by Jenn Leigh
“I better call Cassie. It’ll be a hard call,” I said quietly.
I pulled out of Mark’s embrace, noticing the flash of hurt in his eyes.
I grabbed his hand and pulled him back to me. “I am not mad at you for telling. I guess I have kept it in for so long it just takes me aback that someone else is talking about it. This was your tragedy, too, so you can tell whomever you want, and I support that. I love you.” I reached up and kissed his lips before letting him go and heading for the living room with the phone.
He stood and watched me dial Cassie’s number then left the room when I started talking.
“Hey, Cassie, long time, no chat,” I said in a happier tone.
“Hey, Nilka, you’ll never guess what!” she practically squealed in my ear.
“What?” I giggled back.
“I have a new friend!” She did squeal in my ear this time.
I laughed. “Hey, that’s great. What’s her name?”
“Amanda. She lives a few houses down from here. We are the same age, and we’ll be going to the same school in the fall.” Cassie sounded so happy. After everything she had been through, she deserved this happiness.
“Wow, that’s great, Cassie. I can’t wait to meet her. But, hey, I am calling for another reason, and this reason is a bit sad, so are you sitting down somewhere?”
“Uh-oh. Is it about my parents?” she questioned, her voice going flat.
“Actually, no. We are still searching. Mark will keep you posted on that one. They are working very hard to find them, I can assure you. This call is about me.” I took a deep breath. “Remember when we were painting our nails, and I told you about my baby who passed away?”
“Yeah, I remember,” she said warily.
“Well, everyone knows now, but I wanted to be the one to tell you a little bit more. Remember I told you that it was me and my high school sweetheart that had the baby?”
“Yeah.”
“I want to let you know that Mark was my high school sweetheart, and he never got to see his baby.”
Cassie gasped on the other end, and I heard her start to sniffle.
“You guys are getting back together, right?” she asked, although it almost sounded like pleading.
I chuckled. “Yes, we are back together.”
I could tell that she was smiling on the other side, as she huffed out a tiny breath. She wanted us back together, so I knew this would make her smile.
“Unfortunately, there is a bit more sadness to share. My parents were killed in a car accident a few days ago, and both Mark and I have to go to Egypt to deal with that.”
“What? I’m so sorry, Nil.” Cassie started to cry.
I had tears in my eyes, as well. “It’s okay, sweetie. Accidents happen. I will miss them dearly, but going to Egypt is a bit scary, so I am taking Mark with me, which means he may not be able to call you every day like before,” I stated calmly, hoping this wouldn’t make her more upset.
“That’s okay. You need him more than I do right now. Just make sure you both come home. You are both my best friends, and I don’t want to lose you,” she said the last part quietly.
“That would never happen, Cassie. Friends for life. Now, tell me more about Amanda,” I requested to lighten the mood.
After a few more minutes, I hung up the phone and found Mark standing at the kitchen island.
“How’s Cassie?” he asked.
“Good, she made a new friend and nearly screamed my ear off.” I chuckled.
He laughed. “Preteens, sheesh.”
I laughed again and nodded my head in agreement.
“How’d she take the news?”
“Better than I thought. She was upset about my parents passing away, but I think she was more upset at the idea that we weren’t getting back together.” I smiled at him. “Of course, I told her we were back together, and I swear I could hear her smile on the other end of the phone. She took the news well that we were going to Egypt. She even said that I needed you more than she does right now, but to come back in one piece.” I shook my head in disbelief.
Mark looked stunned. “Wow, all that from a twelve-year-old … She’s definitely something else. From all that she has been through, I would have never guessed what a well-rounded person she is. It’s kind of scary, actually. I’m going to be thirty soon, and I am not that well-rounded.” Mark chuckled to himself.
“Agreed,” I teased.
When Mark looked at me with a cocked eyebrow, I merely smiled.
Just then, the phone rang. Mark picked it up while I went back into the living room to sit for a few minutes.
“Daniel and Josh will be over in a few to make plans for our travels. Dan will bring a packed bag of clothes for me and Nat’s coming over to help you pack for tomorrow.”
I nodded.
“I’m just going to call Lily before they come. I want to make sure she is okay with everything that happened,” I said to Mark as I picked up the phone, honestly worried she might feel betrayed by me not telling her. I just couldn’t tell anyone, though. I hoped she understood that.
“I’m sure Lily will think the same for you.”
I nodded in agreement then went into the bedroom and dialed Lily’s number.
She picked it up on the first ring.
“Oh, my God, thank goodness it’s you. I’ve been worried sick.” Lily sounded exasperated.
I chuckled slightly. “I was actually worried more about you than me, and I wanted to apologize for not being able to confide in you. I was sworn to secrecy by my parents, and I felt ... trapped in not being able to tell my closest friends so I could at least have that extra support. For that, I am truly sorry.”
“You don’t have to apologize to me. I just wish it would have been different for you. I would have been there for you through thick and thin. I am sorry you had to go through it alone. This time, however, you won’t be. I know you’ll have to relive the past, but this time, I’ll be there for you. We all will,” Lily stated with conviction.
