Date: Sun, 24 May 2015 11:54:39 +0100
From: Alain Mahy <amahy1957@gmail.com>
Subject: Fate and More 10

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That third holiday couldn't arrive soon enough for us.  We were looking
forward to his visit once again.  The weeks and the months felt so long.
We prepared his practices carefully so that we would have some more free
time during his stay.  We wanted him to discover a few places in our
county.  We surely planned to show him Nicole's castle and dragging him to
the pond to have some skinny-dipping.  We wanted him to discover a little
of our local gastronomy.  What we really wanted was to have some quality
time with him.  And that was exactly what we had.  Of course, we had our
runs and our showers.  We made love at every hour of the day or the night.
We laughed and just felt happy and complete with him.  We knew we would
remember his visits till the day we died.


******

During his third stay, Ahmed went along more with Kyle, who showed him the
roped from another point of view.  The knowledge of what is going on in the
headquarters of a brand would give him a better insight of what had to be
done before the cars get on the road.  Rules and regulation were of course
different in each country, but the basics were the same.  Ahmed's goal with
his end-of-course work was to have a dealership of exclusive cars, but as
United Arab Emirates had no own brands, it was important for him to know
how everything worked from an importer's point of view, dealing with
customs, technical requirements and the marketing of a foreign brand.

Kyle's work as a chairman was also giving him the necessary background on
how to have a lot of dealers.  Most of those dealers, with very few
exceptions, were independent and self-employed, but had nonetheless a
contract to respect.  The editing of those contracts was most of the time
the work of lawyers, but the importer, who actually followed the
instructions of the maker of the car, dictated the basic rules.  Ahmed
constantly carried a little recorder with him and dedicated each day the
necessary time to make his written notes.

Ahmed, as said before, was a quick learner.  He often amazed Kyle with his
questions that were so accurate and full of sense.  It was obvious that he
took his studies very seriously and was clearly decided to get the highest
grades possible.  He wanted to get those not only for himself, but also to
show his father that the money had been well invested.  It was good to see
that Ahmed knew what respect meant.  He was probably one of the very few
Arabs who respected his father rather than fear him.  He always said his
father was a correct man and even accepted if he was making a mistake.  He
never feared to go see his father and admitting he made an error.  His
father would always ask a lot of question before making any kind of
judgment.  The only thing his father never accepted and would never accept
in any kind of situation was that anybody would lie to him.  Ahmed, in his
younger years, had once done it and seen the rage and fury that his father
could get into.  The lesson had very quickly been learned!  It was the one
and only time he had ever seen his father lose his temper.

Apart from being a quick learner, Ahmed was also very curious.  He just
loved to learn new things.  One day he just asked me if he could work for a
few days on the assembly line of the Lloyd, most of all because he had one.
I put him under Charles' wing for a week.  What Ahmed learned in that week
was absolutely amazing.  He was indeed studying marketing and business
management, but if he wanted he could easily become an engineer and doing
the work I was doing as a designer.  But Ahmed was fantastic in learning
new technology, but he wasn't able to draw a perfect square without a
ruler.  He couldn't have everything, right?  But when I showed him the
designing program I had on my computer and explained him a few basic
things, he was able to use the program very fast.

When we went to visit Nicole and the castle Ahmed was eager to know
everything about it.  In a few hours he had covered his curiosity about the
ancient architecture, the decoration of the place and had even recognized a
few styles of the paintings on the walls.  When Nicole mentioned that we
had our annual national meeting here a few years ago, he wanted to know
everything about the event's organization and everything that went with it.
All in all, he was a young man with an open mind and ready to stock as much
information in his brain as was possible.

