“Mmhmm. Almost… ideal, as a matter of fact.”
“Almost…” He laughed heartily at that. He bent to place a waffle in the warming oven and turned his attention to whipping cream. She gazed out the French doors, thinking how different the atmosphere felt between them this morning, all tension and reserve evaporated. Despite colder temperatures, the bright sunshine softened the shallow blanket of snow that coated the lawn and flowerbeds. The reflected glare was intense, making her squint. The stone terrace and larger shrubs were already half bare, and glistening wet, shimmering.
Kate turned when Madison shuffled sleepily into the kitchen wearing her rumpled pink flannel nightgown covered in tiny white snowmen. She stood and took in the scene, blinking blearily.
“Daddy.” She yawned.
“Morning, sunshine,” Simon said to her, in a laughing voice. She was incredibly cute. It was obvious she hadn’t yet remembered the occasion.
“Hi, Kate,” she smiled sleepily. “Did you sleep over?”
“Yes. I wanted to be the first to wish you a Merry Christmas, Maddie,” Kate said, smiling and meeting Simon’s eye warily. He smiled.
“I’m glad.” Madison yawned. “Oh!” she squealed, remembering, suddenly wide-awake. “Was Santa here? Can I open presents now, Daddy?” The questions tripped over each other in her enthusiasm.
“In just a few minutes, sweetie,” Simon said as he set their plates on the bar. “Let’s have a little breakfast first, okay?” He turned back to the stove.
“I don’t want breakfast. I can’t wait.”
“I’ll tell you what,” Kate suggested, raising her brows and looking at Simon. “If it’s okay with your Dad, you can open my present to you right now, then after breakfast you can tear into the rest.”
“Oh, Daddy. Can I? Can I? Please?”
“Hmmm,” Simon seemed to consider “I suppo-ose. But hurry, the waffles are ready.” Kate went into the living room without another word and returned with the oddly shaped, soft parcel she had brought, handing it to Madison. She clutched it in her tiny hands, her eyes as big as saucers.
“Go ahead. Open it up.” Kate grinned at Maddie, expecting her to tear into the paper. They both watched her, with her bouncy brown curls mashed into an adorable nest, her round cheeks flushed with excitement. Simon pressed his lips together in amusement as Maddie knelt down on the floor with the parcel between her knees and carefully pulled off the bow and ribbons and attempted to peel the paper neatly away, her little brow frowning when it tore. Finally she revealed a long-legged rag doll with a mop of brown hair just like hers.
“Ooh. Kate. It’s beautiful,” exclaimed Maddie. The giftwrap fell to the floor and a small suitcase bounced out. “What’s this?” asked Maddie as she picked it up. Simon served the food, observing the exchange.
“It’s a suitcase full of clothes for her to wear, so you can dress her,” replied Kate, sliding off her stool to crouch next to Maddie. Her face lit up with delight. “Let’s have breakfast and then I’ll help you.” Maddie threw herself around Kate’s neck with a huge bear hug, and Kate had to force back inexplicable tears.
“Thank you soooo much.”
Simon and Kate burst into laughter at this delightful display of innocence and goodwill, their eyes meeting over Maddie’s head. Thank you, he mouthed.
They ate breakfast, all perched around the high kitchen bar, Maddie and Kate ‘oohing’ and ‘aahing’ over Simon’s culinary skills. “You can’t go wrong with waffles, strawberries and sausages with a four year old,” he said, setting a small glass of milk down in front of Maddie, and refilling their tea mugs.
“Works at thirty-four, too,” said Kate through a full mouth.
“Drink up your milk, Maddie, and we’ll go open the rest of our gifts,” he said. It didn’t take long before they were all settled in the living room around the tree. The tiny colored lights glowed weakly in the strong sunshine that angled in through the front windows. Simon put on a Diana Krall CD.
Maddie went first, opening her new toys and games carefully, though with increasing enthusiasm as time went on. Finally she opened a large square box and let out a delightful squeal.
“Oh Daddy. It’s just what I always wanted,” she cooed, looking it over. “What is it?” She lifted her innocent enquiring eyes to the adults, waiting expectantly for an explanation. After they recovered from a bout of hysterical laughter, wiping tears from his eyes, Simon replied, “It’s something I loved when I was about your age, Maddie. I thought you would like it too. It’s a kind of building kit.” Maddie’s smile twisted into an uncertain scowl.
