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Azem looked at Gretchen, who went to her husband and hugged him gently. "Perhaps it isn't too late to undo what has been done with the best of intentions," she said.
Azem curled his arm around Gretchen's waist and looked at Eliana. "Do you truly love him?" Azem asked.
Eliana felt no embarrassment about her father's question. She smiled. "Can't you tell what the answer is to that question, father? I've been trying to tell you for days, but you wouldn't listen."
"She loves him," Gretchen told Azem, laying a gentle hand upon his chest. "And Kadeem has already proven that he is more than capable of fitting in with the life here," she said. She gazed up into her husband's still troubled eyes. "Don't you agree?" she asked him.
After a long pause, Azem nodded. "Your wisdom, as always, finds me wanting," he admitted.
Gretchen smiled at Azem. "Some things never change, my dear husband," she stated.
"I have to go to Kadeem," Eliana announced.
She kissed both her parents on the cheek. "I hope it's not too late to convince Kadeem that he belongs here in Zahram," Eliana said.
"And with you, Eliana," her mother added with a smile. "Go."
And with that, Eliana raced out of the room.
CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE
The plane had landed at the Qazhar city airport. As he'd arranged by cell phone, his limo had been waiting for him to take him to his apartment.
Now he was alone.
The apartment felt so very empty. Cavernous and solitary. The memory of his time with Eliana in this place already felt like an exquisite, but fading dream.
All throughout the brief flight from Zahram, Kadeem had run over in his mind the conversation with Azem. The bitter, last confrontation.
Kadeem had been defeated. It was that simple. And, even worse, he had not even been able to say goodbye to Eliana. Had not been able to hold her in his arms one last time. Had been denied the delight of gazing upon her before being cast aside.
That had been the most unforgivable part. Kadeem could not even imagine how Eliana had reacted upon discovering that Kadeem had just left without saying goodbye.
But, Azem had made sure that Kadeem would not even have that opportunity. And that had been the biggest hurt of all. Compared to that, comprehending how he'd handed Azem an excuse to get rid of him had been nothing.
Kadeem flopped, exhausted, down onto the sofa, and tried to contain the swirling emotions which had taken possession of him. His heart ached already, thinking that he might never see Eliana again. It was almost unbearable to even think of being forever parted from her.
What would she be thinking of him? Kadeem even believed that Azem was capable of telling Eliana that Kadeem had simply been seized by a cowardly change of heart. Or even that he had ran out on her, now that he'd seen exactly what was expected of him.
No matter what version of Azem's lies Kadeem invented in his mind, all of them were believable. And all of them made him feel a powerful mixture of rage and sadness.
He groaned out loud, roaring his frustration at the top of his voice.
He sighed, wondering what he could do. He knew he would have to break the news of the separation to his family. But he knew that, right now, the last thing he wanted to do was be the bearer of such bad news. His failure would disappoint his mother and father.
Right now, he didn't want to face that. He needed time to think. He needed to be in the one place where he knew he would be guaranteed solitude. Where he would be sure that no-on could interrupt his reflections.
The desert.
He had to understand where he had gone wrong. How he had allowed himself to throw away the only chance at happiness which he sure destiny would ever hand him.
How he'd been a fool.
He went to his bedroom and packed a small bag, including some changes of clothing. Where he was going, he wouldn't need much. He was used to the spartan life, to the life of the desert. It always served its purpose at times like this. The desert had always been there for him, just as it had been for his ancestors. There, he could regroup. There he could renew himself for the battles ahead.
The new life he faced without Eliana.
Even as that thought came to him, he felt his heart ache, sensed the awful heaviness in the pit of his stomach. It was a sensation he knew would never go away. It would haunt him for the rest of his life.
