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Qazim shrugged. "That depends."
"On what?"
"It depends on whether you and I can come together for the benefit of the child. And whether we can put aside any differences we have. For the child's sake."
Grace stared at him for a few moments. "You're offering me a marriage of convenience. That's it, isn't it?"
Was that what he was offering Grace? Merely an arrangement like so many others he'd seen. He knew couples, even some friends who had married out of obligation or family pressure. It wasn't always love that brought men and women together. Was his relationship with Grace like all the others?
Even as he asked that question of himself, he knew the answer. Of course it wasn't. His feelings for Grace hadn't changed. Not even after she'd walked out on him.
And, if theirs was a marriage of convenience, what would it be like. He'd seen enough of those types of marriages to know what it might mean.
Coldness. Formality. Living separate lives.
No.
It wouldn't be like that with Grace. He could feel that in his spirit. Things wouldn't be like that. Not between them both.
"What do you expect me to say, Qazim?" she said interrupting his thoughts. "Thank you, Sheikh. I'll take that marriage offer of yours since I don't have many other options?" She looked angry now, and he felt sad that that was the case.
Qazim shook his head. "Grace, you know I am completely sincere about this."
Grace frowned. "That's the problem, Qazim. I don't know if you are serious. Maybe this is all some strange, old-fashioned game for you. Maybe this happens all the time in your country. Marriages of convenience went out of fashion a long time ago, in case you hadn't noticed."
"Not in my country," he replied shaking his head.
Grace sighed loudly. He saw her peer out of the window, temporarily lost in thought. Would she make a decision? There wasn't much time left. If she went on that plane tomorrow he would probably never see her again. That thought triggered a mixture of anxiety and frustration in him.
"I can't make that decision, right now," Grace announced. She dragged a hand through her hair and shook her head. "No way can I give you an answer to that."
She looked bewildered, completely at a loss.
Qazim knew they would be arriving at her apartment soon. The last thing she would allow would be for him to go up to the apartment and talk this over. She'd need time on her own to think it over.
"Are you still planning to leave tomorrow?" he asked trying to contain the sense of urgency he felt.
"I don't know," she replied. She turned away from him and lapsed into a thoughtful silence.
Strangely that gave him some encouragement. The mere fact that she was willing to think about his proposal gave him hope.
Because he had just proposed to her, hadn't he? He'd asked Grace to become his wife, even of it was possibly for a limited time and with conditions attached. That fact amazed him, even as he watched her closely, trying to judge her mood, attempting to predict what she would say.
He could hardly think about what it would mean if she were to agree. What would his life be like? For one thing, he would be a father and the head of a family. That would completely change his life.
Other members of his family, his parents, his brothers would probably be astonished. Marriage would have been the last thing they would have expected of Qazim. Although he had to admit there had been more than a few hints in recent months, subtle little questions about who he was seeing.
He'd deal with their reactions when the time came, he told himself.
The limo drew up in front of the twenty storey block of apartments. The driver opened the door and Qazim stepped out, extending a hand to assist Grace. He walked alongside her to the entrance of the apartment block.
She halted and gazed at him. "You sure know how to confuse a gal," Grace said with a tired smile and began fishing in her bag for her keys.
Qazim advanced toward her and she looked intently at him. He took hold of her elbow, and he noticed she did nothing to push him away. She looked pale and he considered suggesting he accompany her upstairs, but then thought better of it.
"Are you going to be okay?" he asked.
Grace nodded quickly and emphatically as if pushing away his concern. "Of course," she replied sharply and shrugged. "I mean, today has just been like any other day. Find out I'm pregnant and receive a proposal of marriage. What's not to like about all of that."