“You can’t play with dolls all the time, Maddie,” said Kate. “This will teach you how to be clever and solve problems. It will help you become a smart lawyer like your Mommy and Daddy.”
“I don’t wanna be a lawyer,” dismissed Maddie with a toss of her curls. “When I grow up I’m going to be a Mommy. I’ll take my babies to the park to play and give them baths and hug them all the time.”
Simon blinked. “That sounds lovely, sweetie. Just remember that Mommy’s have to be the cleverest of all. Mommy’s know how to do everything.”
Maddie giggled. “Oh Daddy, that’s not true. Mommy can’t cook anything.” She flapped a dimpled, dismissive hand at the suggestion. Simon pulled a chagrinned face and glanced at Kate, who was biting back her laughter.
“She didn’t have to because I did,” said Simon. He drew a breath, held it and let it go with a huff. “Daddy’s have to be clever, too. Your turn.” He hefted a large rectangular package to Kate, dropping it in her lap, and sat back to watch.
She carefully opened the heavy gift to reveal a large format Thai cookbook, with gorgeous glossy photos of the people, countryside, markets and villages of rural Thailand. “It’s spectacular! Thank you,” she gushed, leaning in to kiss him.
He looked over her shoulder as she flipped the pages, stopping here and there to comment on the gorgeous colors and interesting details that he remembered from his travels. “The Thai people are the happiest, most peaceful people I’ve ever met on my travels. I’d like to take you there someday.”
She nodded enthusiastically. “Well on that note, open mine,” Kate said. “There are some places I’d like to take you.”
He stood and retrieved the blue package with curiosity. It was also rectangular and heavy, but more squat than hers. “Hmm. Could it be a book?” he teased.
“Perhaps, but not just any book.” Their eyes met, full of fun, and she felt her face crease in a grin to match his. “Go on.”
Simon ripped away the paper and ran his fingers over the cover, which was embossed with gold on brown leather and bordered with delicate tracery and foreign script. As he realized what it was, he grinned and slid his eyes over to her coyly. “The Illustrated Kama Sutra?” he nodded. “Ve—ry nice. Thank you.” A chuckle erupted from his throat. “Well, we’ll have to read it together, won’t we?”
“Whats it Daddy?” asked Maddie.
Simon glanced up, his ears suddenly reddening. “Nothing you’d be interested in, sweetie. Grown up… ah, it’s a … how-to manual, I guess.” Maddie harrumphed and forgot them again. He turned to thank Kate with a long, deep, lingering kiss that aroused a deep, thrumming response in her. They were listening to the strains of You’re Getting to be a Habit With Me, and Simon sang along briefly, off key, pressing his face into her silky hair until he made her laugh.
After their gifts, they relaxed in front of the fire sipping tea, nibbling on mincemeat tarts and tossing benign glances at Maddie industriously playing with her new toys and dolls. The doorbell buzzed suddenly, and Simon jumped.
He sat up straight, yanked at the front of his wrinkled t-shirt and surveyed the room. It was a mess, torn gift-wrap, Mandarin orange peels and dirty dishes everywhere. He grabbed a plate, scraped some debris onto it, glanced around desperately, catching Kate’s puzzled frown, then sighed, laughing nervously, and set it down again.
“I’ll be right back.”
“Who is it?” Kate sensed his agitation.
The look he sent her was pitiful. “I think it’s Rachel,” he grimaced and shrugged, looking around helplessly. Ah. She understood his discomfort. Then he straightened his shoulders and headed for the door.
It wasn’t Rachel, after all, but his elderly neighbor with a small gift for Maddie and a tin of cookies, to thank him for helping with a contractor earlier in the year. “Thank you, Mrs. McCall. Merry Christmas.” Closing the door with a sigh, he returned to the living room, laughing, and set down the gifts. “I don’t know what I’m so nervous about. She will show up eventually.”
“Who?” asked Maddie.
“Mommy, Maddie. She always comes to wish you a Merry Christmas around lunchtime.”
“Oh, yeah.” Maddie seemed unmoved by this news.
He stood awkwardly a moment, hands on his hips, taking in the scene of intimate domestic ease and Christmas chaos, obviously still uncomfortable with the impression this would have on his wife. “Maybe we ought to get dressed,” he suggested, raking his hands through his disheveled hair.
