wrath of the Sea Queen (262 page)

They sat in the lobby
, off to
the
far
side
of the ballroom door
where they were
completely
alone,
and waited for the taxi.

"Thanks, Vin.  I
just
couldn't stay in there any longer."

"
I understand. 
Are you
still feeling
sick?"

"No.  I'm fine now.  I just felt…"

"Scared?
"
Vin suggested.

"
Was it that obvious
?"

"Yes
, and I used our link to verify it when
I
noticed
you
r
reacti
o
n."

"I
wasn't aware that you were doing that
."
  C
a
eli
's comment
verified his results.

"I didn't want you to
know
."

"Vin, how could you
touch my mind
without me
being aware of it
?"

"The same way you could
lo
ok through my eyes without me knowing you were doing so
. 
I made an effort to
keep it from you
because
I didn't want you to
think
I was checking on you
,
in case I was
reading you
wrong."

"
You're always checking on me, and you never read me wrong
," she smiled in gratitude.

"Almost never.  What scared you?"

"
I felt like everyone in the crowd could see
through
me, could reach me."

"You felt vulnerable
.
  After what you've been through this week, it's perfectly normal to be apprehensive. 
But,
I also know that
you would
have
regretted it later if you
had
missed Salma's award."

"You're right.  I wanted to be here for her
though
I could have done without the
spotlight," C
a
eli explained.

"
But
you
're
ok now?" 

Having absorbed the steadiness of Vin's support, s
he had
finally
stopped trembling and
no longer
look
ed
like a deer caught in
the head
lights.

"Yes.  I
woul
d still like to leave.  I
ha
ve had enough excitement for
to
day."

Vin stood up and reached out for her hand. 
C
a
eli
let
Vin
pull her up to stand in front of him.

"
Dance with me
before we go
," Vin smiled at her.

"
Here? 
Vin,
you don't dance.  Neither do
I
," C
a
eli was confused by his request.

"Do you hear the song they're playing inside?  It's the one song
to which
I
will always
dance.  I
woul
d like to dance with you."

It was a slow song.  The song
had
played during their first date and
on
several
other memorable occasions.  They also chose it
to play a
s
their wedding song.  Vin wrapped his arms around C
a
eli and they danced in the lobby.  She smiled at him as they moved slowly to the music. 
C
a
eli
definitely
wasn't scared anymore.

It was
three o'clock
when Ben and Salma
got back
to the hotel.  They
returned on the heels of celebrating Salma's award and enjoying
a wonderful time at the reception.  Apela and Max were not far behind them. 
They found Vin and C
a
eli snuggled together on a couch in the lounge, talking quietly. 

"Mind if we join you for a few minutes?"  Ben asked as he
and Salma strolled into the lounge
.

"No
t at all
.  How was your afternoon?"
  Vin asked.

"The three of us had a lovely time.  They finally made us leave when the band signed off," Ben replied happily.

The guys chatted casually for a while, and Salma
sat
star
ing
across the room at C
a
eli. 

"Pretty C
a
eli
, are we really?"
  Max came running up to her excitedly.

"Are we what, Max?"  C
a
eli responded.

Apela followed Max into the lounge.  While Apela talked to Ben and Vin about riding up to the lighthouse to help
Maku
with the
festival setup
, Max
nudged himself between Vin and C
a
eli on the couch
.

"
Are we family?  Papa said that we share relatives and that makes us family.  Is that true?
"

"
Yes.
"

"
Are you my aunt?
Uncle Michael called you sister. 
Can I call you Aunt C
a
eli?
"

"
I
don't know exactly how we are related, but I would enjoy being your aunt.
 
D
o you
realize
that
would
also make Salma your aunt?  Since she is my aunt, she
will be
your
aunt
as well.
"

"
This is great!  Now I have a new aunt and a new doctor. 
Thank you,
pretty
Aunt C
a
eli.
"

"C
a
eli?
  Honey, are you listening?"

"
No.  I'm s
orry
,
Vin.  I was talking to Max."

Max jumped down and ran over to
talk to
Salma.

"
Will you be all right here with Salma for a few hours
if I help at the lighthouse
?
"

"Yes."

"
Are you sure?  I'm not leaving you alone.  You'll have Salma to pester you; but if you want my company, I'll stay.
"

"
I'll be fine.  Honest.  Go and help them.
"

C
a
eli encouraged Vin to go.  She did
n
o
t want him to hang around while she continued to veg out in the lounge. 
With a promise
from
the ladies
that they
would not leave the hotel,
everyone left, including Max.

A
fter changing into more comfortable clothes,
Salma
re
joined C
a
eli
in the lounge. 

"
I wish you hadn't done that,
"
C
a
eli
finally spoke
to Salma.

"
I know,
Dear
, but it was important to me.  You did
more than
merely donate
your blood
for my
research
.  You have
helped me through the entire process.  I wasn't about to stand there and take all the credit without letting folks know that you were as much a part of the success as I was,
"
Salma explained.

"
That's a nice sentiment, but it sort of defeats the purpose of being an anonymous donor, don't you think?
"

"
Yes, but it was long overdue, nonetheless.  Besides, it is over and done with, and I feel good about it.  You should, too.  So, to change t
he
subject before you make me doubt myself, why won't you go to dinner with us?  Vin said you don't want to go out.
"