Sora rose late the next morning feeling so-so. Her congestion lingered, but the coughing and sneezing were abated. A cardigan smothered the tremors from her frame. Memories lightened her mood.

She'd woken on her own to a silent living room where a low flame burned in the fireplace. The TV was off, the lights dimmed to a mere haze. She'd kicked off her comforter to allay her sweltering discontent and found a note on yellow legal paper on the coffee table:

Had a great time.

Gone to HM.

Get well. Miss you.

Ravi

Sora had mulled over those words throughout her day and not come to any solid conclusions. He misses me. How could he miss me already? Ravi remained a mystery to the woman in whom he confided the most. What are you hiding?

By evening Sora felt fine. She put out the trash and disinfected the house, taking special care to wash Tommy's soft toys. Anthony used to call her anal for being so particular about cleanliness where Tommy was concerned. He used to say, "Kids are resilient. Don't worry so much." Well, he has three sons. I only have one. I will not lose my son to a childhood illness. She accepted her paranoia.

Sora spent the rest of Thursday and much of Friday fighting off the last of her symptoms and reviewing Sam and Cristina's reports on the meetings she'd missed in the latter half of the week. Facetime videos from Aiko kept her spirits up. Disgruntled texts from Ravi in meetings he didn't care to be at lifted them higher after she had Tommy home.

To: Sora

I know more about Yelena's love life than I wanted to.

To: Ravi

Not a family reunion w/o TMI.

To: Sora

A cowl neckline on a bathing suit? Where did they get these interns?

To: Ravi

Design snob.

To: Sora

Not snobbery. The voice of experience.

To: Ravi

Snob.

To: Sora

See if I bring you soup again.

To: Ravi

I'm back at fighting strength. I don't need it.

Sora's ringtone sounded a minute later.

"I thought you were in a meeting."

"I'm the boss in this department. The meeting's adjourned when I say it is."

"Somebody's drunk with power."

She heard a door shut. She presumed it was his office door.

"More like afraid for the future of fashion design. Where did these kids study? Who were their mentors? I want names. Somebody's gotta be held accountable."

"Snob."

"Not getting into that again. Anyway, you're all better now. What's the plan?"

Sora watched Tommy re-familiarize himself with his play area.

"I'm going to spend some quality time with Tommy. I've grown accustomed to it being the two of us—and he has, too. I don't want to disrupt his routine any more than I have already."

"Tommy's fortunate to have you."

"The same for you and Dhiren."

"Ah, I do all right. Okay, I've got a meeting to prepare for. Talk to you soon."

"Be gentle with them. They're just kids, they're not as good as you yet."

"No excuse," he rumbled, teasing.

"Bye."

"Later."

Sora tossed her phone on the couch and got up to rejoin her son on the floor.

"How's my big boy?" Tommy waved a toy block. "Did you have fun with Aunt Aiko? I bet you had fun." She handed him a second block. He stacked it haphazardly on top of the first. "I'm glad you're back. I missed you. Me and Uncle Ravi watched a movie and ate cookies and that was fun, but it wasn't the same when you weren't here." She stroked Tommy's cheek. "He sends his love." Tommy hid his face.

"Mommy's got a little problem, Tommy. Aunt Hana would say Mommy has a lot of problems--you'll hear her say that. Don't mind her. I don't."

Sora twisted her diamond ring.

"Mommy's made a friend and she has feelings for her friend that aren't very friendly. You'd think Mommy would learn. She never does."

Tommy stood and toddled over to hand her his trusty duck.

She took his beloved stuffed mallard and hugged it to her chest.

"Is this for me? Oh, thank you. I'll love him and take care of him."

Tommy came right back to repossess his duck pal.

"You're breaking my heart, honey. I loved that duck."

Tommy went to resume his play, stacking his blocks with one hand whilst stroking his duck with the other. He babbled to it in half-intelligible contentment all the while.

"That's what worries me. He could give me everything and take it back anytime."

...

...

Monday was Sora's first full day back at the office. She felt good. Ravi had surprised her with a delivery of the étouffée she'd been coveting the night he came to visit. He's spoiling me. If I didn't know better, I'd say he was wooing me. Anthony had been the last one to lavish her with this level of attention. She shook her head and let the thought float away. I can't be getting sidetracked by fantasies. They're fantasies for a reason.

"Do you have any idea what you're getting yourself into?"

