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‘Please just call me Emma, Ms MacLaren. I know Michael’s told you he wants to come and work here live-in. But he’s very young, and I wanted to make sure it’s okay with you first.’
She sighed. ‘Just Rhonda, Emma. I appreciate you talking to me like this, and asking me first. I don’t want him to move out, but I really can’t stop him if he’s determined. And if he’s going somewhere good, it may be better than having him sit at home being miserable. He’s not doing anything right now, not going to school, no job, and he’ll get into trouble if I don’t do something. I’m in and out of Hong Kong all the time for my business, and I leave him at home alone with the domestic helper quite often. I just thank God Leo has taken him under his wing. Without Leo, I think Michael would already be in jail.’
‘You’re probably right. Michael’s very talented at martial arts, and that makes him a target for recruitment by some unsavoury groups.’
‘What are the details of Michael’s job, if he comes to work here?’
‘Let me tell you the situation.’ I leaned back, working out where to begin. I decided to tackle it head-on. ‘Leo works as bodyguard for a little girl by the name of Simone Chen. Michael will be training to replace Leo.’
Rhonda nodded.
‘Simone’s mother is dead. Simone’s father, John Chen Wu, is really Xuan Wu, Dark Lord of the North.’
She went completely still.
‘Michael would be working for the North Wind, Rhonda. We know his father is the White Tiger, the West Wind. We already told him that.’
‘You had no right to do that.’ Rhonda rose stiffly. ‘You’re probably one of them as well. I want nothing to do with you creatures any more. Don’t ever contact me or my son again, you cause nothing but misery. I’m going.’
‘Wait.’ I jumped up and put my hand on her arm. ‘I’m not a Shen. I’m just the nanny. Well, I used to be. I know what the White Tiger is like; he tried it with me too. I don’t blame you for falling for him. But Xuan Wu is completely different. He’s only ever been married to a single human woman in his whole history, and he only has one human child, and that’s Simone.’
She stared at me. ‘Is he really that different?’
‘Yes I am,’ John said from the doorway. He came in and sat on the couch, stretching his long legs in front of him. His torn black cotton pants were really starting to fall apart and I made a mental note to throw them away and send Leo shopping. ‘Monica, another tea cup!’
Monica rushed in with a tea cup for him, then disappeared back into the kitchen.
‘Sit down, Ms MacLaren,’ he said. ‘Let me tell you about myself, and what I can do for young Michael.’
After we’d explained the situation for about ten minutes, Simone came out of the kitchen with a plate of chocolate chip cookies. She served them around, then put the plate onto the coffee table and crawled into John’s lap. He wrapped his arms around her and kissed the top of her head. Rhonda didn’t miss that.
He concentrated.
Charlie poked her head out of the kitchen across the hall from the living room. ‘Of course you can eat them, sir, completely vegetarian. Simone made them for you.’ She smiled around at us and returned to the kitchen.
John reached around Simone to try one of the biscuits. Simone watched him carefully as he took a bite.
‘Good,’ he said through a mouthful of biscuit. He raised it to see it. ‘What’s this black stuff?’
‘Chocolate,’ Simone said. ‘Chocolate chip.’
‘Oh. I thought it was red bean. Needs milk with it, it’s very sweet,’ he said, still through the biscuit. ‘Soy milk would be good.’
‘Don’t talk with your mouth full, Daddy. That’s rude for Westerners.’
‘Okay.’
Simone leaned back to put her head on his shoulder and snuggled into him. He pulled her tight and took another bite of the biscuit.
Rhonda’s face softened.
‘Will you let Michael come and work for us, Rhonda?’ I said.
‘Let me think about it,’ she said. ‘I’m not sure I want him to follow in his father’s footsteps too much. I was hoping he would just lead a normal life, away from all of this.’
‘It’s his birthright, Rhonda,’ John said softly.
Rhonda snorted with disdain. ‘His birthright is to be completely ignored by his father, who is too busy chasing women and horses to care for his mother.’
‘The White Tiger always tells his women the situation before he takes them,’ John said. ‘You knew what you were getting into.’
Rhonda sighed. ‘I thought I was different. I thought I could change him. I thought I was so special that he wouldn’t need anybody else.’
‘You all think that,’ John said sadly. ‘Every single one of you. But the others stayed. You left.’
‘I was wasting my time. I was surprised that he let me go, but in the end I think he didn’t give a damn one way or the other. He has provided well for us, I don’t need to worry about money. It’s a sad episode of my life that I want to forget. But I did gain a wonderful son out of the whole sorry mess, and that’s made it sort of worthwhile.’
‘What are you doing with yourself now, Rhonda?’ I said.
‘I started a business with the money he gave me. I deal in antique furniture from China. It’s quite lucrative. I don’t actually need the child support money now, but it’s nice to hit him where it hurts, so I still collect. I suppose if Michael moves in with you, I’ll tell the Tiger not to worry any more.’
‘I can see where Michael gets his spirit,’ John said. ‘He is a very impressive young man. I hope you’ll let us take him on.’
‘Will you be teaching him martial arts?’
‘Yes. It will be part of his job.’
‘Another part of his job will be to go to the same school as Simone and guard her,’ I said. ‘And I will expect his grades to be good as well.’
Simone looked at me. She hadn’t known that. She didn’t say anything.
