180 - Hope de Luca
Hope de Luca
I feel that with each step I take, it's as if I'm walking on a trampoline, making me dizzy with worry. If it truly is Allah's will that Guilherme is no longer with us, I will postpone this wedding for a few more days; I know Mahjub won't mind.
I enter the room and manage to pack everything we need to go to the airport. I rush to our closet and change into more Western clothes, putting on a long-sleeved bodysuit and jeans. I keep the hijab and grab a jacket to complete the look.
“My swan?” I hear Mahjub’s voice.
“In the closet,” I say, turning towards him.
He enters, already taking off his keffiyeh and thobe, planning to wear non-traditional clothes. I find him handsome in jeans and a button-down shirt with the sleeves rolled up to his elbows, but he is still my charming desert prince.
“We’ll attract a little less attention if we’re not wearing our traditional clothes; we need discretion,” he says. “We just found out the possible reason for the plane crash…”
I look at Mahjub, who is changing his watch, and slowly approach him.
“What did you discover?” I ask anxiously.
“That Guilherme’s opponent is very foolish!” he says, pulling me out of the closet.
We leave our room, and I pull one of the suitcases I packed for our short trip. Mahjub grabs the other, and we pass by everyone, promising to return in a few days.
At least, that’s what we hope…
Already on the small plane heading to Washington, DC, I hear them start discussing the conspiracies that always arise against rising politicians. Something similar happened during the last president’s campaign, and by a miracle, he managed to take office.
“The “First” needs Gustavo to be alive; they will search that forest until they find him!” I heard my mother-in-law say.
“They’re not dead, definitely badly injured, but not dead!” I say, worried.
"Don't worry, we will find them,” Mahjub says beside me. “How about you rest, my love? Our journey is long.”
I sigh and nod, acknowledging that my fiancé is right. I need to rest. I’m exhausted, having not slept well last night. I walk to the front seats, which are slightly larger, lie down, and hear everyone’s voices, seemingly worried about something I don't understand.
I just let my mind wander and take a break from all the worries I’m feeling...
A week has passed since the search for the elected presidential candidate began...
The candidate's wife has been avoiding giving interviews or making any statements...
There’s a massive movement of businesspeople from Colombia, New York, and the Middle East. What could be happening?
These are the news reports being broadcast daily about the disappearance of Gui and his father. The search for them is concentrated not far from here. We are all in New York since their flight departed from Boston and disappeared near Providence, in a dense forest area.
All the agencies have deployed their best teams to search for the two. The Seal team has found a small clue about their possible location, which is why everyone is focused on Providence.
My mother-in-law and Laís managed to convince Vanessa and Pietra to come to the Carter mansion, since it appears that the American and Colombian mafia are conducting the searches. At this moment, I realize how powerful this part of my future family is.
I glance at Leon, who is trying to calm Ella, who seems frustrated because her parents didn’t allow her to have a pet rabbit.
“I’ll buy one for you, and we’ll keep it here at the mansion!” he has said more than ten times.
But nothing he says seems to make the girl happy.
“But I want to take it home, little lion…” I observe everything out of the corner of my eye.
I try not to laugh at the two teenagers who have already declared their feelings and seem to be on the verge of starting a relationship. Seeing how involved they are makes me happy because I know they won’t face the same difficulties I did with Mahjub.
I see Leon lying with his head on Ella’s lap, receiving a gentle caress on his cheek. I lift my eyes to get a better look at them, pretending to read something in a gossip magazine while keeping an eye on them to prevent any mischief.
Today, only the women are at the mansion. Henrique, Mahjub, and my in-laws left early in the morning. I couldn’t understand where they went, but I know they made a great effort to ensure Pietra and Vanessa didn’t know where they were going.
“Hope, your mother is calling you!” I hear Pietra’s sad voice.
We see the two women withering away in sadness, not knowing what happened to their men. I nod and pull my phone from my pocket, puzzled to see no call from my mother. Before I can call Pietra, my phone rings, and I’m surprised to see Mahjub’s face.
“Hi, my love, please step away from everyone.”
He says, and I look around, seeing only Leon and Ella still sitting on the grass, talking about the cosmos, the most random conversation I had heard that day.
“Okay, what’s happening?” I ask, hopeful.
In the background of the screen, I see a landscape full of trees, the sound of a helicopter, and several people hurrying around.
“We found them.”
I break into a huge smile, happy with what he’s telling me.
I see Mahjub put a finger to his lips to silence me.
“Now pay attention, no one knows we found them. We'll keep it that way until we catch those responsible.”
I nod and look towards the mansion.
“But what about the two of them? They need to know.”
“You're going to pretend you're feeling unwell, and they'll take you to the hospital managed by Henrique's ‘Company.’ I’ll meet you there!”
“They'll be upset, but tell me, how are they?” I ask anxiously.
“Tired and very weak. Gustavo is in worse condition than your fancy friend.”
I sigh with relief, putting my hand on my forehead.
I started to feel the emotion of happiness taking over me. Finally, this terror is ending. They are alive, and even though I still have no idea how they really are, I feel somewhat reassured.