“The flight attendants were about two seconds from strapping her down to the seat,” Chase said, coming up behind Lila and wrapping an arm around her healthy waist.
“That’s not true Uncle Jack,” Jordan beamed. “I didn’t cry.”
“You’re right,” Chase teased. “You didn’t cry. You broke down completely. A complete, hysterical breakdown.”
“Daddy!” Jordan gave Chase a pointed look, speaking through clenched teeth. “You’re so embarrassing.”
“If it’s any consolation, Jo, I would’ve broken down, too, if you hadn’t made it tonight. I’ve been missing you.”
“I’ve been missing you, too. A lot.”
Jack set Jordan—Jo to him—Almeida down on the wood floors and helped her out of her hot-pink winter coat. She talked up a storm the entire time, giving the whirlwind outside a run for its money.
Jack took in every word with rapture, holding her excited brown eyes like he was listening to Hemingway. Too taken by his deep love for her and her, even at five years old, breathtaking beauty, he was only able to decipher an occasional “Play-Dough”, “Justin Bieber” and “Neon Marker” spilling from her busy lips as he took her jacket and moved to the rack.
She was still chattering away, looking up at Jack with wide eyes to make sure he was listening.
Jack held her gaze, as well, reassuring her that she had his full attention even as he hugged Chase and Lila hello, both of whom were shaking their heads as they, slowly but surely, ceased to exist in their daughter’s eyes.
Taking Jack’s hand, Jordan leaped nearly a foot into the air, yanking at his arm. “You’ll never believe it, Uncle Jack. I finally learned Midnight Sonata. I played it the whole way through. All three parts!”
Jack’s mouth fell open. “Jo. That’s no small feat; you know that?”
Lila crossed her arms over her chest, following him and Jordan as they moved into the living room. “She won an award at the Cambridge Piano Recital. First place in the children’s division.”
Jack bent down in front of Jordan, his mouth falling in shock. “You got first place?”
Jordan nodded. “Playing the song you taught me. You should have seen it.”
“She dedicated it to you,” Chase added, coming up next to Lila.
“I would’ve given anything to be there,” Jack said.
Jordan clapped her hands on his shoulders, her eyes going wide. “Now that we’re moving back to New York for Daddy’s medical school, you can come to all my recitals.”
“I wouldn’t miss them for anything, Jo.”
“Do you want to hear it?” Jordan’s eyes, if it was possible, got even bigger.
Jack took her small waist in his hands and shook her. “I’d love nothing more.”
With another hop, Jordan raced across the living room to the piano in the corner, yelping the whole way. She leaped onto the bench and made the necessary adjustments so her feet could reach the pedals, shooting excited looks at Jack the whole way.
“I don’t know how you can stand to listen to this,” Chase mumbled to Jack as they made their way into the living room, soft enough so Jordan couldn’t hear. “It still sends a chill down my back.”
Jack met Chase’s eyes. “It’s different. It’s different when it’s Jo.”
Chase’s eyes went to Jordan, who was still trying to find the perfect sitting position at the piano. “She’s been working her fingers to the bone trying to get it right. About to have a stroke right now ‘cause she’s so happy to see you.”
“I’m happy to see you,” Jack beamed, taking Chase in a playful chokehold.
Chase laughed, spinning out of it. He and Lila took a seat on the couch, watching as Jack approached the piano and leaned on the body, nodding at Jordan.
“Wait for me, wait for me, wait for me,” Nina chanted, barreling out of the kitchen, still with mitted hands. She greeted Lila and Chase before taking a seat on the arm of the couch.
Jordan gave Nina an excited wave.
Nina blew her a kiss. “I’ve been hearing all about this piano prodigy, no way you’re starting without me.”
Laughter filled the room but quieted down in moments as Jordan primed her fingers over the keys. She met Jack’s eyes one last time before she played the first note and, in moments, her eyes were closed as she moved through the song.
When she fumbled on a line, she stopped playing completely, shooting Jack an embarrassed look.
“It’s beautiful, baby,” Jack whispered, shaking his head. “Don’t stop.”
Biting her bottom lip fiercely, Jordan frowned down at the keys and took another shot, finding the melody and tempo for only a moment before a key went sharp again.
“Man.” Her head fell into her chest. “I really wanted this to be special for you, Uncle Jack.”
Jack moved behind the bench and encircled her in his arms. “Do you have any idea how many people alive can’t even get through the first few notes of this song? Do you have any idea how incredible it is that you’re playing it at five years old? You are so special, Jo.”
