“Oh, Djaron! You surprised me!” Ella’s hand flew to her chest as her heart pounded.
Djaron’s dark face broke out in a wide smile, exposing his brilliant white teeth. “I’m the one who is surprised! I didn’t expect to see you here today!”
Ella rolled her eyes and gave him a little smile. “Yeah, I know. Well, Nadia had some problems with—“ She decided against finishing her sentence. She trusted Djaron, but still, she didn’t want to badmouth any clients, past or present.
“I just wanted to come and wish them well,” Ella lied.
“Oh,” Djaron said slowly as he looked out on the crowd. “So, it had nothing to do with the bridezilla in there?” He jabbed his thumb in the direction of the bridal suite.
Ella laughed and looked at Djaron in shock. “Well, well, look who’s not so stuffy after all.”
Djaron leaned in and whispered in Ella’s ear. “Miss Ella, I only have to be nice in front of Nadia. And if His Highness would just come to his senses before it’s too late, maybe I wouldn’t have to worry about that anymore.”
Ella looked at Djaron with confusion on her face. She opened her mouth to say something when a traditional Al-Ibranian song began to play over the speakers.
“Oh my,” said Djaron as he grabbed Ella lightly by the elbow. “The ceremony is about to begin. Please, have a seat,” he motioned to a table where other staff members were sitting in the back.
“Oh, no,” Ella protested. “I can’t… it wouldn’t be right. No, thank you, Djaron, but I really have to go.”
She turned to leave but the doors to the ballroom had already closed. When she turned back around, Djaron was gone too. He had found a seat at the table and Ella quickly realized she was now the only one left standing. She looked around frantically and noticed a narrow opening in a set of heavy drapes to the side of the doors. She quickly ducked in behind the drapes and waited for the ceremony to begin.
The music continued as the guests hushed. A moment later, a deep voice came over the speaker.
“Ladies and gentlemen, distinguished guests and honored diplomats, thank you for coming to celebrate the union of these two families.” There was applause from the assembled crowd. “Now, if you will please stand, the ceremony will begin.”
A rustle moved across the room as the three hundred guests stood to their feet. She took the opportunity and dashed form behind the curtain to the door. When the processional music started, Ella cracked the door open and stepped outside into the hall, closing the door behind her.
She listened as the music continued and she knew exactly what was happening. Right now, she thought, Karim and his parents and groomsmen would be entering on the right of the stage. They would perform a ceremonial passing of the rings, and then Karim would escort his parents to their chairs and return to his spot center stage.
Ella continued to play out the scene in her mind as she walked slowly toward the lobby of the Plaza, fighting back the tears that threatened to burst through. She knew that once Karim was in position, Nadia’s parents would be escorted to the stage by their eldest son. He would help them to their seats and then go to Karim, pinning a family medallion on his lapel. Once that was done, a new song would begin and a spotlight would appear at the side of the room.
The bridesmaids would appear in the royal dresses, carrying the modified peach bouquets, all of them looking for the perfect husband among the guests. Ella laughed ruefully at the thought; she knew this because that’s what she had done every time she'd been a bridesmaid.
She took a deep breath and imagined the women walking into the blue room, looking like movie stars, with all eyes on them. And then, Nadia would make her grand entrance, escorted by her brother. He would be wearing his military uniform and would hold her arm in his as they walked slowly down the aisle.
When they arrived at the stage, he would gently remove her arm from his, pull back her veil and kiss her on both cheeks. He would take her hand in his and walk her to her spot on the stage, just a few feet away from Karim. The brother would stay there until the officiator pronounces them united as one. And then, Ella thought as she neared the doors to the Plaza, then it would be done. The wedding would be complete. And Karim… Karim would be married.
She stood in the grand lobby of the Plaza and took a deep breath in, letting the realization of what was happening sink in. Karim was getting married right now and there was nothing she could do about it. She had missed her opportunity. She would never be able to tell him how she felt, how much her heart raced when she was near him, how secure she felt in his arms, how much she loved him.
“Ella!” Karim’s voice boomed over the crowd that was milling about the lobby.
