Bamboo and Lace (3 page)

August 31

The trip to Capital City from Lhasa had been long and hard enough, but nothing at all compared to what Lily's journey would be once she started flying. According to her itinerary, the flight from Capital City to Tokyo would take three hours and 15 minutes. She then had an unavoidable seven-hour layover. After that, the flight from Tokyo to Honolulu would take seven hours and 15 minutes. To top it off, the flight crossed the international date line, bringing even more confusion into the matter. Her body would be telling her that twenty-four hours had passed, but the calendar and clock would show only 35 minutes elapsing.

Owen and Lily arrived in plenty of time to have something to eat and spend some time alone. Owen had been quiet for most of the time, and his daughter wondered if this trip was bothering him more than he let on. He hadn't even noticed that Lily had been carrying her own bag until they were inside the terminal.

“I can get it,” Lily assured him when he tried to take it, but Owen took it from her anyway.

Not prepared for the weight, his entire right side sank down as he took the handle in his grasp. He looked at Lily to find her standing quite still. He set the bag down at his side and faced her squarely.

“Look at me, Lily,” he said quietly.

She would have given anything to disobey. If she had to leave Kashien after one of her father's scowls, she didn't know what she would do. Always a little unpredictable, his mood swings had been off the chart since he had given her permission to leave: laughing and joking with her one day and utterly quiet the next.

Knowing she had no choice, Lily looked up.

“What's in this bag?”

“My books,” she whispered.

Owen melted his daughter's heart by giving her a small, tender smile.

“So like your mother.”

“Well, the flight from Tokyo is very long,” she felt free to tell him, “and so is the layover. I can pick something up in Hawaii for the trip back, but I thought I needed plenty now.”

“So these are just books to read on your trip there?” he asked, a slight tease in his voice.

Lily smiled. “Plus a few of my favorites.”

Owen gave her an indulgent look, lifted her bag, and started down the corridor of the terminal. Lily easily kept pace with him and followed as he found the gate for her to check in. That done, he led them to seats in the waiting area. Lily glanced around at the busy terminal, but Owen took out his newspaper and began to read.

From her place across from him, Lily took the opportunity to covertly study her father. He was not a young man. He had not met and married her mother—who had been much younger— until he was nearing his mid-forties. Jeff had been born to them when Owen was 45; Lily, four years later. Lily had just turned 24, making Owen 73. He didn't look or act old, but the sagging flesh around his face and neck and the full head of white hair did make him look more like her grandfather than her father.

While Lily was still thinking about her patriarch, Owen put the paper aside and tapped the seat next to him. Lily moved and, with her face in profile to him, began to listen to his instructions. Much of what he was saying—urging her to work hard and learn a greal deal—he had said before, but his voice sounded tense now. Lily wished she could look into his eyes, but she didn't dare. She didn't know if she felt rescued or cheated when they called her flight, effectively cutting her father off.

Lily stood, feeling the separation for the first time and not knowing quite how to handle it. She stole a peek at her father, but he was looking stern, so Lily dropped her eyes.

“Thank you for bringing me, Father.”

This said, Lily lifted her own bag and moved into line. Her face was as calm and serene as though she were home resting in the village, but inside she was suddenly afraid. What if she never saw him again? What if he never wanted her to leave but couldn't find the way to tell her?

Lily's tumultuous thoughts halted when she realized he had come to the line with her. Even risking his wrath, she stole a look at his face. For the first time in years their eyes held.

“Take care of yourself,” he said quietly, speaking to her for the first time in English. “Give Jeff my love.”

Lily smiled up at him with such relief that Owen hugged her.

“Come back to me, Lily,” he whispered into her ear.

“I will, Papa,” she whispered back and watched as he slipped away into the crowd.

Heart pounding again, she turned back to see that only 20 people stood between her and the portal that led to the plane. She held her boarding pass outside her bag and noticed that it shook a little. She remembered little about her only other flight and honestly didn't know what to expect this time.

A glance behind her brought no sign of her father, so she assumed he had gone on his way. Lily felt slightly let down over this, but thought it might be best. At the moment she was having second thoughts.

Suddenly it was time to hand over her boarding pass. Lily did so, not aware that the kind smile of the airline worker stemmed from what she saw on Lily's pale face. Lily walked aboard, found her seat, and settled in. Before she was ready, the plane was taxiing down the runway and lifting into the air. It occurred to her as the aircraft jetted into the sky—with a good deal of noise and movement—that she didn't really want to do this. However, it was much too late to turn back.

