Leila’s voice lost its smooth tone as she said, “I asked her if some animal had died in the house. I thought she was playing for a funeral, it was so sad. On my way home from my sale, it hit me how rude I’d been.”

  So something about music had happened. He tucked in his polo shirt. “I’ll let her know, Leila.”

  “Okay, no problem. Have a good rest of the afternoon.”

  He put his phone on charge as he didn’t need it right now.

  Part of him wanted to chase after Patti. She shouldn’t have taken what Leila said to heart. He honestly didn’t mind that she didn’t want to play again, though his collar felt tight.

  Patti had every reason to be happy, if she let herself, and he’d never harm her. A huge part of his soul wanted her back, and that shocked him.

  He walked over to Sara, took her tablet from her, and put it back on charge as she followed after him. “Who was that?”

  “Leila.” He knelt down.

  Sara had grown so much in the last month. She nudged his knee and asked, “Can we go and get Rose and Patti now?”

  Wow. They were both on the same page, but he needed to show his niece that they were a family and no one else mattered. He clasped her hands and said, “They left. We can’t make them stay, but we can get you dinner at the castle.”

  She patted her stomach. “Dinner? Food is good.”

  Good. He stood and offered his hand. “Then let’s get going.”

  She backed away from him and a tear went down her cheek. “What if Rose and Patti come back here?”

  Hmm. Nothing in medical school had taught him how to deal with toddler tears that weren’t physically related to pain. But this didn’t seem medical. He decided to indulge her when he shrugged and said, “Tell you what—we’ll leave a note and their tickets.”

  She walked with him toward the desk when he pulled out a paper and a pen, like this was his prescription pad. “Good.”

  This wasn’t too bad. He positioned his pen, but then stopped and glanced down at his niece. “I don’t want you getting your hopes up, Sara. They’re not coming back for us.”

  She climbed on the bed, then she climbed onto the desk and dangled her legs off the side. “Duh, ducks always find their family.”

  He put the pen down without writing anything as he’d watched her climb--fearless. “What?”

  She swung her legs back and forth, banging into the desk. “Ducks find their family and Rose, Patti and you are now my new family.”

  Family. The temporary marriage to Patti had seemed real to both of them. Now he needed to explain and hoped Sara understood. He scooted the chair over and looked directly at her. “Sara, I’ll never hurt you, or leave you.”

  She reached out and cupped his face like she was comforting him. “I know. We both miss Mama.”

  One day Sara was going to be a terrific, caring doctor. He smiled at her gentle touch. “More than anything.”

  She let his face go and pointed toward the pen and paper again. “Write down how much you love Patti.”

  He laughed in surprise. That wasn’t how this worked. Writing down wishes didn’t make them come true. “I can’t.”

  She leaned over and picked up the pen. “Yes, you can.”

  “You do it.” He hoped she’d draw something and then they’d go.

  She released a long sigh and shoved the pen in his hand. “I don’t know how.”

  Love was a word that hit him like he’d run into a brick wall, face-first, and he’d be left broken from the impact. He tried to shake off the feeling when he motioned with this thumb toward the door. “Well, then, let’s just go.” She wiggled the paper next to her and said, “Write it.”

  This was one of the moments Sara was going to be stubborn. He fixed the paper so he could write straight and nodded at her like this was a business. “Fine. Tell me what to write.”

  She glanced up at the ceiling and batted her pretty brown eyes. “Dear Patti…”

  Good. If he just wrote what she said, he had no thinking involved. He jotted down her words and said, “This sounds formal.”

  She licked her lips. “Telling someone you love them is good.”

  That echoed in his heart. Love? He froze, unsure how to respond when another memory hit him. At the hospital, Patti’s sister had been so sick but she’d still managed to ask about him, acting like they were friends and that she cared about him.

  No one had ever made him feel so welcomed. He shook off the memory and smiled at Sara. “Oh, well what’s next?”

