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“I don’t want to burden you.”
“You’re not. Let me know when you’ve found something. I love you.”
“It’s temporary that I am without income. When Kim starts going to school again after the summer, I’ll work while she’s in school. I love you too,” her mother said before she hung up.
Janet hated the situation she had caused. She just wanted her family to be happy and settled. She was grateful for the job that was paying well. She owed it to herself and her family to keep the job. To do that, she needed to stay on the sheikh’s good side.
She went into the bathroom and had a quick shower. She changed into a pair of blue jeans and a white T-shirt. She then slipped into white sneakers and laced them up before heading upstairs. She was feeling quite hungry. She put her cell phone in her pocket and took her work phone with her just in case Sanaa messaged or called. She headed up the stairs and into the kitchen. She greeted the other maids and then asked them about Sanaa. They told her that she had her breakfast in bed. She wanted to watch cartoons in her room without getting disturbed.
Janet decided to message Sanaa. “Morning, Sanaa, hope you slept well. I’m going for a walk. Text or call if you need me.”
Janet headed out of the house and went for a walk. The sheikh’s estate was large. She didn’t quite realize how large it was until she went on her walk. She climbed over the wooden fence and walked into what seemed like the woods. It was nice to be out, walking, enjoying the fresh air and just clearing her thoughts, Janet thought to herself. Suddenly she heard a hissing noise. She turned around and saw a snake slithering next to a big rock.
Janet’s eyes widened, and then she started screaming. She had grown up in the city and had never encountered snakes. She didn’t know what to do. She started taking a few steps back, but the snake slowly started slithering towards her. Her senses were dulled; she was struck by fear and wasn’t sure what to do. She wanted to run, but she had heard that snakes moved faster than humans in the grass.
Suddenly she heard a loud galloping noise. “Take my hand,” she heard. She turned her head and saw the sheikh on a huge black horse, extending his hand out to her. Janet didn’t know where he was coming from, or that he owned a horse, and she had never been on a horse before, but she didn’t care. She didn’t want to be bitten by a snake. She took his hand, and he pulled her up onto the horse. He managed to pull her up with ease and set her on the horse, in front of him, with her legs to one side and her back to the other.
“Ya,” the sheikh whipped the horse, and they galloped away.
Chapter 6
“Heee,” the sheikh called out as he tugged on the reins. The horse slowed down and then came to a halt; they had arrived at the stables. Janet hadn’t been at the stables yet; she hadn’t even known that there were stables and so many horses.
The sheikh dismounted from the horse first and held his hand out to Janet. She placed her hand in his, and he helped her down from the horse. Much to her surprise, his hands were warm and soft; unlike his personality. He was cold and unfriendly. She didn’t know if he was like that to everyone or just her.
“Thank you, sheikh,” Janet said. Her heart was still pounding; she’d never liked snakes. They frightened her. “I don’t know what I’d have done if you didn’t arrive just then.”
“What were you even doing there?” he asked, his face showing a hint of amusement.
“I just went out for a walk; I didn’t think there would be snakes there. The thought didn’t even cross my mind.” Janet shivered. Basil gave half a smile before he grabbed the reins of the horse and pulled it into the stable. Janet raised her eyebrows. She’d never seen the sheikh smile or even laugh. Now here he was, amused, because of a scary situation she’d just faced.
“Are you laughing at me?” Janet asked the sheikh.
“It was an amusing sight, I must admit,” he replied. He put the horse in a stall and closed and locked the stable gate.
“Of me screaming?”
Basil didn’t answer; his smile only grew bigger.
“It was scary.” Janet pouted. She couldn’t believe that the sheikh was laughing at her. He turned to face her.
“It was a small snake and probably harmless,” he said.
“It wasn’t small.”
Basil shook his head and started walking. Janet watched the sheikh walking past her. He looked much better when he smiled, she thought to herself. Janet started walking after the sheikh. She had to rush to catch up with him.
“Where is Sanaa?” he asked her.
“She’s in her room. Ruth told me that she had breakfast in her room and didn’t want to be disturbed. So, I sent her a text message letting her know I was going out for a walk. I must check up on her as soon as I get back in the house,” Janet replied.
The sheikh sighed. “I see,” he replied. He seemed slightly worried. Janet wanted to ask about his worries, but the last time she tried speaking to him about something personal, he snapped at her.
“She’s so smart,” Janet decided to talk about something positive. “I’m so impressed that she reads very well at such a young age.”
“Yes, her teacher said she’s at the reading level of a twelve-year-old.”
Janet gasped. She knew that Sanaa was smart but not that smart. “That’s amazing; you must be proud,” she said. Even though it was amazing and impressive, she was still a child, and it saddened Janet to see her not play and smile like a child her age.
