I knew I could not rule a country that rendered my daughters worthless. It worked in the past, but not now,’ Emir explained. ‘Yet it was a decision that required distance.’
‘It did,’ Amy agreed. ‘I wish you could have spoken with me …’ Her voice trailed off, because Emir was right. It was a decision that could only have been reached alone. ‘It’s all worked out.’ She looked at her sleeping baby. ‘The rules don’t even have to change.’
‘They do,’ Emir said. ‘For I never want my son to have to make a choice like the one I was forced to make. The predictors were wrong: the two countries are better separated. I am glad I have a son for many reasons, but it will prove once and for all that we are doing this because it is right rather than necessary. The people will love him as they now love the girls—as they love you.’
The changes of the past few months had been less tumultuous than Amy had feared. The old Bedouin man had laughed when Rakhal and Emir consulted him, had shrugged and shaken his head when they’d said that the predictions were wrong. But the people in the main had accepted it, reassured that their two Kings were united and strong in their decision. And even before they’d found out that Amy was expecting a baby they had cheered for the twins, and a newspaper had celebrated with a headline about the future Queen Clemira.
‘Your mother should be here any time,’ Emir said, because as soon as Amy had gone into labour Emir had organised a plane for her.
Amy could not wait to see her mother’s face when, after all the anguish, she got to hold her grandson.
‘Shall I bring the girls in to meet their new brother?’ Emir asked, handing his son back to her outstretched arms.
‘Okay,’ Amy said, excited about their reaction.
She smiled as he brought the girls in. She loved them so much—every bit as much as the baby in her arms. She had loved them from the moment they were born. She watched Nakia’s face light up when she saw her new brother. She was completely entranced, smothering him with kisses, but Clemira seemed less than impressed. She looked at him for a moment or two and then wriggled down off the bed and toddled off. Following her sister’s lead, soon so too did Nakia. Emir called for the nanny to take them back to the playroom.
‘Do you think she is jealous?’ Emir asked, taking the now sleeping baby and placing him in his crib, then climbing onto the bed beside her. ‘She barely looked at him.’
‘It’s early days,’ Amy said. There was no nicer place in the world than to be in bed next to Emir with their baby sleeping by their side. ‘I’m surprised, though. She was so taken with Tariq. I guess it will take a bit of getting used …’ She did not finish her sentence because it was taken over by a yawn.
Emir pulled her in. ‘You need to rest.’
‘Stay.’
‘Of course,’ Emir said. ‘But you must sleep while you have the chance. The next weeks will be busy—your family arriving and the naming ceremony … And Natasha has rung and wants to come over before then. She is so looking forward to seeing the baby.’
Amy smiled, half dozing. All was well in her world as she rested safe in his arms. She would look forward to Natasha’s visit—they were firm friends now and met often. Their children delighted in playing together.
‘I’d love to see her, and Clemira will be thrilled to see Tariq …’ Her voice trailed off again, but for a different reason. An impossible thought formed between waking and sleep. ‘Emir?’
‘Rest,’ he told her, his eyes closed, but Amy couldn’t.
‘If Clemira is still as taken with Tariq in … oh, say in twenty years or so …’
She looked up and his eyes opened. The frown that had formed faded as a smile broke onto his face. ‘That would make things incredibly complicated.’
‘Really?’
‘Or incredibly simple.’ He kissed the top of her head. ‘Sleep now,’ he said. ‘It is not something we are going to consider or force. That is not a decision we will ever make for them.’
‘But if it did happen?’ Amy pushed. ‘Then the countries would become one again?’
‘Perhaps,’ Emir said.
She closed her eyes and stopped thinking about the future, relished the present.
Emir was the one who broke the silence, the possibility perhaps still on his mind.
‘Maybe I was wrong?’ Emir said, pulling her in closer, feeling absolute peace in his once troubled heart. ‘Who am I to say that when the predictions were made, they did not factor in love?’
* * * * *
Carol Marinelli
‘YOU’RE far too available.’ Bridgette didn’t really know how to respond when her friend Jasmine’s sympathy finally ran out. After all, she knew that Jasmine was right. ‘It’s me and Vince’s leaving do and you won’t come out in case your sister needs a babysitter.’
‘You know it’s not as simple as that,’ Bridgette said.
‘But it is as simple as that.’ Jasmine was determined to stand firm this time. Her boyfriend, Vince, was a paediatric intern at the large Melbourne hospital where Bridgette had, until recently, worked, and he was heading off for a year to do relief work overseas. At what felt like the last minute the rather dizzy Jasmine had decided to join him for three months, and after a lot of paperwork and frantic applications, finally tonight there was a gathering to see them both off. ‘You’ve put everything on hold for Courtney, you’ve given up a job you love so you can do agency and be more flexible—you’ve done everything you can to support her and look at where it’s got you.’
Jasmine knew that she was being harsh, but she wanted Bridgette to cry, damn it, wanted her friend to admit the truth—that living like this was agony, that something had to give. But Bridgette refused to cry, insisting instead that she was coping—that she didn’t mind doing agency work, that she loved looking after Courtney’s son, Harry. ‘Come out, then,’ Jasmine challenged. ‘If everything’s as fine as you say, you deserve a night out—you haven’t had one in ages. I want you there—we all want to see you. Everyone will be there…’
‘What if…?’ Bridgette stopped herself from saying it. She was exhausted from going over the what-ifs.
‘Stop hiding behind Harry,’ Jasmine said.
‘I’m not.’
‘Yes, you are. I know you’ve been hurt, but you need to put it behind you.’
And it stung, but, then, the truth often did and, yes, Bridgette conceded, maybe she was using Harry as a bit of an excuse so as not to get out there. ‘Okay!’ Bridgette took a deep breath
