“When I first met you I saw this business woman. She was so beautifully dressed. And I lost my little heart to her. Then she started to sing. I still didn’t have a clue as to who you are. All I could see was the beauty inside and out.” Amanda smiled and nodded.
“You can compare me to the boy next door. I don’t have this. I don’t have the money which you do not flash about. But I do know I have feelings for you. Feelings that I have never experienced before. And I know you are afraid because you have the same feelings.” Amanda nodded.
“And I think you should put Phyllis in to her cage because she is turning blue the way you are squashing her.”
“Oh! Gosh! Sorry Phyllis.” She put her in to the cage. She scooped a few pellets in to a tub and put them in the bowl.
She closed the cage and looked at David.
“Why do you hide?” Amanda nodded.
“It is not really hiding. I don’t like the city. I don’t like the people. And. Well.” David smiled and pulled her in to his arms.
“And if you meet the right man you want him to want you. Not the money and the things that you possess.” Amanda nodded.
“Like you. I want a somebody like you. You didn’t know who I was or where I was from. But yet you still came.”
“Nothing would have stopped me.”
“David would it be a lot to ask you to be my friend?”
“Oh my angel. I want to be your friend. Not for what you have. But for you.” Amanda nodded and smiled.
“When everything is back to normal. Would you come and visit on the weekends?”
“Yes.” Amanda nodded. He kissed on the top of her head.
“Remember when I said I want to take you out on a date?” Amanda nodded.
“I actually want to date you. Have you as a proper girlfriend. But we will work on the girl. Friend. And when we get to know each other just a little more you might find that you want me as your boyfriend. And I am hoping for that.” Amanda smiled and nodded.
“Have you fed everyone?”
“One more. But I need to check all the doors and windows first.” David chuckled. He looked down and Amanda looked up. He kissed her on the nose and she chuckled. He let her loose.
She checked the windows and the door. She put the latch on the door.
“What are we feeding?”
“A little person who only comes out at night. But if she gets a fright she jumps all over the place.” David chuckled. She opened the cage and took the little Galago out of the cage.
“Oooh she is gorgeous!” David took her from Amanda. There was a quiet little tap on the window. He slowly walked to the window and Victoria and Nicola both sighed and smiled.
“And what is wrong with you young person?”
“She has a sore finger. I had to either amputate or stitch it together. I chose to do the stitching.” He looked at the tiny little bandage.
“Goodness that is a big bandage.” He walked over to Amanda and she put a bowl of fruits in to the bowl.
“Night sweetheart. I am sorry I had to wake you up. Your berries are here.” David put her in to the cage and tried to put her in to the little bed. She clung on to David.
Amanda smiled as he tried and tried. She pointed to the door and the girls walked inside.
“Hold her tight.”
“She has me.” Amanda chuckled. She let the girls in. They both walked up to David.
“Who does she belong to?”
“No one really. She has been hitching a ride in the van for a couple of days. Only appears when it is dark. And then I noticed her little hand. So I sorted that out and now she is recuperating. And then she can go back.”
Victoria grinned.
“I somehow think she fancies Dad. What is she?”
“She is a Galago. Also known as a Bush Baby or a Nocturnal Lemur.”
“What are we going to do with you?” He gently put her in the cage. She hopped out of his hand and climbed in to the tiny little basket. He took the blanket and she crawled into the dark.
“There we go.” He closed the cage and smiled.
“And what if she goes back to the van?” Amanda chuckled.
“She is a wild animal.”
“But she is only a baby.”
“Yes. Well we will have to see. Not a baby but quite young.” David nodded.
“Right. The patients have all been fed. Any last minute bits and pieces? It is already getting dark outside.”
“Toasted sandwiches.” Amanda chuckled.
“You sure about that?”
“Absolutely.” They all walked outside. Amanda turned a little monitor on and put the lights off. They walked out and walked to the house.
Victoria looked up.
“How did it get so dark so fast? But look at all the stars.” They all looked up.
“Will the kittens be warm enough?”
“Yes they will. They will all snuggle in and be warm. She won’t leave her kittens.” Victoria nodded and smiled. They walked in to the house and Victoria giggled.
“There is a fire!” Amanda chuckled.”
“I always have a fire burning in the evenings. Keeps the house nice and warm. And it does make it so cozy.” David smiled as he looked at the fire.
“The housekeeper come in and do that?” Amanda chuckled and nodded.
He walked to the kitchen and took the loaf of bread. They all walked in to the kitchen.
“Out.” They all chuckled as they walked out of the kitchen. Amanda smiled as she took a seat in the lounge.
“Scream if you need a hand.”
“May I raid your fridge?”
“Help yourself.” She smiled as she sat and looked at the flames dancing in the fireplace. It was very quiet in the kitchen.
“Victoria.”
“Coming Dad.” Nicola followed.
“Toodles.” Amanda chuckled.
“Now where do I find the grater?” Nicola took out the grater and he handed her the block of cheese. She chuckled.
“Tomato?” Victoria looked in the fridge.
