'He heard that right, right?' He took a moment of silence and tried to absorb the piece of information he just got.
"Send the address, I will be on my way right away" he sprang out of the bed feeling suddenly energetic and grabbed his car keys.
"Right away your royal highness, I will meet you there" the person said and ended the call. Finally, after six years of fruitless search he got a lead and he just hopes that it isn't just like the ones he was having for the past couple of years. A dead end.
"Master your dinner" Sam called out noticing how he was in a hurry to God knows where.
"Later" he said curtly and walked out the door leaving all the servants dazed. Just as he drove out of his parking lot, a message popped on his phone screen and he quickly opened it to see an address location and fortunately, he knew the location of the address so he didn't bother using a GPS.
"She's in there, but I haven't checked if she's the one or not but the description given to me matched hers so I wanted you to see for yourself" he said as soon as he spotted a car pulled up in front of him and the owner came out.
"It's alright General," he said and looked around the area. It was a habitable neighborhood but why on earth would she be living in a shabby place like this? No wonder they couldn't find her easily. She tried her best to get away from him, now that he was finally a few steps to seeing her, why was he suddenly hesitant? Why was he suddenly feeling edgy? His heart raced a thousand miles and beads of sweat appeared on his forehead.
"Are you alright, your royal highness? General asked, and he nodded, heaving a deep sigh.
"Let's go" he finally said. General rang the doorbell and after a few minutes the door flew open and a middle aged woman appeared in front of them.
"Hello, how may I help you gentlemen?" She asked politely.
"Hello ma'am, I am General Mustapha and this is his…."
"Please call me Mr Abdullah" he extended his hand for a quick hand shake. The confused lady took his hand but still kept her confused face on. "Please, is this the household of Mrs Muhammad? She's a doctor" Abdullah asked curtly.
"Mrs Muhammad?" The lady asked, confused but suddenly her face lit up and she smiled at them. "Oh you mean Dr. Kulthum?" And they both nodded eagerly. "I'm so sorry but she packed out last week with her two children" she informed
'Packed out? With children?'
"She packed out?" General asked confusedly and the lady nodded.
"But who are you two? And why are you asking about her?" She inquired giving them a suspicious look
"Oh we are her colleagues at work, we were so worried because she hadn't been showing up at the hospital for quite some time now so we came to check up on her. But do you know where she relocated to?" Abdullah asked, disappointed.
"Uhhhh…. She said she was moving to the States but didn't really disclose anything more than that to me. Am sorry" the lady politely said.
"Oh, okay, thank you so much ma'am and we are so sorry for the late night disturbance" General said, and practically dragged Abdullah off the woman's porch.
"I need you to book a flight for me first thing tomorrow morning" Abdullah said as soon as they were out of the woman's eyesight.
"You are going to the States?" General asked, perplexed. "Why are you so hell bent on finding her when you were the sole reason she left you? You haven't been successful for the past few years. What makes you so sure that you would be now?!" General asked, frustrated. He knew how Abdullah could be if things didn't turn out the way he wanted them to and that was why he still hasn't given up on his quest to find her. He could still remember 'that day' as vividly as possible and at the beginning, he also suspected her for what she was accused of but then he made his own secret investigation and found out the truth but the heart broken prince didn't give him a chance to speak. He tried many times to tell Abdullah what had happened that night but Abdullah was so adamant on shutting him up that he almost sent him to the dungeon so he gave up.
He wasn't ready to lose his life just for the love the prince had for his wife. So he minded his business and became more and more less interested in finding the crowned princess. So now why was he suddenly looking for her? She left six years ago and within those six years, he forbade everyone from mentioning her name or anything that has to do with her.
He even told the servants to clear her things out of his room and put them somewhere he wouldn't see. The level of hate he had for her then was really frightening.
"Just do as you are told and stop asking questions" he pinched the space between his forehead and shut his eyes tiredly. He just remembered that he hadn't had dinner and he suddenly felt extremely hungry and dizzy.
"Are you alright, your royal highness?" General asked
"Yeah I am, I just need some rest" he answered walking up to his car.
"Let me drive you home, I will send someone with your car. Abdullah, feeling exhausted, said nothing and entered into the back seat gently. By the time they arrived home, he was already a wrecking mess and all he wanted to do was eat and then sleep immediately.
"Sam, bring the master's dinner into his bedroom now" General said as soon as they walked through the front door.
"Right away, General," Sam said and walked away.
"Am alright, General you need to rest yourself" Abdullah sighed heavily slouching on the nearest couch he could find. General hesitated for a short while before he decided to leave. Just as he opened the door Sam was standing with a tray of food in his hand.
