Cupid's Queue

Chapter 21

The next three days were absolutely delightful. Hannah had enjoyed every minute of her trip to Qatar.

She enjoyed visiting different places and learning about the rich history of the country. The trip to the Souq Waqif was particularly memorable. The centuries old market was a labyrinth of alleyways, filled with colourful spices and fabrics.

Tariq's relatives made her feel like she was part of the family. Hannah and Jida Aziza had grown so close over the last few days that one would never have suspected how unbridled their initial meeting had gone. However, Hannah understood that the older woman was just trying to protect her grandson.

In the end, Hannah could not express how happy she was that his family had accepted her. For it had been something that had kept her awake the closer their Qatar trip came. She did not know what she would have done if they had rejected her.

With sincere faces, everyone stood in the foyer as they said their goodbyes.

"I wish you guys could have stayed longer," Aziza said as she kissed their cheeks.

"Me too," Hannah replied as she hugged Aziza then Chloe.

Tariq smiled as everyone said their farewells, "Don't worry, we will come back soon and will stay for much longer."

"Have a good time in Dubai!" Chloe exclaimed as she gave one final hug to Hannah.

The couple left the mansion and walked towards the black Rolls Royce Phantom EWB. As they sat in their seats, the voice of the driver came over through the intercom.

"Should I take the long way to the airport Sir?" Jabir asked.

Hannah looked over at Tariq and wiggled her eyebrows playfully. Her blue eyes sparkled as she bit her bottom lip.

Tariq growled softly as he looked down at his watch before replying, "Yes, but don't drive too slow, I don't want us to miss our flight."

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It was around 3pm when they finally arrived at Tariq's waterfront apartment. The two-bedroom Jumeirah Beach residence featured hardwood flooring throughout. Elegant floor-to-ceiling windows allowed for plenty of natural light to fill the living areas, showcasing the breath-taking and unobstructed sea views.

Hannah grinned as she sent Mikayla a few pictures from the balcony. They had been texting for a bit, catching up on how the other was doing.

Mikayla:
"Show off!
Although I prefer the chill of the Autumn air.
The October weather is quite pleasant this year!"

Hannah:
"You're such a weirdo!
You're from the Caribbean you should love the sun."

Mikayla:
"Negative my friend, anyway, enjoy!
Can't wait to see you soon!
Love you xxx"

Hannah:
"Love you too xxx"

While sending her last message, Hannah felt Tariq's hands envelop her waist as he hugged her from behind. His lips gently kissed her cheek before resting his chin on her shoulder.

"Checking in with the big boss?" he teased.

Chuckling softly as she leaned back into his embrace, "Yea."

"How's she doing?" Tariq asked before he added, "Damien is a little worried about her, but he's been trying to keep a strong front so as not to add to her stress."

"Those two, not wanting to burden each other..." she grumbled then continued, "She's handling it alright. Obviously with each negative pregnancy test she becomes a bit more discouraged."