Chapter 9

Bassem was sitting in the living room reading a newspaper when his brother walked in uninvited. Bassem looked up from the newspaper. “Can I help you with something?” he asked.

“Am I not allowed to visit my only brother?” Basil asked as he planted himself on the sofa opposite his brother. Bassem folded the newspaper and put it down on the coffee table.

“Have you gotten yourself into trouble again?”

“I don’t get into trouble.” Basil flashed a cheeky grin.

“For now.”

“No more. I have turned a new leaf.”

“Our mother would be glad to hear of it,” said Bassem. “She called me the other day.”

“She asked of me?” Basil asked. Bassem shook his head.

“She mentioned that she wanted us to settle down.”

“Wives?” Basil burst into laughter. “I am not the marrying type. I’ll leave that to you.”

Bassem raised an eyebrow. “To me?” he asked.

“You are more responsible, mature and smart. You’d make a good husband.”

“And you don’t possess those qualities?”

“No I don’t. That’s why you’re the crown prince and not me.”

“Well, I am older than you. So naturally I would be the crown prince.”

“You’re older by four minutes and eighteen seconds,” Basil clarified. Bassem laughed a little.

“I am still older,” he replied.

“Father knows that you would make a better king than I would. He made a wise decision.”

“He did?”

“I don’t like being tied down to a situation. So, since you are the crown prince, you have to get married anyway. You can’t be a king without a queen or an heir.”

Bassem groaned. His brother was very right. Marriage was inevitable for him. He had to get married no matter what. He just hoped that his future wife was a quiet and well-mannered one.

One of Bassem’s maids walked into the room and bowed her head to the princes. “Dinner is ready,” she announced.

“Good,” Basil said as he sprang to his feet. “I was starving.”

The two brothers headed over to the dining room. They sat down at the table and waited for the maids to serve them.

“How’s that architect of yours?” Basil asked Bassem.

“Miss Gordon? Why are you bringing her up?” Bassem replied.

“She’s such an interesting woman.”

“Is that why you pretended to be me?”

“I was in the club when she and her friend approached me. They both thought that I was you.”

“You should have corrected her.”

“And spoil the fun?” Basil started laughing. “I’m surprised that she didn’t say anything to you.”

“So am I.” Bassem picked up a fork and started eating.

“I feel bad for her. I must make it up to her,” Basil replied. He picked up his glass and took a sip of his drink.

“What are your intentions?”

Basil put his hands up. “Oh no, it’s not like that at all,” he said. Bassem raised an eyebrow.

“You’re not attracted to her?” he asked.

“No, I’m not. She is an attractive woman but she seems a little bit too serious for me.”

Bassem shook his head. “You like them wild and freaky,” he said.

“Exactly.” Basil grinned.

“Just make sure you don’t end up in the tabloids again,” Bassem warned.

“I won’t.” Basil cut a piece of his lamb and ate it. “What are you going to do with this house when you’re finished building your new home?” he asked.

“I’ll sell it.”

“You should have just stayed in a hotel.”

“I don’t like hotels.”

“If it weren’t for the fact that we are identical, I’d think that we weren’t brothers at all,” said Basil. Bassem looked at his brother.

“Please elaborate,” he said.

“We are so different.”

“Siblings don’t always have to have a lot in common all the time.”

“You’re also strange. Who doesn’t like hotels?” Basil shook his head.

“Public places are always crawling with germs,” Bassem replied.

“They have cleaners at hotels.” 

“There are too many people at hotels. You know how I like my privacy.”

“I agree with that. There’s a lack of privacy in hotels.”

The two brothers enjoyed a light conversation as they ate their dinner. Basil contributed the most to the conversation. He was always the more vocal twin.