“I keep messing up,” she cried.
“It sounds perfect to me,” he whispered. He waited for her to look over her shoulder and meet his eyes. “Will you finish?”
Slowly, the hesitation and disappointment went from Jordan’s brown eyes, and they were lighting up as she smiled. “Okay, but only if you sit with me. I think I’ll do better if you sit with me.”
“Done.” Jack curled into the bench behind her, flanking her body with his long legs and tucking his neck into her shoulder.
When she resumed playing, this time, she made it all the way through. Even with a few fumbles along the way, she didn’t stop, powering through with the aid of Jack’s presence and his encouraging whispers over her shoulder.
When she finished, the room exploded with cheers and applause, and she giggled when Jack took her in a bear hug.
“That was breathtaking, Jo. Stunning. I’m proud of you baby.”
“I’m gonna get it perfect next time,” she beamed, turned to face him.
“You’re perfect already.” Jack kissed her forehead just as a knock rang through.
“Got it,” Nina said, leaping from the couch and racing into the foyer.
When she threw open the door and screamed, Jack swept Jordan up with one arm and raced to the foyer just in time to see Nina throw her arms around the man at the door.
“Rudy Kalveeno!” Jack roared, throwing his free hand up in the air as Rudy stepped inside. “Yes!”
Rudy, hobbling on his cane, allowed Nina to help him out of his coat while nodding at Jack. “Good to see you again, Jack. Happy Thanksgiving.”
“Happy Thanksgiving,” Jordan said, waving to Rudy as Jack put her on his hip.
“And how’s the little n-n-nugget?” Rudy asked, approaching Jordan and bopping her on the nose as Nina closed the door.
With a smile bright and blinding, Jack hiked Jordan up on his hip, but she hid her face in his broad shoulder.
Rudy moaned. “Don’t try to pull that s-s-shy act on me now, nugget.”
Jordan peeked out at Rudy from the corner of her eye before burying her face back into Jack’s shoulder.
Rudy poked her side with a trembling finger. “You forget that we met last year, so I know you’re the farthest thing from s-s-shy. And a hell of a piano player, if I recall.”
Jordan didn’t budge, tightening her arms around Jack’s shoulders.
Jack shook her. “Now, Jo, this is Rudy Kalveeno. The greatest man who ever lived. No niece of mine is going to take this magical moment for granted. Buck up and say hello to the greatest man who ever lived.”
“Oh, here we go,” Nina mumbled, pressing a kiss to Rudy’s temple with a laugh before turning to Jack and placing a hand on Jordan’s back. “JoJo, why don’t you come and help me check on the turkey?”
Hesitantly, Jordan let Jack put her down, taking Nina’s hand and following her out of the foyer while shooting Rudy cur
ious looks.
Nina whispered to her as they disappeared around the corner. “Let’s give Uncle Jack a minute to resume his love affair, okay?”
“But I thought Uncle Jack loved you…” Their voices trailed away.
Jack didn’t even have the presence of mind to be offended, already in the middle of exchanging jabs with Rudy, recounting some of his classic fights, complete with minute-by-minute reenactments.
The doorbell rang; pulling them out of their world, and not even a second later it creaked open.
Bitsy appeared, and the moment she caught sight of Jack, she shrieked in delight.
“Grams!” Jack threw his hands in the air, still on a high from reminiscing with Rudy.
Rudy hobbled across the foyer at the sight of Bitsy, his blue eyes glowing. “Let me help you with that, Bitsy.” He nearly toppled over as he helped Bitsy out of her fur coat. “You look just as lovely as you did last year.”
“And I’m just as married as I was last year, and the year before that one, too,” Bitsy tittered.
“Yes, she is,” Bitsy’s husband, Frank, said, stepping into the door and glaring at Rudy.
Rudy glared back, his cane shaking a little faster under his hold.
“Is there a reason you’re holding my wife’s coat?” Frank glared at Rudy, coming in behind Bitsy.
“Guys, let’s not have a replay of last year, alright? It’s Thanksgiving.” Jack took Bitsy’s coat, her undercoat, her umbrella, her scarf, her rain boots and her mittens.
“Just as long as this one keeps his crusty paws off my wife.” Frank jabbed a finger at Rudy.
But Jack was too busy frowning at all of the things Bitsy was tossing in his arms. “How much stuff did you bring, Grams? You’re ready for monsoon season.”
“When it comes time to visit Hurricane Nina, we always come prepared, darling.”