The two months of the summer holidays passed by at the speed of light.  He
was soon back in Oxford for his last year and to present his end-of-course
work.  We got a call from the Sheik who announced the graduation ceremony
at the famous university.  He wanted us to be there because he knew we had
helped his son in so many ways.  We accepted his invitation and went as if
it was the graduation of our own son.  It was marvelous to see the pride of
son and father.  His mother was more discreet about showing her emotions,
but we were sure she was at least as proud as her husband.  Our arrival at
the university was remarked!  The Sheik was wearing his traditional
clothing just like his wife did.  Kyle and I had opted for more discreet
Versace suits with white shirt and red tie.  When Ahmed saw us, he was
overjoyed.  He paid his respects to his parents first in a very respectful
way.  Then he turned to us and was like a kid in a toy store, hugging us
and kissing us.  We were a little embarrassed at his effusions but in the
corner of my eye I saw the Sheik smiling.  I wondered if he knew!

Ahmed graduated Cum Laude!  His professors were amazed with his final work.
They mentioned it as an example to follow.  Ahmed had covered all of the
aspects of a dealership, without forgetting one.  The Sheik looked at us
when that was mentioned and winked at us.  When the ceremony was over we
went to the best restaurant in town.  That's where the Sheik made all the
comments he hadn't made during the ceremony.

- You see, he said, in three times two months you have given my son the
training he needed and wanted.  Without you he would never have been able
to deliver such good grades and perfect final work.  He graduated as first
of his session and you can't start to imagine how proud I am of what you
have achieved with him.  The results are obvious.

Then he turned to Ahmed.

- Congratulations my son!  You showed you are capable of leading a
responsible life and achieve goals you set yourself.  Your mother and I are
so proud of you!  Now that you have your degree, what are your plans?

Ahmed clearly expected that question.  He knew his father quite well and
knew his way of thinking.

- Well Father, he said, I know you expect me to enter your business and if
you insist, I will.  But... with all due respect, I have a few ideas of my
own.  My first option would be to go on studying and get my degree in
engineering like Junior did.  The problem with that idea is that he already
did the best in car design and it would be difficult to surpass him.  My
second option would be to have the exclusive dealership of Junior's cars in
Dubai, with the appropriate workshop and the necessary licenses to import
them without having to go through the hassle of a one-by-one paperwork.  I
have learned so much with him and Kyle that I think I could have a
flourishing business.  I am even thinking of having an assembly line like
they have so that the pieces could be shipped and the cars assembled in
Dubai.  That is, of course, if Junior is interested.

There was a sudden silence at the table, but Ahmed's mother was smiling
discreetly.  I had the sensation she and her husband had talked it over
already.

- That will need a serious investment, the Sheik said.

- Yes indeed Father.  Look over my final work and you will immediately know
what kind of investment is necessary.

The Sheik interrupted him.

- I have read your final work very carefully and with a lot of attention.
I know exactly how much you need to do that.  In the case you have to go to
a bank to have a loan like that, what are your previsions, time-wise, to
pay back your debt?

Ahmed amazed us all by entering in a serious negotiating mode.  He was
confronted with one of the most powerful businessmen from Dubai: his
father.  It seemed he had foreseen this conversation.

- In the case of opening a dealership like described in my final work, I
think the repayment of the debt could be done in seven years.

His father interrupted him once again.

- I give you five!

- That wouldn't be viable Father.  Repaying the debt in five years would
automatically oblige me to take risks that could jeopardize the complete
enterprise, but there is a solution to that.  If we raise the investment a
little, and I mean about fifteen percent, the seven years could be
maintained, as the supplementary investment would allow having the assembly
line.  The costs of shipping spare parts would reduce the transportation
costs.  As the car would be assembled in Dubai, the import taxes of foreign
cars would disappear as well.

The Sheik turned to his wife and said: "I told you he has been thinking
about everything!"

- My boy, he said, your mother and I knew what you were going to say.  The
premises for the dealership are already bought and in your name.  Take it
as a present for your graduation.  Fortunately, next to those premises
there are still spaces for sale.  We will buy the next-door industrial
warehouse and set-up the assembly line.

Then he turned to me.

- Mr. Statham, do you think Ahmed is prepared for such an adventure?

- Yes, I think he is.  Seeing his graduation title, I am actually convinced
he will have a flourishing business.

