The Customer - Dexter's Saga

This story is dedicated to all the real Super Heroes of our time - The Service men and women of our Armed Forces and First Responders.

This story is a work of pure fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are either the product of the author's imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, events, or locales is entirely coincidental, and no harm or slanderous intent is implied or intentional.

I hope you enjoy my work, and if you have any comments or ideas that may inspire new work, please feel free to contact me - all E-mails will be answered to the best of my ability. [email protected]

“Your wife! That’s the first time you have called me that! Oh Jesse, that was so beautiful! You don’t know how long I have waited to hear you say that. The wife of Jesse Allwadii! I really do want it so much. But, are you sure? Is it what you really want, and do you really want it now?” she asked with tears running down her cheeks.

“Yes I want it!” he said, taking a napkin and blotting away her tears. “No buts about it. I have wanted it since that time I saw your photo fall from Rashid’s wallet here in this very cabin. Yes, no more hiding. No more pretending and when we get back to town, we are going to proclaim it to the world.”

“I want it too, but as much as I yearn for it, I don’t think we can do that just yet. It would not do any good nor would it change anything. I know of the plans that you and Yethro have for your future. I think announcing our marriage at this time would disrupt and hurt any political ambitions you might have. You always say that no one would vote for a man who had sexual relations with an underage girl.”

“Yes that may have been true, but we are man and wife, and have been for a while.” Jesse said.

“We both know that by both Sharia Law and now our state law, both of us are man and wife,” she agreed then added. “But still, for some reason, the voting public has not had the time to embrace that concept yet. Going public at this time could damage whatever chances you might have in the future should you run for public office. On top of this, we must also consider Yethro and his political future. He still has at least one, possibly two more terms in office. What do you think a hostile public would do to him if he were to perform the marriage ceremony? Would they not perhaps vote him out of office? Is that not true?”

“Yes, that might be true.”

“You know it is! As it stands right now, Puritanical America would skin both of you alive. While it is true that in a few months, I will be above the legal age of consent in all states, the public might never the less run him out of office. Remember, you will need him in power in order to solidify your base. The public at this time is really unaware of you or the amount of work you do for the Governor. I also know that you plan to run for Governor after your father’s terms in office are over. After that you hope to run for the Presidency. But let’s face it, what chance would you have without both his help and shadow to stand in? Without his voice, power and don’t forget the amount of money he is able to raise, you might not even get the nomination. You know there are plenty of people within the party that are just looking for a reason to drop him from the ticket, as well as all the Islamists that he has brought into state office with him. Why give them any more ammunition?”

“Since when did you become such a political animal?” Jesse asked with a shocked look on his face.

“Well, since I decided to become the wife of the coming President of the United States,” she snapped at him.

“Well, Mrs. First Lady, this is you and me, and our life together that we are talking about. After your kidnapping, I don’t care anymore about anything but you. We cannot pretend anymore. If that will hurt my chances, I just will not run. I just cannot stand to think about us having to hide how we feel about each other in public for one more day. I’m beginning to agree with Yethro. Its time we settled down and started to raise our family. I can’t think of a life in which we don’t go to sleep together at night and open my eyes in the morning and not see you curled up by my side in our bed.”

“Jesse, what we just did was wonderful, but it’s only a few months until I’m 18. Then we will be free to do what we want! Besides, we have waited this long why not continue the charade for just a little while longer. I have no problem with continuing this way and besides, living in America, I have become spoiled.”

“You spoiled?” Jesse protested and then laughed. “You are the least spoiled person that I know!”

“Yes, spoiled and I’m ashamed to admit it, but really, Jess, I’m spoiled rotten! And, to tell the truth, it’s really all your fault,” she laughed. “Until we met, my biggest dream was that my family would just have enough bread to eat. We were so poor and with the political turmoil back home, there was always that chance we would never live to see our next meal. You and I will never know what my poor uncle had to do to earn enough to just keep us from starving. May Allah forgive him! He was so young and really not old enough to realize what he was doing. You Americans, praise Allah, have no idea how hard the times were. I’m told that after the death of my parents it was up to Rashid to head and support the family. Poor Rashid must have cheated, robbed and sold whatever he could to get his hands on enough money for not only what was needed to feed us but to get enough money to get us to America. And there were other things that he had to do. Although to this day he has never told anyone, I know he also sold his body to some army officers and rich men.”

