Chapter 51: Chapter 51
Dashtan stared at Rakia with a surprised look, then he looked down as he exhaled loudly through his sharp nose. He folded his lips into his mouth as he thought, but he couldn’t think of an appropriate response to Rakia’s question. Meanwhile, Rakia stared at Dashtan waiting for the man’s reaction to her question.
“I... Don’t want you to get hurt for expecting so much from me.” Dashtan sighed in relief, at least he didn’t look helpless in front of a woman. He did not want to let anyone see his weak side, he was still unable and completely at peace with himself. He was too afraid to make a real commitment with a woman. Rakia swallowed all the disappointment she got from that statement. But she couldn’t force anything on Dashtan.
“Like you said, I wouldn’t expect much, maybe that’s better,” Rakia said and smiled, trying to brace herself. She finished her ice cream while Dashtan finished his juice. After that Dashtan stood up from his chair and excused himself to go to bed. Rakia just nodded, her face looked sad after Dashtan left. She stared at the clouds from the window beside her. The clouds looked like big lumps of cotton, the airplane shook slightly as it passed through the thick clouds. Rakia let out a long, hard breath through her mouth to release the burden.
“Maybe it’s best... I’ll just agree to divorce him in the next three months.” Rakia’s mind expressed that decision but, on the other hand, she still could not accept the risks she would face in the future.
“Madam, do you need anything?” Thalia was quite surprised when the woman came from behind her.
“Help me adjust this chair,” Rakia asked which Thalia obliged. She moved Rakia’s ice cream cup and Dashtan’s empty juice glass to the wheeled metal tray beside her. She folded the square table and placed it next to each chair. After that, Thalia helped Rakia adjust her chair so that it formed a position like a sun lounger, with a half-lying position.
“I’ll get the pillow and blanket, ma’am,” said Thalia who then moved to get the pillow and blanket. Rakia wriggled comfortably as her head met the cozy pillow while closing her eyes.
“This is very comfortable,” Rakia commented.
“You want relaxation? This chair can do it.”
Rakia suddenly opened her eyes and looked at Thalia dumbfounded.
“Really? Oh, yes, of course I want to,” Rakia replied enthusiastically. The comfortable chair did its job well. Rakia fell asleep again while enjoying the vibrations of the chair. Until their journey ended at Dashtan’s private hangar. The man had woken up half an hour before the landing, he woke Rakia to adjust the seat and fasten the seat belt.
A black MPV was parked and waiting for them in the parking lot. They arrived in the late afternoon, Rakia paused at the top step to look up at the clear Dubai sky with few clouds. Noticing some tall palm trees in the vicinity, Dashtan who realized Rakia wasn’t following his stopped when he was on the middle flight of stairs. He turned around and found the woman enjoying the evening atmosphere of Dubai.
“Come down, if you have time, we’ll go for a walk.” Dashtan managed to distract Rakia with his words. She followed him at a brisk pace, excited by his promise. As Rakia was about to get into the car, she was again amazed at the luxurious interior of the car. Another luxury car that she had driven until this moment. In the past, when she was a journalist, she had covered one of the state officials who owned an MPV car with complete facilities like this. She was really amazed at the luxury but she only saw it, without having the chance to feel what it was like to ride in such a luxurious vehicle.
Dashtan had already taken a seat in one of the seats facing the front. Rakia took the seat opposite Dashtan this time.
“Is this your car?” asked Rakia as she stared at the interior of the luxury car. She didn’t even feel the movement of the car as it left the hangar.
“No, this is my stepfather’s car,” Dashtan replied. He enjoyed Rakia’s gesture of amazement at this vehicle. Rakia was busy inspecting the seats and some parts of the car around her. The car was equipped with a small refrigerator containing several drinks, from wine, champagne and sodas. There were several stemware and short glass glasses lined up on a silver tray on top of the cabinet where the small refrigerator was located. There was another cabinet that held snacks and other necessities such as medicine and tissues as well as blankets.
“Would you like a drink?” offered Dashtan.
“I don’t drink alcohol. I just drink soda,” Rakia replied. Dashtan stood up from his seat and opened a small refrigerator, then took out a can of soda. Rakia noticed the way Dashtan served her soda. He took a cherry, some strawberry and lychee slices, and a few ice cubes, then poured them all into a can of reddish-colored soda. As he handed the drink to Rakia, the woman took a moment to notice that the soda now looked like a margarita.
“Are you sure this doesn’t contain alcohol?” Rakia tried to reassure Dashtan. The man nodded with complete certainty.
“It’s one of the most popular sodas in the world. Try it, you’ll like it.”
Rakia accepted the drink and tried it in small sips. Her eyes widened in surprise as the flavor of the soda spread across her mouth and tongue.
“It’s good, like eating fruit-flavored candy cold,” she commented which made Dashtan smile and almost laugh. He turned toward the drinks table and picked up some mineral water in a glass bottle that was dewy from the cold, and poured it into a short glass cup. He felt the freshness of the water in his rather dry throat.
