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I relaxed then, sagging into the bed. He pulled up a chair and took up a place where he could still hold my hand. The doctor came back in and explained they’d stopped my internal bleeding, but I was on forced twenty-four hour bed rest for the foreseeable future. I declared that if I had to stay in bed the remainder of my term—another three months—I was more than willing to do so.
“I am here now, and I will not leave again until you are with me—until we can return to home as a family.” The doctor left and Amir squeezed my hand, “There is a matter I’d like to discuss with you.” I blinked at him and squeezed his hand the best I could, but I was so weak even that seemed a pittance.
“I feel we should marry,” he said.
“What? Now? I can’t stand.”
“I’ve acquired an official—he is here, waiting. Because of the child and my rights as his father.”
I gave him a lazy grin. “Do you still have that hideously massive ring?” His eyes lit up and he fumbled in his suit pocket.
“Wow, you have it on you?”
He seemed anxious and nervous and unlike I’d ever seen him before. “After the last time, I’ve been reticent to ask.”
I used the control button and levered the bed until I was sitting almost upright. “Well then, mister, get on your knees and do this proper.”
He grinned and slid to one knee, then he winced and leaned against the bed frame, “Apologies, my love, we are quite the pair.”
He stabilized himself down on both knees and popped open the velvet box. The ring that had haunted me for months shined as if backlit by a floodlight. It was enormous and set in a thick, solid gold band. It was the most unique setting I’d ever seen, and this time I really let myself look.
“Julie Lynn Swanson, will you do me the honor of becoming my wife?”
At this point, he knew this was a sure thing, but I gave him a hard time anyway, “Took you long enough.” He gave me a stern expression and growled.
“Yes Amir, I would be honored to be your wife.”
I stuck out my hand, and he awkwardly rose up and sat in the chair, taking a deep breath and straightening the offending leg. Then he slid the ring onto my hand, and I again burst into uncontrollable tears. He motioned with his hand and said something in Arabic, and the servant waiting at the door ran off. Within a few minutes, an official looking man in long robes and wrap around headdress entered and bowed.
He called Amir, “Your Highness,” which was not at all out of the norm. But when he said the same towards me, I just about lost my jaw.
Amir squeezed my hand, and then put a finger under my chin and pressed until my mouth was once again closed in a ladylike manner. I pulled him down and whispered, “I would at least like to have my hair clean for this.”
He chuckled, “I adore how you find humor in everything.”
“It’s deflection. Don’t confuse,” I muttered, and then he barked a laugh.
“We will have a proper ceremony when you are able. Amsi will attend it with us. It will be a modern service, and you will wear white. This is merely for the law, and the child, and if...” He paused, and I could guess what he’d halted himself from saying.
“In case I die?” He gritted his jaw and narrowed his gaze. “It’s okay, Amir. I think this is the very best course to take. I’m in full agreement.”
He gave me a curt nod and turned to the holy man.
The very quick ceremony was said in Arabic, and Amir translated for me. I nodded and said my parts when asked. I could say yes in Arabic. It sounded a lot like—llama—so I llama-ed myself right into marrying a sheikh. I also understood the very last word the holy man asked of Amir—Forever.
They moved me back to our suite that night, and Amir took me in his arms and we cuddled the entire night. I slept sounder than I could ever remember sleeping my entire life. I was safe and with the man I loved. My husband. Before I fell asleep is muttered my new name.
“Julie Lynn Rashid.”
Chapter Sixteen
Anna went into labor right on schedule, and I was wheeled to her bedside. I held her hand as she screamed her way through a torturous five hours. Which I guess is a quick delivery. I announced shortly after that I wanted a C-section. Forget this giving birth bullshit. Amir’s only words on the subject were, “We’ll see.”
Omar was beside himself at the birth of his first child, and he continued to shout with glee at random intervals. He even began singing in his native tongue, and Amir joined him. Their baby boy was to be named, Omar Richard Khalid. Anna joked she was just going to call the boy, Bob. This of course infuriated Omar, but made us girls laugh.
When they handed her the baby and he nursed for the first time, we both cried. I held my stomach and told Amsi I couldn’t wait for him to enter the world. Amir heard me and amended that we could all wait and he needed to stay put at least another two months.
The next week went along fine. I stayed in bed and managed a ridiculous amount of sleep. I’d been ordered to buzz Amir on the walkie talkie the moment I awoke. If I didn’t do this, and he checked on me and found me awake, I would get a lecture at length from him. I weakly picked up the walkie and pressed the little buzzer button. I really couldn’t take another one of his lectures.
