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“Wow, that Biryani was outstanding, Aaliya!” Damien comments, wiping his mouth with a napkin.
Since it was a Sunday, I’d surprised him by cooking Chicken Biryani for lunch. He’d wanted me to cook it for him even before he’d remembered me fully and now that he’s finally remembered his life here, it was a reason to celebrate. Hence, my special home cooked Biryani was definitely in order.
“I agree, Aaliya,” Mike smiles. “It was delicious.”
I return his smile, glad he’s finally started calling me by my name, although Leo still refuses to do so. And sure enough, Leo nods his appreciation as he stands to help me clear the table. Mike does the same, while Meredith takes Rian to clean him up.
Damien puts an arm around my shoulder. “You, my darling wife, are super talented.”
I wriggle my hands in the air. “Oh yes, I have talented hands.”
He leans closer to my ear to whisper, “I know how talented your hands were last night. And that mouth! Even thinking of your mouth on me, makes me hard.”
Blood rushes to my cheeks and I glance at Mike and Leo who are loading the dishes in the dishwasher. Thankfully, their expressions are placid and don’t show they have heard my husband’s naughty words.
“So, let’s go take a nap and you can show me your talent in bed again? Last night wasn’t nearly enough,” he rasps in my ear, sending goose bumps down my arms as I remember our special time at the hotel the previous night.
“Stop it!” I smack his chest. “Go, get dressed now. We have to meet someone in an hour.”
“Who?”
“You’ll see. Now go.”
Kissing my cheek, he does as I instruct and goes to the bedroom.
“Hey guys, you need anything before we head out? Coffee maybe?” I ask them as we finish clearing the remains of lunch.
“No, Ma’am,” Leo responds.
“Thanks, Aaliya, but I’m good,” Mike says.
Meredith brings Rian out and he’s carrying a bat and ball in his hand. He rushes to Leo and convinces him to toss the ball at him.
I’ve noticed how Rian has become comfortable with Leo and that’s mostly because Leo was around him along with Jonathan and Jasmine when I’d been shot.
I drop on to the sofa next to Mike and we watch Leo glide the ball gently to Rian who just about manages to hit it with his bat. And each time he does so, he squeaks in delight.
Mike smiles. “He’s growing too fast, isn’t he, Aaliya?”
“Yes, he is,” I reply and then I turn to Mike. “Tell me honestly, how do you see all this ending?”
He sucks in a breath. “I don’t know, Aaliya. Until His Grace remembers more, we are all stuck, trying to make sense from the snippets of information we have.”
“He remembered our life in India last night.” Mike looks up at me hopefully and I shake my head. “No, he has several gaps in his memory, so other than the five years he spent here, he doesn’t remember much.”
“Yeah, well, it’s a good sign he’s remembering more then. Though if we need this to end soon, then he needs to remember everything.”
“What about Celia? Are you still tracking her phone and whereabouts? Has Damien told you about his memory that resurfaced in a dream?”
“Yes,” he answers. “He did and I’m in touch with the security team back in London. Celia has been in London ever since. She’s moved to her own house actually and there is nothing out of the ordinary to report in her activities so far.”
Before I can respond, Rian slams the bat against the ball and it goes rolling away from Leo.
“Mom, see!” He bubbles in delight, bouncing up and down.
“Well done, baby!” I cheer him.
He turns to Leo and says, “Again!”
Smiling, I face Mike. “I’ve never asked you before. Are you married? Do you have a kid?”
He looks away for a moment before facing me. “I was married once. She, uh, died. It was a car crash.”
“Oh!” I clutch his arm. “Sorry, I didn’t know.”
“Yeah, it was a long time ago. I have a son, Trey. He’s five now and lives with my mum, near London.”
“I’d like to meet him sometime,” I profess.
His gaze snaps to me. “Really?”
“Yes, of course. We are friends, Mike, and you have done a lot for my family.”
He sighs. “Well, when I was assigned this job, I didn’t realize it would be so similar to what happened to my wife. Except that...”
“That I got lucky...” A lone tear slips down my cheek, feeling his pain. In that moment, it dawns on me that I have indeed been lucky. I could have lost Damien but I didn’t. Thank God! So, all the trials and tribulations we have faced ever since his accident, they are nothing. They mean naught in light of the fact that he is safe and we are together.
