EIGHT
Never in my life had I been so nervous getting ready for a date. I took Omar’s advice and spent most of the rest of the afternoon shopping in the luxurious downtown district of Al-Thakri’s capital, where the blistering desert heat was offset by shady green trees and giant misting fans to keep the shoppers cool. Queen Mirah made an appointment for me at her spa, and it was clear to me why she recommended it so highly. Even though I only got a few services, including a facial, a manicure and a massage, I felt like a queen myself by the time I left.
From the window of one of the boutiques, a soft flowing dress called my name. It was bold pink with a hem that fell just above the knee and a gorgeous layer of sheer fabric over the shoulders and back. After excitedly trying it on, I got the pink dress, along with some beautiful gold gladiator sandals with a tiny kitten heel, wondering vaguely when was the last time I had bought a piece of clothing that wasn’t purely functional.
Back at the palace, I took a relaxing bath before getting dressed. My nerves got worse with every passing hour and it took me more than a few tries to put on the sparkling ruby earrings Omar had gifted me. Once they were on, though, I was almost taken aback at my own reflection. They glittered like fire on either side of my face, lighting up my eyes.
Omar asked to meet me in the royal gardens, one of his favorite spots—and one of mine, truth be told. To have an oasis so deep in the desert sands meant a great deal to the culture of Al-Thakri, and that love and respect lived deep within Omar's blood. Every step I took down the palace hallways made my heart pound faster and faster.
Remembering what the doctors had said, I instinctively raised a hand to my belly and rubbed gently, concerned. I slowed my steps and took deep breaths to calm my racing heart, and it worked. By the time I arrived at the beautiful sandstone archway that led to the gardens, I was feeling much more like myself.
That only lasted for a few seconds, however—until I saw Omar, handsome and dashing in his casual white linens, waiting for me with a beaming smile. He had picked one of the tropical flowers from the garden and held it out to me as I approached.
Blushing deeply, I took the bloom and brought it to my nose. The scent was clean and sweet. “This is beautiful,” I said to him.
“As are you,” said Omar, eyeing my flowing pink sundress. “I don't think I've ever seen you wear something so bright before. It suits you.”
The feeling of his eyes wandering over my body made me flush anew. “There's not very much about a dress like this that says 'professional'. I never wanted to seem out of place in your entourage.”
“That's because you are a woman of integrity,” smiled Omar. He lifted his hand, beckoning silently for mine. I placed my hand in his and he brought it to his lips, planting a gentle kiss on top. “It's part of what makes you so attractive to me.”
“Really?”
“Truly,” said Omar with a nod. “So few people live with integrity. That’s one truth you discover very quickly when you are born into power. Some people only care about themselves, or what they can scam out of a person. But you aren't like that, Carrie. You only care for how you can help people.”
I shrugged, my heart fluttering at this unexpected attention. “I don't know what to say. I just try to do the best I can with what I've got.”
Omar smiled at me, as if my response only proved his point. “Come,” he beckoned, offering his arm to me. It was the same gesture he made the night we arrived home from his mother's gala, and yet, this time, it felt so much more significant.
I slid my arm into his and he led us slowly through the stone walkways of the garden, pointing out some of his favorite flowers and teaching me their proper names. We were surrounded by blooms unlike any I had ever seen, save on exotic nature documentaries.
“Part of me never wants to leave this garden,” I said to him. “Something about this place just makes me relax.”
“Good,” replied Omar, squeezing my hand gently. “We need you relaxed. You shouldn't be concerning yourself with anything except taking care of yourself.”
“Well, that's a little hard for me,” I admitted with a sheepish laugh. “You may have noticed I'm a bit of a workaholic.”
Omar chuckled. “It had crossed my mind, yes. I saw the panic on your face when the doctors suggested you take some time off. After all, only a workaholic would accept a position like this in the first place, being on-call constantly for a royal family.”
“Yeah,” I agreed, blushing. “You got me there.”
“Saying that,” added Omar, “even though we've spent so many hours beside each other, there’s still so much I don't know about you, Carrie.”
“I guess getting to know each other is what we're supposed to do on a first date, right?” I said, and he grinned warmly. “I don't really know where to start. My family is a pretty typical Midwestern bunch. I've always been kind of a restless person. I drove my parents crazy when I was a kid, getting into trouble and refusing to be clamped down. They wanted me to be more like my older sister, who loved school and following the rules.”
“You mean you’ve experienced sibling rivalry as well?” laughed Omar with wide eyes. “I suppose that makes watching this nonsense with Sajid much more understandable.”
“Oh, yes,” I giggled, leaning my head towards him. “I understand completely. I'm just glad my sister and I never had a kingdom to fight over—we had a tough time just sharing the treehouse. I decided to go into medicine because I figured it would cure my restlessness with the crazy hours and the adrenaline that comes with saving lives. Signing up for Doctors Without Borders was always my goal. I knew I wanted to be out in the world where I could do good for the people who needed it most. And, selfishly, I knew I wanted to travel as much as I could.”
Omar's face lit up at that. “You love travel too?”
“More than almost anything,” I said.
“Me too,” replied Omar. “There are so many beautiful places on this planet. I remember my father taking Sajid and I on occasion when he would make diplomatic visits. Those are among my favorite childhood memories—when I was encouraged to take in the world around me in wonder. Father nurtured my curiosity; he wanted me to be excited about new cultures and places. He knew it would make me a more compassionate and informed ruler. It’s something I want to instill in our son.”
The memory was touching in ways I didn't expect. To hear Omar talk of what he wanted to give our son made my heart ache.
“That's beautiful,” I said quietly. “I wish everyone could travel. I think they would all get along much better once they realize everyone is just trying to make it the best they can, same as us.”
“I couldn't agree more,” said Omar.
“So why don't you travel more? We haven't had a single trip outside the kingdom since I've been here.”
Omar sighed, and I felt immediately guilty for turning the mood of the date. “Things have just been hectic since father's death.”
I gave his arm a gentle, loving squeeze and changed the subject as we rounded a corner and came upon a huge aviary tucked within the greenery. Exotic birds began to caw and flap their wings at the sight of us. One of them talked back to Omar when he spoke to it in Arabic, and he smiled at me, impressed with himself.
“Just like Doctor Doom,” he said.
I laughed. “What?”
“That character from your country that can speak to animals.”
“That's Doctor Dolittle,” I corrected with a teasing smile. “Doctor Doom is far less nice than him.”
“I did think that was a strange name for a veterinarian,” he laughed.