Page 39 of The Sun Sister

‘See you at the airport?’

‘No, I stay on a little longer, then fly to Mexico forGQ.’

‘Okay,’ I nodded. ‘Keep in touch, won’t you?’

‘I call you when I am back in New York,’ he agreed. ‘Tchau, Electra.Adeus, senhora,’ he added to Maia as he left.

‘Want some champagne?’ I asked her as I took the bottle sitting on the coffee table and shook it. ‘Whoops, there’s none left. I’ll order some more.’

‘No thank you, Electra.’

‘Anything else I can get you?’ I said as I poured myself some neat vodka from the bottle I’d ordered earlier.

‘Really, I’m fine. And how about you?’

‘Oh, I’m great. And just crazy about Rio! What a city it is.’

Maia silently watched me drinking the vodka. I put the glass down and studied her.

‘Y’know, you really are the beauty of the family. It should be you doing my job.’

‘Thank you for the compliment.’

‘No, seriously,’ I continued, taking in her glorious head of shiny dark hair, her amazing unblemished skin and the big dark eyes that reminded me of Joaquim’s. ‘You are truly beautiful. I mean, even more beautiful than last time I saw you,’ I nodded vigorously.

‘Well,’ Maia replied in her slow, gentle tone, ‘maybe it’s because I’m happy. Are you happy, Electra?’

‘Oh,’ I said as I opened my arms wide, ‘I’m ecstatic! Isn’t Joaquim gorgeous? He’s Brazilian by birth, you know. Are all Brazilians as beautiful as you two? I think I might move here permanently if they are!’

‘It is time to get ready to leave for the airport, Electra.’ Mariam had appeared behind me. ‘I’ve laid out your usual travel clothes on the bed.’

‘Thanks,’ I said, swaying slightly as I grabbed my vodka glass from the table. ‘Did you remember my underwear as well?’ I giggled. ‘Won’t be long,’ I added to Maia and gave her a little wave as I went into the bedroom to do as I’d been told.

I could hear my sister and my PA talking in low voices as I dressed.

‘Hey, Mariam! I’m sooo hungry. Can you get room service to pack me a club sandwich to go?’ I called to her.

‘Of course,’ came her reply.

I sat down on the bed and tried to lace up my sneakers, before realising I’d put them on the wrong feet, which sent me into a round of giggles. I thought how Maia and Mariam were, like, so similar. They were both really controlled, and you never knew what they were thinking,and...

‘Guess what? I just worked out that you can make the name “Maia” out of “Mariam”!’ I announced as I joined them in the living room and sat down heavily on the couch. ‘Isn’t that cute?’

They both gave me odd smiles, then a man in uniform appeared at the door. ‘Have you come to take me away?’ I asked him, giggling again.

Mariam went to talk to him and he swiftly disappeared.

‘I was only joking! He needs to take my bags.’

‘Electra, Mariam and I were just talking and we wondered if you’d like to stay with me here in Rio for a few days,’ said Maia. ‘Especially as you said you liked it so much.’

‘Yeah, I do, but that’s because I had a good time with Joaquim, y’know? We got on great.’

‘I could see,’ Maia agreed. ‘You looked as though you connected very well indeed.’

‘We did, we did.’

‘So,’ Maia said after a pause, ‘how about you stay here tonight and try to get some sleep, then we decide whether you stay on tomorrow?’