The Prime Minister's Daughter

  Chapter 26

   

  Tensions were high at the dinner table the night before Obatala's trial. Kevin and Deviane were silent and made no eye contact with the Prime Minister. Kiran and Anila felt the animosity in the air and made several attempts to strike up a conversation. Each time, it quickly ended in an uneasy silence. Ahmad looked at Deviane several times, but she did not respond to him. He picked up his wineglass and took a sip. Suddenly he slammed it hard on the table, startling everyone.

  "You think I like doing this? Everything your mother and I have worked to achieve these last ten years is at stake!"

  Deviane looked at her father. "Is being Prime Minister so important that you would betray your own children and send innocent people to their death?"

  "You don't understand. It's not for me. It's for you and your mother and for Trinidad."

  "Don't say you're doing this for me, because I don't want any part of it! And I seriously doubt that the people of Trinidad want some goon from the U.S. State Department running their country."

  "That's ridiculous! Who told you that garbage?"

  "We know about Navet Exploration and Safeguard Ventures," Kevin said.

  "So what? It's just a business partnership."

  "An American partnership that's made you very rich," Deviane replied.

  "It's made all of us rich. You've enjoyed it as much as the rest of us."

  "Yes, but I didn't know where it came from, nor did I know of the strings that were attached."

  "So now you're telling me my money's no good! Then you won't mind if I revoke your trust fund."

  Deviane stood up and threw down her napkin. "You can keep the bloody trust fund! I don't want it!"

  "Fine, consider it done!"

  "Good. And if you kill Obatala, you can forget I was ever your daughter. I can't forgive murder. Kevin and I will leave and you'll never see us again."

  "Maybe I won't let you go."

  "Then you'll have to kill us, because we won't be your prisoners."

  Deviane left the dining room and went up to her room. Kevin looked at Anila sorrowfully.

  "Why couldn't you leave our children out of your dirty politics?!" Anila said.

  "It wasn't my choice. It was just meant to be. How could I have anticipated any of this?"

  "Why does Obatala have to die? He saved your daughters' lives and you promised them you'd spare his life if he cooperated."

  "It’s out of my hands. I can't tell the bloody judge what sentence he should impose. It would be improper."

  Anila stood up and glared at Ahmad. "So you'll stand by and watch your own family be destroyed, just as long as you retain your precious political power?"

  "No, it's all of you who are deserting me, just when I need your support more than ever."

  Anila shook her head. "What happened to the honest, idealistic man I married? I never thought I’d see you stoop to such depths."

  "Don't worry, Anila. I'm still the same man you married. We're facing a very complex and delicate situation, but it will all work out. You know our family is of paramount importance to me. I've always pulled us through the bad times, haven't I? You, of all people, should trust me."

  "I'd like to, but I'm not blind, Ahmad."

  "No, you're not blind, but that doesn't mean you always see the bloody truth."

  "All I know is, if you drive Deviane away, I'll never forgive you," Anila said and then stormed out of the dining room.

  Kiran looked at her father nervously. She got up and excused herself. Ahmad stared for a moment at the empty table.

  “Ungrateful bastards!” he screamed as he sent three place settings of fine china crashing to the floor. Two servants came rushing in to see what had happened. Ahmad glared at them and spoke.

  "Get my car and then clean up this mess!"