Next to the king, on his left side, sat Billal. Clearly, something was going on. I knew my bed would be cold tonight and Nidal would not be there to warm it. Just then, my thoughts of disappointment were interrupted when a servant walked in the room holding a birthday cake with a lit candle on it. Everybody started clapping and singing the birthday song to me. Embarrassed, I just sat there speechless.
The king stood and raised his glass of wine in the air and made a toast. "Happy birthday, Loula," he said joyfully.
Everyone, including the queen, who sat to the king's right, stood to toast me. Nidal pulled me close to him and kissed me on the mouth tenderly. I blew out the one candle that was on the cake, and the servants took away the pastry so they could slice it for dessert. All the attention I received touched me. Somehow they seemed warmer and kinder than they had been other times. Conversation flowed throughout the room, and laughter filled the air.
The conversation wrapped around Nidal's childhood, as the queen and some of the guest remembered him as a little rascal always in mischief. I could only imagine him running in the palace's halls, trying to find a hiding place to avoid punishment. The queen's gaze occasionally went from Nidal's to me. The fine lines on her face relaxed, and the tone of her voice sounded warmer than usual. Dare I think that she is starting to accept me in her son's life?
Dinner was served, and try as I might, I could not eat. I had lost my appetite. The thought of my lover going to another meeting tonight, and especially tonight of all nights, turned my stomach upside down. Nidal threw me a questioning glance, and I looked away, fearing the tears would roll down my face for all to see.
I could tell that he had guessed the reason for my sadness, and he whispered in my ear, "I will not be gone for long. Wait for me, and I will give you the second part of your gift."
And I looked up at him, and he winked at me, throwing me a smile to die for. My heart raced at the mention of my second gift. Just thinking about it set my heart on fire.
After dinner, the cake was brought out, all sliced up and ready to serve, but without even waiting for dessert, all the men, including Nidal, rose from the table and quickly disappeared. Nidal apologized as he hastily kissed my lips and followed the gentlemen out the door, leaving the queen and me alone at the table.
The queen, who was sitting at the end of the dinner table all the way on the other side, stood, picked up her teacup and the plate with her slice of cake on it, walked over, and sat in the empty chair opposite me. A young servant scrambled over to her and handed her a silver fork. The queen drank her tea and ate her cake in silence. I just sat there waiting for the queen to dismiss me, but she did not. Instead, she spoke to me for the first time since I had come to the palace.
"I think," she said, as her eyes turned to me, "you should try a piece of this chocolate cake. It is pure heaven." She smiled and dropped two sugar cubes in her tea while she waited for my response.
I was taken by surprise that the queen decided to take this moment to talk to me, and I got excited and did not know what to say. So I just smiled and reached for my fork and started eating my slice of the cake, keeping myself busy while I devoured the pastry.
"I see you too approve of the chocolate cake." The queen laughed softly as she put the napkin she wiped her mouth with on the table and rose to her feet.
"Yes, thank you. It was delicious," I quickly responded.
Then I also rose and waited for the queen to exit the room before I did. The queen threw me a half smile as she elegantly strode out of the dining area and disappeared to her room. As I walked down the corridor to my room, I caught myself smiling, and I wondered if this were the beginning of a new relationship between the queen and me. It would sure be nice to have her on my side.
Closing the door to my room, my mind once again was troubled with the thought of what the gentlemen in the meeting were discussing with their king. I could only speculate what they were talking about behind closed doors.
I do not like the idea of Nidal keeping secrets from me, I thought dryly as I undressed.
I climbed into bed naked, feeling a little sleepy. In the middle of the night as I was still awake, I heard the door open and softly close. Nidal tiptoed to the bathroom, and minutes later, he walked to our bed and slipped under the covers as gently as he could.
I could feel his sweet breath on my face as he lay in bed next to my warm body. A full moon was outside, and the curtains were open so Nidal could easily see my face. I pretended to be asleep. As much as I wanted to throw myself into his embrace, I dared not. I wanted to make him feel my body heat and know what he could have had if he came sooner to bed, but he made no sound, and he did not move at all. He lay still. I waited what seemed like an eternity. Finally not able to stand it anymore, I opened my eyes and saw him staring into my face. The moonbeams cast its light upon his face, and I saw him smiling right at me.
