by Sadie Grubor
Groaning I went to my purse and pulled out my cell phone, dialing his number. It was only for emergencies, but I wasn't about to get my ass chewed out for taking his daughter an hour away without telling him. I breathed in relief when his voicemail picked up.
"Dr. Bishop, this is Sophia. Your sister and mother are unable to take Victoria tomorrow, so I will be taking her with me tonight to Tacoma. I made previous plans with my family to celebrate the holidays, since I won't be able to go home for Christmas, so I have invited Victoria to come. I left the address and other information in your mailbox, and you have my number if you need to contact her for any reason. Umm…thank you. Bye."
I snapped my phone shut and rolled my eyes at myself and my ramblings.
"Okay," I breathed out loudly. "Come on Victoria, we are going to take off now. No need to wait."
"Okay," she bounced out of her room with a large smile on her face and her back pack over her shoulders.
I grabbed our bags, the box of gifts I was taking to my fathers, and took Victoria's hand. We headed toward my jeep. I started to get nervous about taking her in my vehicle, but I shrugged it off and loaded her into the truck with me.
"We're taking your car?" She asked with a raised eyebrow. I nodded. "Cool!" She smiled and buckled her seatbelt.
Soon we were on the road and headed to Tacoma. I called my father along the way and told him what was going on. He was happy to have Victoria and said they would wait to get the tree until we got there, so that she could be a part of it.
Roughly an hour and two 'pee stops' later we pulled into my father's small driveway. The yard was filled with at least three feet of snow and there was a large snowman in the front yard. The Christmas lights hung and lit brightly, the green, red, and yellow bulbs splashing the white snow with a tie dye of color. The front door opened before we took one step onto the front porch.
"Nice snowman" I chuckled as my father took our bags from me.
"Yeah the neighbor's kids asked if they could to it." Dad shrugged and ushered us into the house.
"Oh look at that hair." Carla cooed to Victoria as she fingered her ringlets. Victoria blush a bright shade of red. "You are beautiful."
"Hey what about me?" I playfully pouted.
Carla laughed and pulled me into a large hug.
"You are as gorgeous as always."
"You know it's just bad karma to lie at Christmas right?" I winked at her. She shook her head.
"Come on you two, we set you up in Sophia's old room. You'll have to share a bed." Carla looked at me with concern.
"Yes," I shouted and Victoria jerked around. "We get to be bunking mates, high-five me." I put my hand up. Victoria giggled and jumped up as she smacked my palm with hers.
We took our things up to the room and then Dad yelled for us to come downstairs to get the tree. I took Victoria's hand and met my father at the front door. Quickly I wrapped her up in scarf, hat, coat, gloves, and boots before getting myself ready. We followed my dad through the forest beside the house. About a mile deep into the forest my father pointed to a large tree with his ax.
"What about that one?"
"Don't you think that it's a bit big for the living room?" Carla stated.
Dad shrugged and we kept walking, until we came upon a group of deer sprinting through the large snow covered clearing. I lifted Victoria up and pointed them out to her.
"Wow." Her eyes were wide in amazement.
"Here we go," Carla gasped out as she touched the pine needles of a perfect size tree. He moved up quickly and chopped down the tree. Once we tied the rope to the tree, Carla took Victoria's hand while dad and I drug the tree back to the house.
Carla had taken Victoria inside for hot chocolate to warm her up from the walk in the snow, while Dad and I set the tree on the porch to shake off the snow and loose items. Then we secured the tree into the stand before pulling it into the house.
The tree was up and in the corner as I pulled the boxes of decorations from the closet under the stairs. Victoria was behind the boxes pushing, trying to help. Carla brought a tray with hot chocolate into the living room, turned on some Christmas music, and flipped the off button on the TV as I untangled the lights for the tree. Victoria gently looked through the ornaments.
"Did you make this?" Victoria giggled at the clothing pin Rudolph that I had made when I was around four years old.
"Hey, that's a one of a kind masterpiece." I winked at her and she giggled more.