- Well, I think it is settled then!  My boy here will be the exclusive
dealer of you cars only.  I would appreciate it if you could send a
contract to my son, covering all the aspects of what you think is
appropriate.

I had sold cars to Arab people, but never been in business with them like
we were going to do.  The sole idea of having a dealership of my cars in
Dubai was a dream come true.  That it was Ahmed who I was going to deal
with made me even happier.  After that celebration AND business dinner we
parted.  The Sheik and his wife had the grand suite in the oldest and most
famous hotel in town.  They were flying back in the morning to Dubai.
Ahmed was supposed to go back to his apartment, but actually spent the
night with us.  Our lovemaking was passionate and we were at it till the
early hours in the morning.  Ahmed was just in time in the lobby to bid his
parents good-bye.  Once his parents were gone, he came back to our room,
undressed and forced his space between Kyle and me.  We slept a few hours
more and got up for brunch.  Over brunch, Ahmed shared a few thoughts.

- You know what is the best of having an assembly line in Dubai?  He asked.

- Saving costs on transport, I answered.

Ahmed shook his head in the negative.

- The best of having an assembly line is that I will have to find six to
ten guys to do that work.  As the quality standards of your car are so
high, it will be necessary that those guys receive the appropriate
training.  I roughly guess that this training will take up to six months.
As I will be the owner of the dealership and have to know everything my
personnel does, those six months I will have to be with them and that means
with you two as well!

The little devil!  Just as his father said, he had thought about
everything.

- You know guys that I am supposed to marry a nice Arab girl and have
children with her.  My parents know I am gay, but in our world it is not
accepted.  So we made a deal.  I'll marry a nice girl and when it works too
much on my hips, I am allowed to have "business trips".  We have to keep up
appearances and that is exactly what I will do.  So, if you two thought you
could get rid of me, you were wrong!  You'll actually see quite a lot of
me.

His smile was bright and happy and when I looked at Kyle, he was showing a
similar smile.  I didn't have a mirror at hand, but I knew my smile had to
be like theirs.  We had our flight back only the day after that, so we went
up to our room again and celebrated in our own way the new collaboration we
would have.

Once back home I dropped the news to Jessie, James, Charles and Kevin, the
stockroom manager.  They were all delighted with the news and had all known
Ahmed.  They said there was no better person to represent my cars anywhere
else than in our showroom.  I contacted my lawyer after writing a draft of
the contract between Ahmed and me.  He would put it all in legal terms,
based on international law and Arabic law in particular.

Two months later we flew over to Dubai to select the crew for the workshop
and the assembly line.  Charles went with us to give us his professional
opinion.  Ahmed had made a first selection with his criteria, but we still
had about twenty guys to interview and select about ten of them.  Ahmed had
asked us to put an add in a specialized magazine at home, offering an
opportunity in Dubai.  We had already selected six of them, but Ahmed had
to check them out as well.  Another month went by before Ahmed arrived (a
week earlier than the rest of his crew) to select from the guys we had in
store.  He chose three of them what would make a total crew of nine and
that was sufficient to start with.  We rented a house with three bedrooms,
very close to the dealership, for the six guys from Dubai.  The three
coming from our selection were living nearby and were staying at their own
place for the moment.  Each of the nine guys was assigned to one of the
workers in the workshop and Ahmed was the living shadow of Charles.

It was a pleasure to see how all these guys were working together.  The
nine new guys were quick learners and performed the tasks very well.  We
had thought that the production would slowdown because of the training
everybody was giving, but we were wrong.  The new guys took their jobs so
seriously that we soon were ahead in the production.  Ahmed, Charles and I
were very happy to see such a positive evolution.

