy and girl “...are our children. They had a day away from lessons so they are very excited to have you here.”

Laurel smiled. “I’m glad I could help them out.”

A cry of anguish echoed through the pillars of the spacious room. All looks flew to where Roji lay on the floor.

Seconds later Zara rushed in his direction, quickly followed by Tariq.

“What has happened?” Laurel asked, joining them. Zara held Roji in her arms.

“He slipped and hit his head. He is bleeding!” Zara sobbed, barely getting the words out.

Why such a reaction over a simple fall? Laurel looked at Tariq, who was pulling a length of cloth off his waist and going down in a squat beside them. Seconds later he applied the cloth to the gash. He appeared equally concerned.

Tariq spoke to Zara as he swiftly picked up his nephew. “I will call Nasser. Have him meet us at the side door with the car.”

Zara rose with the King’s help and took a seat in a chair. Tariq placed the boy in her lap.

Laurel stepped forward. “Easy, Roji. Be a brave boy and let me have a look. I’m a doctor.”

With a loud snort, Roji collected himself and wiped his tears. To Tariq she said, “Let me see the injury.”

“He has hemophilia. There is some emergency factor in my purse.” Zara pointed to the chair where she had sat earlier. One of the older children went to fetch it.

Laurel looked at Tariq, who still held the cloth to Roji’s head. His face was as still as stone. “He’ll be fine,” she assured Zara. To Roji she asked, “May I touch you for a minute? It may tickle.”

The boy sniffled, but nodded his agreement.

Laurel gently ran her hands over the boy’s head, checking for any pooling of blood. “Where does it hurt?” Roji placed a finger on his head.

“Anywhere else?”

The boy put his hand on his shoulder. Zara removed his shirt enough for Laurel to see the bruise that had already formed.

She first lifted one eyelid and then the other. “His eyes aren’t dilated. Which is good.”

“Yes, I know,” Tariq said impatiently. “I have a medical degree as well.”

Her eyes flashed with surprise. “You never said so.”

He gave her a piercing look. “There are many things I do not say.”

The King’s son returned with Zara’s bag. She fished in it and pulled out the container with the factor and items needed to give it with a shaking hand. “I do not think I am able to give it.”

Tariq went down on one knee.

“Uncle Tariq, make it not hurt.” Roji’s tear-filled eyes were begging him.

He ruffled the boy’s hair. “I plan to, but I have to admit I am out of practice.”

“May I?” Laurel placed her hand on Tariq’s shoulder with complete confidence. This was her area of expertise. He looked at her. “I do this every day.” She smiled at Roji. “Will you trust me not to hurt you?”

Roji nodded but his grip on his mother’s hand tightened a bit.

With quick efficacy Laurel pulled out rubber gloves from the container and looked for a good vein in Roji’s arm. “This is going to be a little uncomfortable but it shouldn’t last too long.” She located the rubber band as well and tied it around the boy’s arm so that his veins rose. “So, do you have a dog at home?”

“Yes.”

“What is his name?” As she asked she placed the tiny butterfly needle in his most prominent vein.

“Czar.”

A few minutes later Laurel had the factor in his blood system.

Zara grabbed her hand. “Thank you, Laurel.”

She gave them a wry smile. “I’m glad I could help. He still should be seen at the hospital.”

“He will be. Nasser is just outside.” Tariq picked up Roji. “I will go with him. I do not want the media alerted.”

Laurel didn’t understand why he was being so secretive about the boy. After all, his illness wasn’t something he should be ashamed of.

Zara soft words carried. “You have a wife to worry about now.”

Tariq glanced back at Laurel as if he had forgotten about her. “Meet me at the hospital. The car will return for you.” With that his strides lengthened as he left the room.

Laurel excused herself from the King and the rest of the family so she could change. The two women whisked the gown off her and led her to the door through which Tariq had exited, where Laurel waited by herself for the return of the car. Her worst fear had come true. She was in a strange country alone. Thankfully the car soon arrived and fifteen minutes later Nasser escorted her into a hospital.

A woman behind a desk said something Laurel couldn’t understand as they passed. Nasser nodded and continued down the hallway. A few doors down, he stopped. “The Prince is here.”

“Thank you, Nasser.” She gave him a weak smile as she walked past him. Inside the room she found Tariq, leaning over Roji’s bed. The boy must have been sedated because he was so still. Zara sat in one of the chairs, looking concerned, with her hands clasped so tightly the knuckles were white. The part of Laurel that had made her go into medicine took over and she went to the bed. “What can I do to help?”

Tariq looked up. “I did not hear you enter. His BP is up. I am concerned there is bleeding we cannot see.”

“You have ordered tests?”

“A full blood panel, X-rays of his abdomen and joints. A CT scan of the head. The preliminary results show nothing meaningful but my gut tells me I am missing something.”

More than once that feeling had led her as well. The only time it had failed her had been where Larry was concerned. Then she had gotten nothing. “Has a second dose of factor been administered?”

“Yes. As soon as we got here.”

She lifted the bandage off the boy’s head. “The blood

flow has slowed so the factor must be working.” Laurel walked to the other side of the bed so that she stood facing Tariq. “Have you done a thorough hands-on exam yet?”

“No. I was just getting ready to do that.” He placed his hands on Roji’s head.

“I’ll start with his feet and work up.” Laurel lift a leg.

Tariq’s fingers were running over Roji’s neck when he said, “Laurel, see if you feel the same thing I do.”

She placed her fingers over the spot behind Roji’s neck that Tariq indicated. There was some swelling but the most telling information was the heat coming from the area. “It’s hot.”

“That’s what I thought as well.”

“What’s wrong?” Zara came up behind Tariq.

“All is well, but we need you to go and get a nurse.” Tariq voice held that no-argument tone. Roji’s mother rushed out again.

Laurel looked at Tariq’s concerned face. “He must have hit here first then rolled forward and hit his head.”

A nurse hurried in and right behind her was Zara.

Tariq didn’t waste any time, demanding, “We need a dose of rapid-clotting concentrate, stat. Also, order another to be here ready in case it is needed. Order another CT, for the back of Roji’s neck this time.”

“Yes, Your Highness.”

Laurel looked at him. “Good catch.”

He nodded.

The nurse soon returned with an IV set-up.

“I’ll take that.” Laurel put out her hand, palm up.

The nurse glanced at Tariq and he nodded. She handed it to Laurel, who went to work placing a cannula in Roji’s arm. As soon as she had it in a vein she said to Tariq, “You can start pushing that now.”

He lost no time doing so. Before he had finished, a staff member with a portable X-ray machine arrived. After he left, Roji was moved to a hospital room. Tariq sent Zara home for clothes because Roji would be spending the night in the hospital.