Jack howled, craning his neck toward the kitchen. “Did you hear what my grandmother just said, baby?”
“I sure didn’t!”
“She heard you,” Jack mumbled, accepting Bitsy’s warm hug before moving to Frank and embracing him as well. He went out of his way to put his body between Rudy and Frank. “I’m glad you guys made it. Let’s try to make this a nice Thanksgiving, shall we? What do you say, no fistfights this year?”
Frank and Rudy grumbled their halfhearted agreement, and Jack gave Bitsy, who was fighting a smile, the eye. He was getting the sense that she secretly loved being fought over.
Jack, Bitsy, and Frank entered the kitchen. At the sight of them, Lila and Chase left their seats at the kitchen table with wide smiles, greeting Frank, Bitsy, and Rudy in the entryway.
“Now where is my breathtaking caramel apple granddaughter?” Bitsy asked, looking around.
Chase moaned. “She’s in the bathroom, Grams, and I thought we agreed you were going to stop calling her caramel apple? We don’t want her to grow up preoccupied with skin—”
“Please don’t waste your breath sprouting that PC nonsense my way. The world has become obsessed with being offended. My granddaughter is a caramel goddess, and I’ll be damned if I don’t tell my little caramel apple that every day of the week until my face turns black and blue.”
Chase held up his hands, visibly regretting having said anything at all as he retook his seat at the table next to Lila, who’d had the good sense to keep her mouth shut from the jump.
“Now where is my caramel apple?” Bitsy beamed again, leaving the kitchen all together just as Jordan’s voice rang in from the hallway bathroom.
“I’m here, Bits!” her giggling high voice rang into the kitchen as she raced around the corner and into Bitsy’s arms.
“Turkey’s ready,” Nina said, pulling a turkey bigger than half of her body out of the oven. Everyone took their seats around the table as Nina placed the turkey gingerly in the middle of the table where it joined the stuffing, mac and cheese, green beans, cranberry and a plethora of other fragrant sides.
Jack caught her plump waist. “You should have called me to help you with the turkey. Will you sit down somewhere please?” he begged.
“Yes, you’re in delicate condition, darling.” Bitsy reached up and covered Nina’s belly with a smile. “I insist you sit down this instant.”
Nina turned towards the oven. “I just have to grab the gravy—”
“Sit down!” Everyone at the table cried.
Nina fell into the seat at the head of the table with wide eyes. “Okay, okay.”
“Jordan, help your aunt Nina and go grab the gravy off the stove,” Lila said, watching as Jordan leaped from her seat and raced across the kitchen, back in seconds with a flute of gravy, setting it on the table with a careful hand.
Just as Jordan reclaimed her seat, a knock on the door floated in from the foyer and she was out of her seat, again.
“I’ll get it!” she cried.
“It’s probably my parents,” Nina said. “You know how us brown skinned people are...”
“Always late,” Lila finished.
They high-fived each other over the table, laughing together just as Jordan came back into the kitchen with Nina’s parents in tow. Words of greeting and welcome met them as they circled the table and said hello to everyone. Nina kissed her mother and father on the cheek when they made it to her before motioning to the last two empty chairs at the table.
They took their seats expediently, realizing they’d kept everyone waiting.
“Shall we pray?” Bitsy asked once Jordan and Nina’s parents were settled.
“Will you lead the prayer, Jo?” Jack asked, smiling at her from the head of the table.
Straightening up and shooting him a proud grin, Jordan nodded sharply.
Hands joined all across the table until the prayer circle was complete, and they bowed their heads. The storm raged away outside, pounding down thunder that grew with power every minute, and flashing lightning that illuminated the room.
Across the way on the living room mantle, family photos illuminated as relentless stabs of lightning grew brighter.
Jordan led the prayer, and for a moment, all was still. No thunder, no lightning. Just her high voice, brightened by her smile as it floated across the table, soothing the shoulders of everyone it touched.
“Amen,” she said upon finishing her prayer, looking up.
The rest of the heads at the table lifted, as well, just as the thunder returned, booming in so loudly it made them all jolt in their seats.
Then, they laughed together.
“Amen,” they all said, before reaching across the table and digging in.
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Also by Trevion:
The Romanovsky Brother’s Series:
Taming Val
Claiming Roman
Loving Leo
The Almeida Brother’s Trilogy:
Lila's Thunder
Thunder Rolls
Lightning Strikes
Stand Alone Novels:
Dead or Alive
Stereo
Lightning Strikes (The Almeida Brothers Trilogy #3) Page 31