by Holly Rayner
“I know you will. And Ali said he’ll send a jet for you.”
“Tell him not to skimp.” Lucy winked. “I want the one with two stewardesses and a full bar.”
“Okay,” Alyssa chuckled. “Only the best for you.”
“I need to go. Let’s talk soon.”
“Okay. Love you. Bye.” Alyssa angled the phone so the camera got Rashid. “Say bye to Auntie Lu, Rashid.”
“Lu,” Rashid said, and grabbed for the phone.
“Bye, my baby boo,” Lucy cooed. “I’ll see you soon. You and your little brother and sister. Or sisters. Or brothers. We’ll see.”
“Bye,” Alyssa said with a big smile.
The call ended, and Alyssa put the phone down, feeling much better than she had ten minutes earlier. She worried too much; she knew it. Luckily, even from thousands of miles away, Lucy had the ability to talk some sense into her. If something bothered Alyssa, she couldn’t just sit there and stew in it. She had to get up and take action.
Well, maybe not physically get up—big, pregnant belly, and all—but it was time to speak her mind to Ali.
Chapter 2
Alyssa
“Yogurt?” Kinsley asked, opening the fridge.
“No,” Rashid said from his high chair.
Kinsley frowned. “Mango?”
“No!” Rashid said, more forcefully this time.
“Hey,” Alyssa cut in, looking at Rashid. “Be nice.” She turned to Kinsley. “He wants the yogurt.”
“No,” Rashid said.
“You just like that word.” Alyssa tickled his cheek, and he giggled.
“Yogurt coming up,” Kinsley sang out, her ponytail bouncing with each perky step she made from fridge to cabinet.
“I guess you had a good scooter ride,” Alyssa said.
Kinsley blushed and bit her lip sheepishly.
Alyssa laughed. “It’s okay. He seems like a nice guy.”
“He really is,” Kinsley sighed happily, pausing in the middle of the kitchen, bowl of yogurt in her hands.
“Gurt!” Rashid reached for the yogurt. “Want.”
“Oh! Here you go, Rashid.” Kinsley put the yogurt and spoon on his high chair.
The house’s security system beeped, and Alyssa looked at the screen mounted in the corner of the kitchen. It showed the front gate, which opened to let in Ali’s car.
Alyssa’s stomach flopped—and she was pretty sure it wasn’t due to the babies moving around. For some reason, the thought of talking to Ali about staying home more made her nervous. Maybe because she worried the talk would do no good.
Nope, she reminded herself. You need to stay positive.
With a fair amount of difficulty, Alyssa rose from the kitchen chair. “Ali’s home. I’m gonna go say hi.”
Leaving nanny and toddler in the kitchen, Alyssa waddled her way to the front of the house. Opening the front door, she stepped onto the porch and waited for Ali. His streamlined white car rounded the fountain in the middle of the circular drive, went past the garage, and came to a stop in front of the house.
He climbed from the driver’s side with a smile. “Waiting for me at the door?”
Alyssa rested her hands on her belly. “Is that okay?” she asked, smiling.
“Certainly.” Ali bounded up the steps and pressed a light kiss to her lips. “What time is the appointment?”
“Four.”
“Great. That gives us twenty minutes before we need to go.” He looked at his wristwatch, and Alyssa noticed he’d brought a briefcase home with him.
“You still have work to do?” Alyssa asked cautiously.
“There is always work to do.”
“So, you could pause it at any time,” she said.
Ali’s brows furrowed slightly, and he gave her a funny look, as if he didn’t understand what she meant.
Alyssa drew her shoulders back. “I’d like to talk to you about something.”
Ali blinked fast. “Is everything all right? Did something happen?”
Alyssa put her hand on his arm. “Everyone’s fine.”
“Then, what is going on? Your face is so serious.”
Alyssa opened her mouth to answer but was interrupted by a high-pitched shriek.
“Baba!” Rashid called from somewhere in the house. A moment later, he tottered into the foyer.