"Have a goodnight General" Sam flashed a polite smile at him and before the general could reply he headed inside, shutting the door behind him.
As General walked past the maids who were already drooling over him and he's already used to that for the record, he contemplated booking the flight for Abdullah. If she's hidden away from him for six years what makes him think he would be able to find her there if he arrived? He remembered their conversation earlier that night which was probably in the early hours of the next day.
"How are you so sure she's there?" General asked with mixed emotions
"I just know she's there, and how I know is none of your business so just book the damn flight alright!" Abdullah exclaimed angrily.
"Am sorry your royal highness, I didn't mean to upset you" general said, rolling his eyes at the none looking prince.
As he went back to his place, the first thing he did was to book two tickets for the first flight that leaves the next morning to New York because he knew he could never leave that sensitive soul alone especially when it has anything to do with Kulthum. He's a total moron when it comes to her. When he was done, he took a hot shower and laid down to have a few hours of nap because there were just three hours remaining for the morning sun to rise up.
Just great! He lamented
And as promised, the next day they both saw themselves in the busy city of New York with people going about their business here and there.
"Welcome to New York, your royal highness," general dryly said, looking around the busy airport.
"You don't have to be sarcastic, you know" Abdullah rolled his eyes. He remembered the conversation he had with Kulthum a few years before the incident.
"Hey Love?" He called wrapping his arms around her small waist. She snuggled into him inhaling his sweet masculine scent before she turned around to face him.
"I've been waiting for you darling, where have you been?" She asked, wrapping her arms around his neck. He picked her up and walked her to the balcony then placed her on his lap while he sat on the white swing. She blushed, hiding her face in his chest and he chuckled.
"Missed me?" He smiled at her. She placed her index finger on her cheek trying to be deep in thought and he smiled to her childishness.
"Nope" she finally uttered with a big smile. He raised a perfect shaved brow at her then suddenly a wicked smile appeared on his face.
"Are you sure?" He asked leaning into her and placed a wet kiss on her collarbone. She inhaled sharply, closing her eyes.
"Mmhm" she murmured, smiling
"How about now?" He asked, trailing his fingers underneath the shirt she was wearing. She gasped and was about to stand up from his lap but he was quick enough to halt her move and tightened his hold a little from around her delicate waist. Why did she have to wear his shirt today? She cried
"I.." she wanted to say something but his hands that were already making their way up to her upper body were making it difficult for her to comprehend anything. It was as if he wanted her to beg for his mercy but she wasn't ready to give in yet. She was always the one to give up first but not today and not now either.
"You what?" She heard his captivating voice slowing sipping into her ears
"Darling I…" she moaned when she felt his cold lips on her nape and she tilted her head to grant him more access around her neck. He shifted her to a straddling position so quickly she almost thought she was falling off. "Oh my God!" She gasped, widening her eyes.
"Did you…?" Before he could complete his sentence, she claimed his lips in a very sensual passionate kiss that left them both breathless when they pulled away.
"I missed you so much darling, I always miss you even though we are this close" she said kissing his cheek. What happened to the 'I won't give in first' speech?
"I love you angel" he kissed her forehead gently.
"I love you too darling" she hugged him for quite some time before she head him ask,
"Baby? If you are given two options to choose from either New York or Honolulu to spend your holiday, which will it be?" She pulled away from him carefully and without thinking twice she said,
"New York, I will kill to go to that place" she exaggerated
"New York? Why New York?" He cocked his head to the side to have a better look at her
"I just love the way the city is bustling with people going about their businesses, the weather and also the opportunities you can get to find jobs and all and let's not talk about the romantic places you can visit and have a great time with your love" she smiled cutely at the last part.
"You are so…. I don't even know the words to use to describe how 'childishly strange' you are if there is anything like that to begin with" they both laughed till Kulthum's stomach grumbled and she blushed red feeling embarrassed.
"Okay that's our queue to leave," Abdullah teased, picking her up and heading to the dining hall where their food was already served.
~~~~~~
"Your royal highness are you alright?" Abdullah heard the general's voice from the background of his hearing but didn't respond till he felt him nudge him slightly.
"Uh… yeah sorry am okay" he sighed. General gave him a weird look before he said again,
"I said, are you staying in a hotel or are you staying at your apartment?"
"Apartment" came his short reply. General nodded and typed a few things on his phone and moments later, a black SUV parked in front of them. General gathered their luggages and put them in the trunk of the car then entered the passenger seat as well and they all zoomed off to Minnesota.
As one thought kept on rambling in his brain, he wondered if they would ever be able to find her.
Operation seeking Kulthum begins tomorrow, he knows that for sure.