“Ronnie, my love, I had no idea what you had gone through,” Jesse said and tried to kiss away her tears.

“I was really too young to know or remember, but from what my older friends and Grandma told me It was really bad. You don’t know the worse part yet. It would not come as any surprise to me that all this, our meeting and engagement, was part of a plan he cooked up from the very first time he laid eyes on you in class,” she continued. “Oh I know that most of the boys tried to get you to date their eligible sisters.”

“Yes, that’s true,” Jesse said. “But I never did go out with any of them. Rashid never told me that he had a niece at home.”

“No, Rashid was very clever and different. He really planned it out. He never asked you to take me out. I’ll bet that his dropping that photo of me on the floor accidentally, was really not an accident, but the first step in his great master plan to arrange our meeting. I will forgive him for putting me on the block and selling me to you in order to become very rich. It is in his Arab genes and the Arab nature to do this. The funny part is that I’ll bet if his ex-wife had not soured the Judge on married life, it would have been my Grandma Rashid would have tried to sell to him. He maneuvered and played you like a fine violin and you were caught in his web. There was nothing you could do about it. Like a fish, you could struggle and wiggle, but you were hooked and netted. Once caught, he finally began to live out his dream of becoming rich, even if it meant selling me to you. I’m telling you this so that you know the truth. Also because, while I do feel a bit guilty, I also want you to know that once I met you I fell in love with you because you were kind and so unlike any man I had ever known. The moment you came into our house, I knew that I had to just spend the rest of my life with you. It was not that you were rich or the Governor’s son. I just could not help myself. I fell in love with you. It was then that I, myself, began to have my own dreams. Wonderful and fantastic dreams. AND NOW I want the whole American Dream. A big wedding. Look Jess, I know it’s true that not every girl who dreams of a big wedding with lots of guests and gifts ever gets to have one. But Jess, please I know it’s silly, but I really want a big wedding. Most of my friends can only dream of having one, but now I can have one. Since our engagement, I have dreamed about seeing you in a tuxedo standing by the altar and then me, the poor, once half starved, uneducated daughter of even poorer immigrant trash, all cleaned-up and in a white satin wedding dress with a long, long white lace train walking down the aisle just like some princess to meet and join with you. PLEASE, please I want to be Cinderella! I want Yethro to take our hands and join them together… I want what every young girl my age dreams and wants, but few ever get. Tonight was beautiful and I will always love and cherish what we did here. But! It was not a wedding! And to tell the truth, my love, I do not feel like we are married! Please, Jess. I know it is silly and stupid but for once, I want to be really spoiled…..”

“Ronnie my dearest, so what if it may be true that Rashid may have planned, plotted, connived and even hoodwinked both of us into this marriage. Instead of chastising him we should thank him for it. I love you in spite of your family and I look forward to the two of us living out this crazy dream of yours no matter how silly others may think it is. But, my love, how can you even think of going back to the way we were after what happened here tonight? No, now that we have … I just can’t give you up nor go back to the way we were. I don’t think that I could live under the same roof as you without us sharing the same bed anymore. Besides, could you just see the stink that the newspapers would make if you were to become pregnant?”

“Jesse,” she said blushing a deep red and hanging her head as if in shame, “I have another big confession to make to you.”

“Oh, oh. And what deep dark secret is that? Don’t tell me that you are already…”

“Relax, it’s not that,” she said and blushed again. “I am not pregnant and there is little chance that I will be. I have been on the pill since we got back from the Sinai.”

“The hell you have! Why and who gave them to you and why did you not tell me?” he asked rather shocked.

“Now be calm and try to understand. I just did not want to become pregnant.”

“But why? Didn’t you trust me? I hope you know that I would not have taken you against your will and if anything did happen I would still be happy to marry you.”

“Jesse, I trust you. Did you think I would agree to come here with you if I didn’t trust you? My taking the pill has absolutely nothing to do with you,” she sobbed as the tears again began to flow. “It has to do with that kidnapping and the thought that it could happen again. Only that. All the time I was held by that beast in captivity, my one worry was that he could and get me pregnant. Just the thought that I might have to bear and raise his bastard child and then every time I looked into the poor kid’s face, I would be reminded of his father and that rotten stinking body he almost forced on me. It drove me almost to the point where I wanted to kill myself. I had to talk to someone about it and since I was too ashamed to talk to you, I asked that wonderful doctor on the ship what I should do. I can’t tell you how informative and understanding he was. We had a long and wonderful talk and I just let it all out on that poor man’s shoulders. I told him that just the thought of the possibility that it might happen again scared the hell out of me. I did not want to take that chance again and I surely did not want to take the chance of having a baby with anyone else but you. I even told him I was afraid to face you with those stupid rings that the pig had inserted in my nipples. I know I should have talked to you first but the doctor was so nice and understanding. He even was kind enough to remove them after I asked him.”