I smiled. “Thanks that means a lot to me. I wish I could hug you right now.” I laughed.
Lily laughed, too, and then we chatted for a few more minutes before hanging up.
I went into the kitchen to find Mark and his brothers hard at work with maps spread out all over the kitchen counter, obviously looking at routes and such.
“Nil, do you know how to pronounce the town you were in?” Daniel asked.
“Well, I am not sure that I am pronouncing it right myself, but it’s Maghaghah (MeGAGha), or at least that’s how I pronounced it.”
“It’s better than completely butchering it. I’m sure they don’t appreciate us Americans flubbing up their town name,” Josh said on a chuckle.
I nodded my head with a smile. “You’re probably right.”
“The flights only go into Cairo, the closest city. We’ll have to bus or taxi it from there. It looks like it’s about an hour or so from there,” Daniel stated, looking at the map.
“That seems about right,” I confirmed.
Natalie and I talked a little bit before we headed off into my room to pack.
Nat pulled on my arm to get me into the bedroom. “Hey, I’ve got something important to tell you.”
I chuckled at her childish antics yet followed, anyway.
“So … I’m pregnant!” Nat blurted out to me.
“What? No way! Really? Oh, my God. Are you okay?” I was so shocked that I was unable to complete my thoughts. I didn’t know that Natalie wanted kids after hers tragically passed away.
“I’m fine. I’ve been puking my guts out on a regular basis, but I’ve been feeling a lot better lately.”
“How are you feeling, you know, with everything in the past?” I questioned. This must have been a shock to Josh and her.
“I’m really good. I wasn’t sure at first how I felt. A small part of me thought I was betraying Anthony and Julia, but after some time to think things through, I know they would want this a
nd for me to be happy. Josh and I are both really happy and excited. I never thought I would be going through pregnancy again, though. We aren’t finding out the sex of the baby. I want to keep that as a surprise.”
“Oh my gosh, Nat. I am so happy for you. I’ll be there for every step of the way. How did the boys take it?”
“They were shocked at first, but seem totally happy at being uncles. I’m excited to see their interaction with the baby once he or she is here. They will fall instantly in love and be complete goners.” Nat chuckled, rubbing her belly. She wasn’t quite showing yet, but now that I knew, I could tell she was pregnant.
After we finished packing, Natalie went out to see how the planning was going with the guys.
I walked over to Mark, placed a kiss on his cheek, and then whispered that I was going to go lie down for a bit. He nodded then went right back to the conversation with his brothers about routes, food, and taxis.
I closed the door to their chatter and climbed on the bed, lying down and thinking about the past again. It wasn’t long before I nodded off into a dreamless sleep.
Chapter 17
Mark
Once Daniel and Josh left, I had a better feeling about where we were going, at least in the sense that I actually had a plan on where to go and when. It was especially difficult in a foreign country, one that I knew very little about.
I opened the door to Nil’s room, the door being replaced earlier, to find Nilka asleep. She looked so peaceful I didn’t want to wake her, but I wanted to feel her body wrapped up in mine.
I slowly took off my jeans yet left my boxers on before quietly climbing into bed, hoping I didn’t wake her. I pulled her close, and she snuggled in. I breathed in the scent of her hair, warming and relaxing me, making me feel at home.
She stirred gently under my arms. Her breathing had changed, so I knew she was awake or at least somewhat awake. I left her to her thoughts, though. She would say something when she was ready.
A few moments had gone by when she finally spoke up. “I’m really scared to go back there, Mark.”
“I know, baby. I know.” I kissed her head. “I’ll be there with you for whatever you need.”
She didn’t say anything after that, only drew aimlessly along my arms. It’s a feeling soothing, but I wanted to soothe her, too. As a result, I took my free arm and started to give her a mini massage, slowly releasing the tension that she had built up.
As I rubbed my way down her back, she started making these little moaning noises that shot straight to my cock. If she kept that up, I wouldn’t be held responsible for what I would do.
She could feel the hard ridge against the back of her thigh, and the little minx flexed her ass so it rubbed against my cock.
“Nil,” I whisper as I nibbled her earlobe.
She shivered in response, and I took that as a sign to continue and rolled her onto her back.
I placed hot, open-mouth kisses all along her neck and jaw. She wiggled under my body as I continued kissing down her neck and onto her chest where I placed tiny, sucking kisses on the swells of her upper breasts. Her fingers knotted in my hair as she moaned in pleasure.
I took her pert nipple into my mouth and sucked it until she pulled at my hair. Then I moved slightly, giving the same attention to the other breast, making sure they were both standing at attention. I released her breast with a pop and slowly continued my journey down her torso. She was a writhing mess by the time I reached the apex of her heat.
I looked up at her as I positioned her legs over my shoulders, and she watched me intently, the look of desire heavy in her eyes. I smirked slightly before I spread my tongue flat against her heat. She let out a loud moan and arched her body into my mouth, and I grasped her hips tightly to hold them in place.
I lapped up her juices and speared my tongue into her folds and core. She tasted like heaven, a taste I would never be able to forget.
