This Time Forever

by Rachel Ann Nunes

  “How about a game of soccer?” she asked, opting for distraction. “Do you know how to play, Belle?”

  “I could order her to play well,” Jeremy said, bursting into another fit of giggles.

  Mickelle tickled him, and he laughed even harder. “How about me against both of you?”

  “No fair!” Jeremy shouted. “I’ll get Bryan to help.”

  “Sorry, he’s at a friend’s.”

  “We can beat her!” Belle exclaimed.

  They ran through the kitchen and out to the backyard, where Jeremy insisted on a two-goal lead to begin the game. “And we get the ball first.” He set the ball on the ground and looked at Belle, a bright smile dancing on his thin face. “I order you to score a goal. Go!”

  It was all Mickelle could do not to collapse on the ground and laugh herself silly at their efforts. Belle might be a piano prodigy, but she wasn’t wired for soccer. She fell down more times than Jeremy, who had never been as coordinated as his older brother. Mickelle had to try hard not to win by too many goals.

  In her pen, Sasha barked loudly, as though wanting to join the game. Normally, Mickelle would have let her out to join the game but didn’t think it was a good idea until Belle became more accustomed to the dog.

  Damon arrived as they began a second game, this time the children starting with five goals. His face was flushed and his mouth tense, and his eyes were hard as he focused on his daughter. Belle’s smile vanished as she saw him, and she stared at the ground. Jeremy watched them warily, his mouth slightly open. Mickelle recognized the expression, although she hadn’t seen it on his face since Riley’s death. He was worried about Damon’s reaction and was getting ready to make himself scarce.

  “Hi.” Mickelle smiled at Damon. He glanced her way, and she saw the frustration beneath his anger. “We’re just going to play another game, but these kids are too much for me alone. Want to play?”

  He stared at her. “Excuse me?”

  “Got a moment to kick a ball?” She looked at his suit. “I know you’re not dressed for it, but kicking a ball always clears my mind.” She knew he would refuse. That’s what Riley would have done. Riley would have erupted and told her to stop being childish, but at least his anger would have been redirected toward her and not at the children.

  “I—I . . .” Damon trailed off. His eyes shifted toward the ball, almost in longing. “Okay,” he said. “The Wolfes against the Hansens.”

  “Yay!” Jeremy shouted. “That’s your goal over there.” He pointed to the far fence. “Between those little trees.” Damon ran for the ball, but in a moment of never-before-seen dexterity, Jeremy kicked it out from under Damon’s foot and shot it toward Mickelle. “Go, Mom!”

  * * * * *

  Damon watched as Mickelle dribbled the ball across the lawn. He recovered from his miss and ran in front of her, but she darted around him and scored. Wow! That woman could really play. Of course, it didn’t help that he had been spending so much time at work behind a desk.

  “You are good,” Damon said in admiration. “But now it’s my turn.” He took off down the lawn with the ball, but Mickelle stole it away. She passed it to Jeremy, who lost it to Belle. He stole it back and passed it to Mickelle again. She made another score.

  Damon took off his jacket. “Come on, Daddy,” urged Belle. “We have to get at least one goal!”

  They did, but it was their only one for the entire game. In the last play, Damon and Belle both kicked the ball at the same time and lost it to Jeremy, who made his first goal of the game.

  “We won!” the boy shouted with such glee that Damon was glad he and Belle had lost.

  Damon fell to the grass with Belle. “We give up!”

  Belle laughed and hugged him. “You were good, Daddy, but Mickelle is much better. Maybe she can teach you how to play.”

  His eyebrows drew together as he remembered why he was there. He made his voice stern. “I’m still upset with you, young lady.”

  She gazed up at him earnestly. “I’m sorry, Daddy.”

  “I don’t think you are. This is the second time you’ve done it. If you’d been truly sorry, you wouldn’t have done it again.”

  “I didn’t hide. I just wanted to play with Mickelle again. And Jeremy.”

  “Why didn’t you ask? Don’t you know what it does to me when they call and tell me you’re missing? And to Bekka? She was so upset.”

