Preparations
Hazel
Jonathan only came to London for two days. I’ll still have a week here to sort everything out for the wedding. It’s Sunday and there’s not much to do, so we will spend most of the day together. We make some choices about the wedding, although he has already said that I can choose whatever I want. I had already commented on not having a man from the family to walk me down the aisle, and we ended up deciding to invite Aziz. Jonathan’s idea. Well, he was the man who made us meet. Nothing could be more fitting.
“Are you sad about that?” He asks.
“Well, I never dreamed of this moment, to be honest. I’ve never stopped to imagine the details of my wedding. But - I sigh - I was sad about not having anyone to walk me down the aisle. I missed having a father yesterday when I thought about it. But it’s okay.”
“Aziz was a kind of cupid fo
Wait for me to come homeJonAs soon as I get back to Dubai, I'll have dinner with Aziz at my house. I have to formally invite him, after all, he was and still is an important person for me to succeed in Dubai, as is Hazel. I tell Nadia that we have an important dinner."What would you like for dinner, sir?" I trust your good taste as I always have.She smiles and leaves. I go to work. Everything is going well with the building work and the second floor is being laid. I look at spreadsheets, bank accounts and the stock exchange. Everything is going perfectly as Turner's accountant had told me. Not everything can be left in the hands of other people and that's exhausting. I double-check everything and start making personal calls. I call the Armani store and make an appointment to choose a suit. I look at the website and make a choice. Just like that. I get a call from my mother."Mrs. Olivia, to whom do I owe the
London - Dubai - London and a celebratory cigar. (part 1)HazelFinally, my flight lands and I’m back in Dubai. I meet Jonathan at the airport, overwhelmed by an intense desire to hug and kiss him deeply, but I know I can’t. I didn’t need to make an effort to remember that I’m back in a land that doesn’t allow this kind of public display of affection, I know very well the rules here, and a romantic kiss in a public place is not allowed.Even with all these rules and restrictions, for some reason greater than the simple desire to make money from my dancing and from my art, I love this city. But I still don’t understand for sure the reason why. There was something intangible that drew me here, an inexplicable connection that I couldn't ignore and, coming back here now, after having visit my hometown of London, makes me realize that.It’s not just that because I’m returning to the arms of my beloved, but there’s something about this place that increases my happiness at being back. Even t
London - Dubai - London and a celebratory cigar. (part 2)HazelJonathan will spend his days working harder than ever. And I’m taking the opportunity to catch up on some unfinished business. I have to visit my apartment to check everything, call Carmen, and arrange a meeting to deliver the wedding invitation. When I call her and start telling her about the past few days, there's so much to share that she asks to meet her today.I arrange a time and tell Jonathan that I have to go out and that I need Ahmet and some security.A few days ago, Jonathan informed me about that man from Hamza who grabbed me in the nightclub and assured me that everything had already been sorted out. But I still have to go out with Alex or some other security guard. I’m not sure how this entire story ended, some details I might not even want to know. A person, no matter how powerful, can’t get into trouble with the president, or in this case the Emir, of a country and think they’ll get away with it. The fact
Happiness Part 1JonThe wait was agonizing, but it was worth it. When Hazel stirs and asks the doctor to look again to see if he can tell the sex of the baby, he speaks loud and clear."It's a boy!”I jump out of my chair with my fists clenched in celebration. It's a boy! My baby boy!"Yeah! Yeah!" I can hardly contain myself."A boy, love!”Hazel cries and I confess that I'm almost crying too, after all, it's not every day that you get news like this."Congratulations to you both. A healthy baby boy! As soon as I send you the printed results of the ultrasound, I'll choosethe probable date of delivery.”I'm very grateful to this gynecologist and obstetrician, but my son will be born in London. He'll be an Englishman like his mother and father. And we can't fail there.When we returned to Dubai, I found Hazel's gesture of handing out wedding invitations to Alex a
Happiness Part 2Jon" I'm listening.”"How are you? Can we talk?”" You're already talking.”"Jonathan, please, let's go outside. I need to tell you something.”I turn away from Hazel, who is engrossed in capturing moments with her godmothers and friends. Shaking my head, I signal to her that I'm going to approach my father. Stepping outside, a chill embraces me, one that I haven't experienced in months since leaving Dubai. It's a familiar cold, reminiscent of London, a weather I've never been particularly fond of."Son.”I look at him and see that the hot air he expels from his lungs turns to smoke in the air very quickly."Say.”"We've only spoken briefly over the years because of the company. You're always so dry.”I take my hand out of my pocket, even though it's cold, and open and close my fingers i
Shackled forever... and beyond part 1Hazel My wedding day has finally arrived. I haven’t even got out of bed yet and I am already nervous. In fact, I didn’t sleep very well; it was a troubled sleep. Jonathan stirs beside me, still lost in the peaceful embrace of sleep. I envy his calmness, as I remember how rushed the last few days in London have been. Final fittings, confirming the timetable with the church, the wedding hall and the buffet. The day of the cake tasting and the chosen sweets and snacks was a funny day. Me, my mother Hellen, Hailey, and even Olivia were all starving. We had just left the dress fitting and hadn’t had time for lunch, so everything tasted delicious. We devoured all the samples. Dana, our trusted wedding planner, had worked tirelessly to confirm all the services we had booked. Photographer, film crew, manicurists, make-up artists and hairdressers, and even a well-deserved massage session.Before the final preparation
Shackled forever... and beyond part 2HazelI stop at the door, waiting for the music to start playing. It was Jonathan who chose it and I don’t know what to expect. Sophia comes rushing from the altar with the wedding rings in her hand and stops in front of me to let us in.“Hi Auntie, you look very, very beautiful.”“Thank you, and you look like a beautiful princess.”I see Jonathan standing at the altar waiting for me. My heart starts racing. The music starts and I’m surprised to see that it’s live, not a recording. I immediately recognize the chords of the guitar. “Potograph” by Ed Sheeran! A shiver runs down the back of my neck. I know the song well, and Jonathan choosing it is like a beautiful declaration of love. Of the power that our love has taken on in our lives, changing us completely.“Loving can heal, love can mend your soul”I know for sure that my love has healed many wounds in Jonathan and his love for me has healed so many other fears and hurts that I thought wou
A beautiful party... and Capri.JonThe room Hazel chose at the Four Seasons is very beautiful. When we arrive, I get the impression that everything is very white, and it is. The chairs are covered in white with a bow behind the backrest. On the tables there are large silver vases of white flowers from which a new arrangement of different types of white flowers comes out. There are silver goblets, glasses, plates and cutlery. Amber chandeliers hang from the ceiling and the walls are wood"colored and covered in wood. It's too beautiful.I talk to a few people and in the meantime my father reappears. He's so emotional that he doesn't look like the same man who hurt me so much in the past. Maybe something has hurt him enough to change?"Son, I have to say, your wife is very beautiful... and your wedding was a dream. You could only marry a woman like that.I put my hand on his shoulder."Dad, why are you a