During the weekends we tried to keep the guys busy with other things than
car construction.  Ahmed was trying to show them that there was more to a
country than what they saw on television.  He made them discover another
culture and hoped to broaden their minds.  Nonetheless he left them enough
free time to do some discovering on their own.  He also wanted to spend
some quality time with us.  Our routine to go for a run in the morning was
kept as well as our showering together.  Some times we would be that
excited that we would spend our juices in the shower, but a lot of time we
would dry ourselves and finish the business in bed.  It was always joyful
and satisfactory.  Ahmed had a very high sex-drive apart from being almost
constantly horny.  He couldn't understand it, as when he was not with us he
didn't have the need of so much lovemaking.  Of course, in his country he
had to be a lot more discreet, certainly in his position of being the
Sheik's son.

We flew to Dubai for the official grand opening of Ahmed's dealership.  It
was a BIG event in the city of Dubai.  The Sheik had spared nothing to have
it known his son was opening the exclusive dealership of the most exclusive
cars.  Red carpet towards the main doors, sky trackers and firework were
all part of the opening ceremony.  A red ribbon prevented people to enter
the premises and it was the Sheik who had to cut it.  It was all set-ups
that "apparently" the scissors were missing but that when a plane could be
heard and we could see skydivers coming down and land just in front of the
waiting crowd.  One of them handed the scissors to the Sheik who then could
cut the ribbon and let the guests in.  The four cars were nicely exposed in
order of appearance on the market.  People could visit the workshop and the
assembly line.  For the opening they had wanted the crew to work so that
people could see how the cars were constructed.  To blend in as much as
possible, Kyle and I were wearing our hand-made Arab outfits we had
purchased some years before.  I was surprised at how much of the guests
spoke perfect English although some had a very heavy accent.  As the
designer of the car, a lot of people came over to talk with me and asked a
lot of questions.  I was patiently answering them all, but felt tired.

My tiredness got to me by the minute, till my vision started to blur and my
breath got really heavy.  Kyle, who had not left my side one minute, sensed
there was something wrong and led my to Ahmed's private office.  I felt a
pressure on my chest and had problems concentrating.  I didn't feel
comfortable at all and my head was spinning.  Kyle called for Ahmed and
asked him if there was a doctor among the guests.  Ahmed ran out of his
office in look for his father and told him that I was not feeling well.
The Sheik called for someone and then came to the office.  Once he saw me
he shouted something in his own language that I didn't understand, but I
had even problems understanding what Kyle and Ahmed were saying in English.
The pressure on my chest got even heavier and my jaw was hurting like hell.
I didn't know what was happening with me, but it sure felt scary.  Kyle was
holding my hand, throwing all caution in the wind being in a country where
being gay was still frowned upon.  I started to sweat profusely.  A man
approached me and started to ask me things in Arab, which I didn't
understand of course.  Ahmed started to translate everything that man was
saying and I soon understood it was a doctor.  Unfortunately he had nothing
medical with him, but Ahmed tried to reassure me saying the ambulance was
on its way.  I looked at Kyle and asked him if our insurance covered us
abroad.  Ahmed translated that to his father who responded that I didn't
have to care about that.  His brother owned a private clinic!

I didn't lose consciousness, fortunately.  I didn't realize how much (or
how less) time was needed for the ambulance to arrive.  I was put on a
stretcher and wheeled off.  Only the doctor was allowed in the ambulance
and Kyle with Ahmed drove behind the ambulance towards the clinic.  You
could have thought I was the King of Persia!  Upon arrival at the clinic I
had the feeling the whole personnel of the clinic was attending to me.
Orders were shouted and I was wheeled into ER.  A beehive was quiet
compared to the activity around me.  Orders were shouted.  Machinery and
electronic devises connected to my body.  A pill was pushed into me mouth
and a nurse told me, in English, that I had to keep it under my tongue and
let it melt.  Just a few minutes later, the pressure on my chest
diminished.  My breath returned to normal and I could focus my vision again
at last.  I heard an irregular beep of some kind, but didn't know where it
was coming from or what it was.  I focused on relaxing and tried to
remember a few techniques I had learned during my yoga lessons.  It helped.
A few moments later a man leaned over me and tried to attract my attention,
speaking to me.  The fact I was wearing Arabic clothing was confusing
because they thought I was Arab and didn't think of speaking in English.  I
made it clear to them I didn't understand or speak Arabic.  The man that
leaned over me introduced himself as a cardiologist and said, as if it was
the most natural and common thing in the world, that I was doing a heart
attack.  I guess my eyes grew as big as saucers because he smiled and
confirmed it, trying to make my disbelief disappear.  Once that diagnosis
was made and the first aid was given, I was wheeled into a private ICU
room.  My God!  That room was nothing like you would imagine in any
hospital of the world.  It was almost better than a five star hotel room.
They installed me in the bed and connected once again a lot of machinery
and monitors that were all hidden in a typical Arab closet next to the bed.
Above the bed there was a surveillance camera and I guessed all the
monitors were connected to the nurses ward.  The IV they had put in me at
the ER was dripping slowly.  The nurse used a syringe to add God knows what
to the IV and I soon drifted off to sleep.