  She pressed her lips together like she was in deep thought and then finally nodded at him like she commanded the doctors’ meeting when she said, “Say, I think you’re pretty. Women like to be pretty.”

  He winked and wrote down what she said. No one was going to see the letter anyhow but he finished and repeated, “I think you’re pretty. What’s next?”

  She grinned, like she was happy to answer this one. “Please come to dinner at the castle with us.”

  He wrote that and then put the pen down. “Okay, are we done?”

  “No!” Sara shouted and waved both of her hands together.

  He picked up the pen again and nodded like he was ready for more orders. “Okay, okay.”

  “I love you.” She lifted her chin.

  What a sweetheart. Sara was perfect and he’d keep her safe so he patted her knee and said, “I love you too, Sara, but what about on the note?”

  “No.” She pointed toward the paper and said, “Write I love you to Patti.”

  “I can’t.” He pushed his chair back as goosebumps grew on his arms.

  Love wasn’t something he’d thought of as a reality.

  He hadn’t known Patti long enough. But another part of his heart whispered he was wrong.

  Sara drowned out all thinking when she screamed, “Noooo!”

  This letter didn’t mean anything, and something in his soul guided him it was okay. He picked up the pen and quickly said, “Okay, I’m writing it. Wipe your eyes.”

  Reza looked at the words “I love you” he’d written on the paper, and then added the comma, with her name, Patti.

  And something inside his gut approved.

  Maybe length of time didn’t matter. The words were probably the most honest words he’d ever stared at on a piece of paper.

  But he couldn’t think about that anymore. He stood, picked up his little niece who was clearly too smart for her age, and put her on the ground. “Let’s go.”

  They put their shoes on and he tied her sneakers and helped her stand. “Sara, I meant what I said to you. Other people might come and go, but I’m not going anywhere. It’s you and me, forever.”

  She took his hand and they walked out the door. Tonight he’d take her to see princesses, eat American junk food and have a wonderful time. Tomorrow he’d figure out what he’d say to Patti to get her to come back.

  Life at his house made more sense with her in it. She’d made his house a home, just from being there. Yes, they had differences, but maybe love mattered more than the rest. He’d ask her if she was willing to find out, with him.

  Chapter 17

  Patti’s entire body was frozen. Every part of her stomach was twisted up as they rode in the car she’d ordered to take them to the bus stop.

  The moon grew in the sky and she trudged them into the small station where families were huddled on metal benches that probably hadn’t been cleaned in weeks. Patti glanced at her sister.

  Perhaps this wasn’t the best place for her. Rose was still recovering from being sick. But as they shuffled toward the ticket counter, Patti wished her heart and body were stronger because every step she took was like she ran away from her happily-ever-after. Reza was perfect but failure always happened.

  It was better not to dream.

  Okay, that wasn’t right. She would never tell her sister that, ever. Patti glared at the guitar full of stickers and stupid dreams of youth as her sister wheeled her own bag beside her. It was time to toss the guitar entirely, and she scanned the area looking for the nearest trash can. She slid the strap down her shoulder, but her sister caught her arm. Rose coughed, shaking her head. “Patti, don’t throw away your guitar.”

  Patti squatted down so she was eye-level with Rose, not caring that her bag hit the ground that probably hadn’t been swept in a while, never mind mopped. She met her sister’s blue eyes. “Rose, stop. First you insist the guitar and my playing it matters when it doesn’t. This needs to come to an end.”

  Tears formed in Rose’s eyes. Strangers glanced at them as Rose practically shouted, “All I wanted was for us to be a real family.”

  Okay. Not here. Patti picked up her guitar, her bag, and took her sister’s hand. They didn’t need an audience. She rushed her outside to the front door. The station was across the street from an apartment building. At least on the sidewalk there were less prying eyes as they talked. Patti kneeled down. Family. Of course she wanted one. “That’s why you’re crying?”

  Rose wiped her eyes though more tears rolled down her cheeks. “I don’t want to get on the bus.”