“I noticed those small holes, but I was afraid to ask you about them,” Jesse said. “When and why did you get them?”

“Believe me it was not my doing. You see when some Arab men wish to show their ownership of a woman, especially one that resists them, they will brand her or mark her in some way to notify the world that she belongs to him. It is one way of enslaving…”

“You mean that I am going to have to….No, not to you!”

“No Jesse, do not be silly now! The wedding rings, which we place on each other’s fingers, will establish our mutual ownership of each other. I could never have belonged to him no matter what he did. I hate that beast. If I could, I would have killed him.”

“No need to worry about him. He is most likely dead by now. I doubt that he survived his interrogation with the Mossad. Had I known what he did to you I would never had let him live even that long.”

“I was so glad to get away with my life and honor that I was foolish enough to think I could hide all that happened from you as well as the world. Anyway the ship’s doctor and I talked for a long time and it was he that recommended and prescribed the pills for me. Jesse, please, it is only for a few months more and after that we can openly be married and live as man and wife and have as many babies as we want. Hopefully, our cabin should be ready by then and we can setup house here and start our family if you want.”

“On the pill. Damn it my love…” Jesse smiled. “You should have told me.”

“Why, would it have made any difference?”

Jesse, rubbing his chin, thought a while contemplating if it would have made any difference, then said, “No it would not and at least I know now that you and I are not going to be shammed into a quick marriage because of a baby.”

“I’m glad you think that way. I just want you to know that I love you and what ever you decide will be alright with me.”

“You are right, Habibi. The one thing that I want to do for you is to make you happy and if it makes you happy we will wait the few months and then get married. And it will be exactly as you want, a big wedding. Another good thing to all this is now Yethro, Grandma and Rashid can get off our backs and start to make all the plans. That should keep the three of them busy and happy.”

“Yes, that’s wonderful and thank you, but if you think Yethro has been on your back --- that’s nothing compared to how both Grandma and Rashid have been on mine. There have been times that I have thought of running away. To say nothing of the numerous times that I have wished that you would just throw me over your shoulder and carry me off and make me yours. Even Grandma kept prodding me to seduce you to finalize our union. ‘You’re old enough to know how to trick a man into getting you with child’ she would say. They were both worried that it was me that didn’t want to get married. Then I was afraid that you just didn’t want me. Perhaps you did not want to have sex with me. All kinds of crazy thoughts came into my head. It was driving me crazy. I do not know how long I could have held out if you had not asked me to come here this weekend. I know we both needed this time to talk and just be together. Now that we did what we did – and Jess I do not mean just the sex, but the talking like we just did. I feel so relieved and relaxed. It’s like a heavy burden has been lifted off my shoulders and I feel like a real adult now.”

“You may not believe it but it was really not my intent to do what we did, it just… I just could not help it—When I saw you by the bed unpacking. Something just… My, but you are a lusty wench and I do love you so much..” he said and lifted his glass in another toast, “to all our little secrets” and drank it down. “Let’s pledge that there will be no more secrets between us. We will talk and communicate from now on. And now let’s eat because I have a feeling we are both going to need all the energy we can find to survive this weekend.”

She smiled and lifted her glass in salute to him. “To my husband now and forever….”

~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~

The next morning, after a late start and a phone call to arrange a meeting with their contractor, they went down to the dock, uncovered the canoe, got in and paddled over to their site. They found their contractor waiting to escort them on an inspection visit. A lot of work had been done. A nice long dock had been erected from the water’s edge to the rear lawn. A few feet beyond sat a huge log cabin. From the outside it looked almost ready to move in. But as the contractor told them there was still a lot of work to be done on the inside. The contractor took them around and with the aid of the blueprints, showed them what was still to be done.

“This is wonderful! We did not think it would be so far along. Do you think it will be ready for us to move in soon?”