My sleep was restless.  I woke every so often and each time there was a
nurse next to me in no time.  He spoke English and was trying to calm me
down.  He actually urged me to calm down because my condition was serious.
I asked for Kyle but the nurse had no idea.  I mentioned Ahmed and then he
went out.  Two minutes later Ahmed and Kyle entered my room.  Once they
both held one of my hands, I started to relax.  The beep on the monitor
slowed down.  I felt better and safer with Kyle next to me.  The doctor had
given them a full verbal report on my condition.  Nobody understood WHY I
had done a heart attack.  My cholesterol levels were perfect, I had no
diabetes and I had never smoked in my entire life.  I had a healthy
physical activity as well as healthy eating habits.  The only thing they
could think of was a hereditary or genetically problem.  I told them my
father had died of an unforeseen brain bleeding and that gave them a clue
about the possibility of arthro-vascular history.  An ultra-sound exam and
the angiography would determine that.

I apologized to Ahmed for ruining his grand opening of the dealership, but
he laughed it off.  He told me to rest as much as I could and to get better
soon.  Kyle and him were not allowed to stay long, but they promised to be
back in the morning.  The nurse had not left the room and asked me if I
wanted something to sleep.  I nodded.  He came back with yet another
syringe and my eyes closed even before Kyle and Ahmed had left.

The very next morning they wheeled in a cart with the equipment for the
ultrasound exam.  The same cardiologist I had seen in the ER performed it
and said the angiography was necessary.  Nonetheless, they would have to
wait a few days to let my heart at peace after the attack.  The doctor
asked a lot of question because, as I said before, he didn't understand why
I had done that heart stroke.  I suggested to ask Kyle to contact our
doctor back home and have my medical file sent to him.  He said it would be
really useful.  Once the doctor was finished and the cart was wheeled out,
Kyle and Ahmed were let in.  I don't know why, but I switched over to
"business" mode as soon as I saw them.

- Kyle, I need you to do something for me.  Call Dr. Corrigan and ask him
to e-mail my medical history to the cardiologist here.  Then call Jessie
and tell her what happened.  She has to be in charge a little longer as
office manager and James has to take over my job as long as I am absent.
Tell Jessie to cancel any appointment I have on my agenda till further
notice.  Call the airline and see if you can have an open return date on
our tickets.  I don't know when I will get a permission to fly.  Check with
the hotel reception and see if we can have the room for a longer time...

Kyle interrupted me.

- Shhh..., he said, you just forget about everything and let me handle
things.  You just have to think about one and only one thing: getting
better.  Your body just warned you that you are overdoing things.  That
warning tells us more than enough.  You have to slow down.  You'll be fifty
in a few months and even if you still look as young as the day we met, your
body followed its natural course and accumulated too much things.  I
repeat: slow down!  Most of the things you mentioned are already been taken
care of.  I already called Jessie, although I woke her up with the time
difference and she said not to worry.  James knows what he has to do.  The
airline tickets are already changed and we moved last night from the hotel
to the mansion of the Sheik.  He said you would need a lot of rest and
special attention and that the hotel would not proved that.  At his house
we have a private suite and the necessary medical staff will be hired for
the period we are there.  So, please my Love, please, rest and get better.

