“Nothing. We go back to the hotel where you will say goodbye to your sisters—for now, anyway. Then we return home, fuck rather an obscene number of times and when you are pregnant, we try to do better with our kids.”
“I like the sound of that.” She sniffs.
“What about the keys? I’m almost afraid to discover what they unlock.”
“We must wait until you are twenty-five anyway, so there is a lot of time to worry about that later.”
“I guess you’re right.”
She sniffs, and I hand her a tissue.
“It’s done, angel. Now it’s my job to wipe away the memory of what just happened. To treat you like the queen you are and replace any fear with happiness.”
“What about you, Joseph? Can you ever be truly happy if that is your life?”
“Only if you are there when I come home, angel. Only if you smile at me with love and never fear. Then I can live happily, knowing that I have everything I ever need in life.”
She shifts and gazes at me with so much emotion it staggers me a little, and as she presses her lips against mine, she whispers, “I couldn’t walk away if I tried. For some reason, you are my man, Joseph. You are it for me, and no matter whathappens around us, we will stand together in the middle of it and weather the storm—together.”
Kissing my wife will never get old, even if we’re lucky enough to grow old together. Somehow, I found Tiffany in the unlikeliest of ways, and now she’s here, I must be a better man.
I can’t be her father, who disregarded what riches he truly owned. I will be better than him, understanding now the love my father has for my mom. His mistress exists because he is weak in many ways. He doesn’t want Mom to see that part of him. I am only weak if Tiffany isn’t the one by my side and there will be no other women in our marriage—ever. Su Yin doesn’t count. She is more like a therapist than someone I am intimate with. Of the mind perhaps, but never physically.
We reach the hotel and as we are once again swept up in the circus that has always been my life, I grip Tiffany’s hand tightly and wait for the storm to pass.
* * *
The girls are understandably worried,and we sit around on the couch in a circle, this time beside our respective wives.
They are close beside us, our arms encircling their shoulders as we wait for Nico to return.
“What about Sister Agatha? She must be terrified.”
Alice bites her lip nervously, a trait they all apparently share.
“I’ll call mom. She can reassure us.”
Simeon dials her number and places the call on speaker.
“Mom, any news on Sister Agatha? The girls are worried.”
Simeon’s deep voice as always gets straight to the point, and her soft voice fills the room.
“She is back in the convent. I just spoke with her. A little shaken, but her usual serene self.”
She chuckles softly.“Nothing ever has ruffled her feathers.”
“Mom, it’s Julius. Joseph says you have the three keys.”
Talking of getting straight to the point, Julius never did learn the art of subtlety.
“I do.”She pauses before saying defensively.
“We decided that it was too important to leave them unguarded. It was your father’s idea. They are secured in our safe deposit box at the bank until they are needed.”
“You could have saved us the concern, mom.”
Julius huffs and she answers him with a firm,“Perhaps, but one thing you should have learned by now is that the fewer people who know, the better. Even family. Pillow talk can be destructive and throw up many challenges, and as the girls were being pursued by every criminal in the network, there was a possibility that one of them would be successful. Without the keys, the girls would be safe to a degree and provide us with a bargaining tool to ensure their safe return. Use your chess pieces wisely, all of you, and always be four steps ahead of the game.”
