by Leah Leonard
****
Within the hour, the cab pulled up to the seaside home. "Wait here," she told the driver, handing him some money. She didn't have know if Ghazi would even allow her inside after she left him without a word or a goodbye.
She walked up the square stone steps and opened the iron gate, stepping into the small courtyard, stood next to the door and paused. This was it. Ghazi would soon be staring her in the eye and she would be faced with the most difficult announcement of her life - telling him he was going to be a father.
She imagined this moment a thousand times before over the course of the last twenty four hours, but no amount of rehearsal could prepare her for what she might blurt out. Would she tell him straight away or give him some time to talk about his summer? Would he want to hear how the scholarship trip had been going? All of this contemplation was merely procrastination. She took a deep breath and knocked on the heavy wooden door.
There was no sound.
She knocked again.
Still nothing.
She started to turn and go when she heard the faint sound of footsteps on the interior tile. The door creaked open. An elderly woman in a uniform greeted her, the same housekeeper who had been there before. "Yes? May I help you?"
"Um," Sarah began. "I'm here to see Ghazi."
The woman did a once over of her, scanning her from head to toe. "You are a friend of Mr. Ghazi?"
"Yes." Sarah wondered why the woman didn't recognize her from earlier this summer. It was probably hard to keep track of all of Ghazi's exploits. "My name is Sarah."
She squinted, "Ah yes, I remember you. Come in."
"I don't want to intrude. Is he here?"
"No," her gaze lowered to the floor.
"Oh." Sarah's heart sank. She hadn’t fully prepared for that possibility. He might have already run off with someone else. She hated to have to hear it, but there was no use pretending things would work out in any lasting kind of way. "Do you have any idea where I might find him?"
"Mr. Ghazi is at the hospital."
A cold chill shot through Sarah’s limbs. "The hospital?"
"Yes, I'm afraid he's been there all summer."
Sarah's head dizzied. She reached out for a wall to steady herself. How could she be so cold, so cruel? She'd left Ghazi without any thought as to how he might fare. "Is Ghazi sick? Has he been in an accident?"
She shook her head. "No ma’am. Not him, Sultan Deniz."
"His grandfather?"
"Yes."
"Oh no," Sarah's stomach churned. "Is he going to be okay?"
She shrugged. "He is very ill."
Poor Ghazi! Hadn't his father just died? Now this? And all on the heels of her leaving him in the lurch. No, she reminded herself, he appeared to be just fine the week before in the arms of those women in the magazine, not to mention the married blonde.
Still, she had compassion for Sultan Deniz. He really was a wonderful man. She felt bad for him, and even worse for Ghazi. What he must be going through!
She recalled the overwhelming support she received after her parent’s death from friends and neighbors, and how much it meant. She wished she could be the one to be there for Ghazi, but could in no way allow her sympathies to cross the line into the realm of expecting the soon-to-be father of her child to be anything more to her than a friend. "I should go to him. Which hospital?"
“In Istanbul.”
Oh great! She could have stayed there and found him without going through all the trouble. With her sudden departure, she hadn’t bothered to even get Ghazi’s cell phone number since, at the time, she never imagined she’d be running from him.
Just in case, Sarah took Ghazi’s number from the housekeeper and saved it in her phone. She had no intentions of calling him unless she absolutely had to. If she couldn’t find the hospital, or if for some reason the Sultan’s condition improved and she missed them, then maybe she’d call. Otherwise, this visit needed to be a surprise.
Along with Ghazi’s personal details, Sarah stored the name, address and telephone number of the hospital in her phone, and took down the physical address of the Bodrum property – everything she would need to ensure that at some point, she and Ghazi would be face to face. “Thank you so much,” she told the housekeeper.
“They also have a palace outside Istanbul,” the woman said, “but I am not sure I have that address.”
A palace? That figures. “I shouldn’t need it. Surely I’ll be able to reach Ghazi at the hospital.”
“I am certain you will,” the woman said, “the Sultan is not expected to return home.”
A sad situation, for sure.
Sarah left the Deniz estate and spent the next several hours traveling and landed back in Istanbul just before dark. She walked outside, hailed a cab and sped through town on the way to see her baby's father.
She wasn't sure what she could do to help, or if her presence would mean anything to Ghazi at all, but he was family now, whether she liked it or not. Ghazi would always play a part in her life.
Their baby sealed an unbreakable knot between them. Sarah would go, see what she could offer in terms of support, and then tell Ghazi the news. Things would all work out, she told herself. It had to, for all of their sakes.
CHAPTER SEVENTEEN
Ghazi spent the remainder of the summer in Istanbul, not running out to clubs or enjoying the company of the bevy of models he usually associated with, but instead he stayed confined in the hospital by his grandfather's side, because sadly, the Sultan never recovered enough to leave.
The situation could have been devastating to the family business had his grandfather not been so meticulous about the corporate structure.
With several properties under his control, including various oil wells and estates, the Sultan had started taking more of a back seat to the business, allowing Ghazi to serve as acting President for Deniz Holdings. For the past two years, Ghazi oversaw the majority of daily operations, taking over many of the Sultan's roles as well as the position his father once held before falling from grace and into the arms of a mistress.
