Page 18 of Dawn Caravan
It wasearly morning in New York and just before dawn when Ben managed to catch Chloe on the phone.
“Gavin’s already on his way to LA.” Her voice was cheerful. “He kind of figured you might need me, and he says it works out because he has three places in Eastern Europe he needs to check on anyway. I’ll email Radu’s people now and set up a meet for the two of you in Bucharest.”
“I’ll book you a flight tonight if that’s enough time. You can take the red-eye.”
“It’s enough time as long as you’re putting me in first class.”
Ben smiled. “Of course I am.”
She sighed deeply. “I do love working for rich people.”
“And we’ll take Gio’s plane to Bucharest.”
“I’m going to be ruined for economy flights,” Chloe said. “I better stick with you from now on.”
“You’ll be support staffonlyon this, okay? You’re not going to be sneaking through corridors and breaking into museums like you did in New York.”
“You’re so responsible now,” Chloe said. “Fine. You know I’m not an adrenaline junkie like you anyway.”
“I was never an adrenaline junkie.”
Chloe laughed out loud. “You’re adorable.”
Ben ignored her laughter. “I’ll book you a flight and text you the details. Pack for three weeks.”
“Got it.”
Chloe hung up, and Ben walked back to the garden where Beatrice and Sadia were swimming in the heated pool.
“Do it again, Mama!” Sadia’s laughter flew through the air.
“Okay, hold your arms out.”
Ben sat on a chaise and watched Beatrice lift her daughter into the air, raising a column of water under Sadia’s arms and legs as the little girl laughed and wiggled.
“It tickles!”
“High enough?”
“Higher!”
“Just a little bit.” Beatrice’s face was glowing. “One, two, three… Dive!”
In an instant, Sadia pointed her arms over her head and puffed her cheeks out to hold her breath. The column fell back into the pool, softening Sadia’s landing. The little girl flipped head over heels before she swam under the water like a fish, heading toward the shallow end.
“She’s a good swimmer,” Ben said.
“She is.” Beatrice sat on the steps of the pool as Sadia surfaced. “Did you hear Ben? He was complimenting you on your swimming.”
Sadia’s smile was huge. “I can swim all the way across the pool. Want to see?”
“Yes.”
She immediately flung herself into an enthusiastic crawl, her arms wheeling and her legs kicking as she moved through the water.
“Is she on the swim team?”
“Not yet.” Beatrice leaned against the edge, her hair piled on top of her head in a bun. “Dema and Zain would be the ones to enroll her if she wanted to do it. Right now we’re still keeping close to home or school.”