  Her sister’s tears reflected her own heart’s desire. Patti rubbed Rose’s arms and tried to help her understand. “We can’t pretend with Reza and Sara. We’re too different.”

  Her sister’s tears didn’t stop her sharp tone. “Why, because Reza goes out in the world and gets what he wants? You’re afraid to try.”

  Now that was a knock-down verbal punch. Ouch. She sighed. “Hey, that’s not true.”

  “This sucks, Patti.” Rose wiped her face. “I don’t want to go. I shouldn’t have said anything.”

  Was she afraid? Of what? Dreaming was important, dreaming helped guide and grow so she might become the best version of herself, not like now where she lived in fear which was like living in the dark when the sun was behind her,

  A bus pulled into the station behind them. Rose directed her toward the benches. Patti stood but her heart raced. If they took the bus, for real, then she might never see Reza again. His warm brown eyes had made her feel as if their differences didn’t matter.

  And they didn’t, not really. Who cared if they were a little different? He’d treated her like a queen and she’d been an idiot who’d not only hurt herself if it all went to pieces, she’d also hurt Rose. She jerked her sister’s hand to a stop once they took a few steps toward the station. She then gripped tighter and said, “Wait.”

  Her sister froze in place. “Are we not getting on the bus?”

  If she left, she’d never get a chance to tell Reza that she only wanted him. Leaving was the stupidest thing she’d done. She pointed toward the door and asked, “You want to go back to Reza and Sara?”

  Rose nodded. “I want you to be happy, sis.”

  A laugh escaped her lips. Good. So they agreed, but she needed to be sure when she said, “So you don’t want to go?”

  Her sister held absolutely still and as immoveable as a brick wall. “I want to know if you love Reza.”

  She inclined her head. “Leaving was a mistake,” Patti said fast. Her heart thumped that her sister clearly knew her better than she knew herself.

  Her sister took one step toward the door and said, “Yeah, that’s true. You make a lot of mistakes.”

  Wow. Patti dropped everything in a thump by her feet. Her sister channeled her mother’s voice entirely. And then picked everything up and they walked outside into the night, palm trees swaying, as another bus headed into the station. “You’re my sister and only six. You’re supposed to be on my side.”

  Her sister bounced beside her as she said, “It’s why I want you to admit that you love Reza. Mom said you’d be amazing if only you try again and now she’s gone. And you’re leaving the guy who just might make you happy and for what? Why are we here?”

  The conversation she’d have with Reza needed to be private. The zip in her step might be in tune for once. She’d been so blind to herself. Reza at the breakfast table, ensuring she ate while he gazed at her with those warm brown eyes of his, or how he carried the box without being asked. He was a good man. Now it seemed so obvious. Reza was the best man in the world and she loved him. Their differences would only make them stronger. “And if I do?”

  “Then we’ll go back, fast,” her sister said, and picked up her pace.

  She took out her phone and put down her guitar to find a signal so they could get a ride back to the hotel. Her sister jumped up and down beside her. “Hurry, then.”

  She walked around as she couldn’t get a cell phone signal, then held up her phone to search for one. Her sister trailed behind her and said, “Wait.”

  They needed to get back to Reza. Her sister coughed hard and Patti knelt down and asked, “What?”

  Her sister continued to cough harder than she’d heard her before. “Don’t forget the guitar.”

  Her sister’s eyes were tearing again, probably from the coughing rather than emotion. This was another screw up if they didn’t get back fast so Patti picked up her guitar and tossed the strap around her back. “Okay.”

  “Let’s get going.” Her sister walked beside her.

  Finally she found a signal. She stopped, opened her app and then grunted as she tried to order the car. Too long!

  “What’s going on now?” her sister asked as Patti typed in her information.

  She checked with the other company, but it also gave her horrible times. Both apps were slow from the poor signal. She had to choose, so she pressed the order button for the one that would be fastest by two minutes. “The ride will be a half an hour.”

  Her sister coughed again despite how warm it was outside. “Can we walk back to the hotel?”

