Sunlight seeped in through the window, lighting up Dominik's face, whom was still fast asleep. A sheet covered half his body, leaving his chest uncovered. On the other side of the room you could hear Carlos snoring, also asleep. They were both exhausted from the day before, when they scavenged the whole town, looking for diversion as they waited to hear from Weigand's lawyer. They profited their spare time to discover some places in Egypt.

Dominik needed some leisure.

The sound of his phone made him move around in his sheets. He stretched out his arm and looked around on the bed side table with his hand. He opened the phone with his eyes still closed and answered in grunts.

“Hello” the voice on the other end of the line woke him up immediately. “Yes. Yes, go ahead” silence. “No. I was awake already. Tell me.”

“Morning, Mr. Weigand. I'm calling in to let you know the notice has been received” it was his lawyer, Mr. Hallagan.

“What? What notice?” Dominik was disoriented.

“The day before last, as soon as we hung up, I made a couple phone calls and I managed to get through to Dr. Alana Maleb. She's regent judge in El Cairo. I told her about your case and we talked for a while” a smile slowly formed on Dominik's face. Finally, some good news. “This morning, a notice was delivered to Mrs. Samanta Mobarek. The hearing was scheduled for September, the 15th…”

“That is two days from today” interrupted Dominik.

“Correct, sir…”

“Call me Dominik. No need to be formal here” he interrupted again. “As of today, you are my most effective employee, we need to have trust” he laughed. He was elated, things were finally working out.

“We must be there at 9 am.”

“We? Are you coming, too?”

“Of course, I'll be heading there this evening. Be completely confident we will win this case, don't even worry about that” the lawyer encouraged him.

Saying this, the call was ended.

Dominik jumped out of bed and headed for the bathroom.

That day, Dominik dedicated to walking freely around the streets of Egypt. Being in a foreign country so far away from the spotlight and celebrity gossip made him feel great. No paparazzi followed him, he even took the freedom of going in to some of the stores and be welcomed like a regular buyer. He was only a tourist, all he was missing was a camera hanging around his neck, he already had all the pamphlets of the landmarks in his hands. Carlos and him headed for a nearby restaurant, they did not want room service. Dominik was very excited about wandering off in the streets of those ancient cities.

“Are sure about what you're doing?” Asked Carlos, after they had been sitting down for a while, expecting their food.

“Completely” sentenced Dominik with a broad smile on his face.

All along those years, Dominik always expected an explanation from Samanta, he needed to know why she left the way she did. So many days expecting her, dreaming her, and loving her. Fate spoke and a daughter brought them together. Nothing in the world would make him give up the rights this gave him. He kept a clear conscience, he knew he did nothing wrong. On the contrary, he was a victim of Friedrich's selfish personal interest.

“We look like a gay couple” said Carlos laughing.

“What?” Dominik looked at him, frowning.

“Yeah. Travelling together, sharing a room, having dinner together…”

Dominik laughed out loud from the thought of it.

“In that case, I would be the top” said Dominik, cracking up.

“Bug off. I don't like those games” Carlos cleared his throat.

“You started it” Dominik could not stop laughing.

“And I am ending it right now” Carlos crossed his arms.

“I would have never thought of that” commented Dom, with a certain tone in his voice.

“Thought of what?”

“Friedrich. His feelings for me, everything he did to be with me.”

“That guy is a lunatic” snapped Carlos. “What he did is unjustifiable. How come you never noticed your friend was batting for the other team?”

Dominik cracked up again.

“Don’t be cruel. Don’t say those things” he said between his laughter.

“Oh, no? But he was, though. He made it all so clear. Because I love you, and I always have” he tried to impersonate Friedrich.

Dominik could not keep on laughing. Making fun of his friend was cruel. He could not hate him in spite of what he did. They had been friends for so long.

“Maybe I did not want to see it. He was my friend.”

“A friend who caused you a lot of damage. You and Samanta and an innocent young girl.”

“Did you know I came here looking for Sam seven years ago?” Asked Dominik. Carlos opened his eyes in awe. “I did. As soon as the World cup was over, we went back to Germany and I asked him to figure out exactly in which university she was studying. Point is, I could never find her. I would not be surprised he lied about that, too.”

“Which university did you go to?” Asked Carlos.

“El Cairo University.”

“Pfff. You were so close to finding her. Why didn't you keep trying?”

“Friedrich is incredibly persuasive. He claimed there were over 50 schools in Egypt with a major in Archaeology, he said, without knowing the exact university she was in, it would be virtually impossible to find her. Besides, I had to go back to Germany and fulfill my duties to the Club.”

“Wow! I really hated you before, but, hearing your side of the story, I feel sorry for you, man. Everything you've been through?”

Dominik sipped form his glass, trying to forget of those sad times.