Chapter Eleven
She’d known it since she’d missed her menses. She wanted to believe that the home tests weren’t reliable and was too afraid to get a doctor to confirm it. Now, there was no choice. She was going to have Arran’s baby.
There was no question about keeping it; she would never harm a baby. The only question that remained was whether she would stay where she was or journey back to Vegas and ask Arran to contribute to his child’s welfare. She knew she could take care of the baby herself on her small salary, but Arran had so much. It was only fair that his child have the advantage of parenthood. This was a sensitive spot with her. She had grown up without parents and did not want anything but a complete set for her child; even if they weren’t married and didn’t live together.
Her fear, however, was that Arran had too much. What if he decided he wanted custody of the child? Would he be able to take it away and perhaps even out of the States? It was such a huge risk. She decided to stay status quo and to look for a better job that would allow her to be at home nights with the child. She wouldn’t be the first single mother to raise a child, that much was sure.
She began to scour the papers for jobs. She couldn’t wait too long. No one would want to hire a pregnant single woman and at the same time, she couldn’t work in the cocktail lounge with a protruding tummy. It was terribly discouraging. She confided in Margie about her problem.
“You’re fired,” Margie said.
“What?”
Margie grinned. “If I fire you, you can collect unemployment and then you can be home until after the baby is born.”
“With no insurance.”
Maggie grimaced. “Good point.”
“So, what do I do?”
“Pray, darlin’, you just gotta pray.”
“Pray,” Gabrielle mumbled to herself. I wish it was that easy.
“Just keep busy. Something will turn up, you wait and see,” Margie said with confidence.
Gabrielle nodded.
Margie ventured a question. “You know who the father is, I take it?”
“Oh, yes. There’s no doubt of that.”
“And…”
“And, he recently got married.”
“Oh.” Margie’s face fell.
Gabrielle smiled. “It’s okay. I’ll get through this.” She patted Margie’s hand and headed for a new table of customers.
Her stomach was rocky all evening and twice she had to make a run for the ladies’ room. She was utterly miserable and had no plan to follow. That made it all the harder. Things were really slow as it drew late and Margie waved her over. “Why don’t you take off. I can handle anyone who shows up from here on out. The place is empty.”
Gabrielle was extremely grateful for the reprieve and waved goodnight as she left. It had rained earlier and she shivered a bit in the cooler breeze. She was looking forward to a soft bed and warm blankets.
Gabrielle unlocked the door to her apartment and bumped it open with her hip. She leaned against it in relief and was startled when a light flipped on in the living room.
Arran sat before her.
Her mouth fell open with fear and surprise at once. As soon as she recognized his face, her first instinct was to run to him, but she held back. He no longer belonged to her, but to another. She felt her stomach turn and fought the impulse to run for the bathroom. She stood her ground and swallowed hard.
“How did you find me?” she asked him in a level voice. She could feel the tears surfacing and wanted to run to his arms and have him take care of all that was wrong.
“You really need to ask?” he said in a very soft voice. It almost gave Gabrielle chills. “I know you tried to hide, but when you began getting paychecks, well…” he let the sentence go unfinished.
“What do you want from me?”
“Why did you leave?” His eyes stared at her intensely.
“Why did I leave? You must be kidding.”
“No, Gabrielle, I assure you, I am not kidding.”
“You went radio silent and then when you finally bother to send me a message, it’s to say that you’d gotten married. Why on earth would you think I would stick around?”
Gabrielle couldn’t dismiss the rolling tummy a moment longer and ran for the bathroom. When she came out, she had a wet washcloth on her forehead and headed for her bedroom to lie down. Arran could do as he pleased. As it was, he walked around the corner and sat down on the edge of the bed. “What’s wrong? Are you ill?”
Gabrielle said nothing. She simply held the cloth over her forehead and eyes and tried to breathe deeply.
She felt his hand on her leg and pulled it away as though his touch burned. “Don’t,” she barked at him.
“Gabrielle, I want you to listen to me. I will sit here until you do. I’m not leaving.”
“Suit yourself,” she said stubbornly.
“When I returned home, I found that there had been a crisis in the currency of my country, and more importantly, in my banks. Our country relies very heavily on the value of our money against the dollar and the yen; it was nearly catastrophic. I was completely overwhelmed with resolving our stand and thought you were being quite well taken care of. I also couldn’t risk discussing that business in any communications. It’s all about strategy.”
“That’s hardly the big issue, Arran,” Gabrielle pointed out.
“Allow me to continue. While the current crisis has been resolved, the end is not in sight. It will take close and constant monitoring for some time. That would require my being there, perhaps permanently.”
“So, what are you doing back in the States? Come to clean out your closet?” Gabrielle couldn’t help but be a bit sarcastic to him. She was feeling miserable, in more ways than one.
“Are you going to allow me to complete the story or do you just want to fight me, Gabrielle?”
“I can’t imagine what you could possibly say that would make things better. You have no idea the disaster you’ve caused and how much you’ve hurt me.”
“What do you mean by ‘disaster’?”
Gabrielle pulled the washcloth off her forehead. “I’m pregnant, you ass!” she screamed and slammed a pillow in his face.
Arran blocked the pillow but his face bore a look of shock. “Are you sure?”
“Why do men always ask that? Of course I’m sure. You don’t think I would check with a doctor if I have all the symptoms. Did you just miss where I was a moment ago?”
“Gabrielle this is something I didn’t count on,” Arran said in a calm, but troubled voice.
“Oh, I’m quite sure you didn’t. What are you planning to tell your wife? You’re not getting your hands on this baby, Arran, so don’t even think about it. You go off and have your happily ever after, but this baby is staying with me. You hear me?”
“You just don’t understand. Please, lie quietly and let me talk.” Arran scooted to sit next to her, attempting to lie down beside her and hold her. She pushed him away, but Arran took control and wrapped his arms around her, pulling her next to him. “Shhhh… don’t fight me. Just lie quietly and listen. I was forced to make a decision. My responsibility would demand that I not return to the U.S. and that would mean not coming back to you. So, I had to make a choice. That’s exactly what I did, Gabrielle. I gave up my position to my younger brother, Sinhad. He is now the Sheikh and the head of all the family businesses. I am only an advisor from here on out – although I will look after our American interests. He is the one who got married, Gabrielle. Not me. I couldn’t do that to you.”
Gabrielle whipped the washcloth off her forehead and stared into Arran’s brown eyes. “Are you serious? You gave up your future for me?”
He nodded. “Yes, I did, sweetheart. For you and it seems now, for our child. That’s the part I’m not happy about. If it is a boy, he deserved to inherit my place in the family.”
Gabrielle was hugging him, kissing him all over his face and laughing. “You can build him a kingdom here in the States.”
Arran accepted the kisses and lavished even more in return.
Gabrielle sighed and looked at him. “I thought you were married – that’s what the note said. I never dreamed your position could be transferred. I was so hurt, Arran. I packed up and left without a word.”
“I know. I had a devil of a time finding you.”
“That was intentional,” she smiled and cuddled closer to him.