Page 62 of Stand Fast

“Then why haven’t you done anything yet? What are youwaitingfor?” she cried, the tears finally spilling over.

Fahim reached for her and pulled her into his arms, holding her tight, his cheek pressed to the top of her hijab. He could smell the light floral fragrance of her shampoo as he stroked a hand over her back.

“I’m doing everything I can,” he said helplessly. For a man like him, so accustomed to command and control over everything, this was unbearable. Not being able to protect the one person who needed his protection the most. “I’ve found a surgeon, but locating a donor…could take a while.”

She pushed away and wiped at her face angrily. “He doesn’t have a while left, Fahim. It might already be too late.”

He blanched and stared at her while blood pulsed in his ears.

She pulled in an unsteady breath and pushed to her feet, leaving him kneeling there on the floor. “I don’t know what you’ve arranged, or with whom. And I don’t care. I don’t care what you’ve been up to or how you’ve raised the money. All I care is that our son gets the chance to be healthy again and live a normal life.”

He nodded. “He will get that chance. I swear it.”

She looked away, her sadness wrapped around her like a fog. And Fahim would do anything, anything at all, to take away the terrible fear pervading them both, to make their son healthy again.

He pushed to his feet. “You’re exhausted. Let me drive you home so you can rest.”

She shook her head tightly. “No. I’ve already left him alone too long.”

“He’s not alone. And I’ll go straight to the hospital to stay with him.” When she hesitated, he took her hand and pulled her into another hug, then kissed her forehead. He loved this woman. She was his other half and he couldn’t stand to see her hurting like this. “Come with me.”

He drove her home personally. They didn’t speak, and he could tell from her hollow-eyed stare out the window that she was way past exhaustion.

At their home he took her upstairs and tucked her into bed, pausing to kiss her softly before returning to the vehicle. As soon as he fired up the engine, he pulled out his phone and dialed the number he’d memorized.

“Fahim! Are you calling with good news?”

“My son is dying. I don’t know how much longer he has left. We can’t wait any longer, we have to act now. Do whatever it is you have to do, I don’t care how much it costs. But do itnow.” His voice shook.

“That’s going to cost you,amigo. Maybe another hundred thousand.”

“I don’t care.”

“Have you got the money?”

“I have another shipment ready to go for tomorrow night.” It was foolhardy, practically suicidal after how close it had been last night, but he had no choice. “Once that crosses the border, I’ll have enough. In the meantime, I want to get him over there immediately. So that the surgery can happen as soon as a donor becomes available.”

“Have you got a plane?”

“I’ll get one.”

“No need. I can take care of that for you, for an extra cost, of course.”

Of course. “Fine, I’ll wire you the money today. When?”

“Noon.”

He blinked. “Today?”

“You want to wait longer?”

“No.”

“Take him and your wife to this airport.” He named a private airstrip north of the city. “I’ll have a medical team on board. They’ll accompany your family here, where they will stay as my personal guests until the surgery can take place.”

“Do I have your word that that they will both be protected?”

“Yes. They’ll be treated as honored guests while they’re here, and will lack for nothing. They’ll be safe. I swear it on my mother’s life.”

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