He wrapped the lights around the tree and then plugged them in. The tree lit up beautifully. We all stood looking at the lit tree when my cell phone pulled me out of my gaze. Pulling my cell phone out of my purse, which was hanging on the staircase, I saw the caller ID. Dr. Bishop. I groaned and answered the phone.
"Hello?" I cringed and waited for the verbal lashing I was sure to receive.
"Sophia? This is Dr. Bishop."
"Um…yeah?"
"I take it that you already left Seattle?"
"Yes sir." Silence. "Sir?"
"Yes, well, I apologize for my sister and mother. They did not inform me about this situation before I left for the weekend." He stated as cool and collected as always. Relief washed over me that he wasn't exactly angry at me.
"It's really no problem. She's having a good time and seems to be well entertained by my family." I turned to see Victoria laughing at my dad who pulled on a Santa hat and was rubbing his puffed out stomach.
"Okay, well…I received your message and thought I should contact you."
"Oh, okay." I was eager to end the call before the snow miser returned with the glacier up his butt.
"Sophia?"
"Yes, sir?" I asked distracted by Victoria and dad dancing around the living room to Jingle Bell Rock.
"You took the Lexus right?" For a moment his voice sounded worried.
"I, uh…um…"
"Sophia…" his tone was now anger and warning.
"I wasn't sure if it was appropriate for me to take your car. So, I chose to drive my –"
"You drove that…that ancient machine?" He actually sounded like he was attempting to control his temper.
"Yes." I squeaked out.
"In the future, please take the car I have provided. It is less for me to worry about. What would have done if your vehicle had broken down?" Control over, temper had now ignited.
However, he had insulted my baby, the jeep that had gotten me through so much, "The same thing I would have done if your car would've broken down on the way here." I spat.
"Yes, well does your car have 'On Star'?" he countered.
"No, but I do have a cell phone." I could feel the wrinkles in my forehead and they were starting to hurt from all of the scowling I was doing.
"Please, just take the Lexus from now on." He sighed in defeat.
"Fine." I mumbled.
"Okay. I will return Monday evening, so tell Victoria –"
"Here you can talk to her yourself." I pulled the phone from the side of my head.
"Victoria!" She ran over and I thrust the cell phone out to her. "It's your father."
She smiled and took the phone. "Daddy?", "Uh huh", "I will", "Yes sir", "bye".
"That was quick." I took the phone and snapped it shut.
I watched her shoulders shrug.
"He had to go."
My heart broke for her.
"Come on, let's decorate the tree!" I smiled wide and pulled her to the tree.
We sang Christmas songs, danced, and decorated the tree for a couple of hours. Carla started to take pictures of us. Soon Carla's family started to arrive and Victoria was playing with some of Carla's nieces and nephews. More pictures were taken. It was late when Victoria finally fell asleep and I carried her to bed. Once she was tucked in I grabbed the boxes of gifts and took them downstairs to the tree.
"What do you have there?" I turned to the sound of my father's voice and smiled.
"Just a few things that I brought with me," I shrugged.
&n
bsp; "You know she is completely in love with you, right?" I heard the familiar sigh of the lazy boy recliner as my father sat down.
"Hmmm?" I turned to him with a smile.
He pointed up the stairs.
"Victoria. All she did tonight was tell people about what you two do together and how great you are." He smiled at me proudly.
I smiled.
"She spends most of her time with me."
"It's more than that and this is the first time I have seen you so attached to a child." He raised a brow at me.
"What can I say? The little girl has got me wrapped around her finger." I laughed.
My father sighed.
"Be careful baby. I don't want you to get hurt. You know if you were ever to not work for her family and –"
I put up my hand.
"I know the risks dad, but thank you for worrying about me." I stood up from the couch and kissed his forehead. "Good night."
"Good night Sophia."
As I walked up the steps to my room I realized it would break my heart if Victoria were to be torn from my life. I had gotten in too deep with her and truly had screwed myself. She wasn't my child and nothing would ever make her my child. I had definitely set myself up for more hurt than necessary.
