Much as Lani loved her mother-in-law, she could often hear the wheels turning behind Priia"s composed expression. She probably imagined this would be a private chat about her future relations.h.i.+p with AJ-a million miles away from her intended purpose.
Maybe something in her expression made Priia realize the situation was serious. "Come with me right now. Bring your breakfast and eat in my study."
The older woman hooked her arm through Lani"s and guided her out past the stone-faced waiters. "Bring fresh tea," she called behind her.
Marching down the hallway, her mother-in-law looked crisp and efficient as always, her black hair short and glossy, her traditional dress perfectly arranged over her neat, plump body. She projected an aura of calm and warmth that Lani had appreciated so much over the last few years, though that had been shaken by Vanu"s disappearance and presumed death.
Lani was s.h.i.+vering slightly by the time they reached the sh.e.l.l-pink sanctuary on the east side of the house. Morning sun streamed through the windows, illuminating her mother-in-law"s collection of bird statues and the traditional embroideries she made into cus.h.i.+ons and wall hangings.
"Take a seat." Priia pointed to a plush pink armchair. "Be sure to eat. You"ve looked pale lately. Are you feeling better?"
She swallowed. "A little." She looked down at her plate; the contents looked inedible. "I"m not really sick." Her heart started to pound. "I"ve just been feeling ill because..."
Priia tilted her head, expectant. Her lips pursed into a familiar smile. "What, dear?"
"I"m pregnant." The words fell out on a sigh.
Priia"s eyes snapped open. "Did I hear you right? You"re expecting?"
Lani nodded, unable to push words past the lump in her throat. "I think so." No need to mention that she"d taken a test. She had all the usual symptoms, anyway. "At first I thought it was stress over Vanu"s disappearance, but now I"m pretty sure it"s..." She glanced down at her stomach, which appeared flat beneath the green and blue pattern of her dress.
"A baby." Priia clapped her hands together and a broad smile lit her face. "How marvelous!"
"Yes," whispered Lani.
"A ray of light in our darkest hour." Priia sprang to her feet and strode across the room. "A miracle."
It didn"t really feel that way to Lani, which only added to her crippling burden of guilt. She should be happy. A baby was always a reason to celebrate in Rahiri.
Unless it was the child of your unloved and evil late husband.
"We must celebrate. We"ll plan a big party. What a marvelous way to move forward after the sad days of the funeral." Priia was almost dancing around the room. "A baby! Our Vanu"s child will carry on his legacy here in the palace."
Lani bit her lip. That"s what she was worried about. Which wasn"t fair. The innocent child might be nothing like Vanu at all. Everyone else in the royal family was warm and kind, including the father-in-law who"d died before she came.
"Oh, sweet little baby clothes. I must start embroidering right away." Priia patted Lani"s cheek affectionately. "I wonder if he will have your lovely golden coloring. Or it could be a she." She frowned. "Of course we won"t know for-" She grasped Lani"s arms. "How far along are you?"
"I"m not really sure." She didn"t want to pinpoint the night Vanu disappeared, though that was certainly the date of conception. "A few weeks, at least. I"m just starting to show."
"Oh, do let me look at you." Priia s.n.a.t.c.hed Lani"s untouched plate from her lap and tugged her to her feet. She patted the rumpled fabric over her belly. "I can"t feel much yet, but I took a while to show with my boys. We Rahias don"t have large babies, but they grow up to be big strong men." Her beaming grin was almost infectious.
Almost. Lani struggled to look at least slightly happy about the circ.u.mstance, but instead her lip wanted to tremble.
"You"re worried, aren"t you? Scared." Priia took Lani in her soft arms. Her expensive scent enveloped her for a moment. "I know it"s not easy having a baby when you"re a widow. The child reminds you of the man you"ve lost."
Lani looked down. Her words were painfully true.
"But look on it as a wonderful chance to let him live again through his child."
Please, no! Lani blinked rapidly, trying to keep her emotions in check.
Priia pressed a finger to her lips. "Though this does rather complicate things with AJ. It"s not easy for a man to raise another man"s child, even if it is his brother"s."
"I don"t think AJ wants to marry me." Lani said the words quickly.
"Don"t take it personally. He"s just gotten off track with this Hollywood business. He"ll realize that his duty lies with us in Rahiri." Her mother-in-law"s face grew serious. "Oh, my goodness."