He then took out his cell phone and called Dr. Corrigan, explaining what
happened and giving him the cardiologist's e-mail to send my medical
history.

- You see, Kyle said when he was finished talking to Dr. Corrigan,
everything is settled.  Tomorrow or the day after you'll have the
angiography performed and after that we will know when you receive your
fit- to-fly certificate.  But for now, rest!  By the way, there were a lot
of pictures taken yesterday at the grand opening.  I have sent the best
ones to Jake so that he can make a report about the opening of the first
dealership of you cars apart of your own.

- And..., Ahmed said, if it helps you healing faster, we had about five
handshakes yesterday.

I didn't know what he meant and looked quizzically to him.

- So just that you know.  In this country you don't need to sign an order
form have a deal.  You discuss it and once you shake hands, the deal is
sealed.  What I mean is that five cars have been sold in just one night.

I was glad for him.  After all, it was HIS dealership and he had to make it
work.

The following morning I entered surgery for the angiography.  It was with a
local anesthesia and I was awake the whole time but I didn't feel a thing.
A catheter was introduced in my groin and contained a very small camera.
It took the cardiologist about an hour to detect where the problems were
and to put in two stents.  The device that they had put in stayed in for a
few more hours before the nurse took it out.  He said that after taking it
out, he would have to exert a pressure in my groin to avoid an internal
bleeding.  He took the device out and immediately pushed on my groin.  I
asked him how long he had to keep that pressure on and he said about half
an hour.  He was so handsome with his dark features and sparkling black
eyes.  I had nothing else to do than observe him and I thought he had to be
very hairy as his V-shaped medical blouse showed quite some here at the
base of his neck.  I couldn't help but my cock was slowly swelling with his
hands so close to it.  He smiled constantly and tried to entertain me and
make me think of other things so that my growing erection would subside,
but to no avail.  The longer he pushed, the bigger my cock grew.  His smile
didn't leave his face.

- I wouldn't mind helping you with your "growing" problem, he said, but as
you know, there is a camera above you bed recording all the time!  I can't
afford to lose my job.

I understood perfectly well and told him not to worry.  I wouldn't accept
any "help" in that matter anyway as I was very much in love with Kyle.

- You are lucky, he said, here it is not that easy.

Although the nurse had put the necessary pressure in my groin, the hematoma
that came afterwards was not pretty at all.  It was dark red, purple, blue,
green and yellow, but the doctor said it would disappear in a few days.
The cardiologist was very satisfied with his surgical intervention.  He had
received my medical report from Dr. Corrigan and was still puzzled about
the why tow of the arteries had closed enough to cause the heart attack.
Nonetheless, he was thinking of releasing me the next morning if I had a
good night.  He said he was sorry he couldn't deliver the fit-to-fly
certificate as the international aviation rules didn't accept it anyway so
shortly after a heart stroke.  I would have to wait at least twenty-one
days.  He said he would provide the medication I needed for a month and
advised me to go and see a cardiologist as soon as I was back home.  He
would give me a complete written report so that my local cardiologist would
know what had happened, what had been observed and what had been done as
well which medication had been given.

The following morning he came in for a last check-up.  He handed me a very
thick envelope containing his report, all the electrocardiograms, the
pictures and reports about the ultrasound exam and angiography.  The
various results of blood tests and, in short, everything they had done was
also included in the envelope.  About an hour later, Kyle and Ahmed were
there to take me to the Sheik's mansion.  As soon as we reached the mansion
the Sheik and his wife were there to welcome us.  I apologized profusely
for intruding like that.

- My house is our house Junior, the Sheik said.

I was surprised because it was the very first time he addressed me with
something different than "Mr.  Statham".  Ahmed explained me later that it
was a sign of pure and unconditional friendship his father was showing me.
He also said that I was the first non-Arab and non-Muslim that his father
addressed on a first name basis.  I felt flattered and honored.