  Belle’s lower lip protruded. “She doesn’t care.”

  “She does care. If you’d only give her a chance, she’d show you that she does.”

  “I hate her!”

  Damon regarded his daughter silently for a long moment. He noticed Mickelle and Jeremy had disappeared into the house, allowing them privacy. “Isn’t it time we tell each other the truth? We both know why you really came over here, don’t we?”

  Belle hesitated before nodding once, quickly.

  “You know, I was so mad at what you did that I was ready to spank you so hard that you wouldn’t be able to sit down for a week!”

  “You wouldn’t do that!”

  “No, but I wanted to. Thanks to Mickelle and Jeremy, I’ve calmed down. I no longer want to spank you, but I do need to be sure you won’t do this again without permission. There has to be a punishment, and it’s going to be a hard one.”

  “What?” she asked in a timorous voice.

  “You tell me. What do you think fits the crime?”

  “I’m grounded from my friends?” She sounded almost hopeful.

  “Nope. Too easy. Besides, you were grounded last weekend, and that didn’t work. You need something more.”

  “I can’t go swimming?”

  He shook his head. “Try again.”

  A tear rolled down her cheek as she mumbled, “I can’t have the horse I want.”

  Damon felt his heart constrict. Since they had moved to the big house in Alpine, Belle had been begging to fill the adjoining pasture with a horse. He had purchased the land at the end of the summer and had promised her a horse by Christmas. Of anything she could give up, he knew this meant the most.

  He had so wanted to give it to her!

  “Ah, ma Belle.” He stroked her hair tenderly. How he wished he could give her another punishment. He had so looked forward to seeing her eyes light up when he showed her the horse, imagined the way she would giggle in delight.

  He fought down the desire to refuse her offer, but he knew he had to put an end to her disobedience now—even if it was painful for both of them. He had learned the same lesson with Tanner; it was better to teach a child on a relatively unimportant matter than wait until it was serious and perhaps too late.

  “I think that is a fitting punishment—at least for now.” More tears slipped from her eyes as he spoke, filling him with compassion. “But not forever, Belle. Once you can show me that you are to be trusted and that you can be obedient, you will regain your privilege of owning a horse.” He hugged her. “I know it’s a hard thing, but I think you can do it. I know you can.”

  Her arms went around his neck. She felt small in his arms, unprotected, and he was grateful Mickelle had distracted him from his anger so he could react rationally and with wisdom. This time, he had no regrets about his reaction to her disobedience as he had in the past. There had been no screaming or harsh words that would later plague him until he begged her forgiveness. “I love you, Belle,” he whispered.

  “I know, Daddy. I just wish I could have my horse.”

  “You will.”

  “I’ll try real hard.”

  He smoothed her hair. “Look, Belle, if you really don’t want me to go out with Bekka, I won’t. But before you tell me that’s what you want, you should know that I’m already trying to find you a new nanny—someone you can get along with better.”

  “Bekka’s leaving?” Her eyes were wide, and not nearly as happy as he had expected.

  “No, she’s not leaving. She’s going to stay with Jess and Bri, and she’s still going to be our friend.
But she and I have been very worried about how you’re getting along with her, and that’s why we need to make a change. You’ll see Bekka as often as you want, but meanwhile, I want you to be with someone you can be happy with every day. Wouldn’t that be great?”

  “How about Mrs. Hansen?” Belle asked, her sadness vanishing. “She doesn’t have to go to work, and she likes to play with kids.”

  “I’m sure she’s got enough on her hands.”

  “Can you ask her? Please, Daddy?” She looked at him earnestly, batting her eyelashes a few times as if that would help her cause.

  Damon couldn’t help a grin. “I’ll think about it.”

  “Thank you!” Once more, her arms encircled his neck.

  “Come on. I have to get back to work.” He climbed to his feet, still carrying Belle. When he bent to get his suit jacket from the grass where he had thrown it, she clung to him like a monkey.

  As they rounded the house, Mickelle and Jeremy emerged from the side door. “Care for a drink?” she asked.

  Damon was about to say no, but he suddenly felt parched. Resisting the urge to glance at his watch, he nodded. “Actually, I could. Thank you.”

