Chapter 37: Chapter 37

WHIRLING WIND IN A POOL

Still rooted in the seat of her car, Janelle was contemplating walking inside the gigantic building of a palace. Her brows creased in a frown, how much she detest the thought of coming here, the one place that had shattered her completely.

She watched as the guards and maids went about doing their chores and acting like someone hadn't just come in and wouldn't get down from the car.

A man knocked on the window, turning to know who is is, she remembered the face, Rashids' personal bodyguard, Dargok.

The man had been extremely nice to her and on the day she fled from Qatar he had pleaded with her to give Rashid a second chance, but after much persuasion, he saw he was going nowhere with it, he offered her some money and his place near the woods to stay for the night, so she could travel first thing the following morning.

Now, looking at the man, she felt the urge to thank him so much, she hadn't even bothered calling him once she was in Florida, she didn't want anyone to know her whereabouts, she trusted him, yet his loyalty remained with Rashid, no doubt.

She grabbed her purse, kept her sandal in place and came down from the car, using the shawl to cover the exposed parts of herself.

Dargok almost bowed his head in obeisance to her, when she stopped him, a look of disapproval marring her facial features.

"Please don't", her hands shot out to his, clasping tightly around his very firm and muscled hands.

"You are still the Prince's, I owe my respect to you", he replied, still wanting to, when she snapped at him.

"I don't need you to bow your head at me, to show me how much you respect me, making satisfactory gestures doesn't show you respect me. For the fact that you kept my secret away from Rashid, you've done more than a lot. You've shown me what it's like to respect and trust someone", she snapped at him.

The man was too good, she didn't like it one bit,no one had to be perfect, he's too perfect and she hates it.

"Is the Emir in?," she questioned.

"E-er-er-eeerm yes, he should be waiting for you, he must have been expecting you. He's never outside his room by this time, he should be taking an afternoon nap, but he's been outside almost all day long" Dargok smiled.

"Let me lead the way, Miss Leilani", he teased.

"Ohh no, please, there's no Miss LEILANI, that's some dark humor", she muttered.

"And er-errem...

"He's not around, you need not panic, it's just the Emir", Dargok said, he was certain she wasn't here for Rashid, as usual his boss had played a prank on her, and she had unconsciously fallen for it. He smiled, "He really loves the woman, but is just too proud to admit," he muttered to himself.

"You say?", Janelle asked.

"Nothing", he replied, but Janelle was certain she heard him say something.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"Get me my herbs", Emir Abdul said to the maid who was in charge of his well-being, she immediately dropped the newspaper which he formerly told her to get for him, before she walked out.

It wasn't even up to ten seconds when she came rushing into the room again, Emir Abdul raised his head and took down the magazine which he dropped on the table.

"What are you still doing here and where are my herbs?", he asked, taking in her appearance leisurely like he was studying her and trying to fathom what was going on in her head and mind.

"S-sir it's er-errem, Sir it's er-errem", she stuttered, unable to say a sensible sentence.

"Speak up" he bawled.

"It's the Princess", she finally summoned up courage to speak.

"What Princess?", he asked, removing his eyeglass.

"Mrs Janelle Rashid", she replied shakily, it was like though she had seen a ghost. After Janelle had left, rumours began spreading that she was trying to run away with her boyfriend but Allah caught up with her and their plane had a crash, so seeing her now, was like a dream to her.

"Mrs Janelle Rashid?", he arched a brow at her, the maid's cheek turned crimson RED, she was meant to say Zadir, instead she said Rashid.

"Send her in", he said, she was about leaving when he stopped her, "And don't ever make such mistake of acting like there's something to be panicked about. Leave, don't bring in my food until she's gone", he rasped.

"His highness, what about your medicine?."

"Did I say anything about not bringing it?, Send it in with a bowel of water and a piece of white clothe."