I looked down at her sleeping form before climbing into the bed next to her. I sighed heavily, "Too late to turn back now."
The next day brought us a massive breakfast, Carla's family, some neighbors, and a lot presents. Victoria opened the digital camera I had gotten for her and she gushed over it. Carla and dad had gotten her a large doll that had been handmade by the oldest living woman in town. Carla and dad tried to argue with me over the round trip ticket coupons to Hawaii I had purchased for them.
"Just make some damn reservations and put your asses on the plane." I ordered with a smile.
There were hugs and kisses and laughter all morning and afternoon. All until we had to load up the truck and head back to Seattle. Victoria was wiping tears from her face as dad carried her and buckled her into the car.
"Bye pawpaw Rick." She had adorably come up with a name for him, and since she thought his hands looked like bear paws, of course my dad loves it. He closed the passenger door of my truck and wrapped his arms around my shoulders.
"I'm gonna miss you Soph. I am glad you made it for a visit though." He smiled and kissed my forehead.
"Thanks, it was nice to see everyone. I'm sorry I can't be here for Christmas."
He shook his head.
"Don't you worry about it, and you take of that little baby doll for me." He motioned to Victoria.
"You know it," I smiled and climbed into my truck.
Victoria and I both wiped tears from our cheeks as we drove away from Tacoma.
"Thank you." Victoria whispered.
"For what honey?" I glanced from the road to Victoria and then back.
"For bringing me to meet pawpaw," she smiled at me, "and Carla."
I ruffled her hair.
"You don't have to thank me. I am so excited you came with me. You make the drive a ton of more fun." She laughed and sat back into the seat of my truck as we drove in comfortable silence for a couple of hours.
By the time we got to the house Victoria was passed out; however, as soon as I opened the door to get her out she was hit with her second wind. She ended up staying up till almost two in the morning. I was half asleep lying next to her in her bed as she watched movies. Finally, she passed out and I used the remote to turn off the DVD player and TV, quickly dropping off into the darkness of sleep.
There was a creaking noise that started to pull me from my sleeping state, but I just couldn't will my body to worry about the noise. Then I felt the light touch of fingertips and hair being brushed away from my forehead. I fell back into my deep sleep.
The next morning I woke up wondering if I had dreamt it. It seemed real, but there wasn't anyone in the house but Victoria and me. It was too early to think, so I shrugged it off and headed to get some coffee from the kitchen.
The week passed in a flurry of cleaning people, decorators, party coordinators, deliveries, and the whirlwind of Allison and Ilene directing the whole thing. I tried to keep Victoria out of the way and even out of the house as much as possible.
Christmas Eve arrived and it was finally quiet in the Bishop home. Victoria and I were making a gingerbread house when there was a knock at the front door. I licked icing from my fingers and headed to the door. I was surprised when Dr. Bishop was already at the door. As I turned to head back to the kitchen he called for me.
"It's for you." He said sharply.
I turned back around and walked to the door; Dr. Bishop still standing there with his typical eyes of intensity. On the other side of the door was a delivery guy with a large red and white striped box with a large green bow and poinsettias on top of it.
"Miss Ashwood?" The delivery man asked.
I nodded.
"Yes." My brow furrowed at the delivery.
"Please sign here." He held out the black box with the signature screen prepared. I signed and he handed me the box. "Merry Christmas!" He waved.
"You too," I couldn't wave because my arms were now full.
"What's that?" Victoria hurried over with a large grin on her face.
"I don't know. Let's find out." I motioned for her to follow me. All the while I could still feel him watching.
Once we were back in the kitchen I yanked the card from the top of the box as Victoria eyed the gift anxiously.
"Go ahead and open it." I smiled at her and pulled out the white note card.
'Hope you have a very Merry Holiday! Love, Lucas.'
My eyes widened at the sign off on the card. We had gone out a couple of times; mostly meeting up through Miranda and Benji, but that was it. He was nice and I liked him, but I just…I don't know. This was kind of strange.