“Mark, please … I … need to come,” she said breathlessly, her legs trembling at my ministrations. Then her hips started moving in tiny circles, and I wasn’t certain I could hold on to my self-control for much longer.
I flicked my tongue on her clit, and she screamed my name, gripping my hair, her whole body shaking in response to her orgasm. I gently licked until she came back down from her high, but I didn’t waste any time before plunging my cock into her still wet heat.
I felt her walls clench around me, and I could barely hold on to my orgasm. Nil wrapped her legs around me and pulled me down into her body while I used all of my strength to thrust into her, trying to hold back, but it was no use.
Her body trembled with her second release, and I was right there with her, yelling out her name and plunging deeper as I spilled my seed into her. We were both out of breath, but neither of us made a move.
Only when my arms started to shake did I finally move off her before I collapsed, pulling out and rolling to my side. Then I pulled her against me and Nil curled up beside me, draping her leg over mine and letting her head fall to my shoulder.
We lay there quietly, letting the air cool our overheated bodies, until she lightly chuckled to herself.
“What’s so funny?” I asked.
She chuckled again before saying, “Isn’t this how we ended up tangled in the first place—me tracing lines along your skin?” She looked up at me.
I fought back a smile. “Well, feel free to tickle me anytime. You never know what will happen if you don’t,” I offered suggestively.
She busted out laughing, and the noise was so beautiful it had my cock standing at attention, waiting for round two. She was in the middle of a fit of laughs when I rolled her over and captured her mouth, cutting off the laughs and showing her exactly what would happen with my body.
***
As we were standing in line, waiting to board our flight to Egypt, Nil looked as anxious and worried as she had the entire ride to the airport. I was holding her hand as we waited, feeling the tension rolling off her in waves. I thought Daniel could feel it, too, since he nervously kept looking over at Nil to make sure she was okay.
I clapped him on the back as if to say, “I’ve got this covered.” He smiled, and then we were led onto the plane.
At least the leg room was spacious, but I supposed you needed that for a cross ocean flight. Nil was sandwiched between us, visibly relaxing with us on either side of her as we settled in.
After she nodded off fairly early on, Daniel and I watched a movie to pass the time. I was interrupted by him when he tapped my knee, and I looked at Nil who was still fast asleep, leaning into me.
“How do you think she is going to be once we get there?” Daniel asked, slight concern marring his face.
You would think Nil was his girlfriend or something, but we all knew he had a soft heart like the rest of us. His concern was genuine, and maybe some of it was directed at me, too. I knew he had come along for me because he knew, at some point, I was going to need someone. This was just as nerve-wracking for me as it was for Nilka. Except, this was my first time being in a foreign country, not to mention knowing my deceased child was somewhere over there.
“I don’t know. I have a feeling she’ll put on a brave face for me, but I’ll be there when the other shoe drops,” I stated, watching her sleep.
Daniel nodded then went back to his movie.
Once we landed in Cairo, the heat and air were stifling, definitely not something any of us were used to.
Thankfully, when we booked this trip through the embassy, we were hooked up with the embassy travel agent who was able to secure us our own personal driver, Ahlie, for the duration of the trip. He was also a translator if needed.
We hopped into the awaiting car, and Ahlie started toward Maghaghah.
As we drove through Cairo, I found that it was very modern and not unlike other American cities. The makes of cars were different, and of course, the foliage and landscaping was very different. It was the heat that was the most noticeable factor.
We were all fairly enthralled with the countryside, making comments along the way. Life outside the city was obviously very different. Dirt roads and ramshackle houses made up most of the scenery. I had never seen as many goats and dogs roaming around in my entire life.
By the time we reached our destination, all of us were drenched in sweat. We were greeted by Artub, the town physician, who was on the case during her parents’ deaths. Artub was a close, personal friend of the family and had been instrumental in working with the embassy to ensure everything we would need was available to us. He would also be helping us navigate through the funeral arrangements and help with any other outstanding issues regarding belongings, etc.
“How was the flight and drive in?” Artub asked with a heavy accent.
“Long,” Nil and I said in unison. .
As Daniel smirked in agreement, Artub snickered. Then he took us to the local hostel where we would be staying. We could have stayed at Nilka’s parents place, but there were too many memories there for her, and neither she nor I were ready to deal with them yet. I wasn’t sure that I was comfortable staying in a house where Nilka had to go through her pregnancy, birth, and ultimately the death of our child. Staying at a hostel was the alternative, one we all agreed on.
“Please, be welcome here. I will come for you in the morning, and we can start your work with your parents. I am so sorry for your loss.” Artub nodded toward Nil who nodded back gratefully.
“Thank you so much for helping. It means a lot to me,” Nil replied sincerely.
Artub bowed his head then made his way out of the rooms he had arranged for us. It was common practice that men didn’t touch women unless they were married to them. The fact that Artub was speaking to Nilka at all said that he had great respect for her parents, or perhaps it was because she was the only living relative, and talking to her was the only option.
Two small cots were lined along the back wall for me and Daniel in one room—yeah, right—while two more cots were placed in another room, most likely to separate the men from the women. There was also a small kitchenette with a little table set off to the side. The room was hot, but there were at least a few fans blowing around.
