CHAPTER 3 MABEL WELCOMES AMI TO THE UAE

“Who would have known that one of my heart’s wishes will come true today,”Mabel happily hugged Ami while they were waiting to board their flight. “Boohoo,” Ami laughingly responded but Mabel noticed her cousin’s lifeless eyes. She just kept it to herself and tried to cheer her up. Don’t worry, Ali, one of my employers’ sons will be there to help you forget...uhm… just forget.”,Mabel teased her. Ami’s eyes clouded over but she bravely pushed the emotion back and said gaily, 

“Hah, who needs forgetting? I will not waste my energy crying over someone… or something.” 

“Aptly said Ma’am”, a handsome American said over his shoulder. Mabel and Ami looked at each other and laughed. 

“ What is so funny, my lovely darlings,” answered the gentleman. 

“Ahm, firstly Mr. Whoever, we are not your darlings, and secondly, don’t you know it is rude to butt in between conversations?”, said Ami. 

“Oh I apologize ma’am but you two look lovely enough to be my darlings,” he replied. Mabel gave him one of her haughty looks and harrumphed. 

“By the way, my name’s not Whoever, I am Devlin, and may I have the honor of your names?,” he asked. Ami looked him up and down and said, 

“ Oh my name is Embers and my cousin’s name is Fire, “ and then she laughed at his raised brows. Mabel shushed her and said, “Please excuse us Sir, but our number is being called. Have a lovely flight,” The gentleman looked at her and grinned and said, “See you inside” before he too stood and went ahead of them as the call for business class passengers was called. 

“Show-off!”muttered Mabel. 

Her cousin does seem to know who the gentleman is but Ami just kept mum because deep inside, a storm is brewing and she is trying to be brave and avoid bursting into tears. “So much for hoping for a bright tomorrow,” she thought to herself. 

Mabel was obviously agitated and it was evident as soon as they boarded their plane, especially when she saw the gentleman waiting for them to go to their seats. Mabel gawked at him and asked the stewardess, 

“Isn’t he supposed to be in business class?” What is he doing here watching us passengers?” To which the stewardess replied in a sweet tone, 

“Oh, Mr. Devlin was kind enough to offer his services in welcoming passengers. Isn’t he a darling?” The gentleman winked at her which made Mabel annoyed so she hurried Ami towards their seat. She didn’t notice the stewardess and the gentleman doing high fives before he went to his seat thinking about Mabel. “I will be patient with you”, he thought to himself.

Since their flight is a direct one from Manila to Abu Dhabi and it is night time, the cousins were too tired from their five hour bus journey from Baguio to Manila so they slept the entire duration of their flight, not even rousing when a stubborn gentleman from Business class managed to sneak into their cabin and tried to take a photo but was reprimanded by a male flight steward. He went back quietly to his seat smiling. Patience indeed, wait til they land. 

At the airport, Ali, one of Mabel's employers’ sons, was waiting for them. It took a long while for Ami because she only had an e-visa which needed to be validated. After everything has been smoothed out, Mabel introduced Ami to her employers’ son all the while aware of the gentleman standing by another car parked next to Ali’s Rolls Royce. For her part Ami felt awkward under the intensity of Ali’s stare.The driver of the sports car seems to be having a nice chat with the gentleman they met earlier. All these Ami tried not to pay attention to as she was busy admiring Ali’s car. Ali caught her attention and waved to the other Emirati chatting with the gentleman who alighted from his Ferrari and walked towards them. Ali introduced him as Mansour, his brother. Ami’s jaw dropped and was able to shut her mouth in time before the other guy offered his hand in greeting. 

“Don’t worry Habibti, my hand doesn’t bite,” he said smilingly at Ami. 

“I thought it is not allowed to shake hands Sir.”

“Ahhh, that. Unless it is offered by the gentleman first, then it is acceptable. Although I hope given the duration of your stay with us, we can hug you like a sister”. Ami looked to Mabel for enlightenment and was rewarded with a nod. 

“Shall we go then?”, asked Ali. It is quite a drive from here because we do not live in the city proper. Mabel habibti, did you forget to tell your cousins about us?” 

He shook his head teasing Mabel. 

“Hey Mansour, point your passenger’s attention to your car. He is not riding with me and my ladies,” he teased. 

Mabel colored and Ami chuckled, suspecting something is afoot here. Before she could react,Mabel slipped inside the car behind the driver’s seat and gamely whacked Ali’s back with a newspaper. Ali’s laugh reverberated in the carpark earning him a scowl from the American who grudgingly sat beside Mansour before they sped away. Ami was dying to ask Mabel why the brothers are so fluent in English. She was expecting and dreading a language problem but it seems her expectations were false. It doubled as soon as they were in the driveway of a huge villa that looked like a palace because it was gargantuan and surrounded with date palms. When they arrived, a flurry of servants came to meet them headed by what looks like the lady of the villa or the palace, maybe? Ami was so overwhelmed, this is opulence to the highest level. Aside from the cars driven by Ali and Mansour, there looked to be ten more cars in the driveway. She saw a Masserati sports car next to Mansour’s Ferrari. 

“Wow!’ she exclaimed. 

“Do not worry Ami, you will soon know who owns what in this palatial residence,”Mabel assured her. “Come meet our employers, Sheikha Mariam and Sheikh Abdullah, this is my cousin Ami. “ 

The Sheikha embraced Mabel first and then Ami. 

“Welcome, welcome”, the Shaikha happily engulfed Ami in a sweet hug. 

