~ ZARA ~
We were quiet for the first hour or two of travel, as night fell. I dozed, but each time I woke it was to find David sitting, staring out the window, pensive. His forehead lined.
By the third time that I'd nodded off then been jolted awake by a rut in the road, only to find my husband looking like I'd stolen his puppy, I was getting pissed.
"I swear, David, you look like I'm dragging you away to get a tooth pulled," I muttered, sitting up straighter and fluffing my skirts. "Is it really so bad to go away with just me, and not the kids?"
He turned to look at me like I'd startled him. Then he frowned. "Don't be ridiculous. I'm glad that we're going without the kids."
"I call bullshit. You were about to invite Dara to come with us before I intervened—which would have meant Ravi coming too. Then we would have needed the servants to help us with feeding them and watching—and it would have been just like any other trip we take as a family."
