“I worry about you.”
“Please do not. I am not falling apart — not yet, anyway.”
“I’m at Heathrow, heading home. I was just told that our money will be available within the next two or three days.”
“Excellent. I will call Changxing.”
“I wonder if he’ll make any mention of the changes in our agreement.”
“He has already. He called me earlier today,” Uncle said and made a small noise that sounded to Ava like a laugh. “That wife of his told him she thought they should increase our commission to the regular rate. She said you had done some remarkable work and that she had perhaps been disrespectful, haggling with me the way she did. He told me he had felt that way all along, and he instructed his wife to follow her instincts and pay us thirty percent. He made it sound as if he was giving me a gift.”
“I see.”
“He also said he had been thinking about Glen Hughes.”
“And?”
“He thinks Hughes must be going crazy with fear. ‘He is living in hell,’ he said. He has decided to leave him there.”
“May Ling is a clever woman.”
“Yes, she is,” Uncle said slowly. “She could be an important contact in years to come. Anyone with her kind of guangxi should not so easily be set aside.”
“Uncle — ”
“I know you do not want to hear that and I will not mention it again, but that does not make it any less true,” he said.
Before she could answer, the announcement came that her flight was ready to board. “I have to go, Uncle.”
“Safe journey,” he said.
Eight hours later Ava was walking through the arrivals hall at Pearson Airport, heading towards the limousine service. Then she heard her name. She turned to see Mimi, her mother, Maria, and Marcus Lee all waving at her.
Mimi and her mother were standing together; Marcus was to his wife’s left and Maria several metres to Mimi’s right. It was an awkward grouping, given that her mother never liked to concede looks to any other woman; tall, blonde, beautiful Mimi was an overpowering presence. Maria was wearing the Steinum sweater. Shy as always, she gave Ava a small smile, a tiny wave.
Ava went directly to Maria. They kissed discreetly, and then Maria said, “Mimi introduced me to your parents.”
“As what?”
“Your friend.”
Ava turned and walked over to her parents and Mimi, Maria trailing behind.
“Welcome home,” Mimi said, holding out her arms. The two women hugged.
Ava looked at Jennie Lee. “Mummy, you’ve met Maria.”
“Yes,” Jennie said. “I told her that I’ve never seen a girl who looked so good in bright colours.”
Ava smiled. “Even though I wasn’t expecting any of you, I’m really happy to see you. But now I really want to get home. How will we handle transportation?”
“I have Mummy’s car,” Marcus Lee said.
“Maria and I came together in a limo. It’s waiting outside,” said Mimi.
Ava looked at her parents. “If you don’t mind, I’ll ride with the girls. Maybe we can meet later for dinner.”
Marcus Lee looked uncomfortable, and Ava wondered if she had offended him. “Daddy, it’s just more practical.”
“Can we talk privately for a moment?” he said.
Ava looked at her mother and saw concern etched on her face. “Of course,” she said.
They moved to the side, leaving the other three women.
“Michael called me this morning,” Marcus said. “We talked in detail about his problems. I think he needs your help.”
“Daddy, I’ve just met him, and then only for two minutes.”
“He’s your brother.”
“Until a few days ago he was only a name.”
She saw the pain in her father’s eyes and felt her cheeks flush in shame.
“He wanted me to help him. I can’t. It’s beyond my capacity. He needs you.”
“What do you think I do?” she asked.
“I don’t live in a bubble in Hong Kong. I know who Uncle is, and was. And things are said about you — some of them alarming, some of them more complimentary. Michael is my oldest child. When I die, he will become the head of this family. I need you to respect that. Right now he’s at risk and he’s put most of his assets at risk. I don’t want to watch my oldest child lose his future.”
“What do you want me to do?”
“Help him.”
“How?”
“Call him and he’ll explain.”
“But you know what happened?”
“I know enough to understand that he needs your help.”
“I’ll call him,” she said quietly.
Marcus leaned down and kissed his daughter on the forehead. “It’s always been my dream to bring my children together. I regret that it’s under these circumstances.”
“It’s a family and a structure that you created,” she said.
“I haven’t always been wise.”
The three women were standing where Ava had left them. Jennie looked pointedly at Ava as she walked back towards them. She saw in her mother’s eyes that Marcus had confided in her. Jennie mouthed, Momentai? and Ava knew that her mother stood with him.
Ava gave a slight nod and mouthed, Momentai.
“I was serious about dinner tonight,” Ava said to Jennie.
Her mother glanced at Maria and Mimi. “I think I’d rather have your father to myself tonight, and I think your friends would like to have you to themselves as well. Now off you go with them. We can talk later.”
When Marcus rejoined them, Jennie reached for his hand. “The girls need to leave for the city,” she said. “We should go home.”
Ava watched as they walked towards the escalator that would take them to the parking garage, her mother still holding on to his hand. His head was turned in her direction, talking. Her eyes never left his face. She couldn’t remember a time when they had seemed closer.
“Time to go home, girls,” Ava said, leading them towards the exit.
The three women got into the back of the limousine, Ava in the middle, Maria with her arm looped through hers, and Mimi’s chin resting on Ava’s shoulder, a wide grin on her face.
“You haven’t stopped smiling since I’ve arrived,” Ava said. She felt Mimi nudge her gently in the ribs. “You’re really going to live in Leaside?”
“Yes.”
“With all those young professionals and their nannies?”
“That’s the plan — including the nanny.”
“You’re pregnant?” Ava blurted.
“Absolutely.”
“I hope Derek’s asked you to marry him,” she said.
“He has.”
“Geez, what have I started?”
“Everything,” Mimi said, punching Ava’s arm.