"So, what's in there?" I leaned over the box as Victoria pulled the lid off.
Inside was a large brown bear in a Santa costume. Victoria giggled. Instantly I felt his presence closer and swallowed hard before reaching in and taking the bear out.
"It's cute, huh?"
Victoria nodded.
"There's another box!" Victoria pointed and I looked down to see that there was a small green box in the bear's hands. "Open it," She was bouncing.
"Okay, okay." My nerves felt raw with him standing in the room.
I took the box from the stuffed bear's hands and pulled the bow off of it. Lifting the lid my eyes rested on a black velvet box inside. I flipped the green cardboard box over and the jewelry box into my left hand. The snapping open of the velvet box made me flinch a little. My eyes were immediately drawn to the silver necklace, a small, thin silver chain with a small, round, silver locket. It wasn't any bigger than my thumbnail, but the swirled engraving on the front added to its charm. I opened the locket and it was empty inside. Mentally I thanked Lucas for not putting a picture of him inside.
"It's so pretty." Victoria's voice was very low, almost a whisper.
"It is, isn't it?" I smiled at her.
"Put it on." She smiled with excitement.
"Okay." I put it on.
"It looks beautiful on you."
I heard a noise come from Dr. Bishop and turned to look at him briefly, before turning back to Victoria. Was that a snort? What an ass.
"Thank you; let's get back to the gingerbread house." We walked back to the counter top that we had been working on.
"It's very pretty." Dr. Bishop's tone had been a little sharp and frankly I was pretty surprised he had spoken at all. Was he making fun now? Hadn't he just snorted at Victoria's compliment?
"Um...thanks." I furrowed my brow before I turned back to Victoria and we continued to work on the gingerbread house. Dr. Bishop finally left the room and the tension dissipated.
Christmas morning arrived and I figured I would be woken up by Victoria bouncing on my bed and screaming it was time for presents, but that wasn't the ca
se. I woke up on my own and headed to her room. She was sitting in her chair reading.
"Hey, don't you want to see what Santa brought?" I cocked my head at her with a small smile.
She looked up at me confused.
"We don't open gifts until all of the family has arrived."
"What?" I crinkled up my nose. She shrugged. "Come here."
I put my hand out and as she took it I could feel the tension. He was close and I had to fight with myself not to turn and look for him. I pulled Victoria to my room and pointed to a pile of small gifts I had gotten for her.
"For Me?" she exclaimed.
"No, there for the dust bunnies under your bed," I laughed at her. She giggled and ran to the gifts.
I sat down next to her on the floor, instantly feeling the buzz of his arrival and cursing myself for not closing the door to my room.
"Victoria, presents aren't opened till later." His cold voice rang through my room like crackling ice.
I turned on him with a scowl. "I told her she could open them. They're from me."
His eyes narrowed on me. "Miss Ashwood, can I please talk with you?"
"Go ahead and open them." I rubbed Victoria's back as I got up and followed Dr. Bishop into the hallway. I pulled the door closed behind me and waited for my verbal assault.
"We have traditions in this house –"
"You have traditions as do I." I countered.
"She has rules to follow and you are breaking them," He quirked his eye brow at me.
"Those are your rules for gifts, not mine. My tradition is to open them first thing when you wake up, so she is doing that with me and my gifts. What she does with yours is your choice." I reached for the door knob, but he put his hand there first. I looked back at him.
"You need to be careful how you speak to me."
He leaned in close to me and there was a small intake of breath when he realized how close he was. The swirling limes began to work their magic and heat permeated between our bodies. With a quick nod I broke the spell and reentered my room.
After getting Victoria and I ready for the afternoon, we headed down the stairs. The Bishops had already started arriving with their children and nannies. Max and Larissa were sitting in the oversized living room with drinks, laughing at something Jonathan was telling them. Allison stood behind Jonathan with her hands on his shoulders. Victoria ran in the direction of the laughing children. I turned away from the living room to follow Victoria; however, I smacked right into a chest.