“Well it depends on what you mean by ‘soon’. Please remember that this is not your everyday log cabin. Usually log cabins are small and one storied. They are usually prefabricated and just have to be slapped together. The Governor knew this when he contracted to have this built. This cabin is really humongous and it’s two storied. Everything had to be custom built. We really worked our tails off. We had to because the Governor has been calling every week just to check on things.”

“Well I guess he is just on pins and needles to get us out of his house. Just ignore him,” Jesse quipped.

“Well you see it is hard to do that. He is the Governor and he is paying for this…. But do me a favor please. Talk to him and ask him to get off our backs. Good work takes good craftsmen and good craftsmen can’t be rushed. If all goes well we should be finished with the inside soon and we can then start the landscaping in time for the fall planting. We planned it this way so that the lawn and your plants will have time to acclimate and settle themselves in for the winter. This coming spring you should have a virtual paradise here. So, yes, I think if the weather holds it will be ready in three months, tops.”

“That sounds fantastic because that would allow us time to get it furnished and ready to move into after our wedding in about four months.”

“It should be ready before then.”

Finding all to be going along on schedule, they thanked the contractor and returned to Yethro’s cabin and went for an afternoon swim. After the swim, Jesse called the Police Chief and the contractor and invited both of them and their wives to come for a bar-b-cue supper as a thank you for all their help. As the sun went down Jesse set up the charcoal bar-b-cue, took some beef that he had defrosted out of the refrigerator and while Ronnie cooked some potatoes, Jesse roasted the meat and a few veggies. He opened some more wine and they all sat down to dinner. It was rather fun having ‘friends’ come into his house, and to his surprise everyone had a good time. Jesse glowed as he watched Ronnie cook, set the table and act as the hostess. The six of them talked for hours over coffee and a dessert that the Chief’s wife had made for the occasion.

As they were leaving, the contractor reminded Jesse to give his regards to the Governor and again to ask him to relax, as everything will be ready on time.

“I’m sure he will be glad to hear that and we must do this again. Perhaps the next time we will all go fishing and then have a fresh fish supper,” Jesse said. “There is nothing like the taste of fresh-caught lake bass.”

“Are you sure that Yethro will allow us to use his lake for fishing?” asked the contractor.

“I’m sure he won’t miss a few fish. He has the lake stocked every year and besides the four of you will be Ronnie’s and my guests and I don’t think he will mind after all the work you do here both on the new house and the security protection. Good night and thanks for coming and for that delicious cake.”

The next morning they reluctantly closed up the house and returned to the capitol. “I really hate leaving here,” Ronnie said. “But soon we will be living here and we will now have some friends to visit.”

“Yes, my dear, and I can hardly wait.”

Upon returning to the mansion you would have thought that the two of them had been gone for weeks instead of just two days. Grandma, Rashid and Yethro tried to put Ronnie through the third degree but she refused to admit that anything had happened except that they had inspected the house and had been told that it would be ready in time for the newlyweds to move into in four months.

“In four months… Does that mean?”

“Yes, Jesse and I have set the date and will be married the week after my 18th birthday. So all of you can now get off our backs and get busy with the plans.”

“Yes. In four months,” Jesse agreed and then turned to Rashid and asked, “I hope you were not planning anything special for that time. If not, would you be my best man?”

“It would be my honor! I thought you would never ask?”

Then he turned to Yethro and said, “Ronnie and I talked it over and we would like to have a big wedding. We would like it held here in the Mansion if that is all right with you Yethro. We will reimburse you for the expense.”

“You will do no such thing!” the Judge said. “Rashid and I will be only too glad to pay for it. What else is it that you will need?”

“Both of us would be honored if you would perform the civil ceremony. However, I’m sure Ronnie’s family would like a sort of religious ceremony as well. Do you think we can convince my religious teacher to assist you? If not him, could something else be arranged?”

Yethro smiled and said, “Oh! Jesse, have you decided to convert?”

“I’m truly sorry Yethro but Ronnie and I have talked it over and decided that, at this time, I will not convert. Perhaps later, when I am convinced that Islam is my way, I will, but not until then. Do you think the Imam will agree to this?”

“It might require a bit of pressure, but you can be sure that somehow it will be done. I know he will try to put up a big stink about you not being circumcised yet, but as long as you swear to raise the children as good Moslems I’m sure I can make him agree,” the Judge smiled. “After all – I’m not the Governor for nothing!

“Ronnie and I also talked about this and have decided to raise the children with full knowledge of both Islam and Christianity as well as respect for all religions. What they choose to follow is their business. As for myself, I will undergo conversion when I am convinced that it is what I want. Yethro, I’m sorry but I still have many questions and reservations.”