  They were on the same page, but Patti shrugged and said, “The ride from the hotel to here was more than five minutes, and I don’t know the way.”

  Rose tapped her cheek like she was solving a math problem. “You can call Reza. He’ll pick us up or send a car.”

  Fair, if he accepted her apology and didn’t mind that she loved him. Hopefully he loved her back, but she didn’t want to weigh more on this conversation than necessary. Her sister’s face lacked color. Something was up. She glanced up at the moon that was growing in the night sky and said, “I’ll call him.”

  “Good.” Rose leaned against the outside cement wall of the bus station.

  Patti dialed, and his phone rang but after the third ring, it went to voicemail. She closed her eyes and wished somehow the right words came out of her mouth as she said, “Reza, it’s Patti. I shouldn’t have left. We’re at the bus stop but we’re coming back to the hotel. We’ll talk when I get there. I’m sorry.”

  It wasn’t right to tell him how she felt over the phone.

  She could be an adult and tell him in person.

  Her sister stumbled and called in a weak voice, “Patti.”

  Her sister’s skin was hot. “Rose, your fever is back.” Patti helped her sister up. The ride needed to hurry.

  Her adrenaline coursed in beat on what she should do now.

  Rose never should have been brought outside. This was her fault.

  Her sister gripped the wall. “No, I’m fine.”

  “Did you take your medicine?” Patti asked. Hopefully it was in her bag, though she didn’t remember grabbing it.

  Her sister’s eyes were closed as she leaned on the wall like she needed it to hold her up. “I think we left it at the hotel.”

  “We’ll get there.” Patti scooped her sister up.

  “Okay.” Rose dozed in her arms while they waited.

  Patti rocked her, unsure what to do. This wasn’t good. She trekked her sister back to the one spot with service and took her phone out.

  She needed help, now.

  Her sister’s blue eyes batted open. Patti said, “We should go to a hospital.”

  Her sister shook her head. “Reza said I wasn’t in danger anymore and I trust him. I’ll be fine when we get my medicine.”

  Neither one of them should have left. And she shouldn’t need Reza to remember something so simple. As they returned to the spot for the coming car, she rearranged her sister in her arms, who wasn’t a baby, while lugging her guitar. “I’m going to text him.”

  Her sister happily rested her head on her shoulder though she said, “No, you need to tell him that you love him, not that I’m sick.”

  At least Rose could talk. This was better than last week when she’d been so weak in bed. They needed to get her medicine. “I can do both.” Then without another word she texted the man she loved and typed, Reza, Rose has a fever and we left her medicine. I don’t know what to do.

  No answer but Reza would show up. He was a caring, wonderful man. She rocked her sister and dragged the bags slowly toward the main entrance.

  Reza didn’t arrive, but her phone beeped with a license plate. Good. She waved down the black Toyota Corolla and told her sister, “The car is here.”

  Her sister shuffled into the car. Patti loaded the bags but her sister pointed behind her and said, “Get your guitar.”

  Right. Patti picked up the last thing she had and handed it to her sister as she scooted in. “Done. Let’s get going.”

  Her sister didn’t go back to sleep as she had a cough that wouldn’t let her rest. The driver started back toward the hotel.

  Once they were on a highway, her sister tapped her and said, “Patti, I’m sorry I got mad about Leila.”

  Patti checked her forehead. Her sister still felt hot, despite the air conditioning of the car. She chewed on her lip, and prayed the medicine fixed everything. “Don’t worry about it.”

  “I love you, sis.” Rose closed her eyes.

  Patti hugged her and wished she could somehow fix her sister. “Good, because I love you, too, and I love Reza. I hope he forgives me for today.”

  “He’s stupid if he doesn’t.” Her sister coughed but her gaze had a light in it now. She laughed once she finished coughing and said, “Then maybe we can be a real family?”

  “Reza has a say in that.” Patti hoped she hadn’t hurt her sister with that admission.