Page 29 of Sheikh's Accidental Pregnancy

“I feel fine, Tariq. And I think we’ve had this discussion already. I was serious about moving back to my apartment if you insist on trying to keep me from working. I don’t know how the same man can make me feel so good and so angry in the span of an hour.”

“It’s my job to take care of you. You’re my responsibility.”

“Is it going to be like this when the baby is born?” Sara dropped into her desk chair. “I will not let you make all the decisions regarding this baby.Mybaby!”

“It’s my baby, too! I have as much right as you do.”

“As much. Not more. Stop trying to control me. Our having sex doesn’t mean you’re in charge of me. I’m the one who has to suffer for the next nine months, not you.”

Tariq walked out. She’d struck him completely speechless. There was no reasoning with her. She was determined to work. He would let her have a month of working. That would give Amir time to hire a new assistant and for her to hand off her projects. But next month, he was removing her from the office whether she liked it or not.

* * *

Later that day, Amir walked into Sara’s office. He sat across the desk from her, and for a moment, he didn’t say anything. He simply looked at her. She knew why he was studying her like that. She sighed and leaned back in her chair.

“It happened during the week we worked late every night. The night of your date, to be exact,” Sara said.

“How?” Amir asked.

“Well, a woman has eggs, and a man has sperm—”

“Sara, please. You know what I meant.” He suddenly looked concerned. “You did want to—”

“No! Nothing like that. One minute we were arguing, and the next…” She covered her face with her hands as Amir burst out laughing.

“This is crazy. You two loathe each other, and now you have to raise a baby together!” He started laughing again.

“It’s not funny. It’s terrible. He’s so controlling. Do you know what he did yesterday?”

“What?”

“He came to my apartment and practically forced me to move in with him. I thought he might throw me over his shoulder when I argued. So now I’m living with him. And he wants me to stop working. For the health and safety of the baby, he says.”

Amir smiled at her. “Don’t worry, Sara. I’m on your side. It’s good to have you around standing up to Tariq and proving you can do the work and then some. Your job is safe for as long as your doctor says it’s all right to work. And now you get to eat for two, which should please you.”

She laughed. “Thank you, Amir. That means a lot.”

A knock sounded at the door. Sara looked up to see an unfamiliar girl standing there.

“Can I help you?”

“You must be Sara,” the girl said. She looked younger than Sara—college age, perhaps.

“Why are you here?” Amir asked. It sounded like he knew her.

Sara shot him a don’t-be-rude look and turned back to her visitor.

“I’m Aaliyah,” the young woman said to Sara, ignoring Amir. Sara looked at Amir, hoping he would tell her what was going on. “I heard that you’re carrying my cousin’s child,” she added.

“Cousin?” Sara asked.

“I grew up with Amir and Tariq. News travels fast around this family,” Aaliyah said, smiling. “I wanted to meet the person who has the Botros family in such an uproar. Grandmother Fiddah seems greatly taken with you. Tariq actually made a scene at dinner last night, if you can believe it.”

“I’m not sure I can,” Sara said, laughing. “Come in. I’m happy to meet you.”

“Thanks. Tariq wouldn’t tell me anything. It was Malik who shared the news that Tariq is the baby’s father. I’m so excited for a little one! I guess the baby will be my cousin, officially. Once removed or twice or something. But I’m already thinking of myself as an aunt. It will be such fun!”

Sara could barely get a word in edgewise. Aaliyah asked every question Sara could imagine and then some. Eventually, Amir had to interrupt and chase her out.

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