“Don’t worry, something will be worked out. This happens all the time in this country. I’m sure that the Imam knows that you are trying. After all he can see that you are attending classes and Mosque almost every Friday. That’s more than most of his regular congregants do. We will work it out and I’m sure Allah will forgive all of us.”

“Good! Now, that all that is settled, I must have a ton of work waiting for me and it being Sunday, I might as well take advantage and try to get some of it done,” he said as he kissed Ronnie and her Grandma, turned and hugged both Yethro and Rashid and then walked to his office.

“Well, it looks like we have a wedding to plan,” Rashid said to Ronnie, Yethro and Grandma as Jessie went into his office and closed the door.

“Yes, we sure do,” Yethro smiled and put his arms around Rashid and Grandma and led them and Ronnie into the Grand Hall of the Mansion and asked them if they thought that it would be big enough….

“Oh, I think it will do,” laughed Ronnie. Then, joking, she added, “If it is not, we can always rent a large circus tent and place it on the back lawn. “That would surely satisfy all our Arab relatives and friends,” Ronnie jested. “The only problem I can see is how Rashid is going to pay for all of this. Are you sure you can afford all of this?”

Before he could answer, Yethro said, “What ever he can’t pay I’ll make up. Jesse is my only son and who else will I leave my money to if not him and the gang of grandchildren you two are going to give me. At a time like this --- forget about the money – Allah will provide!!!”

Jesse entered his office, walked over sat at his desk, picked up the phone and dialed Phillip Green’s home telephone number and when the director came on he said, “Phillip, I’m sorry to bother you on a Sunday but I have some news for you.”

“You’ve heard from the Caliph?”

“No I haven’t and my news is that I quit! I’m no longer on the payroll.”

“What? You can’t quit. The boss will not let you quit.”

“You can tell the boss, for me, to go to hell. I’m sorry but I have a new boss now. She and I are going to be married in about four months. I will send you an invitation. Yethro and Ronnie’s family are making the plans right now. They are making a very large wedding, however, I don’t think they will be sending invitations to your boss.”

“Yethro better send him one. As the head of Yethro’s party, the President will be expecting one. If he does not get one you can be sure that he will be rather upset… You better send him an invite.”

“We will see about that! He may be the Party head, but his very presence would cause a riot and I could not guaranty his safety or those of the wedding guests.”

“Damn you! His security guard could handle it.”

“That may or may not be so, but it is my wedding and as far as I am concerned he is not invited, however, I am not in charge of the invites. Ronnie and her family are and to tell the truth- I would rather have the Caliph as a guest!!”

“Speaking of him, you promised to try and contact him and I informed the boss about all the work you were doing for us. He was most excited to hear about it and wanted to meet you. I also told him that you were willing to work for us again. Well what about the Caliph?”

“Well I did try to contact him and I did leave a message with the contact. I gave him until today to get back to me, but he has not called so there is nothing I can do about it. That telephone number was the only way I had of contacting him. If I were to keep calling him, the Caliph would only realize that something is going on and either try to kidnap me or have me killed… Is that what you want?”

“You know better than that. You are our only link with him. However, you might be right there. Let it ride for now. He might not have received your message yet or he just might be thinking about other things for now. Just give it another week. If nothing comes of it I agree to let you off the hook. Good luck on your coming wedding and I’ll keep in touch anyway. I’ll also look for that invitation and think over the idea of sending one to the President.”

“The answer is no! Your invitation, I will see to it myself.”

~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~

Later in the day, while he and Ronnie were sitting around the pool after lunch, his cell phone rang and he was surprised to see by the caller I.D. that it was from the contact that the Caliph had given him, returning his call.

Thinking that it would be a call to tell him that the Caliph could not be reached, he said to Ronnie, “Excuse me dear but I have to answer this call. It’s business and might take a while.” he moved out of Ronnie’s hearing range and into the bathhouse, where he could talk more freely.

“Yes,” he said, “is there any news for me?” Jesse asked after he closed the bathhouse door.

