Chapter Four - The News

“Isabel, don’t just sit there. Hurry up! Marco is about to get here.” Dina is running around her flat frantically, trying to assemble the last of her belongings. “Oh come on girl!”

“Hold up. Goodness, calm down Dina.” Isabel says as she tries to finish forwarding an email to a co-worker.

“Calm down? You got to be kidding me! We are going to the grand opening of Lady Catherine’s charity function and you want me to be calm! I have never been invited to something like this. It blows my mind just thinking about it. And if it weren’t for me, you wouldn’t have spent your Saturday afternoon dress shopping for what could easily be the best event you’ll ever be present at. So yes, I am a little stressed.” With that, Dina collapsed onto her sofa, breathing heavily as if she has used up all her energy in that monologue. She closes her eyes and uses the heels of her shoes to tap loudly on the floor, while inhaling and exhaling with her mouth.

Dina’s boyfriend was a popular restaurant entrepreneur who has many contacts and acquaintances so it came to no surprise to Isabel when she found out Lady’s Catherine was another acquaintance of Marco. Lady Catherine is a well-known human rights activist, always rustling something up to raise money for a great cause even if that meant parting the rich in London from their money. Naturally, when Lady Catherine found out Dina is the girlfriend of Marco, she requested Dina for her appearance at the Charity Gala. As Marco and Dina had two separate invitations, Dina invited Isabel as her plus one. She however wasn’t exempted from paying for the expensive ticket. Isabel didn’t mind though. At least her money was going to something other than her Louboutins and Prada.

“Alright, don’t be angry. I’m all done,” Isabel says as she circles around, showing off her newly purchased royal blue Dolce and Gabbana long dress. She grabbed her white satin clutch from the coffee table and walks towards the window, peeping to catch any sign of a dark haired, extremely tall, Italian man. He still wasn’t there. She glances back at Dina, who now made her way to the mirror, her gaze fixed on herself.

“Dina, you look gorgeous,” Isabel says as cheery as she could.

Her friend turns around with a huge grin. Isabel was slightly taken aback by her friend’s sudden change in mood. Two minutes ago, Dina was a mess, running around and demanding Isabel with all sorts. Isabel was honestly worried for her health at that point.

“You seem…very happy.” Isabel says with a perplexed facial expression.

“Of course I am happy. We are going to a charity gala by Lady Catherine. I have an amazing boyfriend,” she says dreamy. “Anyway, you do think this dress is nice, right? A lot of people are coming and I have to make an impression. Especially being the girlfriend of Marco.” She stands with her hands horizontally in the air, raising her eyebrows to Isabel to probe her for an answer.

“You look great Dina. That Versace dress was waiting its whole life to be picked up by you. Black is definitely your colour,” Isabel answers, smiling at her friend who now looks back in the mirror, admiring the reflection.

“You’re right Belle,” Dina answers, sorting out her long, blonde locks. “You look fantastic too. You’re height is phenomenal. You’ll be turning a lot of heads tonight.” She winks at Isabel and giving her a sly smile.

“Why are you smiling like that?” Isabel asks confused, frowning a bit. “Are you up to something?”

“No,” Dina answers hastily.

The doorbell rings and Dina jumps to answer it. As expected, Marco is at the doorstep and she leans in for a kiss.

“Quick let’s go,” Dina mutters to Marco as she makes her way out of her door. Isabel follows her out and they all squeeze into the lift. Dina and Marco have already started talking about something that Isabel couldn’t quite make out so she just stands there, waiting for the lift doors to be open. Before the doors opened, Isabel glances at Dina catching her grinning but all of the sudden stops when she realises Isabel is looking her way. Isabel raises her eyebrows and Dina shrugs her shoulders as if she had nothing to hide. Isabel then looks over to Marco but he just smiles back. The door of the lift opens up and they all make their way out.

Isabel takes in the evening breeze and at once feels relaxed. There is something about the hour of dusk that brings her at peace.

“You have other transport,” Dina says to Isabel who is trying to make her way to Marco’s Land Rover. Isabel is confused. Surely she imagined that.

“What?” Isabel asks, surprised.

“Yeah, you have other transport,” Dina repeats.