Kinsley appeared in the doorway behind him. “I couldn’t keep him in his high chair,” she explained. “He heard Alyssa say you were home.”
Ali dropped to a crouch and extended his arm for Rashid. The smiling toddler catapulted himself against his father’s chest, and everyone laughed. With her heart so warm, Alyssa forgot all about what she had wanted to say—until Ali had picked Rashid up and carried him into the kitchen.
She trailed after him, the words “we need to talk” on the tip of her tongue.
But Ali had put Rashid back in his high chair already and was headed for his office in the back of the ground floor, and Alyssa knew what that meant.
He paused and turned. “Twenty minutes. That’s all. We can talk in the car?”
Alyssa nodded, her tongue thick. Ali slipped into his office, and she went to get ready for her doctor’s appointment.
Twenty minutes later, Alyssa had to knock on Ali’s door to remind him it was time to go. Kissing Rashid on the head, they left the house and climbed into Ali’s white sports car.
The gate lifted for them to leave, and Ali gave a wave at Malek, the day guard.
When they’d moved from New York to Baqar, Ali’s parents had been ready to send half a dozen bodyguards over to keep watch. However, after a childhood and adolescence of such close observance, Ali had been reluctant to step back into the same lifestyle. Alyssa had agreed, and an in-between point had been met. Night and day, a guard was on duty at the gate. Cameras surrounded the perimeter. At the sign of any trouble, the authorities would be alerted. Not to mention, the property’s alarm system was more intricate than Alyssa had ever imagined one could be.
Not that they would ever need to worry, Ali had assured Alyssa. He was a sheikh, but not the ruler of Baqar. He’d never take the throne, and that meant that, for the most part, he could go places without even being recognized. For public events, bodyguards accompanied the family. Other than that, they were mostly on their own.
They took the winding road down deep into the city, and Ali shot a quick glance Alyssa’s way. “This is one of our last doctor’s appointments. Can you believe that?”
“I know. It’s crazy.”
Alyssa looked out the window. They passed a block of high-rise condominiums. Across the street, a new shopping mall was going up. Ali had not exaggerated when he’d told Alyssa that Baqar was growing faster than it ever had before.
She looked back at him. Time to bring up her concerns about work.
But, suddenly, Ali’s phone rang, and he answered through the Bluetooth. In the blink of an eye, he jumped into a fast conversation in Arabic.
Alyssa pressed her lips together. She took in deep, steady breaths, but they didn’t do much good. Her temperature continued to rise.
The car ate up the blocks to the OB-GYN’s office, and Ali’s conversation charged on. Alyssa crossed her arms on top of her belly and stared out the window. This was supposed to be their time. And yet, here Ali was, having a work conversation.
At the doctor’s office, he pulled into a spot near the front and ended the call. The second the car stopped, Alyssa opened the door and climbed out. She didn’t wait for Ali, instead walking ahead of him and checking in at the front desk.
It wasn’t until they were seated side by side in the waiting area that Ali finally looked at her.
“What did you wish to talk about?” Ali asked.
“Now you want to pay attention to me?” Alyssa asked, unable to control the snap in her voice.
He blinked as his eyebrows rose in surprise. “What’s going on?”
“You didn’t have to take that call.”
�
�Why wouldn’t I take the call?” Ali asked.
“Because—”
“Mrs. bin Talid,” a nurse in scrubs suddenly said. She’d crept up without Alyssa noticing.
“Oh, come on,” Alyssa muttered under her breath. Not another interruption. Would she ever get to talk to Ali about his schedule?
Alyssa and Ali stood, and the nurse bowed to them—something everyone did to the royal family in Baqar—and led them into the back hallway.
“I’m confused,” Ali said, once they were alone in an examination room and waiting for the doctor. “Why shouldn’t I have taken the call?”
“Because you came home late last night. You left early this morning.” Alyssa had hoped to remain calm during this conversation, but as the words spilled from her, that became increasingly difficult. “Then, you went to your office as soon as you got home today.”