‘He shouldn’t have left school, but he’s old enough to choose for himself,’ Rhonda said. ‘If you can make him go to school, then it will be worth it. Does the Tiger ever come here?’ She turned to John. ‘You’re one of the Winds, too.’
‘He’s over here all the time, Rhonda,’ John said. ‘He’s one of my best friends. Michael will see him quite often.’
‘He doesn’t seem to have any romantic notions about his father,’ I said. ‘In fact, when he does finally see him, he may break his nose.’
‘Take a photo for me if he does, please.’ Rhonda rose. ‘Well, I think that settles it for me. Michael can move in here whenever it suits him.’
‘Sit back down, Rhonda,’ I said. ‘There’s one more thing I have to tell you, and it’s about Leo. John, take Simone out for me, will you?’
‘I’ll be right back,’ John said, and carried Simone into the kitchen. Simone didn’t protest.
Rhonda watched them leave, then turned to me. ‘Did you just order around one of the Four Winds?’
‘I just ordered around the Sovereign of the Four Winds, Ruler of the Northern Heavens, and Right Hand of the Jade Emperor Himself,’ I said. ‘It’s a long story, and sometimes even I can’t believe it. I must tell you the whole thing one day.’
Rhonda sat and shook her head. ‘What else do you want to tell me?’
‘Leo has AIDS, Rhonda. As long as he stays with John, the virus is dormant. As soon as John leaves us, the virus will become active, and Leo will probably have less than a year. That’s why we’re bringing Michael in; we’ll need a bodyguard for Simone when both Leo and John are gone. I hope that doesn’t change your attitude about Michael working here.’
‘If you’re suggesting that Leo and Michael are more than friends, you’re wrong. Michael has already had a few girlfriends.’
‘I’m not suggesting anything of the sort,’ I said. ‘I just want you to know. I want to be completely open and honest with you about this, and want you to feel that we’re not hiding anything.’
John came back in without Simone, sat and poured himself more tea. ‘Yes, young Emma here is very big on being completely open and honest.’
‘Give it a rest, old man.’
He chuckled good-naturedly.
‘I don’t think that’s a problem, Emma,’ Rhonda said. ‘Leo is terrific, and it’s a shame this had to happen to him. I suppose I have to trust you and John.’ She studied John. ‘How long do you have?’
John smiled sadly over the top of his tea cup. ‘Not more than three years. You know how hard it is for us to stay in human form. This is one of the most difficult things I have ever done.’
‘And you’re doing it for your little girl.’
He nodded.
She looked from John to me. ‘Are you two married?’
‘No, it’s a long story,’ I said. ‘It may happen one day if we’re both very lucky, but at this stage it’s not possible. It’s mostly to do with the fact that he is a Shen. And that I’m completely nuts.’
John nodded agreement and I glanced at him impatiently. He saw that I wanted to thump him and grinned.
Rhonda watched with wonder. ‘You must tell me the whole thing later. But I have to go. Michael’s waiting for me to let him know my decision.’
‘You will be welcome up here any time,’ John said. ‘Feel free to come and check on Michael whenever you please.’
I rose. Rhonda stood as well, and I showed her to the door. ‘Give me a call sometime, Rhonda. We’ll meet for lunch and share a good moan about the trials of living with male Shen.’
‘I heard that,’ John called from the living room.
‘Good,’ I said loudly without turning back. ‘It’s even worse living with a reptile. At least the Tiger has nice fur.’
‘A reptile?’
‘I’m a Turtle,’ John yelled.
‘Yes, you damn well are,’ I shouted back. I grinned at Rhonda. She didn’t seem to understand the insult.
Rhonda shook her head. ‘He really is different. You’re very lucky.’
‘I know.’
He’s here, Emma. At the door.
The doorbell rang and Monica answered it; I heard the voices.
I went out to the hallway. Leo and Michael were kicking their shoes off at the door. Michael had a duffel bag.
‘Don’t worry, ma’am, I’ll take care of him,’ Leo said. ‘I’ll show him around, introduce him to everybody, stuff like that.’
I want him to come into the training room and swear allegiance at the same time, Leo.
‘Yes, sir.’
Michael’s face went completely blank.
‘Oh, you heard him,’ I said. ‘He was on broadcast mode, everybody in the household heard him. I wish he wouldn’t do that. And he’s not supposed to be listening anyway. If he does it again he’ll be in serious trouble.’
Sorry.
‘You’re still listening.’
Ma’am.
Michael grinned, then tried to control his face.
‘Leave it with me, ma’am,’ Leo said.
‘Okay.’ I went back to my room and my thesis.
Later, there was a tap on the bedroom door.
‘Come.’
Leo poked his head around. ‘Charlie grabbed him off me and told him the whole story. Right now they’re in the kitchen and she’s trying to see if she can feed him so much he explodes.’
‘Did he swear allegiance?’
‘Yep.’
‘Did he understand what it means?’
Leo opened the door and came in. ‘Yeah. He knew. And he did it anyway. He’s a great kid.’
‘I don’t know what we’d do without you, Leo.’
‘Neither do I.’ He went out.
Chapter Nine (#ulink_d8ddc85b-a2c1-538d-b7bb-ae2e56e81eb2)
A few weeks later John, Gold and I sat around the dining table and studied the student lists.
‘How many do you think we need to recruit?’ I said.
‘Gold?’
