Ade accepted a glass and took a long, refreshing pull of the ice-cold sour liquid. She dangled her bare feet in the cool water. Zoning out from her folks, she traced the intricate pattern of the pool tile with her finger. Its surface cooled her down and slowed her pulse. Closing her eyes, she imagined leaning back against Sylvie’s chest, letting go of all her worries. She pulled her cell from her pocket and scrolled to Sylvie’s name. Her photo flashed up on the screen, sending a flutter of expectation through Ade’s chest.
“Hey, you,” Sylvie said, sounding further than usual.
“Hi. Just checking in.” Ade gave her dad a quick nod, and he shooed her pops into the riad.
“How was your journey?” asked Sylvie.
“The flight wasn’t too bad; it’s just a short hop. My dads have booked this amazing place. I wish you could see it.”
“Me too.” Sylvie sighed. “Bless them. I bet they’ve missed you.”
“Kind of.” Ade leaned back, catching a glimpse of her fathers’ embrace through a mosaic archway. “I think they’ve been enjoying their time on this trip.” Drawn into a meditative state by Sylvie’s breath, she closed her eyes. “I really miss you.”
“Me too. I’ve got all kinds of belated birthday fun planned though.”
Ade could hear Sylvie’s smile down the phone line. “Oh, yeah? Care to share?”
“I couldn’t possibly. Not with your fathers in earshot.”
“Oh, they’ve got their own thing going on.” Ade giggled. “What d’you have in mind over there?”
“All will be revealed soon enough, Ms. Poole. Patience is a very attractive quality in a human.”
“It is? I can think of more attractive virtues.”
“Like what?”
“Kindness. Honesty. All the things I see in you every day.”
“Stop it. I’ve spent a few days being roasted by Elda and the gang. I’m not used to the compliments.”
“It’s true though.” Ade picked at the line of grout beside her thigh. “I do wish you were here. It’s warm. We could lay in the sun together.”
“I would like that.” Sylvie hummed. “Is it warm enough to take your clothes off?
Ade checked on her parents. “It sure is. In the right circumstances.”
“Tell me more,” Sylvie said.
The sun set on their first day in Morocco, and the path through the riad’s inner courtyard flickered with tea lights, each flame illuminating the way to the dining room.
Ade reluctantly wore something fancy, at her family’s request, and she fidgeted where the unfamiliar fabric scratched at her skin. The table was pretty lavish for the four of them: all candlesticks, goblets, and cutlery for every course imaginable.
Tiny plates of food arrived randomly, leaving Ade mesmerized and confused by the spectacle. She inspected the texture of each dish before she committed to the taste test, passing on more than a couple of dubious-looking plates.
“Try to lean into the experience, Ade,” her dad said, raising his eyebrow.
“Nate, we talked about this. Let her be.” Her pops sat tall in his chair, looking ready to defend her quirks. “She’s always had texture issues.”
“We paid a hefty price for the chef tonight. I don’t want Ade to miss out on all these culinary delights.”
“I’ll take her share,” Steph said, her mouth full of a puffy flatbread and to-die-for hummus. “Pass it my way.” She grinned, revealing trimmings of coriander between her teeth.
“I can’t quite believe it’s been twenty-five years since we brought you guys home in our old station wagon. You remember that, Sam?”
“How could I forget? Two car seats planted in our living room, and we both just looked at each other and said, ‘What now?’ Lucky we worked it out, hey, girls?” Her pops’ eyes glistened with the memory. “Feels like yesterday.”
“And a thousand years ago,” said her dad.