Just then the doorbell rang again and they all jumped this time. Simon looked at Kate again and sighed, closing his eyes for a moment and heading for the front hall again.
He paused briefly, before opening the door. It was Rachel this time. She strode into the front hall like a fashion model, her long leather coat hanging open to reveal a slim black velvet pantsuit and tall high heeled boots. Her long mane glowed chestnut, draped around her hirsute collar, a wild and shaggy horse in a snowy Siberian landscape. She ignored his déshabillé, a starlet’s smile pasted on her shimmering face. She was stunning, Kate thought, and obviously on her way somewhere, judging by her attire.
“Simon.”
“Rachel.”
Rachel didn’t notice Kate curled up on the sofa in Simon’s robe as she barged past him into the living room, setting her bags down, slipping out of her coat and tossing it on a chair near the door. Okay this is weird. Kate caught Simon’s eye over Rachel’s shoulder, and he pulled a face.
He gestured towards Kate. “Er… Rachel I’d like…” but she was oblivious.
“Madison, sweetheart, Mommy’s here!” Rachel called out.
Simon stood in the doorway observing her performance. He rubbed the back of his neck and folded his arms over his chest, tucking his chin in and watching with raised, twisted brows.
Kate held her breath and hunkered down silently, half hidden by the visual clutter of piled boxed gifts and shreds of gift-wrap, hoping beyond hope that Rachel’s ignorance would extend through her entire visit. As if.
Maddie was cool and a trifle befuddled as she glanced over at Kate, trying to put the pieces of her new world together. Now this was definitely getting freaky.
“Hello, Mommy.” She held her doll upside down by one leg and rummaged amongst the clothing options that spilled out of the suitcase and over the floor.
“What have you got there, Maddie? A new doll from Santa?” Rachel asked.
“No, Mommy. It’s from Kate,” Maddie replied matter-of-factly.
“Who?”
Maddie pointed at the sofa where Kate sat. Her stomach dropped like a stone. Oh shit. “Her.”
Rachel whirled around, her brows knit, “Who?” her eyes widening as she took in Kate’s attire. Kate felt her face stretch into a tight smile, and tucked the robe around her knees.
Simon stepped in. “Rachel, this is Kate O’Day.” Simon made the awkward introductions. Rachel said nothing, her face frozen in surprise.
“How do you do?” Kate tried for a warm friendly voice, though it quavered a little. “I’ve heard so much about you.”
“I’ll bet,” Rachel replied sarcastically, standing up. “Simon. Do you really think this is appropriate?” she said caustically, turning to him and ignoring Kate. Kate felt the muscles of her chest and neck and face draw up and tighten into a mask.
Kate saw Simon stiffen. “I do,” he replied calmly. “Maddie knows Kate well. We’ve known each other for many years,” he said, smiling wryly at Kate.
“Really?” drawled Rachel. She seemed to gather her thoughts, her lips pursed. Turning to Madison, she said, “Maddie, why don’t you get dressed quickly and Mommy will take you out for a little walk to the park. Put your snowsuit on.”
“I don’ wanna go now. I want to play with my presents for awhile,” whined Maddie, looking up at Rachel with solemn eyes. “Can we go later? Pleeease.”
“Hmph,” Rachel said, her lips pressing into a thin line. “I can’t stay that long. I have to catch a plane. I brought you a Christmas present, Maddie. Do you want to open it now?”
Maddie looked up. “Okay.” Rachel stooped down to pull a beautifully wrapped parcel from her bag, handing it to her. Maddie pulled at the ribbons, but they were knotted, frustrating her. Rachel, flustered, reached out to help her. Together they wrestled the wrapping off, but not before Rachel snagged a nail and shook her hand, swearing under her breath. Maddie pulled the box open. It was upside down, and the contents slid out in an avalanche of tissue paper. Maddie lifted up a black velvet jumper and looked briefly at it, then put it aside and rummaged amongst the tissue paper searching for something else. She found a pretty blouse with embroidered collar and cuffs. Her face fell when she realized there was nothing more.
“It’s clothes again,” she said finally.
“Yes, Maddie. Mommy brought you a special outfit from New York. Isn’t it pretty?” Rachel’s voice was falsely bright, hiding her discomfort and disappointment.
“Yes, Mommy.”