  “We have lemonade or root beer,” Jeremy announced.

  “Root beer, root beer,” chanted Belle.

  Damon stepped up the two cement stairs and into the kitchen, where Mickelle had already laid out the beverages and four tall glasses on the small eating bar. Seeing that, he was glad he hadn’t refused her offer.

  “You gotta be careful you don’t drop these glasses,” Jeremy said to Belle as they seated themselves on the tall stools. “They’ll break into about a million pieces.”

  “Or two million,” Belle agreed.

  Mickelle smiled at Damon, making him feel warm inside. “Root beer or lemonade?”

  “Lemonade.”

  He and Mickelle had lemonade while the kids drank root beer. Damon was glad for the children’s chatter, because all at once he didn’t know what to say to Mickelle. He felt he was staring at her altogether too much, but she didn’t appear to notice.

  Then he remembered the Geo Metro. “I’ve been talking to this car dealer guy I know, and he’s got a nice little car I think you might be interested in.”

  Mickelle looked down at the Formica countertop, her lashes leaving delicate shadows under her eyes. “I don’t like my station wagon. but right now it’s all I can afford.”

  “Well, that’s just it. It’s a really good price.” He almost tripped over his words in his hurry to tell her the great news. “You can get it with the six hundred dollars I’ll be paying you.”

  Her blue eyes met his in surprise. “It can’t be much of a car, then. I don’t want to trade one problem car for another. The Snail is old, but at least she’s solid.”

  “But that’s why this is so great for you. My friend assures me that it’s in good condition. He’s only willing to part with it for such a low price because he knows me. It’s practically a steal.” He continued, describing everything he could remember that Kirk had told him about the Geo Metro, leaving out only the price.

  Anger sprang to Mickelle’s eyes—not exactly the reaction he had anticipated. “Look,” she said coldly, “I didn’t fall off the turnip truck yesterday. Brionney and I have been looking at car advertisements this past week, and a car like you describe is an easy two thousand—and that’s only if it’s nine years old.”

  “It’s not that old.”

  Sparks seemed to shoot out of her eyes as she continued to glare at him. “My point exactly.”

  “Yeah.” He wanted to look away, but her turbulent eyes held him. “Well, I am buying a Lexus from him.”

  “Okay, now we’re getting to the bottom of this . . . this steal.”

  “I was going to pay for the rest.” Damon tried to be angry, but he couldn’t feel anything but admiration for this woman. “I wanted to help you.”

  Her expression softened. “I know that. I really do. And I appreciate it.” She gave him a slight smile. “Brionney said you were nice, and you are. But I want to pay my own way. I need to.”

  Damon wanted to insist, but backed off in the face of her quiet dignity. He frowned. “It’s a shame. The guy was willing to go as low as two thousand. You might never find something that good.”

  “Well, I’ll have to wait.” She grimaced. “At least the Snail will be fixed.”

  “I know how you could get money for the car.” Belle had been watching their exchange with interest.

  “How?” Jeremy asked quickly.

  Belle looked at Mickelle. “You could baby-sit me—and Tanner, too.”

  Mickelle’s eyebrows rose in surprise. “I thought you had a nanny.”

  “We’re looking for another one,” Belle answered. Damon was surprised at how mature she sounded. “Daddy promised me one I would like, and I like you.”

  Jeremy nodded. “She hates Rebekka.” At Mickelle’s sharp look, he shrugged and added innocently, “I don’t know why.”

  “Daddy pays a lot of money.”

  “I’m sure he does.” Mickelle turned to Damon and he held his breath, wondering what she would say. The more he thought about it, the more perfect the solution seemed. She could get the money and the car she needed, and he could have someone he trusted for the children. He wondered why Brionney hadn’t thought of it before.

  Instead of speaking to him, Mickelle addressed the children. “Why don’t you two go outside and play for a few minutes?”

  “That means they want to talk,” Belle said.

  Jeremy rolled his eyes. “Yeah, about us.”

  Belle touched Mickelle’s hand. “Please be my baby-sitter. I’ll come over every day and do my homework, and you can teach me to play the piano.”