Ali’s jaw ticked. “For twenty minutes.”
“And when will Rashid see you, now?”
“Tonight.” Ali’s voice rose as well. “At dinner.”
“And what about me?” Alyssa asked. “When will I get to spend time with you alone? Or even properly at all?”
Ali shook his head. “Alyssa, where is this coming from?”
“You’re working too much, Ali. Again.”
He sighed, raked his fingers through his hair, and turned to look out the window.
Alyssa braced herself for the excuses. She’d heard them all before and could rattle them off at a moment’s notice. Work was important. He needed to do something with his time. His father expected so much out of him. He was setting a good example for Rashid by being hard-working.
He said nothing, though—just merely stood there.
What felt like forever passed, though it must have only been a minute.
Alyssa gulped. “Ali?”
He turned to look at her, and for the first time, she noticed the bags under his eyes.
“Creating something in the world gives me…a sense of purpose, Alyssa. Do you understand?”
She blinked. “Yeah, I do.”
Another quiet moment passed.
“You weren’t always like this,” she pointed out.
Ali sighed. “When I was younger, I was the exact opposite. I thought that satisfaction could only be found in momentary pleasures. I didn’t realize that a deeper pleasure lies in building long-term situations.” He paused. “Family. A business that spans the globe.”
“I get what you’re saying,” Alyssa said. “And I love how focused you’ve become. You know that. But I think you’ve been…too focused. What about having a work-life balance?”
Ali’s brow furrowed right as the door opened and Dr. Latifi entered. Alyssa swiftly turned her face away, not wanting the doctor to see how upset she was.
“Hello,” Dr. Latifi said in English. “Sheikh bin Talid. Mrs. bin Talid. How are you doing?”
Working a smile onto her face, Alyssa turned back to face the doctor. “Well, thanks. How are you?”
“Good. Let’s get started, shall we?” She put her clipboard down on the counter.
Next to her, Ali’s jaw flexed and his fingers slowly curled. Apparently, he had a few things left to say to Alyssa. Well, too bad. The doctor had arrived, and it was time for the checkup to begin.
Ali stood nearby as Dr. Latifi took Alyssa’s vitals and listened to the babies’ heartbeats. When it came time to feel for their positions, she had Alyssa lay back on the examination table.
At the doctor’s touch, one of the babies wiggled away. Dr. Latifi smiled. “Squirmy one, eh?” she said.
Alyssa grinned and looked to her right. Ali’s sullen face had vanished, and he now smiled as well. Like all arguments, this one would blow over. They would figure things out and come out stronger than they were before. Remembering this made Alyssa smile even bigger.
If nothing else, at least they weren’t caught up in crashing and struggling to survive on a deserted island.
The doctor finished examining Alyssa and took a seat on a nearby stool. “You are still waiting to find out the babies’ genders?” she asked.
Ali and Alyssa shared a look and both nodded.
“Good, good.” Dr. Latifi paused for a moment before continuing. “Now, everything seems normal. The only issue of any concern is one of the babies’ positions.”
Alyssa’s stomach jerked sharply—like someone had tied a string around it and started tugging the other end.
“Their position?” Ali asked. “What is the matter?”
“She or he appears to be breech. At this point, they should have turned.”
Alyssa swallowed against the lump in her throat. “Breech happens a lot, though, right?”
“It does.”
“So, the baby could turn.”
“It’s possible,” Dr. Latifi said, “but at this stage, it’s a risk I’d rather not take.”
“What are you suggesting we do?” Ali asked. His hand closed over Alyssa’s, and she caught gazes with him.
“I would like to schedule a cesarean for the end of next week.”
Alyssa stiffened. A C-section?
She used to think having one of those would be no big deal. They wheel you in, give you some local anesthesia, and then the baby is out in a few minutes. But that was before a doctor sat in front of Alyssa, urging her to have one. All of a sudden, what had once seemed like no big deal became one of the scariest things Alyssa had ever faced.
