Princess: Stepping Out of the Shadows, стр. 39
‘Such a man I cannot imagine, Sultana. I really cannot.’
We both sat and stared for long moments, my thoughts focusing on our little Feisal. I would go mad should he be taken away to be tortured by such brutes, dying while screeching for his mother. It was almost too much to contemplate.
‘And the other girl our daughter saved?’
‘The third victim was a child, Sultana. A thirteen-year-old girl. She foolishly joined in a demonstration against the government being held in her city. Assad’s security swooped in and captured and arrested fifteen or twenty of the teenagers, those too young to understand that they should run for their lives. The young girl was a victim of savage attacks. In fact, she has undergone four operations to repair her assaulted body and the surgeons say she will need at least two more. Due to the tension of the situation, her parents divorced. The father blamed his daughter for her arrest and rape, saying that if she had been home where she belonged none of it would have ever happened. So, the father is no longer involved in their family life and this is increasing pressure on the mother, who is trying to raise six children with little or no help. But at least Maha is taking the financial pressure from the mother’s mind. I cannot remember if this family is in Jordan or Lebanon, but I do know that Maha prefers to keep all the families she supports in the same country. Whether she will be able to manage that feat remains to be seen. All the countries taking in refugees are baulking at taking more, other than Turkey, as you know.’
I could barely abide the pain of thinking about these young women. And I was so far removed from their much greater anguish and pain. I was nothing more than a woman in a country far away who could easily spare the funds to help them live. I could not fathom the enormous strength required by these Syrian women and their families just to persist with life, minute by minute, hour by hour, day by day, enduring pain that must feel unendurable.
I decided to escape to my apartments. ‘Kareem, your wife is retiring for a nap. I shall see you tonight when our son and his family come for dinner.’
Kareem’s face looked old for the first time in our lives. He, too, was suffering greatly just from knowing these stories. But even as my husband suffered, he saved his worries for me, his wife.
Later that evening I felt some small joy when I entered our sitting room to see my son and his family. My eyes searched for my husband and I could not restrain my laughter when I saw him cooing at a small white kitten that was perched on his shoulder and sniffing his face.
Little Sultana was looking on with tremendous pride. I overheard her exclaim, ‘I knew you would love Chanel, Grandfather. You cannot have her, but you can kitty-sit when I travel.’
I watched with immeasurable amusement as my most loving husband managed to hide a grimace.
But he was squirming …
Chapter Six
Doctor, Doctor
AS ABDULLAH AND Zain were leaving our home after their most pleasant visit, Zain nudged her husband, coyly asking him, ‘Abdullah, have you told your parents?’
‘Zain! No, of course not. I was going to share our news for the first time tomorrow, as you and I planned.’
Zain smiled her sweetest smile. ‘But I wish to be with you when you tell them, husband.’
That’s when Little Sultana began to jump about from her mother to her father. ‘What? What news, Mama? What news, Baba?’
‘I do not believe this is the best time, Zain.’ Abdullah squirmed, as he struggled to block his daughter from stamping on his shiny designer shoes. My son has always been very particular about his clothes and how he looks, maintaining a smart appearance at all times. His squirming prompted a smile from me, as I looked from Kareem to our son. Abdullah was definitely his father’s child.
‘Zain, we will want to talk about this news for longer than a bulletin, given as we are departing.’
‘No, I want you to tell them now. Your mother will sleep very nicely tonight if she knows.’
On hearing this I allowed my excitement to grow, realizing that their news was apparently positive. I had several ideas regarding various pieces of information that would make me happy. I wondered if Little Sultana had won the school prize for reading the most books, or if sweet Feisal might be attending the special school for royal toddlers, which I had highly recommended to Zain after learning from my sister Sara that her grandchildren were registered there, and they had enjoyed it and had progressed well.
But I stood quietly without interrupting, as that is my new habit.
Kareem was not quite so patient. ‘What news? Now you must tell us, as we will feel we are hanging in limbo until we know.’
‘Zain, see what you have started.’ Abdullah sighed as he shook his head. ‘All right, but I am not going to tell you as we stand in the door saying our goodbyes. Let us return to the sitting room.’
Little Sultana skipped, then remembered her kitty, Chanel. She looked for Edna, who was a wonderful nanny employed from the Philippines to help Zain with our grandchildren. Little Sultana spotted her standing quietly behind Kareem. ‘Edna, please can we go and bring Chanel from the car. She will want to know this news, too.’
Kareem, who had been kitty kissed numerous times over the course of the evening, interrupted. ‘Sweet girl, your little kitten is asleep in her carrier. She is surely exhausted from her international flight. Let her sleep, sweetheart.’ Kareem looked at me for support. ‘Sultana, don’t you think it best that Chanel learn this news after she has