“What do you say, Maddie?” Simon prompted quietly.
“Thank you, Mommy.” Madison stood up, put her arms up. Rachel suddenly embraced her tightly and kissed her cheek, leaving a bright red crescent of lipstick.
“Merry Christmas, baby,” she said and stood up, smoothing out her jacket with well manicured hands, nails painted dark red for the holidays. “Well. If we can’t go to the park, I guess I’d better be going, then.” Maddie blinked up at her mother. Rachel looked at her and forced a wide smile on her features, then turned to pick up her coat and headed for the front hall. “Nice to meet you, Kate,” she said with a distracted air.
Kate said nothing in reply, merely lifting her eyebrows skeptically.
Simon frowned thoughtfully.
“Bye-bye, Mommy.” Madison stared after Rachel for a few moments and then turned her attention back to her new doll, struggling to pull on the doll’s dress. It wasn’t going well and she looked discouraged. Suddenly she stood up and ran to Kate, hurtling onto the sofa and curling up next to Kate.
“Help me dress her, Kate, it’s stuck,” she insisted, shoving the dress into Kate’s hand. Kate took the doll from Maddie, keeping her eyes cast down, terrified that this trusting gesture would throw Rachel into a fit of maternal jealousy. Nothing happened.
Simon followed Rachel slowly and paused at the doorway to look back at Kate and Maddie, his brows pulled together. He sighed. Kate watched him turn and exchange a long, significant look with Rachel, his Adam’s apple sliding up and down his lean neck. Kate was embarrassed for them all, and wished she wasn’t there to witness the painful scene, and yet her eyes were drawn like magnets to the couple standing stiffly in the hall, her ears straining for every soft-spoken word.
Rachel pressed her glossy red lips together and shook her head slightly. “I should be happy for you, I suppose, but… ”
“But?”
“I don’t know. It makes me sad somehow.”
“I understand.”
“I know I’ve been a dreadful mother. But I don’t want to lose Madison.”
He paused. “That’s up to you.”
Rachel chewed her full lower lip thoughtfully. She nodded, as if to herself. “I’ve got to get to the airport.”
“Just a minute, then, I have something for you.” He turned and went down the hall, and the few minutes he was gone felt like a thousand hours to Kate, who lo
oked at Rachel, who was not looking at her. He returned and handed a manila envelope to Rachel without a word.
“What’s this?”
“Your Christmas present.”
She slit the envelope open with a long, sharp fingernail and pulled out a sheaf of papers, scanning them. Her face opened, “I never thought… I’m… shocked.”
What?
“It’s what you want, isn’t it?” Ah. The divorce papers. He’d finally relented.
“Yes, but… ”
Simon shrugged. “Call us when you’re settled in Toronto.”
After a long moment, she slipped on an expression of cool indifference along with her leather coat and turned to the door that Simon held open.
“Merry Christmas, Rachel,” said Simon quietly.
“Merry Christmas, everyone,” said Rachel with brittle brightness and strolled away. He stood watching her go, and Kate said nothing, waiting.
Kate studied Simon’s face as he turned toward her. “Was that what I think it was?” she asked him as he returned to the living room.
Simon stood looking pensive for a long moment. He nodded thoughtfully, then blinked and returned her gaze, smiling weakly.
She frowned, concerned. “Are you okay?”
He threw back his head and laughed suddenly, grabbed Maddie, swinging her around above his head and fell onto the sofa beside Kate, tickling and wrestling with Maddie, who giggled and squealed like a piglet yanked from the teat. “I’m better than okay,” he said. “I feel wonderful.” Leaning over, he kissed Kate enthusiastically then smothered Maddie with kisses too. “Are we still going skating today?”
“Da–ad.” whined Madison.
“Ma–ad,” Simon mimicked. “We agreed we’d do it this afternoon. Remember? Come on, it’ll be fun.”
Maddie sighed and stood up.
He reiterated his question to Kate with his eyes. She smiled and nodded. “I’ll have to stop at my place to get skates and change my clothes.”
“What are we waiting for?”
CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE
His scuffed and cut up hockey skates were the same vintage as Kate’s, a pair of figure skates that hadn’t been seen in stores for twenty years. It made her want to laugh and cry at the same time. They really were two birds of a feather and her chest squeezed at the thought of all the years they’d missed… but what was the use of thinking like that? They had the future.
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