While Ghazi kept ever mindful to respect his grandfather's wishes, he expanded their ventures to include state of the art technology.
The Sultan remained Chairman of the Board and theoretically owned controlling shares of the entire corporation. Ever since Ghazi's father's death, there had been no discussion of succession planning, no talk about what might happen to the corporation or details of the Sultan’s wishes in case of his absence. Surely some lawyer had it all written down someplace, Ghazi thought, but the plan had not been verbalized to him at all. Probably thanks to the fact Ghazi had been so stubborn and unyielding in regards to his marital status. He cringed now knowing he should have been more open and listened to his grandfather and perhaps that added stress might not have taken the poor old man over the edge.
Ghazi spent countless hours in the hospital waiting room on the phone with his vendors and employees, trying to piece together a plan of action in line with his grandfather's vision. Despite his efforts, the only thing Ghazi discovered was the Sultan’s wish to see him married by the end of summer.
Could his grandfather have known he was in poor health and tried to conceal it from him? Ghazi hated thinking that way, but the fact he'd been surrounded by doctors and nurses in the sterile environment of the hospital for so long dampened his spirits and faith that the Sultan would ever resume control of Deniz holdings ever again.
He always loved Istanbul, but the bitter loneliness of the past several weeks made him long to return to his family home in Bodrum and the quiet semblance of normalcy. He would give anything to take back the angry exchange between him and the Sultan, but it was too late for that. All he could do now was to wait by his grandfather’s bedside for the doctors to give him a straight answer about his prognosis.
Fortunately the corporation was well staffed with responsible managers in all the major positions. Ghazi never appreciated his grandfather's business ac
umen more than he did right now. Thanks to the organizational flow, Ghazi was more than capable of running the business from his cell phone and relied a great deal on the staff his grandfather handpicked for their reliability, and in cases like this, the knowledge that to the outer world, business was up and running as usual.
After watching the doctors hover over the Sultan, Ghazi stepped into the hall to get some air and finish up some reports the stockholders needed for an upcoming meeting. He tried keeping focused on the business at hand, but his eyes were heavy with exhaustion. He leaned back in his favorite chair in the all-too-familiar waiting room, and drifted off to sleep.
CHAPTER EIGHTEEN
Sarah stood at the front entrance of what she'd been told was the best hospital in all of Turkey, wondering how in the world she would be able to tell Ghazi about their child.
She felt terrible about his grandfather's illness and certainly didn't want to add any more stress to his life by telling him about the baby, but she had to let him know sometime. In reality, there would be no good time to break such big news.
The lobby bustled with doctors, nurses and people with a variety of worried expressions on their faces. Some cried, others scowled. She instantly remembered why she hated hospitals.
She found a reception counter in the center of the room.
"How may I help you?" A dark skinned boy in a shirt and tie greeted her.
"Deniz," was all she could manage.
"Sultan Deniz?"
"Um…yes."
"Are you family?" he asked with wide eyes.
"Yes." She'd already decided on that fact.
"Upstairs. Take that elevator in the center all the way to the penthouse. Mr. Deniz is in room 1111."
Penthouses. She had her share of those since running into the Deniz clan again, but in a hospital? There was no telling with the uber-rich.
She started to walk off, but the boy followed. "I'll have to accompany you," he said, holding up a key.
Thanks to Ghazi, Sarah knew all about special access to places only the elite could go. She hated the intrusion she was about to cause their family, but what else could she do? She only had a short time left in Turkey before she would have to head back to the States. Time was of the essence. She had to see Ghazi in person.
The boy put the key in a lock, beckoning the elevator to the lobby. "After you," he said, holding the door for Sarah.
She stepped inside the glass elevator and watched as she ascended through a stunning plant filled lobby. Trees and vines climbed the length of the walls providing an amazingly scenic view, considering the dreary venue.
When the elevator stopped, the doors opened to the back. The boy stepped out first, holding the door. “Go on, ma’am. The staff will assist you further.”
“Thank you.” Sarah stepped into the hall.
All of a sudden, the paradise she'd seen had transformed into the typical ugly sterile doldrums of any other normal hospital. Bare walls and white tiled floors were accentuated by chairs and sofas scattered about the hallways and waiting areas.
A heavy feeling hit her heart and she instinctively placed her hand on her womb. The dizzy randomness and apprehension she felt would have to be put on hold. This was for him or her. Not for Sarah. She had to tell the father of her child about their special news.
Straight ahead she found an empty nurse’s station. She approached, glanced in both directions. The whole area was almost too quiet, devoid of any humanity whatsoever.
After a few minutes, a young nurse approached carrying a thick chart.
"Excuse me," Sarah said. "I'm here to see Sultan Deniz."'
"In there," the nurse pointed to a room situated in a small hall. Sarah was surprised nobody accompanied her, but then again, she wouldn't have had access to this area without the boy downstairs unlocking the elevator for her. The staff likely figured anyone who made it this far must be family. There was that word again. Family. A word which tugged her heart.
