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I felt him shake his head and then he rolled away from me and onto his back, “Oh Anna, do not do this to me right now. I can keep you safe. I kept you safe today. I alone protected you. It breaks my heart you do not trust me.”
I was now crying and weeping at hearing his anguish, “Omar, it isn’t you. You have done everything in your power to keep me safe, but even with all that, look what has happened in less than two months. I don’t want to live through a third assassination attempt. You aren’t safe either. Why don’t you get that? Do you realize what it would do to me if you were killed?”
He made a sound of anger, and his voice grew louder, “Anna, I must deal with this insurgence. I must stay and rule my people and protect my country from this rebellion. I cannot flee with my tail between my legs. I must stand and meet this threat. I must quash this uprising before it gains any more momentum.” He rolled back towards me and his voice seemed really loud, “Anna, you will be safe in the desert with my family. You will go there as I’ve planned. End of subject.”
I was silent as I thought about it, trying to reconcile my need to go home with Omar’s needs and wishes. I tried for a more assured tone, but I fear I failed miserably.
“Omar, I would really like to go home, I’m sorry. Just for a few months? Maybe just until you’ve dealt with the rebels. Please?”
He growled and threw the covers off and left the bed. I didn’t have time to say another word before he’d left the room entirely and had slammed the door loudly in his wake. I went fetal then, curling into a tight ball with my head under the covers, and I cried myself back to sleep.
The next morning he was not in the penthouse and he’d left no note. I padded down to the kitchen in bare feet and found my nurse making me a tray. I told her I’d take it out by the pool. Once I was settled out there, I discovered a note in Omar’s handwriting:
Anna, you will remain in the penthouse today. When I return tonight, we will discuss the travel plans to remove you to the desert fortress. O
It was so lacking emotions I wondered at his state of mind. It wasn’t unusual for him to arrogantly command like this, but the formality of the note left me cold. I called my mom who’d I’d obviously woke up and I apologized for calling her in the middle of the night.
“Its fine darling, I love hearing your voice. How did the rehearsal dinner go?” I was silent too long and she asked, “Anna, you still there?”
“Um, yeah mom. Sorry.” I began crying again.
“Oh no darling! What happened?”
I couldn’t really tell her the whole story, I didn’t have enough air in my lungs to even talk, but I choked out, “Mommy, I need to come home.”
Without missing a beat she agreed, “Of course sweetheart. I can get you a ticket home this instant. Can you get to the airport on your own? I’m sure your father knows someone over there that can help you.”
I heard her frantically typing on her laptop and I continued to sniff and gasp as my chest tightened down into a knot. “I have to tell Omar mom, I can’t just leave. He will get me to the airport.”
“No darling, there’s no time to wait on him to agree. Here, I can get you on a flight that leaves Dubai in three hours. It’s direct to San Fran and then there is a connecting flight to Boston. With the time change you could be back here by tonight. I can pick you up at the airport. Just sit there darling. I’m calling your father right now. I’ll call you back in a couple minutes with the flight number. Do you know where your passport is? Hopefully you have it?”
I didn’t have the strength to argue. I told her I would check while she talked to dad and then she hung up. I didn’t know if I should follow her lead and just leave, without telling Omar, or if I should stay and beat my head against the brick wall of his demands. I went to where I’d put my passport, and it wasn’t there. I buzzed Yasmin and she appeared quickly, but she didn’t know where it was either.
After tearing through all my stuff and bags that had been stashed in the closet room, I gave up. Omar must have taken it. It was brilliant on his part. It effectively stranded me here in Dubai. Initially I understood, but then I began to get angry with him for
imprisoning me that way. Suddenly the thought of being his captive scared me and the thought of playing Queen to a nation of rebels wishing to kill me, sent me into a hysterical fit.
The anger cemented my desire to leave and I texted Omar: You can’t hold me this way Omar. Taking my passport? I am going to the American consult in half an hour and I am leaving Dubai in three. With or without your permission. A
I grabbed my duffle and threw in just a few things from my drawers and clothing. All my stuff that I’d originally brought with me. I didn’t take one item he’d given me, and I removed the sapphire ring and engagement ring, leaving them sitting in a velvet lined tray on top of the bureau of drawers, and I went back downstairs.
My mom called back and I told her I needed to go to the consulate first. She said dad was already in contact with them and they were sending a car to the building. That was all I needed to know. We hung up with the intent to talk as soon as I got to the airport. I knew the servants were keeping an eye on me, so I pretended to go to the bathroom. When I silently crept to the elevator, I ducked into doorways whenever I heard someone. There was nothing I could do about the dinging of the lift, but I did manage to get to it and inside, with my thumb on the close button as Yasmin appeared at the entrance to the foyer.
“Anna! No! He will have my head if you leave!”
As the doors slid shut I said, “He knows where I am. Tell him to come and get me when he’s dealt with this mess.”
On my way down, Omar texted me back:
Omar: If you leave I will never forgive the disobedience. Anna, you will not leave!
Anna: Too late. I’m gone. When you cool off, come and find me. You know where I’ll be.
Omar: I will not grovel to a female, Anna. Do not test me in this way.
Anna: I love you! I am not leaving you! I am only seeking safety. I need to go home. Not leaving you! S
Omar to Anna: You are my wife! Don’t go!
