Then there was Hasna, Sadiq’s new wife and Kasim’s sister.
Angelique had met Kasim when she and Trella had been designing Hasna’s wedding gown. Cinnia already knew Sadiq. He was the most trusted friend Henri and Ramon had. She had actually been invited to the wedding in Zhamair, but she and Henri had broken up right before it.
Hasna made her feel like an integral part of the inner circle when she told her in private that Sadiq was very happy to see her again. “He was so upset when he heard that you and Henri had split. It bothered him for weeks.”
“Sadiq and Hasna seem really happy,” Cinnia said to Henri later, as they were preparing for bed. “I’ve missed him.”
“Me, too,” Henri said drily. “This is the first time I’ve seen him since the wedding. But yes, they do seem happy. I’m pleased for him.”
“I don’t think I’ve ever asked how he became such a fixture in your lives. I mean he’s not—” She took off her earrings, recalling how often Henri had switched plans to accommodate his friend coming into town or making a point of catching up with him if they had an opportunity. “I’m trying to figure out how to say this nicely. He’s not like most of the people I’ve met through you. He always came out to Ramon’s races, but he didn’t care about cars. I guess you do business together, but he seems more passionate about computers and software. I’m trying to figure out what you and Ramon have in common with him.”
Sadiq was soft-spoken and quick to laugh, but didn’t make jokes or put forth strong opinions. He was the male version of a wallflower when he was around the Sauveterre men.
“I see so many people trying to gain your attention,” she pointed out. “He isn’t like that at all. Which answers my question about why you like him, but I’m still wondering how you ever got to know him well enough in the first place, to know that he would make such a good friend.”
Henri was silent as he removed his shirt and unbuckled his pants.
“We met at school.” He stripped to his snug navy blue underwear. “The day Trella was taken.” He folded his pants on a hanger and placed them on the rung. “He was on the steps next to Ramon. Saw it happen and ran in to find me.”
“Oh.” She was already in her nightgown and paused in pulling back the sheets. “I had no idea.”
“I don’t talk about it,” he said flatly. “But he was instrumental in our locating her. He is passionate about his computers and was able to help the police by hacking into the math tutor’s computer. Afterward, he was one of the few men Trella could tolerate being around other than family. Maybe because he saved her, maybe because his personality is, as you say, low-key. Either way, we didn’t care. He was a hero in our eyes and has always been a true friend.”
He turned off the closet light and moved into the bathroom to brush his teeth.
Cinnia crawled into bed, stunned by Henri being so open, but thinking, be careful what you wish for. It was so disturbing. She hurt terribly for him.
But she was oddly encouraged that he’d chosen to share this with her. Their relationship wasn’t perfect, but she was back to believing he cared for her to some degree. Perhaps he was coming to entrust her with his heart if he was willing to entrust her with his most painful memory.
When he came to bed a few minutes later, she snuggled close, wanting to offer comfort even though he was stiff and unreceptive.
“I didn’t mean to bring up bad memories,” she said, fitting herself under his arm and kissing his shoulder. “Every time I think of it, I wish that I could take away how scared you must have been.”
“I wasn’t scared, I was guilty,” Henri acknowledged in a soft hiss.
Cinnia drew back a fraction, trying to see him in the filtered light. “How?” She knew the whole family had had therapy at different times in their efforts to heal from the incident. He must know he wasn’t at fault. “You were fifteen. Victims are never to blame for the hurt done to them.”
“I was talking to a girl.”
His tone reminded her of the day he’d let his hatred of the press burst out of him, like he had kept it pent up too long. There was also a quality of confessing the worst crime in history, as if he’d never told anyone what he was saying to her now.
“Trella came by and said she was going outside. I told her to go. I wanted privacy, but Trella was my responsibility. That’s how it always was with the four of us. Ramon kept an eye on Gili, I watched out for Bella. I might as well have handed her to them.”
Her heart stalled. This poor man.