“Yes, there is news. I’ve heard from our friend,” the caller said. “He told me that he was very glad to hear from you. He had wanted to contact you himself, but was very embarrassed and thought that you would not want to speak to him. He wishes to apologize and make amends for the problems that his subordinate may have caused you and that what happened was not his intent. He had no idea what this man was planning and would never have approved of the action taken, if he had known about it. He was hoping that you would give him the opportunity to explain what happened. He believes that you will both understand and forgive him for the stupid and idiotic way the situation was handled. He wishes the whole thing never happened. The whole thing was planned and executed by a minor fool in the hope of impressing him and perhaps earning a promotion. The only thing it earned him was a plot of land six feet deep. That said his Excellency would like to meet you in person and perhaps renew your faith and friendship in him again. He hopes you will agree to a meeting soon. But before that, if you approve, he would like to contact you on your cell-phone.”

“You can tell him that I am really angry with him and just a phone call will not do. I also know about incompetent subordinates. I’ve had a few of them myself. But, we leaders must learn how to quickly judge people and to cut off those we find incompetent. It will take me a while before I can forgive and forget what happened. He is going to have to prove that he really means what he says. I cannot understand how he could sink to such a rotten, low and despicable state,” Jessie said.

“Well when you run an enterprise as big and complicated as the Caliphate, these things do happen,” the caller said.

“Don’t give me that horse shit. How could a man of his great and noble standing have wanted to hurt me so deeply, to say nothing about that sweet innocent girl who must now suffer the shame of her lost reputation? Make no mistake about it, no matter how she may try, no one will ever believe that she was not shamed and raped. Both her family and mine are furious and feel that some form of reparations are not only required but also owed to us. Our family honor demands and deserves it…. I have had one hell of a time convincing our families to try to cool down and act like they are willing to forgive and forget. I do look forward to his personal explanation. AND I want it in person. However, for now to get things moving, I will talk to him on the phone! I will give him a while to set it up, but he will have to move fast. Because of his criminal actions I have been forced to marry that girl he tried to take from me. Now on the wedding night everyone will know that she was a ruined woman. Can you blame her family and me? I am still mad and he must call me as soon as he can. The longer he waits the less I will be willing to see him again….” And he slammed the phone shut.

“That ought to get his attention,” Jesse said to the dead phone.

A few days later while Jesse was in his office, his cell phone rang again. Checking the caller ID he noticed that it was a new number and he was tempted to let it ring, but after a few rings he answered it. He was shocked to hear a heavily accented voice.

“Hello! Who is this?”. Jesse asked.

“Jesse? It’s me! Now, don’t tell me you don’t recognize my voice.”

“Sorry but we never talked on the phone before and I really was not expecting you call.. You S.O.B! Well, what do you know? If it isn’t the chief camel jockey himself!”

“Now, now Jesse, don’t be that way. Here I am taking a great risk and calling to apologize and you are making it harder and harder.”

“I’d like to make it real hard and then cut it off and shove it… What would you have me do, you load of camel dung? After the way you professed to love me the last time we were together, was that any way to treat me?”

“You’re right! It was shameful. I have no excuse. I was a real bastard. But by now you should know that it is our way to take what we want, when and how we want without considering others. We learned that from you colonialists. I really do not know your western ways. You would have to teach me. What would you have me do? Would you have me crawl on my hands and knees and kiss your feet in public?”

“Well that would be a good start.” Jesse laughed.

“Jesse, I’m glad to see that you can still see the humor in all this and I truly wish that I could kiss your feet. But for someone in my position to do that in public… Well as Caliph I just cannot do it. No great leader of men can do it. Can you not see what that would do to me? Your President would never do it, would he? I would lose the respect of all my people. I could no longer lead them. Is it not enough that I just try to apologize to you here and now? Perhaps you will accept that for now and later in private I will kiss your feet and other personal parts.”

“No, it is not enough. You see it is not only me that you have hurt, but many others as well. You have to prove to all of us how sorry you are and that you mean it.”

“And how do you suggest I do that?”

“Perhaps you can start by treating me as someone you care for and love. Someone to treat as an equal and not as some cheap street prostitute you picked up in the back alley of some dark street corner in Syria.”

“But Jesse, my love, I want you to be my prostitute. My personal street whore. I want to control you and that wonderful body and mind of yours. To do something like that you would have to come to the Caliphate so that we could share not only our bed but our lives and our faiths together.”

“I might have come before all this. But not after what you did. Do you still expect me to share your bed? Do you think that I’m some kind of idiot? How can I when I cannot trust you anymore. First you must prove yourself to me. Let’s not jump ahead of ourselves. We have to play this slowly. As it stands now – I have lost all respect for you. You have to regain my confidence and prove that you are sorry. There are lots of things to settle first.”