“Wha..What do you mean, other transport.” As soon as she said that, a silver, bmw pulls up. It stops right in front of Isabel and the lights go off, indicating the engine had been killed. The door opens and a figure steps out. Still dazzled by the headlights of the car, Isabel squints her eyes to see who could possibly be in front of her. She should have guessed it.

“Hello Isabel,” Sergio says.

Isabel looks to her friend who by now is about to step into Marco’s car. Dina looks at her and mouths “you’ll thank me” and disappears into the car. So that explains Dina’s weird behaviour, she thought to herself. Isabel looks back at Sergio with wide, confused eyes.

“Uhm…Hi…,” Isabel replies hesitantly. Was she honestly going to bump into Sergio for the rest of her life?

“You look beautiful,” Sergio says, leaning on his car. He looks dashing himself. With his dark three-piece suit and carefully combed hair, he would be any girl’s dream.

“You don’t look so bad yourself,” she replies nonchalantly. “You know Dina?”

“Of course I know her. Since high school.”

“Great! I suppose this is her idea too,” Isabel says.

“No, it was mine. When I found out my stalker is going to the charity evening, I thought I would make things easier for you and pick you up myself.”

Isabel sighs then laughs. He is too funny.

“So do you agree to come with me?” Sergio asks as he walks to the front passenger door and opens it. She decided she might as well go with him seeing that he is offering her. Besides, she can’t be mean to people even if she tries. She slides into the front seat, as lady like as she could and puts her seatbelt on. Soon, Sergio jumps in the car and off they go.

“Why did you really want me to accompany you to the event?” Isabel asks, her gaze fixed on the road ahead. There was a pause as he glides the car into first gear, stopping at a junction.

“Because I find you interesting,” he answers back, not taking his eyes off the oncoming traffic.

“Is that what you do when you find a lady interesting, randomly turn up everywhere she goes,” Isabel says, as she laughs at her own joke. “Anyway what do you mean with interesting. We barely know each other.”

“I know, so tonight’s a perfect opportunity,” he says, smiling at her.

“Oh, so that was the plan all along! I bet you convinced Dina to add me as her plus one,” Isabel exclaims.

“No, that was her idea. I just happened to find out you were her plus one two days ago.”

“Are you and Dina…good friends?” Isabel wondered how close their relationship had gotten. She knew that she and Rashid’s friendship started off with feelings (on his part).

“Kind of. We catch up once in a while. It was me who introduced her to Marco.”

“Really?” Isabel was surprised at the shock element in the tone of her voice. She repeated herself in a less shocked tone of voice. “I mean…really, she left that part out,” she says.

Sergio chuckled.

“Oh and I see. You are in business. Owning a gym company,” she continues.

“Ah, yes,” he nods.

“You must be busy,” Isabel says, leaning back. She finally felt comfortable enough to loosen herself up.

“Trust me, not as busy as you think,” he replies.

For the rest of the journey, they made light conversation, talking briefly about themselves and their lives. She finds out Sergio is the same age as her (23) and already a successful entrepreneur and that lived in England since he was 1 years of age. Every so often, she’d catch Sergio glancing at her when the car was stationary and when she would turn to catch his eye, he’d smile. Soon, they pull up in front of the Great Hall.

“We’re here,” Sergio announces. He opens his door and slid out. She unbuckles her seat and reaches for the handle of the door but Sergio beat her to it by having opened the door for her. He holds his hand out for her and she takes it, using it to support herself whilst standing up.

“Thank you.” She slips her arm through his. They approach the entrance and are greeted by security.

“Good evening Mr Almeida,” the guard said, smiling at Sergio.

“Good evening sir,” he replies, nodding.

“Have a great evening sir.” Sergio and Isabel make their way inside, squeezing passed other guests. There were a lot more people that she thought. The place was filled out. The hall had been beautiful decorated in gold. The elegant chandelier, placed accurately in the middle, was radiating the most luminous light which sparkles off the glossy marble floor. The round tables spread all around the hall were enhanced with red and gold neat decoration, each table having name tags for the guests. There were staff parading at all corners of the hall, carrying champagne glasses in fine trays.

“Wine, miss?” a woman asks Isabel as she holds the tray up to her.

“No thank you,” she replies back kindly.

“Wine, sir?” she eagerly asks Sergio.

“No thank you.”

The woman hurries away, trying her luck with guests just coming into the venue.

