CHAPTER 11 Rain’s jealousy

“Why is he so solicitous of you?” he snarled. “Are you and him in a relationship? You seem so cozy with him, all the time. Or perhaps he really is your lover.”
Ami was appalled at his attitude that she nearly raised her fist again before Rain caught it in his hand.
“Firstly, you did not have a very friendly way of saying hi, secondly, you assumed a lot without even asking how I have been all these months. Are you sure you are my best friend because I do not see him in you now!” cried Ami. All her anger and disappointment were starting to bubble to the surface that she had to inhale and exhale rapidly to compose herself. “All these months I wondered if you even thought of me at all because you did not even try to reach out. Mabel told me she messaged your aunt informing her of my whereabouts and that you know, but no. You were so busy with all your pretty girls, you forgot you have a best friend. You think I do not know what you have been doing? Social media was full of your escapades and much as it hurts me to know, I just ignored them and gave you the benefit of the doubt. “Ami was breathing hard as she started blurting out all her pent-up emotions.” You know my social media account but you didn’t even bother to send me a message. Am I that forgettable to you? “ she asked, wiping a lone tear off her cheek. “Are you quite finished?” asked Rain. “You accuse me of not messaging you when you were the one who left without even saying goodbye. You tell me I am your best friend but you just ran away without even talking to me? What kind of friend are you?” Ami flinched when he said this but she was just too angry and emotional that she stood up and marched out of the room. “Oh no, you don’t!” Rain grabbed her by the arm that she nearly tripped if not for Rain breaking her fall. She whirled around swinging her fist and connecting yet again with his chin. Rain released her immediately. Ami ran towards the elevator and punched the floor to her shared suite with Mabel. Her employers' sons and Mabel were hot on her heels. She was amazed she could even run in her heels. When she reached her floor, she kicked her heels, picked them up and continued to their shared suite. She ran to her room, locked the door and started punching the wall in her anger. After a couple of minutes, she collapsed on the floor and was sobbing angrily. “How dare he treat her this way, where is the Rain she knew?
There was a loud rapping on her door and she said in an anguished tone, “Please leave me alone.” She heard some swearing and angry voices before everything outside her door quieted. She leaned her head on her bed not hearing the door opening until Mabel crouched down and gathered her to her chest. Ami lost all her ability to say no so she just let her cousin hug her. She didn’t want to cry again so she just hugged Mabel back, that’s when she felt some stickiness on her knuckles. Mabel felt it too and she caught her cousin’s fists and was alarmed to see blood on them. When she looked up, she saw dents on the wall of her cousin. “Oh Ami, what have you done to yourself,!” Just then another person looked in, it was Ali. When he saw Ami’s bloodied knuckles, he swore which he normally does not and quickly snatched her away from Mabel holding her to his chest. “Why is your cousin so affected like this?” he asked Mabel. Mabel shook her head. I don’t know either, she does not normally act like this. Give her back to me, do you mind getting the first aid kit?”
“Oh of course, of course, “responded Ali instantly aware of what he did and relinquished Ami to her cousin. “I have a better idea, why don’t you go fetch the first aid kit and I will keep her company.”
“Where’s Mansour?” asked Mabel instead of heeding Ali’s request.
“He is playing bodyguard outside keeping that son of a gun from getting in. Ami flinched when Mabel was dressing her knuckles. “You know,” started Mabel. It would have been easier for me had you just reacted just like any other female. Ami glared at her saying, “Well I am not like any other female.” “I know and I can see that,” defended Mabel. “I just wish you were but it does not mean I love you less. Now Habibti, do you mind telling me what is going on?” Ami stood up and slowly sat on the bed, “To be honest, I also don’t know. Every time I see him chumming with other people, women for that matter, I feel this pain,” she said, rubbing the area where her heart is. I just could not explain it.
Ali said matter-of-factly, “you are jealous.”