“I can’t even think of a life without Damien...” I sniff, wiping my tears.
He nods in understanding. “I promise to protect him, Aaliya. I will keep all of you safe. I failed to do so once, but never again.”
I give him a warm smile and he lowers his head.
Damien walks out of our bedroom fully dressed and I quickly school my expression. Worry about my little family has embedded itself in my DNA. I know we are safe for as long as we are here in Mumbai, away from everything. But for how long can we stay here? Sooner or later we have to return to London. And then what?
My lips curve as my eyes run over him. Finally, he is wearing his old clothes. Dressed in a navy blue polo t-shirt teamed with dark denims and simple Adidas sneakers, he looks far removed from the polished Duke he actually is. In fact, he looks young and regular—much like the man I fell in love with.
He saunters towards me, a twinkle in his eyes, well aware that I’m staring at him.
“Come down to earth again, Your Grace?” I tease, rising up from the sofa to go to him.
“Well, my memory returning means that a lot of things feel normal. So, this is me too, just like the version you saw in London,” he replies, mirroring my thoughts.
I tilt my head and scrape his jaw. “Yeah, now just the beard and the glasses are missing, and then you are your old self.”
He captures my hand in his and tells me in all seriousness, “I never needed the glasses. And no beard, Aaliya. I hate it, truly. And I don’t need to disappear now. I can be myself.”
I chuckle, rising on my toes to peck his cheek. “I love you despite the clothes you choose to wear and with or without facial hair.”
He grins.
“So, are you ready to leave?” I ask him as Rian comes running towards us.
“Mom, park,” Rian yells, clamping his arms around my leg.
“Oh, we’ll go to the park in the evening, baby,” I coo to him as he clings to me. “It’s too early to go right now.”
Damien lifts him and drops him on his shoulder, and Rian makes a loud happy sound.
“Let’s take him with us now and give Meredith a few hours off,” Damien suggests.
Together, we make our way down to the ground floor, along with Mike and Leo. As soon as I step out of the lobby, I spot Damien’s fancy white BMW waiting for us with the driver standing outside.
“You remembered your car?” I ask him as he hands Rian to me. Damien takes the car keys from the driver and my eyes widen. “Wait, are you driving?”
“Of course, I remembered my car. I realized we’ve been using the office cars to chauffer us around these days. And you never mentioned even once that I own this one and that it was languishing in the basement car park.”
I roll my eyes. “Unbelievable! You just got your memory back and you want to drive on Mumbai roads? Why do you think I didn’t mention to you that you have a fancy car waiting for you in the basement? I know your love for cars and I was pretty certain you’d have wanted to drive it immediately just like you’re planning on now, which incidentally is the worst idea ever.”
He throws me a dirty look and I hold his arm. “Are you sure you want to drive?”
Mike too steps forward. “Sir, the traffic here is insane. Are you sure about this?”
Damien curls his lips. “Stop with the fussing, people. I remember my life here, which means I remember how to drive in this crazy city. So, get in everyone and let me be myself.”
We all pile into the car and I choose to sit behind with Leo. I strap Rian into the car seat next to me, so Mike sits beside Damien in the front.
“So, where are we going?” Damien asks, watching me through the rearview mirror. “What is with all the mystery?”
“To ASD, out store . We haven’t visited since we arrived here and we’re meeting a friend who may become a potential client as well.
“Who?”
I smirk, covering my eyes with a pair of sunglasses, against the blazing afternoon sun. “You’ll see.”
Damien puts the car in gear and we take off. My heart lurches against my chest as Damien drives through the streets. I really ought not to be concerned about his driving skills, because he drove everywhere all the time. But after he lost his memory and we returned here I was afraid he wouldn’t be able to manage through the chaos on the roads, that’s why I never told him about this car. But he seems to be doing fine. In fact, he’s even tapping his fingers to a song playing on the radio.
It’s such a relief that he’s got his memory back. I silently thank God for this small mercy—it is one part of the battle won. Only now, the most crucial bits from his mind remain a mystery and hopefully that should also be solved soon and everything can return to normal. Then we can live a life free of the fear hanging like a sword on our heads.