"What?" Lani"s chest grew tight at the look of alarm in Priia"s dark eyes.
"According to our laws of succession, the baby is next in line to the throne." She stared at Lani, her face growing pale.
Thoughts clicked into place. "So AJ doesn"t inherit the throne."
"Not if Vanu has a child." Priia bustled across the room and stared out the window toward the forest. Then she spun around. "Oh, I do so want AJ back home with us. He was so unsettled as a child, always jealous of Vanu and in a rush to get away. I"m sure things would be different now that he"s grown and matured. Now that my husband and oldest son are gone, it would warm my heart to have my youngest son here with us. And I do believe he"d be a very good husband to you."
Lani remained silent. A stray memory of his lips on hers a.s.saulted her and caused color to rise to her cheeks. She had no idea what kind of husband AJ would be, and she"d rather not find out-kiss or no kiss. Vanu was enough husband for one lifetime.
Priia"s expression hardened. "Don"t say anything. Don"t mention the baby."
"To AJ?"
"To anyone." She gripped Lani"s wrists. "Let no one find out until you"re safely married to AJ. Then they can think it"s his."
Revulsion at the proposed deception coiled in Lani"s already queasy gut. "But I"m weeks along, almost two months."
Priia loosened her grip and rubbed Lani"s arm-which didn"t feel all that soothing over the goose b.u.mps that had formed there. "You can say it"s premature. We really do have small babies. Even big, strapping AJ was barely six pounds at birth. No one will ever find out."
"You wouldn"t even tell AJ?"
"Why? Better to let him think the baby is his." She tilted her head and looked right into Lani"s eyes. "Sometimes men are happier if we keep some secrets from them. It"s part of our work as women to keep the world running smoothly."
Lani could feel a cold sweat breaking out on her back. "I don"t like deception. And what if AJ doesn"t want to marry me?"
Priia"s lips formed a tight smile. "He will."
Three.
AJ"s plane left for L.A. at six o"clock the following morning. He was not on it.
"Thank you, sweetheart." His mom"s expression alternated between tears and smiles. "You don"t know how much it means to me to have you here. I couldn"t survive the loss of one son if I didn"t have another."
AJ didn"t really follow her logic-or like it one bit-but he nodded. Apparently he had no resistance to female pleading and weeping. Hopefully in a few days his mom would calm down and he could make his escape.
"Have some papaya, sweetheart." She pushed a platter laden with the s.h.i.+ny golden fruit toward him.
His stomach recoiled. "I"m not hungry." The bright sunlight flooding the breakfast room contrasted strongly with his mood. Lani picked at her own breakfast on the other side of the big, polished table. He kept his eyes firmly off her. She had a very unsettling effect on him, and he didn"t need any more crazy things happening. Getting a door slammed in his kisser was quite enough.
His mom clapped her hands together, bracelets jangling. "We"re going to plan a party."
Lani"s head shot up. He sneaked a glance at her, and saw her eyes wide with alarm.
"Isn"t this an odd time for a party?" AJ leaned back in his chair. "Especially after all the funeral events. Lani"s probably exhausted."
Lani didn"t meet his gaze, just stared at her teacup.
"I think it"s important to show people that this is not an end for the Rahias, it"s a new beginning." His mom"s crisp smile had firmly replaced her tears.
A sense of foreboding hummed in AJ"s gut. He strongly suspected that he played a key role in that "new beginning." "I really can"t stay long, Mom. I have script meetings for my new movie."
"You could do them via teleconferencing. We have it set up in the throne room."
"It"s not the same." He didn"t want to go anywhere near the blasted throne room. There really was a throne in there-an impossibly ancient piece of volcanic rock carved with mysterious markings-and he had a nasty feeling he"d end up on top of it if he wasn"t careful.
"Of course it is. And Lani and I can be your a.s.sistants, can"t we dear?" She shone her megawatt smile on Lani.
Who gulped, visibly. "Oh yes. I do enjoy your films." Her voice was as flat as her expression.
"What do you like better, the violence or the s.e.x?"
"There isn"t really that much of either." She tilted her elegant head and her long mane of brown hair swung in front of one shoulder. "What makes your movies so good is that you use suspense and antic.i.p.ation to keep the audience on their toes. Teenage boys probably think they saw all that stuff when they leave the theater, but really you kept their hearts pounding by making them think it was going to happen, or had just happened. It"s very clever."