Ella spun around. Her tear filled eyes looked up to see Karim just feet away, running towards her. “Karim?!” she asked, astonished. She ran to meet him and he pulled her into his arms. After a moment, he let go and Ella looked up at him in disbelief. “Wha…?”
“I called it off! I told them all that it was a sham. I told them how the whole thing was set up so that Nadia’s family could marry into royalty and so my family could strengthen their oil interests.” Karim’s face was wide with enthusiasm. He was so happy he couldn’t contain himself.
Ella shook her head as the tears spilled over. “But, but…” She didn't know what to say.
“We were going to cancel all along. I just couldn’t tell you.” Karim looked down at Ella, his eyes full of regret.
“That’s what Nadia and I were fighting about back at the apartment all thos
e weeks ago. She agreed to call off the wedding if I didn’t tell anyone about her drinking and partying. I agreed, but she insisted that I wait until the day of the wedding to call it off.”
Ella just looked at Karim. “Why? Why wait?”
“If we canceled while we were engaged, it would be a small blip in the society pages. But if I waited until the wedding day and ditched her at the altar, that would be news. And there’s nothing that Nadia likes more than attention. She figured my canceling on the wedding day would create such a scandal that her name would stay in the news for months and years to come.”
Ella heard the words but couldn’t believe them. Karim saw the confusion on her face. “I know,” he said. “It doesn’t make sense to me either, but that’s what she wanted. And in the end, I got what I wanted, too: out of the wedding.” Karim said slowly as he pulled Ella close. “All that matters is that I’m free. I’m free to be honest about how I feel about you. I don’t have to hide that anymore.”
“Your feelings for me?” Ella said, her heart pounding even heavier than before.
A booming voice came thundering across the lobby and Ella and Karim looked to see a sizable crowd of Nadia’s relatives heading straight toward them.
Karim looked at Ella and grabbed her hand. “Quick, come with me!”
He pulled her across the lobby and to an elevator. They heard the voices close in just as the elevator doors closed behind them. Karim reached in his vest pocket and pulled out a key.
“What’s that?” asked Ella, her hand still clenched to his. She couldn’t believe this was happening. Had Karim really just called off the wedding? Was she really with him right now, running from the bride’s family? Did he just say he had feelings for her?
“It’s the key to the roof,” Karim said, sticking the key into the panel on the wall of the elevator. The car rushed to the top of the building and the doors opened into a small glass vestibule. Karim pulled Ella out by the hand and the two rushed through the glass doors to the flat roof.
“What are we doing here?” Ella asked, confused and thrilled at the same time.
Karim smiled down at Ella and then pointed to the far side of the roof where a helicopter was waiting.
Ella’s eyes grew wide. “Is that for us?”
Karim smiled and brushed his hand across her cheek. “Yes,” he said as the helicopter engine roared into life and its blades began spinning. “I had Djaron bring it so that I could make my escape.”
Ella blinked and thought back. Djaron? He must have known about the plan all along. And if Nadia knew about calling off the wedding, and about Karim’s feelings for Ella, perhaps the call about the flowers was all part of the plan.
Karim watched as Ella connected the dots. “My escape with you,” he said as he took her hand in his and started to move toward the helicopter.
Ella followed Karim as he reached the helicopter and hopped in, jumping in behind him. As Karim pulled the door shut she sat back in the leather seat and looked out at her beloved city. Moments later, the helicopter lifted up and began to rise above Manhattan.
As the buildings got smaller and the chopper settled into a smooth ride, Ella turned her attention to Karim. “Where are we going?” she asked, feeling like a kid in an amusement park.
He leaned in close to her and she could feel the breath on her neck as he spoke. “Back to where it all began.”
She looked at him with questioning eyes, then smiled. “You mean Eleuthera?”
Karim nodded and wrapped his arm around her. “If that’s okay with you?”
Ella nodded as Karim continued. “I hear there’s a great little spot there to hold a wedding.”
Ella blinked slowly at him, trying to absorb what she was hearing.
“Well,” she said coyly as she smiled at his handsome face. “I just might know a good wedding planner.”
Karim’s eyes sparkled as he smiled. Then, very slowly, he leaned in and placed his lips on Ella’s. As the chopper rose higher, Ella kissed him back, letting her love for him spill over as they flew off toward paradise and to the rest of their lives together.