“How about we do this?” Talei says. “If we do find the granddaughter at the Grand Bazaar, and she is agreeable to hearing what we have to say, we will ask her for a formal meeting. Once we have ensured that her ambitions align with ours, you can reveal yourself. Does that work for you?”

Taraana hesitates, then replies grumpily. “Yes. You had better come back to me,” he says to Paheli, catching her by surprise. She stares at him, her eyes shocked at his words. And then, to our continued amusement, she blushes.

“I will return to the apartment obviously,” she says to him. “Not to you specifically. Goodness, why do you say these things? Let’s go, Talei! Tina!”

She practically runs away, with Talei and Valentina following her at a slower place.

“They’ll be okay, right?” Taraana asks us anxiously.

“Yes,” Daraja says, putting her arm around Taraana’s waist. “Let’s go eat some dessert. If it makes you feel better, we won’t save any for Paheli.”

Paheli: The Peculiar Crackle in the Electricity

My cheeks are so hot I might die. Can a person die by blushing? Because I think I’m about to try.

Ugh. Why—no, HOW can that boy say things like that without realizing the effect his words can have on poor, unsuspecting girls like me? Is he really that pure? I know he meant nothing other than “be safe,” so why couldn’t he have just said “be safe” instead of the remarkably dangerous “come back to me”?

Excuse me, my face is on fire.

“Why are you so embarrassed?” Valentina says to me as soon as she catches up.

I give her a Look. Valentina has been with me the longest, even though I have, on more occasions than one, suggested that she go out and live her life fully, as she should. But I suppose once you have been through what we have been through, normal loses its flavor.

“It’s not like you haven’t been tempted to dally with boys here and there,” she continues, intentionally oblivious to my state of mind. Plus, excuse me again, I may have been tempted, but I have never acted on those temptations, not that there is anything wrong with acting. And temptations. I’m just saying.

“Do you honestly think getting involved with Taraana would be a dalliance?” Because I don’t.

She’s silent for a bit as we walk toward the Grand Bazaar.

“All right, I don’t think dallying with him is a good idea,” she says when we are about five minutes away from the shopping mecca.

“Thank you,” I reply loftily.

“But he obviously has feelings for you,” she continues without so much as a by-your-leave, entirely ruining what little peace I had managed to wrest for myself. “What are you going to do about it?”

“Pretend his feelings don’t exist,” I reply promptly. “Denial works brilliantly for me.”