Edna heaves in relief when he returns her kids and presses his hands around her waist. Thank God that he is playing along.
Mister Leonardo laughs with delight and claps his hands as if he has just witnessed a long-awaited happy ending.
" I like this. " He beams. " I love to see young people in love because I wasn't privileged to do so. "
Edna smiles and leans against Malik who chuckles nervously.
"I'm going to have to find a more befitting ring. " Malik scratches his hair.
"Oh, baby. "She touches his neck. " I don't care for any ring, all I want is for our love to last forever. "
Mister Leonardo is beaming even more than them. He wants to say something, but a man in a black suit comes and whispers something to him.
"My dear friends, I have to go now because I have dinner arrangements with some people. " He sounds sad. " But we are going to be meeting tomorrow and I am looking forward to that. Please bring the gorgeous Edna with you, I can't wait to speak some more to her."
"It's alright, Mister Leonardo. " Malik smiles and they shake hands again.
Mister Leonardo winks at Edna who blushes as he walks away. They are still in character when Malik helps her back into the car and he climbs in too.
The driver starts to drive off and he turns to Edna, she looks ahead of her with her hands folded.
" I know, I know. " She rolls her eyes. " I just had to do it. "
" Why on earth would you say that?! " He asks. " Now we have to keep up with a lie that you could have avoided. "
" You are supposed to be thanking me, Malik." Edna scoffs. " I am ninety percent sure that if you get the contract it's solely because of this. "
"What do you mean?"
Edna sighs and turns around. She thought that he would get it, but maybe he is just too confused to even see the clear picture.
" I have worked for you father for more than five years now and if there is anything I have learned, it's how to read people and give them what they want. "
" Read people and give them what they want? What are you even talking about?" He asks her. He is getting even more confused.
" Mister Leonardo is that kind of person that finds couples to be sweet and I just gave him what he wanted. " She shrugs. " This is going to put you at least five steps ahead of your opponent. "
Now that she has explained it to him, he now gets it.
Edna is such a genius. He didn't even know how it was that she came to think of something like that.
"Wow, that's brilliant. " He commends. " How did you even think of that?"
" Your father taught me. " She says. " It has been working for years now. "
He nods, he is impressed.
*****
The hotel looks like a palace meant for Kings and queens, and so is the price per night.
Edna and Malik's room are next to each other, thank God that there is no mix-up today.
Edna is just stepping out of the shower when she sees Malik putting her things together in the room.
She clings to the towel around her and she walks into the room. She has this paranoid feeling that the towel is going to come off and she is going to be so embarrassed that she will get scarred for life.
Malik steps down the last of her luggage and dips his hands into his pockets.
It's evident that they have kind of become distant after that exchange on the plane and he has decided to address it. If he doesn't, it's going to sour the good experience of their trip.
"Um, Edna, about what I said on the plane, I'm sorry. " He runs his hand over his neck and squints.
" Sorry for what?" She smiles. It's either she has genuinely forgotten or she is just trying to make him more uncomfortable.
" About the time I told that woman on the plane that I was going to fuck you. " He finally lets it out. " I wasn't looking out to humiliate you, I was just trying to tell her off. "
Edna bites her lips and looks away. It's hard for her too.
" I mean, it's okay. " She gestures. " I wasn't going to contact the endocrinologist either. "
The thought of her childlessness. Sometimes she thinks that it's from God because he doesn't want her to bring a child into an abusive marriage and the other times she really thinks that she is barren.
The emotion is evident on her face as she looks like she is going to burst into tears at any minute.
" Edna, there is nothing wrong with you. " Malik quickly says. " Trust me, you are fine. "
" That's what my doctor said but I haven't been able to bear a child. "She shrugs. Her eyes are glistening with tears.
Malik feels so bad for her that he wants to pull her to himself and rock her till she feels better. Damn that nosy woman for bringing all of this up.
But even with how much he wants to comfort her, he knows that he shouldn't make any sudden moves now. He doesn't even know if his apology has been fully accepted yet.
Edna raises her head up, a futile attempt to keep the tears back, but they tickle down the corner of her face.
Malik looks away and sighs. He hates to see her like this, he has it so much.
" Edna, listen to me. " He says. " You have got to stop thinking that something is wrong with you. "
She nods, like a repentant child that is getting rebuked.
"I'm fine, Malik. " She lets out a small laugh to prove it. " It's just tears, it's not that deep. You should go and rest now, it has been such a long trip. "
" How am I sure that you aren't going to go back to crying when I leave?" He asks.
" I promise, I won't. " She says.
He looks at her as if he doesn't trust her, but she does something to prove to him that she is going to be fine.
She pulls him into a hug and snuggles herself into him and inhales his cologne, it's so soothing.
"I'm fine. " She exhales. " See?"
*****
Malik finds it a bit hard to go off to sleep. He knows that tomorrow is a big deal because he is supposed to meet with Mister Leonardo tomorrow.
He is not the only one who will be looking to buy the company, there will be tens of them, and he is praying that he gets it.
He wants to start up his own business in oil and gas and build it up in honesty, not like his father.
He doesn't care that he doesn't have his father's support, he has a lot of money and a good heart, so that should be able to get him success.
He rolls over till he is facing the ceiling. He is not putting in anything except for loose jogger pants. Even with such little clothing on, he still can't sleep.
He quickly gets up to his feet and makes his way to the shower. A quick drench might be what he needs to fall asleep.
He doesn't bother to dry off the water before putting back his pants on, he has hardly done that when he hears a knock on his door.
Who is that? It's almost midnight and he is wondering who has come to look for him
Nevertheless, he goes to the door, and to his utmost surprise, Edna is in her nightgown in front of him.
Her lips are folded into her mouth as she gently bites them, her eyes are as innocent as that of a puppy.
" Edna? Why are you still awake? What are you doing here?" Malik rubs his tired eyes.
" I can't sleep. " She confesses with a tired sigh. " I keep having this weird dream. "
Horror dream, he knows that's what she means. He is not going to ask her to go into details, he doesn't want her to have the same dream.
" Did you lock your door? " He questions. " Come in. "
He widens the door and she enters. She looks around, her hands clasped in front of her.
"Take the bed. " He gestures. " I will take the floor. "
" No, I want the floor. " She protests.
" Are you joking? Your fragile bones are going to break. " With that, he pushes her towards the bed.
"Okay, let's both of us have the bed. "She suggests. " It's just for tonight, I won't come here again. "
Malik looks at her and sighs. He didn't suggest sharing a bed with her because he doesn't want to sound weird.
She is the first to climb into the bed and she pulls the duvet over herself.
Malik goes on next and he makes sure to keep a small distance between them. She is facing him and that's how they lay for some time, eyes on each other.
" Good night. " She whispers.
" Good night. " He swallows.
She falls asleep first, her eyes taking too long to blink until she shuts them and starts to exhale gently.
He heaves in relief and becomes more relaxed. Since he can't fall asleep, he engrosses himself in watching her sleep.
She looks like an angel resting and all he wants to do is protect her.
He feels the yearning on the inside of him to reach out and run his hand over her face, but he holds himself. He can't imagine him doing something that would make her feel uncomfortable.
She stirs in her sleep and draws closer to him. Her face is a few inches from his and he feels her warm breath on his face.
He holds his breath, not knowing what to do, but she pulls even closer to him and places her head on his chest.
He tries to resist it, but he can't anymore. He takes his hand and strokes her hair.
What are they doing?