Honolulu, Hawaii

In the morning bustle of the airport, Jefferson Walsh watched passengers emerge from the customs area, his eyes scanning each one. He thought it odd that Lily had not appeared. He knew she would pack light and could only hope there was no problem with her passport.

He was getting ready to ask the security guard at the door about going in to have a look around when he spotted her. Standing out of the flow of traffic, eyes down, bag at her feet, she did not look up as Jeff approached.

“Excuse me,” he began, “I'm looking for a slim woman with dark hair and green eyes. Have you seen anyone like that?”

“Oh, Jeff,” she whispered just before his arms came around her.

Not given to tears, Lily was amazed at how much she wanted to cry. Having slept little in 24 hours probably didn't help, but seeing her brother for the first time in three years was also a major factor.

“How are you?” Jeff asked and watched her keep her eyes down as she answered.

“I'm all right. The flight was long.”

“Look at me, Lily.”

His voice was so like her father's that it startled her.

Jeff waited until her eyes came to his and then shook his head. Her eyes, nearly black with fatigue, stood out all the more against her pale features. Jeff lifted her bag, put a hand to her upper arm, and started to lead her down the corridor.

“We have a number of things to work on, the first being that you're not going to lower your eyes for the next three months. But before we do that, you need some sleep.”

Jeff glanced down to see Lily nod, but as he expected, her lids were down so she would not meet the eyes of any man. Jeff could only shake his head. It might take awhile, but before he was done, his sister would be stuck having to completely retrain herself when she got back to Kashien.

Lily woke slowly, her head fuzzy and disoriented. The pillow was soft against her cheek, and the mattress was so comfortable that she never wanted to move. She lay facing the wall, her gaze taking in a white blur. The sound of something mechanical suddenly came to her ears, and a cool breeze blew over her.

Lily's eyes opened fully, and she smiled as she rolled to her back.

“This is your bedroom” had been Jeff's words when he had brought her into his second-floor apartment and directly to the room where he told her she could sleep as long as she liked. It wasn't fancy, but Lily didn't have painted walls at home, so reaching out and touching their smooth white surface was a delight.

Lily was still touching the wall and trying to make herself move when she heard the door open. Jeff peeked in and then swung the door open wide.

“I wondered if you were ever going to get up,” he teased.

“How long have I been asleep?”

“Almost six hours.”

“Oh, my,” Lily said as she tried to sit up. Her back was stiff, and she couldn't get one foot out of the sheet.

Her brother laughed at her and turned away.

“I've got something for you to eat when you feel like it.”

“Thank you. Jeff?”

“Yeah?”

“Where is the bathroom?”

“Out your door and to the left.”

“In the apartment or out?”

“In.”

“Okay.”

Lily hurried that way but came to a complete stop when she got there. Having gone to Capital City with her father over the years, she had certainly seen indoor bathrooms with flush toilets, showers, and tubs in them, but this was Jeff's. It was clean and white and shiny with dark green towels that looked soft, but it was more than that. It was her brother's bathroom, and he was family. She could use it all she wanted for the next three months.

“Are you all right?” Jeff had come to the door that Lily hadn't even bothered to shut.

She turned to him and smiled, her eyes meeting his for only a moment.

Knowing that her pleasure would be hard to explain, Lily said only, “I'm just fine,” before she shut the door to make use of the facility.

Chapter Two

“What is this?” Lily asked for the umpteenth time, and this time Jeff patiently explained how the CD player worked. As with most things, she had read or heard about them but not seen them. The remote control for the TV fascinated her, as did the garbage disposal. She also took a long time inspecting the thermostat in the hallway and the way it would give cold air or hot, and the slight rumble in the apartment when it kicked in.

Jeff stood back and let her lead, well remembering the countless times he had made a fool of himself when, at 18, he had left Lhasa to attend school in the United States. He wished someone had been there for him to ask questions of and let him explore.

“Does this chain actually hold people outside, Jeff?” Lily now asked from the front door.

“Not if they really want in, but it is still a security measure. Why don't you come and eat?”

“Okay. Did you need me to fix something?”

“No, I've got a sandwich here for you and some tea.”

“Thank you,” Lily said gratefully as she took a seat. “You're not eating?”

“I ate while you were asleep.”

Lily nodded and bowed for a moment in prayer. She took a small bite of sandwich, looking distracted until she got it in her mouth.

Watching her, Jeff smiled as her attention went completely to the food.

“What kind of fish is this?” Lily asked.

“Tuna.”

“And what is the white sauce covering it?”

“Mayonnaise.”

“It's good, isn't it?”

“Very.”

Lily caught the teasing tone in his voice and ducked her head a little.