A Desert Rose

Chapter 19 - The Widow

Chapter 19

Zahir threw the photos across his desk in disgust.  One large print made it across the room and floated steadily down to the floor.  Zahir glared at Aimee’s smiling face as she laughed at the man on the other side of the table in the restaurant.  He picked up his phone to call her but instead he just stared at the display for a while before putting it down. 

No, it was her decision to leave me.

Logically he knew he had no right to be this angry but it didn’t matter and he fed the anger licking through him.  He stalked out of his office, slamming the door behind him, and decided to go for a swim and work off some of the tension.  Perhaps the water would put the flames out.

*****

Aimee scooted over to where a rare patch of sun warmed her bed.  It was Saturday and she had no-where urgent to be.  She was having dinner with her dad later and until then there were just a few errands to run.  For one she had to finish opening all the mail she’d been putting off.   She leaned over to check her phone for messages.  There were none.  Absentmindedly she scrolled through the photos she took in Saudi.  The manicured gardens.  The lanterns at night.  Sheena’s smiling face grinned at the camera.  A rare pic of Zahir sleeping.  She stared at the lines on his face for a few seconds before she switched the screen off.  The hole in her heart ached painfully and she had to fight the nausea welling up inside her.  She pushed her emotions aside and focused on the practical issues at hand.  Her stomach rumbled.  Right, breakfast.

Aimee rolled out of bed and made it out of habit by pulling the four corners of the sheets taut and fluffing the pillows. She paused by the full length mirror and examined her appearance.  She needed a haircut, the golden locks tangled from the dry ends.  Her tan had basically absconded taking away her glowing form.  Weeks of eating little else but toast in various forms had left their mark by giving her an ‘undernourished’ appearance.  She had better add grocery shopping to her list of things to do. 

After a shower and a cup of coffee she decided a jog would stir up some much needed endorphins.  Aimee quickly changed into some workout-gear, added an mp3 player and was out the door before the brisk morning air could make her back out.  She took a turn that would take her through the park and as she picked up speed she cranked up the volume. 

She needed to clear her head and a little sweat will go a long way.  Aimee ran along the path past the duck-fountain and the Buddha tree and as she headed up the steps at the pavilion she had to stop to catch her breath.  She suddenly felt very lightheaded and dizzy. 

Holy crap, how unfit am I?  I’m never skipping breakfast again!

She sat down on the top step and put her head between her knees.  She felt an overwhelming urge to throw up but after a few minutes of deep breathing thankfully the urge passed.  Feeling utterly dejected at her serious oversight of her health she walked back to her apartment ready to burst out in tears. 

Two hours later she unpacked three bags of fruits and vegetables and proceeded to chuck half a dozen of them into a blender.  One super-smoothie later she was feeling much better, finished opening her mail and cleaned her apartment. She had just sat down with a cup of tea when her cellphone lit up with an unknown caller.

“Hello,” she answered uncertainly.

“Good afternoon Miss Willows, I trust you got home in one piece?” A smooth familiar voice said.

“Mr Dawson, yes thank you.  How did you get my number?” Aimee was a bit surprised but not disappointed.

“Lawrence please, it wasn’t too hard getting your number from the department at the university, though I had to bribe your assistant a bit.  So tell me, what would I have to do to have the pleasure of your excellent company at dinner again?” He wanted to know.