“But I do love you!” The Caliph protested.

“Prove it!”

“I will do what ever you want. Can’t you see that? I beg you! I have never begged anyone before. I have never had to apologize to anyone for anything! I don’t know what to do or where to start. Just tell me what to do.” he asked in a subdued whine.

Seeing that he may have reached the point where he might have pushed too far, Jesse lowered his voice and said, “I really want to forgive and forget what you did, so I will help you. For beginners, I would like to see that you issue an apology to Ronnie and her family plus compensation of some sort.”

“I just said I could not go public. If I were to offer a private apology, what kind of compensation are we talking about?”

“You said that you were unacquainted with western ways. Well then let’s do it your way. According to “Sharia law” there are ways and means and you know how much, but I leave that to you and her family to work out. However, it should be enough so that she and her family will have their honor restored,” Jesse stated. “This you may do in private as I really do know that it would be a loss of face otherwise and I can understand your position.”

“Thank you for that, Jesse. All right, I promise to try to do that, but, how? Who should I talk to?”

“I suggest that you start with Rashid. After all, he is the head of their family and you know the customs as well as I do. But let me warn you, he will not be easy to deal with. As much as you hurt me – it was he that she was with at the time your people kidnapped her and he was devastated. Now get on with it! Once they are satisfied about your sincerity and forgive you, then and only then - can I even think about seeing you again,” Jesse hissed into the phone. “And you must make it sound like this is your idea and you really want to gain their forgiveness. You will impress on them that this is your idea and beg their forgiveness.”

“But Jesse, I need you now and want you so much. Can we not meet and talk more about this? I promise that I will not behave like the last time nor will I harm you in any way. Like I promised the last time when we parted, I will treat you as my equal and as my only lover.”

“As much as my mind and body are yearning to be in those strong arms of yours again, I dare not permit it at this time. This kidnapping thing still hangs over my head and it must be settled first. Perhaps when all is settled we can arrange to secretly meet a few times in Canada again. I need a few secret rendezvous just to build up my faith in you again. Only then will I consider joining you in what will be our wonderful Caliphate.”

“In Canada? Why Canada?”

“Yes it should be Canada! That is the only place as it is neutral ground where both of us can meet and recreate our mutual trust,” Jesse explained.

“Yes, that might work. I still have connections there and I’m able to sneak in and out without too much difficulty.”

“That would be wonderful because for some silly reason that I can not comprehend I have always felt free and less inhibited up in Canada. It’s as if I was able to turn myself into a wild sexual animal and let myself really enjoy acting whorish. I’ve never forgotten the way your hands and your lips just burned into my soul. I felt after our meeting that I wanted to see you again and again and perhaps to stay with you.”

“I know what you mean. I, too, felt that way. At that time, I wanted to take you home with me, but to do that I would have had to kill Yethro. I was tempted and would have but I was not sure how you would have reacted to that. Would you have just accepted the fact that I was your new master and surrendered and not fought me? Or would you have tried to kill me? And if you did accept me—perhaps I would soon tire of you.”

“I would most likely have hated and tried to kill you for that. After all he is my father. I really doubt that I would have liked you after that,” Jesse laughed.

The Caliph also joined in the laugher. “I really intended to contact you again, but I was just afraid to because I did not want to be rejected. So I just, as you Americans say, laid low.”

“I know it was as if you had dropped off the edge of the world and there was nothing for a while. The thought that you might have forgotten me was almost too much to contemplate and I began to hate you. Then there came the day that gift arrived and I was happy to have proof that you had not forgotten me. You had not just used me and then dumped me. I gave much thought and tried to think of ways to see you again. When I was alone in bed at night, I would take that sexy mesh under garment out and rub it all over my body. You talk about your getting hard!!! I conjured ways to perhaps trick Yethro into arranging some kind of official fact-finding trip for me to see you secretly in the Caliphate. However, this would kill poor Yethro and I just could not hurt him that way. Also if I did that it might kill his re-election chances and my political future as well. Then I thought of another way where we could meet in secret over and over, at least until I was sure that your feelings for me were true. Once I was convinced you were in love with me, I wouldn’t care what Yethro or anyone thought. No one. Nor anything would matter. Not Yethro, not Ronnie not even my political plans. I would gladly give it all up to join you as your lover. Then, one night, it came to me and it was really simple.”

