An Echoing Race.

Chapter Forty Six.

Mira's POV.

"No you're not."

Despite everything that had just happened - including Salem's statement - 'amo was calm and collected. I had to give him credit, for if I was in his place, I would have collapsed under both pressure and fear.

"Excuse me?"

'Amo looked like he had grown in age and wisdom in the last ten minutes. "I said, you're not resigning."

Salem clenched his jaw and looked away. "I'm sorry, but I was being serious. I'm leaving."

"I won't allow it."

"With all due respect boss, but you know I'm legally allowed to quit whenever I want."

I was - and still am - extremely shocked at both my husband's act of outrage and his confession of wanting to resign.

It was true, that he didn't expose his emotions to many people.

Even now, as his wife, I would still feel slightly surprised when he demonstrated the extent of his affection during our intimate moments. Sometimes, I'd wake up and find him just staring at me, one thumb caressing my cheek softly and it would take me a few seconds to comprehend that this Salem, who had so much love shining in his eyes, is the same Salem that could stare expressionlessly at the wall for an hour.

That's why it was ten times more shocking when he reacted the way he did. I knew it was his anger and disappointment in himself that fuelled him to act in such a way.

The raw pain on his face when he had flung the chair across the room would forever be engrained in my memory.

"Let's take a walk outside," 'amo suggested. "Mira, come along too," he said, gesturing for the both of us to follow him.

Salem let out a puff of air as he began to follow him and I tentatively followed suit.

We walked for a good ten minutes in absolute silence. The east side of the hospital had a large, lovely garden attached to it with a miniature lake in the middle. Both patients and visitors occasionally came down for some fresh air, today however, was especially cold. My teeth began to chatter and I used my palms to rub up and down my arms, a pathetic attempt at warming myself up.

It didn't help that I was still in my formal dress and heels from the event.

'Amo stopped by a secluded part of the lake and sat down on the grass, crossing his legs beneath him. Usually, I would protest at ruining both my dress and heels but right now, I couldn't have cared less.

Once Salem and I were both seated, 'amo turned a stern eye on my husband.

"Salem, what was it that you told me about a month ago when I admitted my desire for giving up the presidency? After the incident with Isaac?"

The look on Salem's face told me that he knew exactly where this was going.

"I told you not to give up."

"And why did you tell me that?"

He rubbed at his jaw and stared at the ground. "Because everybody makes mistakes."

"And...?" 'amo prodded.

"And everybody learns from their mistakes."

"And..."

"And we shouldn't beat ourselves up over it because in the end, it was all Allah's decree."

"Exactly. So don't tell me that you want to leave Sameena's side, just because for the first time in twelve years you failed her."