He set her down and came over to Sonya, asking her how her day was.
‘It was good,’ she told him, telling him about all the people shehad met and how excited everyone was for the opening. Then, how they met Caden and went back to his for tea.
‘Is that where the rose is from?’ Azam asked, lowering his voice a little. He was very attentive; of course he had noticed it, despite Kiri’s efforts.
When Sonya confirmed with a nod, Azam crept up behind Kiri and put his hands on her shoulders.
‘So is Caden officially courting you then?’ he asked. ‘About time!’
Kiri tsked. ‘Hush, you!’ But her cheeks turned pink as they sat down at the dinner table.
‘Is that what the red rose means?’ Sonya asked. She didn’t know the rules of courting, which was ironic considering men were literally traveling from across the kingdom for the chance to court her.
Azam nodded, putting food onto Dania’s plate: tender pieces of chicken with peas and dill, which came together in a sweet and buttery broth laced with cream. ‘It’s a traditional way for a man to let a woman know he wishes to court her,’ he replied, cutting the chicken into smaller pieces for Dania.
Kiri sighed, looking troubled as she made her dinner plate. Sonya didn’t understand—she thought Kiri liked Caden, and it was clear he was fond of her.
‘Why is that a bad thing?’ Sonya asked, putting food into her plate next.
‘I’m too old for romance,’ Kiri replied, pushing peas around her plate.
‘What do you mean?’ Sonya asked.
‘I had my love story,’ Kiri said. ‘I had a good life with my husband.’
She looked perturbed and Sonya’s heart ached for the woman who looked frailer than she had in the short time Sonya had known her. She was clearly frightened.
‘Love can never be a bad thing, can it?’ Sonya asked, gently.
‘When you’re young, no, but when you’re old…’ She trailed off, not meeting Sonya’s gaze.
‘I don’t think that’s true, Grandma Kiri,’ Sonya said. ‘One is never too old for companionship. I think it’s perhaps a question of bravery, but in that regard there is no doubt that you are very brave indeed.’
Kiri smiled at that, some of the tension leaving her.
They ate their dinner, and it was only after they were finished and Kiri had taken Dania upstairs that Sonya noticed Azam was also unusually quiet.
He was looking at her, a strange expression on his face.
‘What?’ she asked, as she picked up the plates and took them to the sink.
‘Nothing,’ he said, bringing over the glasses. As they both paused, she felt the warmth of his body beside hers. ‘It’s just…it’s so easy to be brave with you around.’
Heat spread through her at his words. She didn’t know what to say, but he wasn’t waiting for a response. He went to pick up the spoons and forks, and Sonya began washing the dishes. He stood beside her with a drying towel, waiting, and when she was done with the first plate, he reached for it.
They washed and dried the dishes in a comfortable silence.
13
The days leading up to the opening passed in a blur, bringing them straight to Friday, the day before the opening. While Azam did the finishing touches on the sample pieces and finalized his sketches for the portfolio, Sonya cleaned and made sure everything was shining and spotless, and Kiri cooked and baked the refreshments for the party.
Each day, they sent Dania over to a neighbor who had children around her age to keep her out of the way, but by Friday, Dania was sick of it and wanted to stay home. Meanwhile, Kiri had finally agreed to allow Caden to court her, with some gentle encouragement from Sonya and Azam. She’d invited him to tea, but when the day arrived, Kiri was strung taut.
‘It’s a terrible idea,’ she muttered to herself, aggressively whisking a bowl of eggs and sugar. ‘Why did I agree to it?’
Sonya was polishing the spoons and forks, some of which they had borrowed from their neighbors, and Dania was playing with a ball, bouncing it around.
‘Dania, I told you not to play with that ball inside,’ Kiri said, lacking her usual patience. Dania pretended not to hear. Sonya approached Dania, trying to coax her out to the garden, but Dania ignored her as well.
