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And here she was off track already. Or maybe not.
“There are numerous rules regarding behavior in Brunei. We will need to be very careful about not breaking any of them while we are guests there.”
“Do you have a list?”
“I do. I think that most of them you won’t break by your very nature. It isn’t near Christmas, so it’s illegality in public is of little consequence. Nor would pornography or alcohol be an issue.”
“It isn’t.”
“Drugs, even some prescription drugs, can be problematic as some are—”
“No. I don’t do drugs.”
“Not even when…?” Susan was unsure how to ask tactfully about the collapse Miranda had gone through.
“No, not even then,” she offered the smile of a rare sense of humor. “Prior to the hiring of my therapist, my parents kept me dosed on a variety of therapeutics. Tante Daniels threw them all away and taught me how to be myself.”
Andi looked horrified and squeezed Miranda’s hand tightly. So, they were a new couple to not have covered such ground yet.
“I suppose then that there are only two others. The first is that you two can not show any affection for each other.”
“Wait.What?”Andi twisted to stare at her. “Please tell me that doesn’t mean what I think it does.”
“No, it meansexactlywhat you think it does. The Sultan has declared that LGBTQ, etc., is punishable with death by stoning.”
“Why that God damn—”
“And that’s the second one. Saying anything, and I do meananythingnegative about the Sultan is incredibly illegal. Not even when you think you’re alone. Not even by yourself standing on a beach even though you think no one can overhear you.”
Andi continued muttering imprecations upon the Sultan’s head.
“No, Andi, don’t!” Miranda practically shouted. “We’re well within the waters of Brunei’s exclusive economic zone. I don’t want them to do anything to you.”
Susan had expected that Miranda would be the problem on this one. Instead it was Andi Wu who was livid at being told she was less than normal.
Andi blew out a hard breath, then patted Miranda’s hand. “For you, Miranda. I’ll do it for you.” Then she turned to Susan. “Just make sure that I don’t meet this Sultan. It won’t go well.”
Susan offered her a grim smile. She could definitely grow to like Andi Wu.