“You don’t drink?” asked Rakia, who had been watching Dashtan sip mineral water.
“Not really. I used to, but not anymore.” Dashtan put the bottle of mineral water back into the refrigerator and went back to his seat. Rakia was busy picking up the fruits in her glass now that she had finished her soda. Her forehead raised as she felt the different flavors of the fruits in her mouth, refreshing.
“Hey, can you open the window? I want to see the view outside,” Rakia pleaded with Dashtan. The man lowered the window beside Rakia. The afternoon breeze blew away some of the woman’s frizzy strands. She was again amazed at the luxurious mansion she was passing by. And not waiting long, the car stopped at a house that was no less luxurious than the one Rakia had seen before.
“We’re here,” Dashtan announced, which only left Rakia stunned.
“Oh, my God. I married a Billionaire man already like this, what if Dashtan was a sultan? It would have been so....”
Rakia stopped thinking of all the fantasies about the luxuries Dashtan would have if he were a sultan. Her mother-in-law greeted her at the door when they got there.
“Finally, you’ve guys arrived.” The woman looked at her daughter-in-law and son with a smile as bright as the afternoon sun. She gave the newlyweds a hug and a wet peck on each cheek.
“Come on in, Waliyah will show your room,” she said again and they entered the house. Rakia couldn’t stop marveling at what she saw. This house was too luxurious for her who was an ordinary daughter-in-law. The spacious living room with a curved staircase on two sides immediately spoiled her eyes. A housemaid wearing a white kaftan complete with her hijab approached and greeted them with reverence.
“Welcome, madam and young master, come with me and I’ll show you the room.” The woman named Waliyah was the head of the household assistants in the luxurious house. Their luggage was already being carried by the other maids. Rakia seemed to be entering a hotel, not a house. The room they were in was more like a star hotel suite.
“Are we going to sleep in that bed?” Rakia pointed with her arm which she shortened to make it look more polite. Dashtan who was currently taking off his shoes on a sofa in the room turned his head towards the king-size bed, then he looked back at Rakia briefly and smiled as he went back to taking off his shoes.
“Why? Do you want us to sleep in separate rooms? Didn’t we do that a few times already? Sleeping together without wearing anything?”
Rakia’s body seemed to turn red at Dashtan’s eloquent mention of those facts. She blushed and approached the bed with slow steps. She sat on its edge with slow movements, as if it was a fragile and breakable object.
“Don’t you want to take a bath? I want to take a bath.” Dashtan baited Rakia. Meanwhile, the woman snorted lightly and grinned.
“You think I’ll cross that line? We’ve already done it but I don’t want to cross the line too far. I’ll shower after you.” Rakia said without turning to Dashtan, while the man chuckled with an ignorant expression. He soon disappeared behind the bathroom door which he closed. Rakia turned around after making sure Dashtan had entered the bathroom. She went to tidy up her luggage. Dashtan said they were only here for three days, so she didn’t bring many clothes and belongings. Dashtan even brought only a medium-sized backpack. After making sure all her clothes were neatly stored in the wardrobe containing Dashtan’s clothes. Rakia approached the fairly tall and wide glass window and looked out. The view she got was no less beautiful. A large back garden with a swimming pool. Several medium-sized palm trees were planted by the pool, not too close together, leaving a marble walkway. Some sun loungers and plants are nicely arranged there. The courtyard provided a sea view of the Persian Gulf. Rakia felt she was too lucky to get all that beauty just by marrying a man.
“Do you like the view?” asked Dashtan who surprised Rakia by embracing the woman’s body from behind. Rakia’s uncovered arm felt the coolness of Dashtan’s skin after bathing. She also smelled the soft scent of the soap the man had used while bathing earlier, refreshing and making Rakia immediately lean into Dashtan’s front body.
“This is too beautiful.” Rakia said honestly.
“It’s even more beautiful because you’re here,” Dashtan replied, which instantly brightened Rakia’s smile.
“I’m going to take a shower,” Rakia said as she turned around and the next second she covered her face with both hands. Dashtan was only wearing a waist-length towel. The man immediately grabbed both her hands that were covering her face.
“You’ve even felt the warmth of my body, why are you closing your eyes?! Want to make love with me?”
Dashtan’s offer made Rakia’s eyeballs jump out of place. She immediately gave Dashtan’s pectoral muscle a pinch and then moved away from the man.
“You promised to take me for a walk, it’s still not too late.” Rakia turned around as she was in the doorway of the bathroom. She looked at Dashtan who was ruffled at the waist, standing not far away from her with narrowed eyes.
“Yeah... Alright, but after the walk, one round for tonight after dinner.” A faint smile played on Dashtan’s lips.
“Hey, that’s not fair,” Rakia protested.
“It’s fair, Habibti.” Dashtan only made Rakia’s face redder.
“Yeah well, if you insist,” said Rakia who quickly escaped into the bathroom. Dashtan chuckled when the woman was no longer in his sight. Teasing Rakia was his favorite thing to do now that the woman had come into his life fully.