“Are you kidding, scoffed Ami. “Me, jealous? I don’t think so. Now if you don’t mind, I would like to sleep. I am just so drained.” Mabel looked at Ali who shook his head no. Against his better judgment, he knelt on the floor and cradled Ami’s bloodied knuckles and raised them to his lips. Ami stared at him aghast, even Mabel was shocked. Realizing what he had done, Ali looked Ami in the eye and said, “Habibti, do you wish us to leave you?” Ami nodded. Ali was reluctant to go but seeing the determined look in Ami’s eyes, he signalled Mabel who immediately stood up and left the room with him.
Outside, Mansour was trying his best to hold off an irate Rain. “Let me in, let me in,”he shouted. I own this ship so you have to let me in!”
“Bad news for you bro, because we are co-owners too so we can’t let you in.,” Mansour replied, pushing him off the door. It was then that the said door opened to reveal a fuming Ali. He was about to grab Rain when Mansour stopped him in rapid Arabic. Ali inhaled and exhaled before he was able to compose himself. He moved away from them. Calmly Mabel told Rain, “Ami is resting after the interesting events of tonight. I feel angry too but nothing will be solved if we all let our emotions get the better of us. I suggest you go get some rest as well, Rain. There will be time enough for you two to talk things through.”
Rain really wanted to see Ami but he agreed to what Mabel asked of him. All of them went to their respective suites except Mabel who went in search of a doctor aboard the ship. She was concerned about Ami’s knuckles. After finding one and Ami’s fists were bandaged, Mabel left her and went to bed. “Thanks Doctor and thanks Cuz. Goodnight” she said, waving the doctor and Mabel off.
After showering and changing into her pyjamas, Mabel fell asleep as soon as her head hit the pillow. Unlike her though, Ami couldn’t sleep. The events of the day kept playing in her head. She wanted to go out but she might encounter Rain and she was not yet ready to see him after their heated conversation. She also recalled how Ali tried to comfort her in his arms and lovingly cradled her knuckles and she was more confused. She really did not know what to think or do. She contented herself by stepping out onto her private verandah and gazing at the clear sky. Unlike her, she mused, the sky seems to be perfect tonight. It was past midnight when she decided to go back to her bed. She fell asleep still troubled by her conversation with her best friend.
Two people were also having difficulty sleeping. Rain felt bad about his actions. How can he be so foolish again, as to confront Ami like that, like what? A jilted lover? He was always bad about expressing his feelings to people close to him. It is common knowledge that his people are awkward when it comes to expressing feelings. He dare not touch alcohol because he vowed to himself that he will talk with Ami with a clear head. Apparently even without alcohol he could still muck things up. No wonder those Emiratis were so protective of her. Instead of saying thanks to them for keeping her safe, he insulted them in the most embarrassing way possible. “I will make it up to you, my best friend, '' he said to his room aloud. Whatever it takes, I will make it up to you. There is so much to say and so little time.” When the ship will dock in Greece, his mother and him will get off the ship as they planned to tour the country, or maybe not, he thought. He closed his eyes and let sleep take over.
Ali too couldn’t rest and sleep. Now that he saw his competition, for that is how he saw Rain, a man too proud to confess his true emotions; he is second guessing his plans on wooing Ami. He saw how affected she was and he knew that deep down, Ami feels more for her best friend although she denies it. How can he possibly win her? As if on cue, his father knocked before opening his door. Ali immediately knew something was wrong, so he asked him in Arabic, “Baba, what is the matter?”
In Arabic his dad said “Something happened back home. Devlin could not tell me the rest of it until we get back, so we have to cut this trip short.”
“I will inform the ladies tomorrow. Does Mama know?
“Of course, your mother knows that is why she is panicky right now, she said she has a gut feeling that it involves your sister.”
“No use panicking now Baba, let us get some sleep so we can prepare everything early tomorrow.”
“Am sorry, son.”
“No worries Baba, our early departure seems the perfect getaway as well.”
The look his father gave him made him want to squirm but he just said, “Just a storm in the battlegrounds Baba”.