AJ"s mouth hung open for a second. "You really have watched them."
"That"s why we installed the theater, dear." His mother patted her lips with a napkin.
Lani"s eyes sparkled. She was clearly delighted to defy his expectations. Her bright gaze sent a s.h.i.+mmer of-something straight to his core.
Great. Just what he needed.
"We"re your biggest fans." His mother patted his hand. "And we"ll have the party this Sat.u.r.day."
"How can you plan it so quickly?"
She smiled. "Easy, dear. No one turns down an invitation to the palace, and we have the most talented and creative staff in the Pacific."
"There is that." AJ winked at her. "You really are something, Mom. If a party will make you feel better, you go ahead and have one."
"You will be there."
"I"ll be there." He didn"t hide the sigh of resignation in his voice. How could you argue with your own grieving mother? "Just don"t ask me to make any speeches."
"Why don"t you two go pick some flowers? We"ll use them to decorate the ballroom."
AJ raised an eyebrow. A flower-picking expedition? Clearly his mom had not given up on the idea of getting them together. "I"m sure the flowers are happier in the ground."
"Nonsense. They bloom better if you pluck them from time to time. Don"t they, Lani?"
Lani smiled. "Some of them do. I"ll go get the shears and some jugs for them." She didn"t look at AJ.
His mom"s lips curved into a smile. "Take good care of Lani, won"t you? Don"t let her strain herself."
AJ glanced at Lani, who once again was looking away. No doubt she was quite capable of deciding just how much strain she could handle. His mom probably had visions of him carrying her up hills or lifting her delicately over puddles. Hopefully Lani wouldn"t expect him to, as he had no intention of going within five feet of her. She was dangerous.
They set off into the gardens, AJ carrying two metal jugs. Lani tucked a pair of shears into the pocket of her dress. It had rained overnight-as it usually did-and the leaves glistened with raindrops. A swallow darted around them as they headed toward the orchid forest down a narrow path of carved stones. Lani had removed her sandals and walked barefoot, Rahiian style. AJ kept his Skechers on, though he regretted it as they became increasingly sodden. "I"d forgotten how wet it is here."
"That"s why they call it the rainforest." Lani shot him a cheeky look. The unusual golden color of her eyes struck him and he s.n.a.t.c.hed his gaze away.
"Soggy, is what I call it. Now, L.A. has my kind of climate. A nice dry desert."
"With a decorative haze of smog." Lani marched straight ahead, her pretty toes splayed on the mossy stones.
"Exactly. Who needs to see all those mountains anyway? Hey, there"s a flower." A delicate bloom peeked its head around the trunk of a tree.
"Lovely." Lani stopped and walked up to it. "But it"s rather a rare orchid that only blooms every four years. I think we should leave it to enjoy its moment of glory here in this beautiful place. I"m not sure it would be happy in the ballroom."
AJ snorted. "I"m not sure anyone"s ever happy in that ballroom, but they darn sure pretend to be. Why is Mom so good at getting what she wants?"
"She puts a lot of energy into everything she does. And she"s a very loving person."
"Yes, she loves it when things go her way."
"She"s always treated me like a daughter."
"You are her daughter. In law, at least."
"My mom runs a laundry and my dad is American. I"m hardly Rahiian aristocracy. She could have treated me quite differently."
AJ shrugged. "So? Sn.o.bbery is not really a Rahiian thing. You"re probably more aware of it because of your years in America. Was it odd moving here from New Jersey? It must have been quite the lifestyle change."
She laughed. "I missed my bike. And my friend Kathy. I loved the beaches and all the colorful birds." She tucked a strand of hair behind her ears. "And of course I missed my dad."
"They got divorced?"
"Yup. My mom never really became Americanized. She refused to learn to drive, and she hated being out in crowded shops, so she tended to buy everything at the corner store."
"If corner stores in New Jersey are anything like the ones in L.A., she was getting ripped off."
"I"m sure. She didn"t like American clothes and wouldn"t cut her hair. At first my dad thought all those things were cute, but after a few years he got tired of her traditional att.i.tudes and began pus.h.i.+ng her to adapt."
"But she didn"t."
"She couldn"t. She"s very shy. She probably only married him in the first place because she was too timid to say no." Lani bent down to smell a pretty white lily at the base of a tree.