Sold #2 - A Desperate Love

Chapter 24

It was well after dinner before Lani managed to stop crying enough to make an intelligible sentence in some kind of discussion. She had stayed in her room for most of the afternoon after speaking with her uncle, homesick for the company of the other girls in the boarding house and Tai had found it hard to just pass by her room and hear her crying. But once he went up and announced to her that he had made her a home-cooked dinner in order to make her feel more welcome, the sobbing had calmed to a quiet halt and all that was left were the silent tears that slipped down her cheeks as she ate at the dining table. He had wanted to say something, do something to make her feel better but nothing he said seemed to be right. He had tried to apologise for Darcy's absence and assured her that Michiaki wouldn't spent any more than a week in Tokyo because he only had the week off from work, but it only seemed to upset her even more. Lani had appreciated the sentiment but only found the reminder even more depressing, more so when he went on to guarantee her of how happy Darcy would be once she found her there and that she could tell her first hand just how in love she was. But she only felt lonely and isolated again.

She only felt awkward when Tai attempted once more to break the ice, by telling her he knew how lost and lonely she must have been feeling as he had recently found himself wallowing in those same feelings after finding out about Natasha's pregnancy. "It's been hard for everyone. Kyle has no idea what to do or if Nat's even going to keep the kid and not attempt some secret abortion before he's had a say. I'm left hanging knowing my girlfriend cheated on me while I was working my butt off to get enough money for us to move in together and I don't think it's even hit Natasha yet just how serious this all is." He reasoned, letting it all come out as it came in his head, hoping to make her feel more welcome by including her more and treating her just as he would treat Darcy, to let her know that she was trusted and welcome to be as open as she wanted to be about herself. Tai couldn't help picking at his food as he spoke, with conflicting thoughts, wondering why he wasn't more upset about losing Natasha or about her getting pregnant by one of his best friends, and at the same time unable to help but notice how beautiful Lani looked as she sat across from him. He wanted to curse the manners she and Darcy had each been brought up with, changing for dinner as if it were some special occasion where someone important was going to see then, but she just looked too good. He couldn't keep his eyes off her in the jade green camisole she had changed into, the slightly different shade of green of the lace design across the neckline adding an almost elegant detail to the casual outfit which really consisted of nothing more than that top, with a pair of denim jeans and a hooded sports jacket to keep her warm after she'd caught a slight chill from the still ongoing rain.

And yet, what bothered Tai the most, was the fact that he had been so badly affected by her earlier tears, only wanting to wipe them away and do anything he had to to make her feel better. He could only imagine if that was how he felt now, barely knowing her, barely having got close to her at all and yet having been able to know why she was crying, then what Michael felt when Darcy cried, for seemingly unknown reasons, must really have drove him insane with worry. It was no wonder he would do anything for her. He was in love with her, insane about her and he made love to her, he knew her better than he knew anyone else and she knew him just as well, maybe better than he knew himself and so it seemed only logical that their connection was so much stronger than Tai could even try to imagine.

"It'll take some time Tai, for everyone." Lani's voice cut through his thoughts, sweeter than he could remember it sounded earlier that afternoon. But he was at least glad that she was talking to him again and that he hadn't unknowingly done anything to make her longing for home worse. "I'm sure it was a big shock for you all, Natasha especially but I'm sure it'll all work out in the end." She soothed, her voice turning softer and more gentle with each word, comforting him and relieving his worries and for the first real time in days, provoking a genuine smile as he glanced up at her, hopeful that her visit would be good for them both, perhaps allowing him to work through a few of his conflicting feelings. "You'll see, karma will work it's magic and fate will take control. In a few weeks, maybe a month or two, once the situation has really registered, everyone will have come to terms with it and even though nothing will go back to how it used to be...you'll be okay." Lani smiled across to him confident that it would all work out as she said it would. And she seemed to be hanging out such great advice that Tai couldn't deny that it eased his mind, he just wondered why she was still so uncertain and doubtful of her own situation.