Chapter 4 BOMBSHELL

A week later I was seated at Bunnie's restaurant a Porsche restaurant on Harry Boulevard where the richest and most well-educated men in New York always mingle I had been seated for ten minutes waiting for my Arab prince to show up. the week between had been a horrible one between me and my dad we barely spoke to each other.

it turned out that the emir's son was representing his father at a business luncheon in New York I was supposed to be there by my father's side but I couldn't bring myself to go. I told him I was not feeling well he smiled and asked me not to forget the dinner by 7:00 p.m. he told me that my driver had been instructed to take me there and asked me to be nice and give the young man a chance he said.

Now here I was seated waiting for him I was bristling with anger. what impudence? who does he think he is to keep me waiting? I thought about Benny and what he was doing at the moment I was checking and re-checking my phone to see if he had sent me any messages. Our relationship was blossoming although I had not told him what my father had said. I was deep in thought when the smell of Jasmine's perfume filled the air.

I looked up and standing before me was a very handsome young man different from what I had seen in the pictures but the eyes were unmistakably the same; blue eyes with an enchanting smile. The type that keeps one at ease. I wondered if it was part of his business charm and how much money he had made. Surely a man like this would be hot on the market. I was pleased, it wouldn't work out after all. He was dressed in English wear.

Hello, he said I am Assan I am sorry to keep you waiting I underestimated the traffic I hope you've not been here very long I replied that I was okay and motioned him to sit down I not about to make things easy for him though although I admired his physical features he was indeed a very handsome man and I reluctantly commended my father for his choice. At any other time, I would have been glad but nobody could take the place of my Benny.

A waiter appeared by our side and told us that the order had been completed and within seconds food would be arriving. I was about to ask him if he had arranged the food before I came when I remembered that my father was in charge of this meeting and I knew that he would have arranged everything.

The handsome prince didn't seem to have any objection and soon enough we were seated with Italian cuisine and French wine positioned in front of us. My father had employed the services of the best chef in New York who specialized in European cuisine. I have to admit that the food was good and the Prince was really good company.

I mean he was very charming we talked about a lot of things from my mother's death and also his activities in New York. He had lost his mother too at the age of 20 so he knew what exactly I was going through he said a lot of things that put me at ease and I was beginning to like him so I asked him about his relationship with My Father and how he got to arrange the dinner.

He told me that was my father's idea and he was skeptical at first but when he saw my picture decided to give it a try. His English was impeccable and he told me that he studied at Oxford and now he was running the family business on behalf of his aging father. so I asked him if his many girlfriends knew that he was visiting me here in New York he laughed and told me that he was single and that he had no interest in women and that was becoming a thing of worry for his father so both our parents arranged this meeting. he came as an obligation to his father but he told me he was glad he came. I mean he was good company and very knowledgeable.

He regaled me with stories after stories of his escapades in London at Oxford University and I told him about my experiences in Harvard. We discussed business and politics and he told me a lot about the Middle East different from what was being portrayed in the media over here.

Two hours had passed and it was time for me to go home we exchanged contacts and promised to keep in touch I mean he sounded like a good friend somebody with a listening ear and I needed a friend.

I didn't see him as someone who could replace Benny in my life but he was a good man. He offered to walk me to the car and was in the process of doing so when suddenly I collapsed he caught me as I was going down.

I woke up later in the hospital and he was there by my side with my dad. My dad had been called and he rushed down to the hospital. They told me that the preliminary examination revealed that I was fine and there was nothing wrong with me but the doctor had carried some blood samples to the lab to go and check and they were expecting him back in about in about ten minutes.

My dad was worried he loved me I thought. Soon enough the doctor walked in and asked to speak to me alone so my dad and the prince excused us. What's the matter, doctor I asked and he said to me when did you last see your monthly flow?

Is there a problem doctor? I said. your test shows that you are 5 weeks pregnant. He kept on talking but I wasn't listening anymore my mind flashed back to that encounter with Benny at the hotel that was the only time I'd ever been with a man now I was pregnant for him against the wishes of My Father I knew that my problems were just starting but how deep it will go I had no idea.

The doctor left and my father and the prince came in they wanted to know what the matter was and I told them that the doctor wanted me to rest and that I'd be discharged within the hour. The prince bid me farewell and said he was on his way back to Qatar and promised to keep in touch.

The journey back home was uneventful the air was tense and charged. I knew my father did not believe what I said at the hospital and he wanted an explanation I was not looking forward to that meeting when we got home I was thinking about what to say and how to say it.