Red-Hot Desert Docs. Carol Marinelli

he had decided. ‘I am not renewing my contract at the hospital. I’m coming home to sort out the building of the new hospital. I’m going to be speaking with architects over the coming weeks. I shall do my best to find someone who can understand the need to respect our traditions, as well as incorporate the new. When I return things will immediately get under way.’

      ‘Nothing is to get under way without my permission.’

      ‘Too many lives have been lost,’ Zahir said. ‘Your delay in implementing changes has caused your own wife to collapse. What about all our people?’

      ‘I am King.’

      ‘And I am Crown Prince and I refuse to do nothing until your death. I shall be returning with the Queen and change will happen.’

      ‘Don’t speak of this now, Zahir. Not when I am concerned for my wife—’

      ‘No,’ Zahir interrupted. ‘You can no longer ignore that fact that there are better ways. The Queen collapsed while she was visiting me at work. What if she had been at a formal dinner or a royal event? Luckily she was in a hospital at the time.’

      Zahir let out a tense breath, embarrassed on behalf of his mother as to how events could have panned out.

      He was so grateful that Adele had dealt with things so discreetly.

      Adele.

      All roads led to her.

      Even in the middle of a difficult conversation he smiled at the memory of her blocking his path as he had tried to get into the cubicle to care for his mother.

      Then his smile faded and he returned to the subject.

      ‘We shall discuss this in person,’ Zahir said to his father. ‘For now, know that she is resting comfortably and that she is receiving excellent medical care.’

      ‘If you are returning then there shall be a selection ceremony and a wedding.’

      ‘You know where I stand on that,’ Zahir said. ‘I will not marry and have children when I cannot ensure adequate health care for them.’

      Zahir hung up.

      He saw a few more patients and then went through to the staffroom. Those flowers really were following him. They had been placed on the table and the word ‘Adele’ had been written on a sheet of paper, as well as an arrow, a row of hearts and a lot of question marks.

      It was tease from the other nurses, informing her that she would need to explain!

      Zahir did not want to hear it.

      * * *

      Adele walked into the staffroom fifteen minutes before the start of her shift to the beautiful sight of Zahir stretched out and asleep on a sofa. His mouth was slightly open, he needed to shave, but she’d prefer that he did not. But then her heart sank when she saw the large floral arrangement and the note with her name on it. Not for a second did she hope that the flowers were from Zahir. With trepidation she opened the card and read the message.

      Adele

      Thanks for a great night. Hope to do it again very soon.

      Paul x

      Unlike their date, there was a kiss at the end.

      Zahir awoke to the sickly scent of flowers and to Adele’s blue eyes as she stood in the middle of the staffroom.

      She looked over as he stirred and wondered what it would be like to wake up beside him.

      ‘You got flowers.’ He stated the obvious.

      ‘I did.’

      But not from you, her eyes accused.

      Never anything from you.

      Not even a smile.

      ‘How is your mother?’

      ‘She’s doing well.’ Zahir stretched his long body. ‘The operation went smoothly.’

      ‘That’s good.’ she said, wondering how the mere sight of him stretching had her on slow burn. How a night being wined and dined by a friendly and good-looking Paul couldn’t garner a kiss, yet she could happily go over and straddle Zahir right here and right now.

      Honestly!

      She had never slept with anyone but she could almost feel the pull in her groin to walk over to him, to bend her head and to kiss that sulky mouth.

      He sat up and she was very glad that he did.

      ‘My mother said that you have been visiting her and are going to see her again.’

      ‘I just thought with her being so far from home—’ Adele started to explain, but Zahir cut in.

      ‘I appreciate it,’ he said, and then abruptly stood and left.

      It didn’t feel as if he appreciated it, Adele thought as he stalked off.

      Still, she wasn’t visiting Leila to earn favours from him.

      She liked his mother and enjoyed their conversations.

      Adele missed talking with her mum so much and Leila helped with that.

      Zahir went home and it was a quiet night in Emergency, which made it a very long one. By morning, all Adele wanted was to go to sleep but she remembered she had promised to visit Leila.

      ‘Don’t forget your flowers,’ Janet called out as she left.

      Blasted things, Adele thought, but then she decided they might brighten the room up a little for her visitor.

      ‘Flowers!’ Leila was wearing a gorgeous nightgown, had all her jewels on and was back to looking stunning. She smiled when Adele knocked on her door and quickly dabbed her eyes with a handkerchief. ‘You shouldn’t have.’

      ‘I didn’t,’ Adele admitted. She knew Leila had been crying. ‘The man I went out with on Friday sent them.’ She rolled her eyes.

      ‘Do tell.’

      Adele did.

      Well, a little bit.

      ‘It didn’t go well.’

      ‘Why?’

      Because he wasn’t your sexy son!

      ‘It just didn’t,’ Adele said. ‘I kept wanting to check my phone. That’s not a good sign, is it?’

      Leila laughed.

      ‘Then he called over the weekend and asked me out again and I said no. I thought he’d got the message but he sent these. I didn’t want to look like an idiot on the bus, and I thought they might cheer you up.’

      ‘Well, they have.’

      They were like a snowflake in a snowstorm, though, Adele thought as she looked around.

      There were flowers everywhere.

      ‘How do you feel?’ she asked Leila.

      ‘I had a lot of pain in the evening but they changed my pain control and now I feel much more comfortable. I’ve just had my first drink of tea. I asked Mr Oman when I can go back to the hotel. He says not for a few more days.’

      ‘You’ve got on your jewels.’

      Leila nodded. ‘I was appalled when they told me I had to have them off for surgery. I insisted they were brought to Recovery and I was to wake up with them on.’

      Adele smiled.

      ‘Adele,’ Leila said, ‘I’ve been thinking.’

      ‘About what?’

      ‘Well, I need a private nurse and I would very much like it to be you.’

      ‘I’m on night shift for the next couple of weeks,’ Adele said.

      ‘No, I’m not talking about back at the hotel.