I was so pleased with dinner, as I join Omar dressed up in one of my favorite gowns. The setting is perfect- a cool Paris evening with music playing and lights decorating every corner. It is like something out of a storybook, and I am so lucky to be here, especially with Omar with me.

"Frown? No, not at all darling, please, continue with your toast. And Valentino? He is far from my mind, please believe me." Omar nods (is that hesitation?) and he toasts Paris, which is very fitting. I sip the cool wine that has been poured after clinking his glass.

"This wine is wonderful," I tell Omar, after the waiter has taken our order. I smile, excited, almost clapping my hands together, with bright eyes. "Everything is wonderful."

"I am glad that you think so," he replies. "I was afraid that you were angry with me for leaving the palace."

"Oh, gosh no, Omar, of course not!" I assure him earnestly. "Please don't think so. Really, I want to put all that behind us and look ahead. I am so happy to be here with you tonight. It is so beautiful here." I set my glass back to the table. "I hope that you are not angry with me, for getting upset in the cab earlier, it was silly of me. I do trust your judgment..." It was rather immature of me to carry on so... I smile at him, nervous, thinking of how to change the subject. "I had a wonderful time today exploring at the Louvre. It is such a large museum- I don't think I made it more than a third of the way through when it was time for me to leave! The exhibits are phenomenal- are you familiar with Renoir's work? Where have you spent your afternoon?"

The dinner continues on well- we have excellent conversation over the wonderful lamb served to us. I haven't eaten at a Greek-French restaurant before. "I hear that Crème Brûlée is wonderful when taken with Greek coffee." I offer, not wanting the evening to end. Of the corner of my eye, I see an older couple standing and dancing to the effervescent music being played in the cobblestone court. They looked so in love and I am filled with happiness for them. Across the court a few other patrons start singing in French, an anthem of sort, in a jovial way. More lights fill the court as another band of colorful electric lights start to glow on the crowd below. We can hear more music now from where we sit, distant, perhaps a few blocks away.

"Omar, do you have any plans for after dinner? Please tell me that the night doesn't end here- it is too exciting in Paris tonight- we must take part in it!"

And in the back of my mind appears the question that I have carried with me to Paris: "Where were you after the Amazon? When I returned to Cairo they said you were dead and it broke..." NO, no, not tonight. I push the thought away almost as quickly as the question had appeared. Things are too perfect to ask such a question tonight.

I gaze at Omar, sipping the wine again, awaiting his reply.