She’d been nervous about having Rashid, but now that she’d given birth once, she felt like the second time would be much easier. But now, things were different. Rashid had been born naturally. How could Alyssa mentally prepare herself for surgery?
“Mrs. bin Talid.” Dr. Latifi’s voice was gentle, but it jerked Alyssa out of her thought stream.
“Yes?”
“What do you think of scheduling that for next week?”
Ali squeezed Alyssa’s hand, and she put her second palm over top of his. “Do I have a choice?”
“It is certainly up to you,” the doctor said. “But this is what I recommend.”
“If it’s the safest option…” Ali trailed off and looked at Alyssa, waiting for her to take the lead.
Alyssa swallowed again, her throat becoming drier by the second. She trusted Dr. Latifi. From their first meeting, Alyssa had found her to be wise and caring. She seemed to make her decisions not only from a place of decades of medical expertise, but from deep understanding and empathy, as well.
If Dr. Latifi thought Alyssa needed to have a C-section, then that was that.
“Okay.” Alyssa nodded. “Let’s do that.”
“Good,” Dr. Latifi said warmly. “I know this might be what you were expecting, but this way, we can make sure that there are the least amount of complications possible.”
Just hearing the word “complications” made Alyssa’s heart beat faster.
After a short chat about what dates would work best, it was decided: Alyssa would check into the hospital Friday morning of the next week.
As scary as the whole thing was, there was something comforting about having a date set. No sitting around wondering and waiting to go into labor. Alyssa knew exactly what day her twins would be born.
“Now, make sure not to do anything too strenuous,” Dr. Latifi warned.
Alyssa shook her head. “I won’t.”
“No lifting of anything heavy. Light walks only.”
Alyssa nodded. All of this was advice she’d already been following.
“And do stay home as much as you can,” Dr. Latifi said.
Alyssa bit her lip. Now, that part might be a problem.
“Can I go out at all?” she asked. “Or am I on house arrest?”
Dr. Latifi must not have gotten the joke, because she didn’t so much as smile. She did, however, pat Alyssa’s shoulder.
“You can go out some. It’s good to get a bit of sunshine every day, but take care and don’t push yourself.”
“I will,” Alyssa
promised. She set her hands on her belly and looked down at them. The next week and a half of sitting around at home wouldn’t be fun, but compared to her fears about the surgery, it would be a picnic.
Chapter 3
Ali
On their way to the car, Ali took Alyssa’s hand. As he opened the building’s front door for her, he cast her a wary glance.
“How are you feeling?” he asked.
Alyssa smiled tightly. “Fine.”
“Hmm,” was all he said. He knew his wife well enough to know when she was lying. On top of her probably feeling nervous about the birth, there was the matter of the argument they’d been having when the doctor walked in.
Alyssa’s concern that he did not have a “balance” in his life perplexed him. They had spoken about the issue before, which had resulted in Ali taking measures to rectify the situation: not only had he cut back on his hours working, but he had moved the family to Baqar partially so Alyssa and Rashid could get to know their extended family better.
At the car, Ali opened the door for Alyssa.
“Thank you,” she murmured, taking care to lower herself into the passenger’s seat.
Ali curved around the front of the car and dropped behind the steering wheel, but though he started the engine, he made no move to drive. Instead, he turned to face Alyssa.
“Are you nervous?” he asked.
Her shoulders tensed, and she looked straight ahead. “Yeah. A bit.”
“It will be all right.” Ali put his hand on her arm. “Dr. Latifi believes this is best for you and the babies.”
“I know, and I trust her.” Alyssa took in a long breath. “It’s just a little nerve-rattling, you know? Like, I thought that because I’d had one baby, I knew exactly what to expect the second time around.” She laughed drily. “I should know by now that things never happen the same way twice.”
“No,” Ali murmured, “they don’t, do they?”
The engine purred, and they sat there quietly. Alyssa faced straight ahead, not looking at him.
“Do you really think I’m not spending enough time with you?” he asked.
