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“Kam, there are people over there,” she whispered.
Kamal didn’t even bother to look. “Yes. I know. Don’t worry about them. They are keeping us safe.”
“Safe? I didn’t realize we were in danger.”
Kamal smiled at her. “Danger can be anywhere. One can never be too safe.”
Thinking about his statement, she attributed it to the difference in cultures. “I suppose that’s true, and I have to admit that there are times where I feel uncomfortable in a situation—”
Before she could finish her thought, Kamal interrupted her. “When you are with me, your safety is a top priority. Where I come from, women are revered. Your safety, your needs, your pleasure, will always be considered.”
Erin had no idea what to say to that. While she would definitely love to find out exactly what he meant about considering her pleasure, she had to remind herself that they were still at the Whittemore, and she quickly needed to change the subject.
“Well…tell me about your country.”
Seeming to sense her mood, Kamal sat back and told her about the beauty of Jawhara. He spoke to her about the advancements his country had made to their infrastructure and talked briefly of Jewel Oil and what it would mean to see his country compete on a global scale.
She wanted to ask him why he kept sayinghiscountry, but she found herself lulled by the deep tone of his voice, and she didn’t want to interrupt him. The way he emphasized it had her wondering if there was more to it. Erin filed it away, thinking she would ask him later if everyone from Jawhara spoke that way.
“It sounds beautiful and very different from life here in the United States,” she mused when he paused.
“Indeed. While we still maintain many traditions, we are also interested in modernizing. For example, while many of our homes are still built using traditional materials because they are better suited to the climate and environment, we also have modern office buildings.” He leaned towards her, casually brushing against her arm with his own. “Some of my favorite places to visit were built a millennium ago.”
Erin could hear the devotion for his country in his voice. She looked up at the Whittemore House and pointed at it. “While DC has many historic places in and around it, this house only dates to the end of the nineteenth century. The US is such a young country, I can’t imagine living anywhere where people still live in homes more than a thousand years old.”
“But would you like to?” he questioned.
Erin wasn’t sure if his body had tensed as he spoke, and she took a moment to ponder her answer. Would she? “I love DC partly because of its history. It’s my home, but I would also like to travel and visit other places. From what you’ve described, Jawhara sounds beautiful, and I think I would like to visit someday.”
His body seemed to relax at her response, and he then asked her about her family.
“Well, my family is originally from the area. DC. My parents retired early and decided to go on a world cruise. When we heard from them a week ago, they were heading down towards Cape Horn. I expect we’ll hear from them once they get there.”
“Are they not concerned that you are here alone?”
Erin tried to figure out if he was joking, and from the look on his face, he was serious. Smiling at him, she couldn’t stop her soft laugh. “Well, I am an adult. Plus, I’m not alone. I have Shira. We grew up together, and we’ve been living together for years now. We’re more sisters than cousins.”
He seemed to accept her response. “I know that your cousin works for the Addams Group, but it doesn’t appear that you do.”
Shaking her head, she began to tell him about the Charity Foundation, where she worked, and how she ensured that the people who came to the shelter for help were given every opportunity to start again. Sometimes that involved initiating a divorce or terminating the parental rights of an abusive parent.
“That sounds magnanimous but also very dangerous. How do you know these people are safe to be around?” he asked, frowning. “Why would you so willingly place yourself in the middle of a domestic dispute? Wouldn’t someone from the abused woman’s family get involved?”
“Like who?”
“Some sort of male authority figure. Perhaps the woman’s father, uncle, or brother.”
Erin shook her head. “That isn’t always possible. Many times, the woman is alone, or worse, those family members you suggested have contributed to the cycle of abuse.”
Erin was surprised at the intensity of his questions. They’d only just met, but he was clearly worried about her. She wondered what it would be like to be in a relationship with someone like him. Would she feel protected?
“Sometimes the police get involved, but usually that happens before they come to us and what’s worse, often the police can’t do anything to help until something bad happens. That’s where I come in. I work with clients to help them find a safe solution where no one has to get hurt.” From a young age, Erin had always been driven to make the world around her a better place for all to live in, and while she was only one person, the Charity Foundation gave her the opportunity to do that, even if her time was mostly spent doing paperwork.
“In Jawhara, the family or community steps in to protect those who are being harmed. A woman or her children can shelter from a cruel spouse or parent with a family member or neighbor, and everyone around will do what is necessary to keep them safe. There is rarely a need to take a child away from both parents.” Kamal shook his head as he spoke and the reverence in his tone had Erin wishing that was true everywhere.
* * *
When Kale and Shira found them an hour later, to inform them that they were going to head out to a local dance club, Kam and Erin were quick to refuse their invitation. Kamal told his brother that he had no desire to spend the rest of his evening shouting to be heard over what could only vaguely be called music, and Erin laughed as she readily agreed.
