Aziz didn’t speak. He sighed, faltering to the bed and heaving his head into his hands. “I don’t know about this, Amity,” he said again. “I just really feel like I don’t want to use the babies for something like this.”
“But I thought this is what you wanted,” Amity said, her voice hesitant. She took a step back, considering. Silence hung between them, and she sensed that his mind was rolling. “It’s not like the babies and I mind. We know how important it is that your people respect you—”
But Aziz clapped his hands together, then. He shook his head. “Amity, I’m tired of caring what my people say ab
out me. I’m tired of trying to make people like me. I know that you like me, and that’s all I need.”
“I love you,” she corrected him, her voice quiet. “You know that.”
“Exactly. I don’t have to work to show you who I am. You saw who I was straight away. I didn’t have to say all the right things or make the right donations—or conduct any interviews.” He shook his head. “I just had to be myself, like you said.”
Amity felt a smile trace across her face. She couldn’t help but love this man. She swept her hands to her hips, confident. Happy.
“So, what do you want to do, then?”
“I’m canceling,” Aziz said. He stood and began dialing the number, shrugging. “I want to spend the afternoon in the sun, in the garden. With you and the babies.”
Amity flung toward him, wrapping her arms around his neck. She kissed his ear, his mouth. And then, she turned and wrapped her hands around the babies’ stroller, wheeling it toward the elevator which would sweep them to the garden. She heard Aziz begin the conversation with the television studio, explaining his absence, but then the elevator doors closed, and she was left with her children, six eyes, peering up at her.
“Your father is a marvelous man,” she whispered to them. “I can’t wait till you find out more about him. I can’t wait till you discover more about your country. And I can’t wait to learn about you.”
She wound the stroller through the garden to the traditional picnic spot where she was surprised to find several of the maids, already setting up blankets, outdoor pillows, and a few lower, easy bassinets for the babies. They waved to her joyfully, taking the stroller from her and telling her to get comfortable. “We’ll take it from here, Miss Winters.”
“Call me Amity!” she blushed.
“One day, Miss Winters, one day,” came the jovial reply.
Amity grinned inwardly, her thoughts turning to her work responsibilities. Although Aziz’s interview had fallen through, she had three meetings later that week with potential clients, all of whom truly needed her expertise. Above her, the sun dipped beneath a cloud, leaving her to lean on her elbow, comfortable in the shade. Her babies cooed happily in their bassinets. The maids placed a few plates of snacks before her, and Amity nibbled happily, waiting for her boyfriend to join them.
After several moments more, Aziz appeared, wearing a looser suit—one more appropriate for family time, for casual picnicking in the gardens. He kissed her hello before giving a kiss to each of the babies. He looked like he was glowing in the wake of the interview cancellation.
“You look happy,” she murmured.
“I just couldn’t do it,” he said, shaking his head. “I finally realized what was more important to me. You know?”
“Sure,” Amity said.
“I hope it doesn’t disappoint you. I know you worked hard to secure that interview spot.”
Amity chuckled. “You’re lucky I didn’t drive you all the way there and demand you go on. I’ve done that for a few clients in the past.”
“And they pay you to do that?”
Amity nodded. “Seems crazy, doesn’t it? But in the end, they thank me.”
“Well. Since I don’t think I want to be a world-famous pop singer anytime soon, I don’t think I’ll be needing that kind of assistance,” Aziz teased. He tipped a date into his mouth and chewed it languidly, eyeing her with warmth. “But your clients this week—they’re looking forward to meeting you.”
“I know. I got off the phone with Rama just a few hours ago,” Amity said, remembering, briefly, that Rama had dated Flora—had broken her heart for only a moment. “It seems like his image is in a pretty bad way right now.”
Aziz sighed. “I don’t envy him. He could have had happiness, you know? He was engaged a few years ago to this wonderful girl. We all loved her. But he decided, instead, that he wanted the party to keep going.”
“What happened to her?” Amity asked.
“She moved away, to England, I think,” Aziz answered. “Heartbroken by that idiot. He didn’t realize what he had. I never, ever want to forget what it is I have.”
Amity turned toward her babies. A slight breeze lifted through her hair. She wrapped her hands over her shrinking belly.