“Yallah habibti, go show your cousin her room and come join us for brunch.” the Sheikha shooed them off to their rooms. Ami still couldn’t believe that she is in the UAE despite the most extreme heat she believed she ever experienced. After depositing their luggage in a room that looked like a home furnishing catalogue came to life, overlooking more date palms, the cousins made their way towards the dining room located on the ground floor. Everything looks so home furnishing catalogue-ish.The table is huge and looks like a buffet for a celebration. Mabel saw Ami’s confused look and said, “Today is actually madame’s birthday that is why I wanted to arrive today. 

“Oh, should we help then?” asked Ami.

“We are her employees so we should help.” Mabel laughed and said,

“Look around you, all these people here are mostly their employees here or in their business. They are very good employers and they treat their employees with respect. We are all family here.During celebrations like this, even though we want to help, they won’t allow us, instead they contract outside caterers.”  

“Wow, I thought Gonzales' manor was grand, this is probably the grandest one I have seen so far.

“You have not even seen the real palaces of the UAE’s rulers so better reserve your adjectives for grandiose just yet. I hope we can visit the wonderful places here in the UAE as soon as we are given some time off. I warn you dear cousin, working for a Sheikha is not a walk in the park.”

“Ohhh, are we not used to that already?Me especially, since I can remember, my parents had been working like crazy sometimes forgetting I even existed. At least for you, your maternal side of the family is well-off unlike our paternal side.”

Just then the Sheikha spotted them and waved them over. She introduced Ami to Farinah, her teenage daughter.

“Ami, you will normally be working with me and with her too should the need arise but most of the time, you will be with me. I hope that is okay with you.” she informed Ami. 

“No worries madame, that is why I asked my cousin to bring me here. I have a goal in mind and I will do my best in everything.” Ami assured her. 

“Enough of this work talk, we have quite enough time for that later on. Come my habibtis, let us eat” 

Ami did not know what to pick, she is not familiar with the dishes. 

“Try them,” offered Mabel.

"Most of the food you see or taste in the UAE is like what we experience in the Philippines like this chicken biryani and that mutton. These are foods brought on by South Asians when they came to work here in the UAE. Those are kebabs which are Arabic in origin so it is not strange to find them here.”

Mabel pointed to all the food on the table. Ami tried a little of each and then she went back for a second helping of the mutton biryani. 

“It is so tender and it does not even stink.”

 “Maybe they used lamb.”

Meanwhile, more than 4 thousand miles away, Rain and his mom were planning how to dissolve an engagement. Another moment in Fiona and Barry’s circle has given the mother-son duo lots of headaches. At first, Rain thought Fiona was quite a catch but he soon found out after a few outings that their interests do not match. He was so frustrated because first, he cannot get ahold of Ami nor Mabel. Second, Fiona’s nonstop declaration of her exceptional capabilities is grating on his nerves.  On the day of his engagement’s announcement in the local paper, it was also the day that the UAE’s Al Zaheri Group of companies partnered with an American company. Of course pictures were taken and Ami was with Sheikha during the photo ops. Rain was not interested in the engagement announcement but his attention was riveted to the photo of the business partnership. Are his eyes deceiving him? “

Mom, mom! Come quickly”, cried Rain. Mrs. Gonzales quickly descended the steps towards the

living room where Rain was holding the newspaper. 

“Is it the engagement?” 

“No, mom, look at the front page. Isn’t that Ami?” he said while shoving the paper to his mom’s face. 

“Goodness me, it is Ami indeed!That explains why we can’t contact them. They left the country. This is good news, my boy.” 

She clapped with glee. 

“How can it be good news when she is miles away from here?” Growled Rain. 

His mom didn’t answer him, instead she said, 

“Let us go finish this ridiculous engagement farce and then we need to pack.” 

Scratching his head in confusion, Rain acquiesced and soon they were driving out of their home.

While Rain and his mom were busy with their activities four thousand miles away, Ami was enjoying her job because she is able to meet other people. She also was able to use her PR skills and contracts were signed because of the way she handled herself in her work. Most importantly, she is able to take her mind off Rain. Constant flirting with the other employees also cheered her up. Her fellow employees despite being men did not flirt with her because she was pretty but because they wanted to test her limits, whether they could crack her cool facade. Mabel asked her one day, “How are you doing Cuz?”” Ohh, I am good” Ami replied. With you, Mario, and the others cheering me up, I couldn’t wish for more. Add Ali and Mansour too, it is a good decision coming here. By the way, Ali is offering to bring us to Ferrari World tomorrow, should we go?” “Oh yeah, I am game,” said Mabel. They were seated on Ami’s terrace sharing the space with more plants. “This country is really opulent. Luxury cars everywhere, too bad I can’t drive.” Ami blurted out. “I think I should go to my room now, said Mabel.” I do not want to miss that excursion with Ali. How come he is always offering you to go somewhere. “ complained Mabel. He never did that with me.” “Oh I think I know,” replied Ami smiling. It has something to do with an American gentleman. “ “Oh do stop!” said an annoyed Mabel.” That man just tests my patience.” Ami laughed while ushering Mabel out of her room. Okay, what did Madame say, Yallah, go!” 

As soon as her cousin was out of her room, Ami laid down on her super comfy bed, even her small bed back home isn’t as comfy as this one. She was given more pillows than what she really needed but she is not complaining as she adores pillows and stuffed cars too, too bad she does not own one, but maybe when they go to Ferrari World, maybe she can find one. She promised herself a big red stuffed Ferrari car. She closed her eyes and indulged her dreams. But in her dream, she was riding in a ferrari car beside Ali and they were laughing and having a good time. She awoke with a start and for the first time in a few weeks, she smiled.

Back home, things were not going as planned, first the weather decided to take a turn for the worst, it was foggy in the morning but towards the afternoon, it started to rain, summer capital indeed.