The three weeks at the Sheik's house were more than a dream come true in
the sense it was a sumptuous and luxury mansion, but even more because we
were treated like royalty.  I didn't know how much people the Sheik had at
his service but it was tremendous.  The hired medical staff was checking on
me every morning.  Cleaning staff kept our suite spotless several times a
day.  Other personnel served the meals and the drinks.  Yet another person
came to make us the traditional tea.  The family Jacqueline was at our
disposal with chauffeur.  All that personnel was extremely well educated
and all spoke English with us, although they were quite reserved and opened
their mouths only when we asked them something.

I talked with Kyle about our stay.

- We can't leave here without giving them some kind of present of
gratitude, I said.  We are staying here three weeks and are fed to the best
of their cuisine.  We have personnel like we never had before and even
transportation to wherever we want to go.  We can't possibly leave just
like that!

Kyle agreed.  The question was what to give to a person who actually had
EVERYTHING!  We had to ask Ahmed.  He was the only one who could tell us
what kind of tradition they had in such a case.

- In our culture, when someone invites you to his home, he doesn't expect
any present at all because he does it with all of his heart.  A material
present would almost offend him.  You can thank my father by telling him,
showing the gratitude you have by looking straight into his eyes.  Don't
shake his hand when you leave but bid your good-bye by putting your hands
on his upper arms bringing yourself close to him as if you would kiss him
on both cheeks, but without kissing him.  Tell him your house is his house
and invite him to come over whenever he wants.  Don't offer any material
present or money because it has no importance to him.

Nonetheless, I thought about our traditions and arranged with Jessie to
have one of the most beautiful bouquets of flowers send over by special
express delivery.  The delivery costs would probably be a lot higher than
the flowers themselves, but it didn't matter.  The very next morning, the
day of our departure, the flowers were delivered and we gave them to the
Sheiks wife.  We followed Ahmed's advice and thanked the Sheik in the way
Ahmed had said.  At the airport, just before getting out of the car, we
kissed Ahmed passionately as in the airport itself we knew he wasn't going
to do it.

The following week we went to see a cardiologist recommended by
Dr. Corrigan.  To say the man was flabbergasted by the completeness of the
Arab report would be an understatement.  He checked my blood pressure and
made an electro-cardiogram and declared I would live till I was hundred
years old.

Ahmed got married the very next year to a lovely girl.  The appearances
were safe!  He came over to our house, alone, at least once a year for what
he called the annual international convention.  He didn't tell his wife
that at the "convention" there were only three people and that is was held
in our bedroom.  She was not stupid and probably knew, but she didn't say
anything.  Apart from his travels to come and see us, he was the perfect
husband and provided everything she wanted.

After Kyle's brain tumor and my heart attack, we slowed down work even
more.  We could afford it to live till we were hundred without working a
single day more.  Kyle quit his job and I reduced my presence at the
dealership to a minimum.  The few times I really was busy is when I created
a new model for my brand.  A Julius, a Bernadette joined the existing
family of Alberta, Jacqueline, Veronique and Lloyd.  A newer version of the
Alberta saw the light of day as well.

Kyle and I looked back on our lives and felt so fortunate for everything we
had worked for with conviction and passion.  We still held hands and kissed
and made love.  Our lives had been fulfilling and gave us joy and
happiness.  We admitted we were getting two old fools, but happy ones.
During his visits, Ahmed showed me some creations he had designed on the
newer version of my software.  I urged him to bring them to realization.
He did with Charles replacement.  Charles had retired and so had Jessie,
but their replacement, even though not easy, was a success.

When I decided to retire, I offered Ahmed to buy over the complete
business.  He did and hired the adequate people to run his different
businesses.  He just overlooked it all, just as his father had done before
he died.  Ahmed was now the official Sheik and took care of his mother, his
wife and his three lovely children.

We spend a lot of time in Dubai as Ahmed reserved part of his mansion for
us.  He was still a lot at our place, as he had to overlook the running of
the business he bought.  Life was beautiful.  Life is always beautiful when
you WANT to see it like that.



All comments welcome at amahy1957@gmail.com