When she came to Turkey, she had no family, but now, she did. Her baby was her family now, and there was a chance for more. Unlikely, but a chance. Sarah couldn't help but feel hopeful at the thought. Sure, Ghazi would be taken aback when he discovered her pregnancy. He might even shun her and not want to see her at first. She too had her doubts, but of course that was only before she saw the little heartbeat. Now she felt different. Maybe Ghazi would too.
The Sultan was going to be her family also. He was her baby’s grandfather. The Sultan seemed like the kind of man who would relish in the opportunity to shower his grandchild with affection and attention. She hoped he was all right.
She would have to test the waters, survey the situation, and would wait to have the conversation with Ghazi until the proper moment. Soon though….
She walked up to the door. A small brass placard read DENIZ. This was it. She pressed her eyes closed, breathed deep, and stepped inside.
The unmistakable sound of machines filled the room. The occupant was shielded by a drawn curtain.
"Hello?" Sarah announced herself, but nobody answered. "Hello?"
She stepped inside, peering around the curtain.
There lay the Sultan, only he looked nothing like the man she'd met before. The robust figure, rounded features and jovial smile disappeared, replaced by a gaunt crinkled old man. His tube filled nostrils gasped for air as he jerked from side to side, restlessly sleeping, or at least trying to.
She stood watching him for a moment, paralyzed. Where was Ghazi? Most likely out on the town, knowing him. He didn't seem the kind to stay when someone needed him or when the going got tough. She hoped she was wrong about that, but judging from the looks of things, the poor Sultan was likely on his own after all.
Sarah felt compelled to sit with him out of pure human compassion, but quickly changed her mind. She would come back later, but for now, she still believed Ghazi might show up, and if he did, what would she say? The last thing she wanted was for him to catch her here. She tiptoed from the room into the hall and approached the nurse’s station. "Do you know where I can get some water?"
"Down the hall," the nurse pointed in the opposite direction.
Sarah really wanted some caffeine, or better yet a nap, but right now neither was possible. She had a baby to consider, and while a nap always helped, stimulants were out of the question. She wandered down the hall and found a table filled with fresh juices, fruits, cookies and a few traditional favorites, baklava and stuffed grape leaves.
She would remember to make a plate before she left, but for now, she poured herself some fresh juice hoping the sugar might revive her, and went to find a seat. She needed to close her eyes for a minute, think about what to do next or where to go to find Ghazi or whether or not she should just drop her promise to Maureen altogether and forget about telling him.
Her mind raced. Totally distracted, Sarah sipped her juice and looked around, trying to find a place to sit. She paid no attention and ran right into someone. Her juice spilled down the front of her blouse. She tried wiping it off with a napkin. "I'm so sorry, I didn't see you there."
****
After a brief nap, Ghazi rushed down the hall to check on the Sultan. His secretary called from the office with a request for a bid from one of the Deniz suppliers and he was busy trying to complete a text message to her when he ran right into someone causing her to spill her drink. "Ma'am, I'm so sorry. Please allow me to…" His gaze lifted from her blouse, which he couldn't help but notice offered a tempting view, up to her mouth, also quite nice, to her eyes. His brain didn't register her identity at first, but his body did. His erection sure remembered. "Sarah?"
Her mouth gaped open. He studied her teeth wishing he could feel them on his neck and perhaps in other places too….“Ghazi?”
He scowled, more at himself for allowing her to affect him this way than by her actual presence. He drew in a deep breath, hoping to relax himself. "What are you doing here?"
"I…uh…"
Angered by her
presence, he growled, "I asked you what you were doing here?"
"I…um…came to see you." She batted her hazel eyes.
"What?" She ran away from him, leaving him with no explanation, no contact. His pulse quickened, his heart beat in his chest and his erection stiffened even more. "Why?"
"I came to talk to you about something and heard about your grandfather. I…wanted to see if I could help." She shrugged, trying to act innocent.
This woman really had a lot of nerve to leave and never contact him again until now. “Are you kidding? How did you get in here? Who let you in? Shall I call Security?"
"No, I asked the people at the desk if it was okay."
"This area is for family only,” he shouted.
"I know," her eyes beamed and her lips spread into the most beautiful expression of compassion he'd ever seen.
She infuriated him even more by being so damned gorgeous. "Family. What do you know about family? You left without a word. You know nothing of family and even less about friendship and loyalty. Now if you'll excuse me, my grandfather needs me." He started down the hall in a hurry, hoping to put as much distance between the them as possible before he pulled her in his arms and kissed her. No! He would never do that again!
He recalled taking her virginity in early summer. He would have gone to her long before now had the Sultan not taken ill.
He would take care of the business at hand, see the Sultan restored to full health, then sort things out with Sarah later. Even though he remembered bedding her and that she likely felt violated, he didn’t have time to quell her fears and temper her insecurities. Why had she waited so long to come forth? He had no room for this drama with his grandfather fighting for his very existence.