“And how was that? Tell me and I will help you make it so!”

“I’m sure you know how Yethro loves to go fishing as well as hunting… Well, I had been looking into the possibility of buying a hunting and fishing lodge up there in the wilds of Canada as a retirement present for Yethro. Until then it could serve as sort of neutral ground to meet and test out our relationship. When I was certain that both of us were compatible, then and only then would I perhaps be ready to willingly come to your Caliphate, your bed and offer you my loyalty and honor…”

“Oh Jesse, what a devious and beautiful mind you have. I knew it! You really do care for me enough to leave that old Bedouin and give yourself to me,” the Caliph shouted into the phone.

“Damn it! Habibi! Was there any doubt in that thick Arab head of yours? I told you that the last time we parted. And I was certain that gift you sent sealed the bargain. Then you, like an idiot, go and do what you did… And there is now this mess to clean up. Now you know what has to be done--- so go and do it!”

“Damn, You drive a hard bargain! Are you sure that you do not have Arab blood flowing in that beautiful body of yours?”

“Perhaps I do have a Bedouin or two somewhere in there --- but if you want to see this body of mine again and find out- you know what you have to do, Habibi.”

“As I said you drive a hard bargain, but are you really worth it?” he said.

“Well, that is for you to decide. Until you pulled this last stunt I thought you were a man that I might love waking up next to every morning and feeling your hot body pressing against mine and…” Jesse said, his voice trailing off into the depths of space.

“Damn that sexy body, voice and mind of yours. When you talk like that, you drive me insane with desire. I need you by my side. What am I to do with you?”

“It is my job to drive you insane. And, perhaps if you do that which your conscience tells you is right, you might find that you will not only know what to do with me, but that I might even help to cure your cravings and desires. Perhaps in more ways than even your devious mind can dream up.”

“Damn, now you are getting me so hard again. Can’t we meet sooner and just let me hold you in my arms? I promise I will not act like I did before,” begged the Caliph. “You can trust me.”

“But can I trust myself? No! I cannot trust myself. And as for trusting you- I might just forget and jump into your bed and find that I was lost beyond redemption. My Caliph, you must do as I said and do it quickly if you want this to work. Because of the kidnapping and what that pig did to her, I have been forced to set a date for Ronnie and me to be married.” He whined and lied, “This marriage has now become your entire fault. Her family has insisted that I take full responsibility for her well being as soon as possible. They even insisted that they all move into the Governor’s house and that I hire security protection for the entire family.”

“Seeing how you say you feel about me, you could just run off and join me now. Once you were with me, they could not touch you. Everything would be settled.”

“Nothing would be settled and you know it. You know I could not do that. You are not the only one with honor. That poor girl would be ruined…. And the family would either come after me or hire someone to kill me. They would also take it out on Yethro…. That is for sure!”

“Yes they would, it’s the way of the Bedouin! Has been that way since before the Prophet. So then, marry her. It will not matter once you and I are together in the Caliphate. Here, I make the laws. If you want and feel the need, we will take her with us or send for her and you can put her in your Harem with the rest of your wives and concubines. Then, like a good Moslem husband you can visit now and then to make children while the rest of the time you and I will share our bed as lovers. That way her family honor will remain intact. Both families retain their honor.”

“You make it sound so easy. Do you have a Harem?”

“It is easy and yes, I, like most rich men in the Caliphate, have a Harem. And so will you if you choose to have one. Some of my trusted people have two Harems, one for their female wives and one for their male concubines. It is our custom and both expected and the norm. Does that bother you?”

“No it does not as long as you would not place me in one.”

“No! You are special and I would never do that. How or why could you even think I would do that?”

“Well if it is the norm, why would I be different?”

“Because as things are now, doing that would mean that we could not live together. A Harem is not part of the main house and I do not live in it. Like I said the last time we were together, you would be my equal and not only my bed partner but my full partner once you come here. You will live in our home and not my Harem. It would be, like everything else, OURS! This is my pledge to you, the moment you join me here, we will have our joint Caliphate established and both of us will rule side by side. I mean that and, if you want, I might even give up my Harem and only keep you…. ”

“Now that is beginning to convince me. AND it is really a first step, my Caliph. I’m going to hold you to that promise. Haroum, Habibi, my beloved, it is up to you how soon this will all come about. Once you do what you promised me concerning Rashid and his family I will start to look for our little hide-a-way love nest…”

To be continued…