“Now slice it very thin.” He took a few slices of the meat they had for supper and cubed it into the tiniest little blocks. He had the pan on and started making the first three sandwiches. He took a bit of everything and put it on the bread. He added a tiny bit of mayonnaise and put the slice of bread on top. He smiled as he took the spatula. He squashed the bread down and soon flipped it. Nicola took a big plate out of the cupboard. David took the toasted sandwich from the pan and lay it on the bread board. He sliced it in to two and put it on the plate. Nicola smiled as she took four glasses. She poured two glasses of wine and two glasses of grape juice.
They soon walked through to the lounge.
“Oh I am being spoilt.” Nicola smiled and nodded. She handed her a glass of wine.
“Fine dining. I definitely approve.” They all sat and ate the toasted sandwiches. Amanda nodded. David chuckled. He got up and put another log in to the fire.
“I hope you don’t mind Victoria. But I thought it best we stay the night. Go back in the morning.”
“Oh Dad!” She squealed with delight.
“And you ladies can make yourselves comfortable upstairs in the entertainment room. But keep the noise levels down. There should be a nice movie on at eight.” Nicola smiled and nodded.
They finished their sandwiches.
“If you ladies are ready. Go and have your shower or your bath. I will fetch a set of pajamas for Victoria. I will do the dishes and we can all have a relaxing evening.” Nicola and Victoria got up.
“Show Victoria the room next to yours Nicola. Or she can sleep in the spare bed in your bedroom. Whichever. I don’t mind.” Nicola smiled and nodded. They both flew up the stairs.
“Excuse me for a minute.” She walked up the stairs to fetch a pair of pajamas for Victoria.
“When you are changed bring your clothes and I will pop them in the washing machine so that you can wear them tomorrow.” She smiled as she walke
d to her bedroom and fetched the pajamas. She handed them to Victoria. She walked out and went in to her office. She took a golf shirt and a pair of walking shorts for David from her range of clothing that she sold in the shop on the ranch. She walked down the stairs.
“I am afraid I can only help with.” She looked in the lounge.
“If you are doing dishes you are going to be in trouble.” David chuckled as she walked in to the kitchen. He was busy washing the few dishes.
“David you didn’t have to.”
“Has to be done.” She chuckled.
“I have a golf shirt and a pair of walking shorts. Pajamas for boys I do not own.” He chuckled.
“And once you have taken all your clothes off.”
“Then what?”
Amanda gurgled with laughter.
“Then you have to give them to me.”
“And what are you going to do with them?”
“Wash them. Then they will be all nice and fresh for the morning.”
“Oh I thought you wanted them.” Amanda chuckled. David smiled.
“Those two in the shower?”
“One is lying on the bed chatting. The other is in the shower. Now they are both singing.” David chuckled.
“Is it en suite?”
“Yes. I believe in comfort.” David nodded and smiled.
CHAPTER 7
“The things I have seen. A house with six bedrooms. Naturally those were after the renovations. Additional rooms. And the house has one bathroom downstairs. I always asked and what about an extra bathroom? They think you are trying to create extra money for yourself. And then when you have built that extra bedroom they say, you know, an extra bathroom would have been ideal.” Amanda chuckled and took a seat.
“I don’t make suggestions anymore. They think you are a gold digger.”
“And what suggestions would you make to this house?”
“Can’t say. I have been slaving in the kitchen.” Amanda chuckled.
“I will show you around.”
“At a wild guess.” Amanda nodded. David looked out the window.
“All I would do is fill this home with a little family.” Amanda chuckled.
“How many little people?”
“Oh I am thinking two or three. Definitely two.”
“Girls or boys?”
“Oh we have the girls. But I don’t mind. It would be nice to have a little boy. By now I am tired of the color pink. Blue would be nice.”
Amanda chuckled.
“At the tender age of thirty do you think it wise that I start thinking about a family?”
“I think so. Because when we get married we are going to have a family.”
“Are we?”
“Absolutely.” Amanda chuckled.
“Thirty? Are you sure about that?” Amanda smiled and nodded. David wiped the basin and let the water run out. He turned around and crossed his arms and smiled.
“I hope my intentions are clear enough. I don’t like to wade through the water. I dive in and get what I want.” Amanda smiled. He walked over to her and pulled her up.
“But we start slow. Because I don’t want anyone hurt. Not one of us.” Amanda nodded.
“We start with the friend bit. And when you and I are ready we build on it.” Amanda nodded and smiled.
“Yes. Your intentions are clear.”
“And it is not the ranch I am after. Not the car. Nor the money. But the woman that I am going to quietly kiss right now.”
David leaned down and gently kissed Amanda. She smiled.
“Music? Noise? Water?”
“All three.” She smiled and David chuckled. He leaned down and kissed her again.
“Explain Nicola.”
“Oh easy and quite a chuckle. Mom and Dad had me. Then Sydney followed. He is twenty eight. Mom went on the injection for years and years. She discussed stopping the injection because she felt she didn’t need it. So she did. You know how the injection works?”
“Yes and no.”
“What happens is they have the injection and don’t have any so called cycle. But when they stop the injection the monthly cycle starts again. Well Mom thought nothing of it. Her cycle started and three months later it stopped. Naturally she thought change of life. And then she had all the symptoms. She kept thinking change of life. Dad took her to the Doctor. Oh big surprise. It was the change of life. Meaning life would change again.” David chuckled.
