Imperfect Affections

Her lips part as she looks up at me, but she doesn’t reply.

“Ready?” I ask, giving her space to deal with the tidbit of truth I just shared with her. “We should get going if we want to make it on time.”

“Um, sure.” She turns her back on me. “I’ll get my shoes.”

While I gather the rest of my purchases, she puts the flowers in water. As I open the door to the garage, she says, “Leon?”

I turn.

She fiddles with one of the blooms. “Thank you.”

My words are sincere. “You’re welcome.”

By the time I’ve loaded the Aston Martin, she’s fitted a pair of strappy sandals. I lock up and seat her, making sure her seatbelt is fastened before I take the road toward the Vaal River. If I’m quiet in the car, it’s because I’m apprehensive about the visit with my brother. Like he told Violet the night he drove me home, we’re not close. Damian and I don’t share the ease Ian and I do.

Two hours later, we pull up at a quaint cottage on the banks of the river. The house isn’t what I expected. I pictured a huge, fancy, modern mansion in a style similar to Damian’s office building. I don’t miss the men who are discreetly stationed at the corners of the property. They must be Damian’s bodyguards. His life is worth a few trillion, which puts not only him but also his family in constant danger. Seeing that Lina was kidnapped for ransom, I understand why he’s not taking any risks. I read the news in the papers when Lina was interviewed about the abduction.

Violet is tense when I help her from the car. My family are strangers to her. How she met Damian didn’t help. I hand her the flowers while I grab the wine and the gifts for the kids.

The front door opens before we reach it. Damian steps out wearing dark pants and a white shirt.

“Welcome,” he says, giving me a semi-smile. “Violet.” He nods in greeting. “I’m glad you could make it.”

I hand him the wine. “Thanks for the invitation.”

“Before you meet my wife…” he says in a low voice that holds an unmistakable warning. “Lina has scars. Don’t ask. If you stare, I’ll kill you.”

I don’t doubt he means that literally.

He steps aside, letting us in.

Delicious smells of garlic, thyme, and rosemary greet us. A boy of about five with unruly curls charges down the hallway and crashes into the back of Damian’s legs.

Chuckling, Damian catches him. “This is Josh. Josh, this is Violet and Leon.”

“Are you really my daddy’s brother?” Josh asks, looking me up and down.

“Really.” I ruffle his hair. “I’m very happy to finally meet you.”

“That makes you my uncle,” he says, glancing at Damian. “Right, Daddy?” He points at Violet. “And you’re my aunt.”

Violet extends a hand. “I’m very happy to meet you too.”

Pulling his back straight in a cunning imitation of Damian’s formal manner of greeting, he shakes her hand like a pro. “Daddy says we haven’t met you because you were traveling in Africa.”

Violet clears her throat. “Leon was. We got married not so long ago.”

“You haven’t been to Africa?” he asks.

“Well, South Africa is part of Africa,” she says, “but if you mean the rest of Africa, then no.”

“This is for you, buddy,” I say, giving him the gift-wrapped box.

“Thank you,” he exclaims, bouncing on his feet. “Can I open it now?”

I smile. “Absolutely.”

He lays into the wrapping paper, ripping it from the box. “Wow. A mind bender game.”

I raise a brow. “You know about mind benders?”

Damian scoffs. “Of course he does.”

“Can I try it?” he asks Damian.

“After lunch,” Damian says. “And first put the paper in the trashcan.”

Josh scrutinizes me, his brow pinched with concentration. “You don’t look like Uncle Ian. You look more like Daddy.”

“I think Violet and Leon may be thirsty after their long drive,” Damian says. “Shall we offer them a drink before we pepper them with more questions?”

Skipping down the hallway, Josh says from over his shoulder, “Mommy made ginger beer. One of the bottles exploded. It made a huge mess.” He waves his arms in the air and dramatically drags out the huge. “The kitchen was sticky eeeverywhere.”