“Denial was a knee-jerk reaction caused by similar situations in the past, none of which ended up being what they claimed.”
“You decided Aaliyah’s was?”
“She left the locket. I’d given it to her mother. Nothing more than a trinket to me, but she kept it all those years and passed it on to her daughter.” Gene swallowed, as if emotion was getting the best of him. “She’d left my picture behind hers. I looked when I remembered.”
“If you need further proof, Aaliyah’s DNA report is there, as well. Running your own will provide an undeniable match.”
“You know I will, because in my position I cannot afford to take anything on word alone.”
“Yes.”
“But I’m confident of what the test will tell us.”
“As am I.”
“I would like to see my daughter,” Gene said with hope. “Is she working for you now?”
“We are getting married next month.”
“What? How is that possible? Is she pregnant?”
“No, she does not yet carry my child. As to how and why, you do not have a place in her life that affords you personal answers of that nature.”
A practical man of the world, Gene didn’t flinch at the reminder. “I would like to.”
“You will have to apologize,” Sayed warned.
“Of course.”
Sayed wasn’t prepared to let it go at that. “Well enough that she believes you are sincere.”
“Whatever you may think of me, my children matter to me.”
“You will get one opportunity to prove that.”
“And if I don’t to your satisfaction, I never see my daughter again?”
“You are a man of discernment.”
“And you have a reputation for ruthlessness. Does Aaliyah know that, I wonder?”
“She loves me despite my flaws.” The satisfaction he felt saying those words was immense.
“I’m very glad to hear that.”
“Really?”
“I would not like to think my daughter was marrying for anything but honest emotion and hope for a future.”
“Come to Zeena Sahra and tell her that.”
“When?”
“Yusuf is waiting to take you to our jet.”
“You expect me to drop everything and come now?” Gene asked, showing dismay for the first time.
“Yes. You may bring your fiancé.”
The older man waved that off. “She is busy with wedding preparations.”
“Then it is the ideal time for you to make this trip.”