“And Nicola arrived.”
“She did. Luckily enough I was old enough to help. I was fourteen.”
“So thirty is not that old then.” Amanda chuckled.
“Neither is thirty three.” David smiled and nodded.
“And you two are very close.”
“She spends a lot of time with me. Weekends and holidays. She is more like my own daughter. I take her shopping and things like that. Mom is too old for a teenager. I don’t mean that in a nasty fashion.”
“But it does help her.”
“It does. Imagine your Mom having a daughter Victoria’s age.” David nodded and chuckled.
“We are all done in here. Why don’t you go and have your shower or bath. I am going to have a quick bath.” David smiled and nodded. He took the clothes.
“And where do these come from?”
“I have a little staff shop. I hope they fit.” David smiled and nodded. He followed Amanda up the stairs.
“This way.” She walked in to a gorgeous suite.
“Oh Amanda. This is beautiful.” Amanda smiled.
“And the bathroom right over there. When you are done I need your clothes.”
“Always wanting my clothes.” Amanda chuckled as David walked over to the bathroom.
“See you later.” She smiled as she stepped out of the bedroom and walked to her bedroom. She was soon in her bath and lying relaxing.
“Knock, knock.”
“Yes Nicola.”
“Uncle David says he needs more clothes. So I am taking yours. And I put mine in too.” Amanda chuckled.
“Is Uncle David doing a load of washing?”
“Yes he is. And he says not to hurry. He found cream and is making Irish Coffees.” Amanda chuckled.
“My clothes are in the washing basket. Help yourself. Make sure to.”
“Yes. Fasten the clasp on our bras. Got it.” Amanda smiled as Nicola walked out of the bathroom. Amanda chuckled.
She lay in the bath and thought about what David had said. She liked what he said. And she did want her own family. And she rather fancied his looks. But she liked David the person. He was genuine. He didn’t sit and wait to be waited on. Hand and foot. He got stuck in and did things as well. She knew he ran a small business. But it didn’t matter. He still tried and kept his head above water. She smiled to herself. There was something about David that was different. They connected. Even though he was a stranger it felt as though she had known him forever. It was the first time that she had felt like that about anybody. Amanda smiled as she hopped out of the bath. She hopped in to her pajamas. She walked through to the bedroom and quickly put a bra on beneath her pajamas. She hadn’t taken her make-up off so she quickly wiped the smudges away. She didn’t want to be caught without her make-up. She smiled as she walked down the stairs in her pajamas and slippers.
“Those pajamas fit okay Victoria?”
“Beautiful!” Amanda chuckled. She walked in to the kitchen and David turned and smiled.
“I owe you one tub of cream.” Amanda smiled as he handed her the Irish Coffee. The girls took their coffee and walked up the stairs. David and Amanda walked to the lounge and took a seat.
“Ours are real. Theirs aren’t.” Amanda grinned and nodded.
“You look very smart Mister MacGuire.”
“These shorts are awesome. Like the golf shirt too.” Amanda chuckled.
“It is all I could come up with. Short notice.” David smiled and sipped.
“Would you like to catch the movie at eight?”
“Well why not.” They both got up and walked up the stairs. David followed Amanda through to the entertainment room.
“Oh wow!” Amanda chuckled.
“No one sees this room. This is where I fall asleep on the couch. Read my book. And generally lounge.”
“Take a seat Uncle David.”
“I am going to sit down right here.” He sat down on the couch. Amanda sat down next to him. She put her feet up on the coffee table. David did the same.
“Pass the throw please Nicola.” Nicola tossed the throw and David caught it above his head. He chuckled as they opened it and put it over their legs.
“The fireplace keeps it nice and warm but sometimes it gets a little nippy.”
“We are only an hour away but the temperature seems a little different.”
“During the day we are about two degrees higher. But night time about one less. So hotter and colder.” David nodded.
“Your customer base.”
“Shhhh.” David grinned and whispered.
“Is where I want it to be.”
“And what about out here?”
“Shhhhhhh!” David roared with laughter and put his arm around Amanda.
“Will you be quiet over there?” Victoria roared with laughter.
“The movie is going to start.”
“Going to.” Amanda chuckled. The movie started and David felt the weight as Amanda slipped closer and closer in to his arm. He looked down and smiled. He moved his body to the corner of the couch and gently pulled Amanda so that her head would be on his chest. He smiled as she pulled her feet up. He moved a bit more and she lay on the couch in his arms. He lifted his feet up and put the throw over the two of them.
“Aunty Amanda is fast asleep.”
“I think she tires herself out with everything that she does.” Nicola nodded.
“Amanda gets up very early. Even on a weekend. She has to rehearse every day. So that her voice is right. And then she starts work. Feed all the little animals. And she doesn’t stop. Only tomorrow. Then we have pancakes. We go for a picnic sometimes. If Mom and Dad don’t come to visit. And then we have our afternoon nap. Every Sunday.”
Dreams Come True Page 5