“You don’t like wine?” Isabel asks curiously. She could imagine Sergio as the type mingling in with the wealthy, drinking fine champagne.

“Don’t you like wine?” he asks back.

“I don’t drink,” she answers quickly.

“I don’t drink either.”

“Good to know.”

“I am Muslim,” he finally says.

Isabel is shocked. Sergio has never talked or dropped hints about his faith. All the conversations they exchanged had been about anything but religion. Here she was again, judging someone. Why would it be surprising if he is Muslim? Rafael is Muslim. He looked nothing like a Muslim when she initially met him. She mentally cursed herself for judging Sergio.

“Oh, how nice! How come you never mentioned,” Isabel exclaims excitedly.

“Well…I don’t know. Our conversations never took us there. Anyway, I found out from Dina that you are Muslim. You never mentioned it to me,” he says, as faking sadness in his voice while he takes them over to their table.

“Hey, don’t turn this on me!” she blurts out, realising that she said that too loud. Sergio just chuckles and pulls out her seat for her. As they both take their seat, the orchestra plays “Lux Aeterna” by Clint Mansell. Sergio calls over a waitress, politely asking for two glasses of cold mineral water. The waitress accepts the order and springs into action. Sergio leans back and studies Isabel for a moment and she feels herself unexpectedly blush.

“What?” she asks.

“Nothing,” he replies, smiling warmly at her.

“You’re staring.”

“At you.”

“Yes, I am well aware of that,” she snaps back.

“You just look absolutely stunning today,” he says, leaning forward on the table as if he can get appreciate her more by looking closer.

“Thank you. That’s kind of you.” Isabel couldn’t help but like Sergio. It was as if he is that person that can make you smile when you are having a bad day and blessing you with the gift of forgetting your worries for that one second. She told herself that maybe she could have liked him more if she didn’t have a person to find. She couldn’t fall for Sergio, that’s practically cheating on Rafael. But then again, she didn’t know what Rafael had been up to last time they saw each other. Maybe the day she sees him again, she’ll also see behind him a family. A wife, perhaps children. The thought itself sends shivers down her spine. Unlikely, she thinks. She hopes.

“I haven’t seen you with your hair up before. It looks good,” Sergio compliments her again.

Her hand reaches up to her hair, neatly held together in a lose bun, and slightly strokes it. It is true. She rarely wears her hair in up. She preferred her brunette locks loose but Dina, using her expert persuading techniques, encouraged her to have it up because she looks “more admirable” like that. Anyone would take offence by that but not when it comes from Dina, she always meant well.

“A bit of change doesn’t harm anyone,” she replies as she takes a sip of her water that the waitress had just brought. Sergio copies her.

“So yes, are you born Muslim then?” she asks with the hopes of changing the conversation around so less of the lime light was on her. Besides, she actually wanted to know more of this Sergio.

“No,” he says without a pause. “I’ve been a Muslim for 2 years now. How about yourself?”

“That’s nice. I have been a Muslim all my life.”

“Awesome. Oh I’ll have a bit of that, please. Thank you.” He picks up something what seemed like cheese wrapped in smoked salmon, part of the hors d’oeuvre menu she guessed.

“Thank you,” she says to the waitress who also offers her some of the appetizers. She was amazed she met another convert. Back in Dubai, she came across all types of people and that also meant all types of converts, with their own stories. For some reason, the two times she had been to London, she didn’t expect to bump into many converts and she didn’t but meeting another convert was surprising.

“Are you Spanish?” Isabel decides to ask unexpectedly. “I mean, with a name like Sergio-”

“My father is Portuguese. My mother is Spanish,” he interrupts.

“Oh cool, that’s lovely. Oh look.” She spots Dina and Marco making their way through the crowd, apologising to those they bumped into. Dina waves apprehensively at the pair with Marco trailing behind her.

“Thank God we’ve found you. What took you so long,” Dina said as she manages to squeeze into a seat next to Isabel. Marco takes the seat next to Dina. The men start talking so Isabel decides this was her moment to confront Dina.

“What were you thinking Dina, pairing me up like that with Sergio,” she whispers, leaning forward so that Dina can hear her better.

“What? It’s harmless fun. You had no date so I thought why not, eh?”

“But I never told you about him,” Isabel replies back.

