Rose’s reaction was not what Willow expected, either. “You should marry him!”
Willow narrowed her eyes. “Rose. That is a bad idea.”
“No it’s not!” Rose was borderline shrieking now. “You were happy back then! You two would have gotten married anyway. Why not do it now? The only reason you didn’t then was because my stupid cancer got in the way!”
Willow nibbled on her lip as she glanced around, wondering who might be overhearing this not-so-private video call. The royal tents were just ahead, so she’d have to do some major lingering before going in to meet Calla.
“You were never the reason we didn’t work out,” Willow said in a low but strong voice. “Do you hear me? Nasser and I had…other issues.”
The whole thing had been a vortex, but Rose’s emergency healthcare needs had been the eye of the storm.
“Well, it’s time you two made it real,” Rose said, crossing her arms as if her statement somehow sealed the deal. She’d just turned twenty-one—a milestone that Willow had unfortunately missed—but they spoke every day. They were as inseparable as they could be while living on opposite ends of the world. And Willow thanked God every day that her baby sister had lived to even see this milestone.
“Yeah. Why don’t you make it real?”
A new voice caused Willow to jerk around. A slim, pretty brunette smiled over at her, hair pulled up in a tight chignon. The American accent tipped her off. This had to be Calla.
“Um, hi,” Willow stammered.
“I’m Calla.” She breezed forward, offering a h
and. Willow shook it while Rose gasped on the screen. “I didn’t mean to interrupt your call. I just couldn’t help but overhear.”
“Yes, my sister is quite loud,” Willow affirmed.
“I’m not loud, I’m passionate,” Rose said.
Calla chuckled, and Willow focused the camera on her own face again. “I’ll call you later, okay, sis? I have a meeting with the queen now.” She hung up and pocketed the phone, sending Calla a bright grin.
“It’s a pleasure to meet you,” Willow said as Calla led her to the entrance of the royal tents. “I think you arrived at the palace not too long after I left the country.”
“That’s right,” Calla said as they swept into the activity and clamor of the tents. “We just missed each other.”
“I never thought I’d be back here,” Willow said wistfully, looking around as they headed down the dirt path. Curious eyes glanced their way. The tents were fuller since the last time she’d been here. “Looks like things have changed.”
“Oh, they have,” Calla said, gesturing toward an alcove. Patterned tapestries hung along the back wall, and pillows had been tossed haphazardly over a big, square cushion on the ground. It was quieter in here, even though they could see the main passageway through the open flap. “The design business of the tribe has really taken off. We’re exporting clothing to Europe now. Amad’s wife Vanessa is our liaison for the Switzerland account, and Amad had been handling a few customers in America and Canada. I never imagined we might have a third American to grace this family, but now that you’re here…” Calla let her words dangle in the air suggestively as she reached for a teapot sitting on a tray nearby.
Willow didn’t know how to respond to that. It sounded like Calla was ready to have Willow join the family business, but that seemed like a far cry from sane. “I don’t know how much you know about our current situation—”
“Everything,” Calla said. “And I’m very hopeful that my child will attend your school and be looked after by her aunt personally.”
Willow couldn’t squash the incredulous laugh that burst out of her. “Wow.”
“Sorry. Maybe I’m being weird, but living in Amatbah has changed me. I believe in the magic of this ancient law. It brought me to Fatim, Vanessa to Amad…and now I believe that it will bring you back to Nasser.”
“Ancient law?” Willow asked. “I’m missing something. My visa is about to expire—I didn’t think they had visa laws in ancient times.”
Calla had a curious smile on her lips as she poured two mugs of black tea. “Nasser didn’t tell you. The reason that Fatim and I married in the first place was because an ancient law requires the brothers to be married on their thirtieth birthday. For Fatim, not complying meant he would lose his right to rule. Nasser still has time before his thirtieth, but I can see the ways this law is working its magic already.”
Willow sagged a little, staring at the steaming mug of tea. “I know this sounds like a romantic story and everything, but Nasser and I can’t be together. He made it very clear to me when I had to move home that he had no room for someone who wouldn’t bend to his will. He wanted to maintain our flighty, spur-of-the-moment lifestyle. The way we lived in college. Well, I couldn’t. I had to go home for my sister. And that scared him. I don’t know if he didn’t trust me or just saw the end in sight anyway, but…it was nasty. He was so nasty to me.”
Calla frowned. “He was a different person when I met him. So sad and lost. I know the breakup wrecked him.”
“It wrecked me, too. I had wanted to marry him. But he couldn’t handle me living away from him.”
“He’s struggled with long-term projects with the tribe,” Calla said, extending her legs in front of her. She slurped at her tea and then leaned back on her palms. “His relationship with you is probably the only long-term thing I’ve heard of him attempting.”
“We were together for two years. That’s like twenty-five in Nasser years.”