"Maybe this is the time to act some little drama for her", The Emir thought.

~~~~~ ΩΩΩπΩΩΩ ~~~~~

Rashid paced around his room, bottles of empty alcoholic wine lying on the floor of his room, he had drunk so much that his boys had refused bringing any more for him, knowing how bad he tend to behave whenever he was high.

The last words of his best friend, Khalid kept reverberating in his head, he was trying, trying so hard to remember what happened on the night he told her she had been cheating on him,the night which was supposed to be thief wedding night. What had been Janelle's response?, He growled harshly, bringing the sixth bottle of wine to his lips as he drank lengthily from it, some of it spilling on his white vest.

It had been almost three hours since Khalid left his house and since then, he had been drinking ceaselessly.

A loud shrill from his phone brought him back to consciousness, he walked drunkenly and aimlessly to his clothing drawer as he began tossing each and every of his clothes outside and on the floor, the phone kept ringing over and over again, continuously.

He turned to his bed, it was like though he had received a very powerful slap from a spirit, did he get himself back and picked up his phone from the bed headrest.

He swiped his phone up to know who the caller is, he hissed loudly, it was Dargok, "It better be good", he said to him once he picked up.

"Miss Janelle just came in", Dargok said.

Rashid immediately jerked himself off his bed, "You said what?", he questioned to be sure he wasn't mishearing.

"Miss Janelle she drove in now, but presently she's with your father, The Emir. With the look of the weather, I don't think she would be leaving the palace today, the Emir wouldn't hear of that."

"I don't know but Dargok, just incase shit happens and she intends leaving, do all your possible best to make sure she doesn't leave, distract her, until I come", Rashid said, as he dashed out of his bed, going through his wardrobe hurriedly looking for a casual shirt to put on.

~~~~~~~~~~~~

It's been few minutes yet the duo hadn't said a word to each other, apart from exchanging pleasantries. Emir Abdul coughed, reaching for the white piece of cloth which he used in covering his mouth, while Janelle crossed her legs atop each other.

Janelle had a duo reason of coming to the palace, To see the Emir since he requested for her presence, while the second one was to relay to him her intentions.

"It's been long Janelle and I would say you look very good and healthier", The Emir said in between heavy breathe.

"You don't look good, have you been sick?", she questioned, her eyes filled with warmth and love for the old man seated before her. He had been generous and kind to her before she left for Florida, no doubt.

"You need not bother about me child, I'm old and would meet my ancestors soon, so for the remaining days of my life, I want to be happy, want the rest of my days to be filled with happy memories."

Janelle folded her hands, she knew she wasn't here to make this man's condition worsen, he wouldn't be able to survive the heartbreak once he knows about her plans of divorcing his son, he had treated her like his very own daughter, while his son, who was meant to give her his all, treated her like an unwanted being.

"Of course-," she stuttered.

"Janelle?", he questioned.

"Yes Father."

"How have you really been doing?."

Her mind began flooding with memories of the past, how Rashid had tossed her aside, opened his mouth and called her all sort of vile names, and the tears almost began streaming down her face, and immediately all thoughts of telling the man of her plans to divorce his son, flew off the large, windows.

She couldn't even answer his question, because she saw no reason in lying about her doing perfectly fine without Rashid.

The sound of thunder rumbling and lightning made her realize that it was almost evening and she would be the person to drive herself home.

She was certain she wouldn't be able to sleep, due to the terrifying sound she was hearing.

"I think I need to go, maybe we could complete our discussion by next week" she said, standing up to her feet.

Just when the Emir was about to speak, Rashid barged in, sweating profusely upon the very cold weather.

Janelle turned abruptly, her brows creasing in a frown.

"You??", she questioned in utter disbelief.

"Janelle..", he groaned softly, taking powerful strides towards her, while she eased backwards.

"Please...

"Please what?, I clearly made it known to you that I don't want to see you here, you're breaking our agreement", she scoffed, trying to walk past him when he held her back.

"I'm sorry for everything. Can I make it up to you?, Can you give me a second chance?." He said going down on his knees.

Janelle was going to talk back at him when she saw him go down on his knees, her lips parted in surprise, it was alarming, she didn't expect it from him. It was a random, simple gesture, but coming from him, she felt helpless.

"Please Janelle, a second chance, just give me one more chance and I promise to make things better, I promise to change and take a right turn."

She was going to grab her purse from the table when he leant his head against the flat of her stomach, and that was when she felt something liquid smear against the back of her palms.

"Please baby. I would change for you and for us."

Emir Abdul leant back on his seat, keeping the pretence aside, he felt there was no need for it, his son had finally come to his senses and was taking a bold step to get things right.

IS IT LATE?.