“I know. I wish you did though. Sergio is so much fun. You’ll love him, trust me plus he likes you so bonus.”

“Whatever Dina, you’re talking.”

“Yes I am talking and yes he does. He told me. But all is well because Sergio here is amazing and he’s a very very successful business man,” Dina says as she stresses the last “very” as if it would create more effect.

Isabel knew very well Sergio had a soft spot for her. She wasn’t blind. She also didn’t mind having Sergio accompany her but the thought of Dina and Sergio planning something like this in secret was a bit too much.

“You don’t mind right?” Dina asks in a hushed tone.

“No, no, it’s okay,” Isabel responds.

“Ladies, I must say you both look stunning,” Marco says, interrupting the conversation between Dina and Isabel.

“Well thank you Marco. You look quite the handsome man yourself,” Isabel replies as she takes another sip out of her cold mineral water. The music that the orchestra band was playing finishes and a gust of applause erupts.

A woman in her mid-40s takes the stage, carefully and as lady-like climbing the steps that lead to the stage. She looks magnificent in her cherry red, sweetheart neckline dress sweeping elegantly behind her with every step she takes. She reaches the microphone, tapping it to make sure it worked and begins.

“Welcome wonderful people to the Great Hall which in case you didn’t know is hosting the 4^th Lady Catherine’s Annual Charity Gala.” She chuckles slightly sending the whole crowd into a roar of laughter. “I am always honoured when I see so many of you having put your busy schedules aside to come for a good cause and my oh my, is this for a good cause. Every year we have a different project. This year we thought to start somewhere close to home. Therefore all proceeds tonight will go towards the selected charities here in England. You can find those in your paperwork laid for you all on your table. Before we move on to the auction, the children from St. Andrew’s Roman Catholic School will give you a performance. Put your hands together for them.”

Ten children, not older than 12, took the centre of the stage, each holding a violin. They begin their piece and it was without doubt serenity to everyone’s ears. Isabel smiles as she listens carefully. Right that moment, her phone vibrates. Snapping out of her tranquilised mode, she looks down to see that it is an incoming call from Rashid. She hadn’t spoken to Rashid in two days so she wonders what’s up with him. The phone stops vibrating. She decides that she’d call him again when she got home. The phone rings again. She looks down at the phone again suspiciously. Rashid would never call her twice in a row unless it was very important. He usually let her call him back when she didn’t pick up for the first time. Debating whether or not to pick up the phone, she again settles for calling him later. The phone stops vibrating and she returns her attention to the children. A few seconds later, the phone rings for the third time and this time an uneasy feeling grows in her stomach. What does Rashid want to tell her that can’t wait for a few hours? She quickly stands up and tells her table she’ll be back. She rushes to the ladies bathroom, making sure nobody was in any of the cubicles and slowly presses the green button on her phone.

“Rashid,” she starts off, not being able to hide the anxiety in her voice. “What’s going on?”

“Marwa, what happened to you? I was ringing you for so long. Khallas, forget that. I have good news and bad news,” Rashid says.

Her heart skipped a beat with the mention of “bad news”. What did he mean bad news?

“What! What happened?”

“Okay, I found Rafael’s full address. I mean you knew obviously from that site he resides in Essex but I found the postcode and everything.”

“Right, you are awesome!” she sighs with relief. “So what’s the bad news then?” she asks. “You’re scaring me.”

“Uhm…well, I found two addresses,” Rashid begins. “One being his normal address and the other being a hospital address…”

She was confused. Hospital? What on earth would Rafael be doing in a hospital? Unless…

“Rashid, what is he doing in a hospital?” Her voice was shaking now and breaks into a cold sweat. She sounded like a little girl introducing herself to her new classmate in front of a class.

“I don’t have the records Marwa. My abilities go so far but I think you need to go to the address I am about to give you as fast as possible.”

Her eyes widened with fear. Hospital is never good news. Her mind is racing 100 miles per hour at this point. Her hands are dripping so much with sweat, it was a surprise she was still able to hold the phone to her ear. She forgot to breathe at that moment. What if he is ill and she wasn’t there for him. She felt faint. Her breathing became heavy. She grabbed the sink, in fear of falling over and closes her eyes.

“Hello…Marwa, are you okay?” Rashid asks in a concerned tone.

“Give me the address,” she finally says as one single tear rolls out.