  “And maybe Tanner will show me how to get a Mew,” Jeremy added.

  “Yeah, he will,” Belle promised. “I could only get it with his help.”

  “A Mew?” Damon asked.

  “A Pokémon.”

  That, of course, explained everything.

  When the children had left, Damon refilled his glass of lemonade, though he was no longer thirsty. “Well?”

  “You really want me to watch your children?” Mickelle asked. “You don’t even know me.”

  Damon felt that he did. “You’re Bri’s sister. I’ll get references from her.”

  She smiled. “Well . . .”

  “Of course, if it’s not something you want to do . . .”

  “I have been thinking about getting a job. I’m going back to school again, though, and I didn’t know how I could work and go to school without leaving the children.” Her forehead creased. “I don’t like being away from them too much.”

  Damon knew exactly how she felt. “Then you’ll consider it?”

  “I think I would like to. But there is one thing.”

  “What?”

  The tip of her tongue slid along her lower lip. “I’m worried about Belle and Rebekka.”

  “Belle doesn’t want to be with her. That’s been a big part of the problem.”

  “So you’ll just remove Rebekka from her life after all these months? What about finding out why Belle dislikes her so much?”

  Damon sighed. Mickelle was perceptive, and he tried to be grateful for her concern over Belle’s welfare. He picked up his glass and swirled the ice around in the lemonade. “I know why. At least I think I do.”

  She said nothing, but her silence urged him to continue.

  “She’s afraid of losing Bekka. Oh, I know that might not make much sense, but she was very attached to our former nanny, who had been with us since my wife died.”

  Mickelle leaned back in her chair, nodding. “So she’s afraid Rebekka is going to leave, and she didn’t want to get too attached. But won’t that be a bad thing, taking Rebekka away from her now?”

  “I won’t, not completely. I thought if I could give them some space—you know, invite Rebekka over socially. Maybe then Belle would see that Rebekka can
be her friend, no matter where she lives.”

  “It might work,” Mickelle said. “Provided that Rebekka agrees. I wouldn’t want to kick her out of a job or anything.”

  Damon laughed. “Oh, no. Bekka wants me to find a replacement. We both agreed from the start that our arrangement was temporary. In fact, maybe that’s why Belle hasn’t let her crusade against Bekka die. That must be it; I hadn’t thought of it until now. She knew all along that it wasn’t permanent.”

  “The benefit of hindsight,” Mickelle murmured. “Are you sure Rebekka won’t mind?”

  “Not in the least. Bekka is really good at languages, and I’ve already put her to work at our company. I’ll have to be careful that no one steals her out from under me.”

  “She sounds like a wonderful woman.” Mickelle picked up her glass and took a sip of her drink. Damon noticed that she wore a plain gold band on her left ring finger.

  “I’m sure you’ll have a chance to meet her. She’s going to be staying with your sister.” For some reason Damon didn’t care to identify, he steered clear of mentioning his romantic leanings toward Rebekka. “You know, several people have suggested to me that Tanner watch Belle every day until I get home, and he’s usually responsible enough. But I worry about giving him so much responsibility. He needs time to be a child, and Belle needs to be around a woman. Besides, there will be times occasionally when I’ll have to go out of town for a day or so, and then they’ll need someone overnight. That’s one reason I’ve always had in-home nannies before. But I think they’re old enough that a night or two away from home every now and again might be a good change.”

  “Overnight. Hmm.” Mickelle considered for a moment longer. “Okay, Damon. You’ve got yourself a deal.”

  They worked out the details carefully. Damon would see that Tanner was awake before dropping Belle off at Mickelle’s. Then he would call from work to make sure Tanner was leaving for his school bus. “He won’t be completely alone,” Damon said. “We have a live-in maid who came with us from Alaska.”

  Belle would walk to school with Jeremy, unless it was too rainy or snowy, and at those times Mickelle would drive them. In the afternoon, Mickelle would pick up Tanner from school in Alpine and bring him back to her house in American Fork. “Only until his gets his licence,” Damon added.