“My jet to Chicago. Chicago to London. London to Mumbai. That’s where the event will be.”

“You’re not piloting your jet, are you?”

“Copiloting you mean. Not this time.”

“Good.” Silence. “Juleen wants to say good-bye.”

“Really? Why?”

“Maybe she likes you. Maybe she just wants to get out of her studies. Just pop in and say good-bye.”

“I can do that before I leave, which will be in about”—he checked his Rolex—“forty-five minutes.”

Panic seized me. “I’ll miss you.”

He zipped up his duffel, then came over to the bed and sat down beside me. “How much will you miss me, angel?”

I smiled. “Whatever you want type of miss you.”

He laid me down on my back. It was sweet, sweet lovemaking. Not the kind that you want when you’re on fire, but the kind you want when you’re sad, filled with wistfulness and longing.

When he was done, we both took a quick shower. We dressed, then we went to see my daughter.

Juleen looked up from her studies when we came in. Her lips turned upward into a grin.

Chris smiled back at her. “I’ll see you in a little over a week. Take care of your mom.”

“I think it’s the other way around,” I told him.

“I don’t know about that, Terry. Sometimes I think she’s stronger than you.”

I smiled. “You’re right.”

Juleen walked over to him, and he knelt down until they were eye to eye. He said, “I expect you to practice while I’m gone.”

“Of course.”

“And work on your studies.”

“Yes.”

“And be good for your mother.”

“Always.” A pause. “Will you see my father?”

“Yes, I think I will.”

“Say hi for me. Tell him I love him.”

“You can tell him yourself. I’ll have him call you.”

“I can talk to my father now?”

“Once this is all over, of course you can. I’m sure you miss him.”

“I do.” She threw her skinny arms around Chris’s neck. “Thank you for helping Mommy and me. You are not my father, but you are my friend. And I am very grateful.”

“You’re very welcome, Juleen.”

“Please be careful, Chris.”

“Yeah, your mother already warned me.” He patted her back and pulled her off him. He gave her a warm smile. “You need anything, call that lazy brother of yours.”

She nodded and he stood up. “See you soon with Sanjay. Relish your last minutes as Mommy’s only kid.”

“Bye, Chris.”

“Bye.” He grabbed his leather case and his duffel. Together we walked down to his waiting limo. He took me in his arms. I started to cry: deep sobs of sorrow and loneliness and longing.

He said, “I should go away more often.”

I tried to smile but couldn’t quite pull it off. I certainly couldn’t answer him. I was too emotional.

“You’re my girl?”