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He had filled the hole in his heart; a grief he had thought would always haunt him had lifted. He would live his life with love; he would honour his mother in the best possible way – by being with his family. And that was Melinda and Jordan.
“I love you,” she whispered into his ear, realising she hadn’t yet said it.
He squeezed her side. “I have a present for you.”
“You’re all the present I need,” she promised truthfully.
“Nonetheless, I wanted you to have a little something.”
He reached into his pocket and pulled out a tiny velvet pouch. Curiously, she took it from him and opened the drawstring, peering inside. With a frown, she reached in and retrieved a small pendant hanging from a white gold chain. It was glass, with swirls of green through it, just like the ring he always wore.
“It’s beautiful.”
“It comes from the sands of Dashan. Hundreds of years ago, there was a lightning storm and the Sheikh of the time had them all collected for his bride. They are used now exclusively by the royal family, to mark our stake to the claim.” He took it from her, reaching around and connecting it behind her neck. “By giving you this, I am signalling to the world the place you hold in my heart. Let no one doubt how I value you, azeezi.”
It was a promise and a pledge, but it would be six months longer before he would finally fulfil that promise officially.
Jordan looked every bit the royal heir, dressed in a dark suit with a crisp white shirt. “Is she here yet?” He pestered, pulling on Marook’s cuff.
Marook, who adored the young boy almost as much as he’d loved Zamir and Ra’if, shook his head. His professional demeanour was mostly in tact, but he was nervous. How could he not be?
Melinda Higgins, with her engaging smile and loving nature, had worked her way into everyone’s hearts.
“What’s taking her so long?”
“She’s always running a few minutes late,” Ra’if said softly. “It is one of the many things I adore about your mother.”
Jordan rolled his eyes. “Gross.”
Ra’if laughed. “I thought you were here to help me?”
“I am, I am.”
“Excuse me, sir. She’s just arrived.”
Ra’if looked at Jordan, and the young boy grinned up at him. “Show time.”
“Yes. Show time.”
The door to the restaurant opened and Melinda stepped in. She’d come straight from work and her cheeks were flushed from the warm afternoon.
“Sorry, sorry, sorry!” She murmured, weaving through the restaurant, not noticing the lack of other patrons. “I got held up right as I was leaving.” She stopped in her tracks, her eyes narrowing as she took in her son’s appearance, and then Ra’if’s.
“What’s going on?” She looked from one to the other, an expression of bemusement on her face.
Ra’if stood slowly, his whole being focussed on Melinda and that moment.
“How was your day?” He murmured, moving around the table to stand in front of her.
She shot him a look and then peered around his shoulder to where Jordan was sitting, a smile stretching from ear to ear.
"Did I miss something?”
Ra’if cupped her cheeks, his eyes grabbing hers and holding onto them, whispering the secrets of his soul with the depth of his look. “You miss nothing, azeezi, and I am sure you can be in no doubt as to how I feel about you, and what I want from you.”
Her cheeks were pink and he laughed softly.
“Recovering from addiction was not easy. I awoke as if from a bad dream to discover that I had lost my birthright, my future, and the respect of my family. I told myself that in proving myself sober and recovered, I would have a second chance at life.” His voice was low, made coarse by emotion. “But not this life. Never, in a thousand years, when I was grappling with what I had lost, did I imagine I would be blessed enough to meet you and love you. Never did I think I could find a place for myself that surpassed anything I had ever known before. You are light to my dark and answers to my riddles. You are my answer; an answer to the question I had not thought to ask. You are my Happy Ending. At least, I hope you will be.”