Sora spun around to see Hana standing in front of her desk. Cristina was at the door, her face apologetic. Storming past my assistant, Hana? Have phones become passé in the last five minutes?

"You came here to talk to me. At least tell me what we're talking about."

"You and Ravi."

"Me and Ravi? There is no me and Ravi." Whatever thoughts might percolate in Sora's mind at odd moments.

"That's not what the tabloids think."

Hana tossed a full-color magazine onto her desk. It was bent back to a page in the middle.

'Misra Playboy & Himura CEO Canoodle In Secrecy?' headlined pictures of Sora and Ravi on their many outings in L.A. The carnival with their sons and various meals at Café Milan. A walk in the park where they'd happened to meet. There was even a snapshot of her in his car that day at Hana's. We've been watched for weeks. Nonetheless, Sora could say with complete honesty that the gossip rag had gotten it all wrong.

"The tabloids are garbage by definition. The stories they make up are more interesting than my life has been in months."

"I just want you to think about Dhiren and Tommy, and even what Anthony would think."

"This is you overstepping. You have a hell of a lot of nerve defending my ex-husband's feelings to me."

Hana stood on her honor, shoulders thrown back and head held high. Doesn't she always?

"I'm saying this because nobody else is willing to."

"But what are you saying, Hana? Are you saying I should be on the lookout for Ravi's nefarious intentions?"

"He has been known to manipulate other women to get back at me. This is in his wheelhouse."

"Okay, sure it is. I know this story. I've lived it with you. This isn't like that. The worst Ravi has done to me is bring me soup when I'm sick. He took me and the boys to the carnival for Valentine's Day—scary, right? How about the way he holds me when I get upset? He makes me feel like crying doesn't make me a weak person. Me? Can you imagine that? And you're saying I shouldn't trust him."

"Tread carefully. You don't want to get in the middle of this."

"I've done nothing but watch my step. Don't pretend this is anything but an attempt on your part to keep something that isn't happening from happening. There is no me and Ravi."

She'd thought for a moment, there might be, but nothing had come of it. Evidently, nothing would on Hana's watch.

"Not if you're careful."

"Why should I be?"

"Because you're not me."

"And you will never let me forget it. No matter what I do or what I accomplish or who loves me, I am always a distant third to you and to Aiko. Thank you for reminding me."

"I'm trying to do what a good sister would do and protect you."

"Sure, that sounds exactly like you. It's purely coincidental that the 'sisterly' thing to do is to protect your territory."

Hana chuckled as if Sora had made an endearing joke.

"You're jealous of what Ravi and I have. It's obvious. You've always been jealous of me. You're using this chance to take your revenge on me. Bravo, Sora." She clapped. "You wear the deceit better than I anticipated. Isn't that what you wanted to hear? You've won."

Sora stared up at her sister, incredulous.

"Are you insane? I haven't won. I haven't competed against you. When Ravi is with me, that's where Ravi is choosing to be. When Ravi is with me and our sons, that is where he has chosen to be. I have never ransomed Dhiren's presence or Tommy's to get Ravi's attention—I don't have that power, Hana. He has no more loyalty to me than he might have for Yelena or Narsi. Our bond was through you first. Everything after that has been a choice and it's one we both made. To be friends. To support each other. To build a support system so our sons can always feel safe and secure. If anything, I did what you should have been doing while you were flaunting your wares at my best, best friend and making eyes at my husband after you swore you were through with him."

Sora hadn't meant to go on for so long. Not anymore. I'm done with this. Sora pursed her lips and sat down on realizing she'd jumped up in her anger. No more.

Hana, who looked horribly offended, scoffed. "You'll get hurt."

Sora pinched the bridge of her nose, deflated.

"And I'm sure you'll be there to offer your sympathy. It will sound like gloating because it always sounds like gloating, but you'll be there, because that's what sisters do, right? I don't need your warnings, Hana. I've had enough experience to last me a lifetime."

"Revenge isn't you, Sora. Revenge is me. You're thoughtful and conscientious; you do the right thing. This is me, not you."

"I know and that's why nothing is happening despite the fact it could be. I'm just not you." Sora handed the magazine back to Hana. She wanted it out of sight and out of mind, along with her sister. "I have work to do."

Hana nodded. "I'll leave you to it."

Sora waited for her to go.

"Please think about what I said."

Sora clamped her jaw shut.

How can I think of anything else?