by Naomi Niles
I smiled. “You know, Sam is the one who brought up Clint yesterday. He wanted to know how we met and how we fell in love.”
“That’s a good sign,” she said. “It means Sam recognizes Clint is an important part of your history and he’s ready to accept that.”
I nodded. “Sam is a good guy,” I said, mostly to myself.
“Then I suggest you make this work,” Vanessa said encouragingly. “And bring him to the exhibition tomorrow night.”
I smiled. “I’ll do my best,” I promised.
By the time Renni and I got home that night, we were both exhausted. Her bubbly little face was scrunched up in sleep, but she had spent the night bouncing off the walls at Vanessa’s, so I wanted to give her a quick shower before bed.
“Come on, munchkin,” I called. “A quick shower and then it’s off to the land of nod.”
Renni followed me into the bathroom and undressed before I could help her. I sat by the bathtub and rubbed her back with a warm sponge as she patted down the water with her palms.
“Mommy?”
“Hmm?”
“Next Friday is parent career day,” she said.
“Really?” I asked. “That came around fast.”
“Nelly’s daddy is an architect,” Renni said. “And Jolie’s daddy is a surgeon.”
“Impressive careers.”
“What was my daddy?”
She wasn’t looking at me. Her green eyes were fixed on the water in front of her. She didn’t look sad or upset. She was merely asking me a question that required an answer. I realized that all the emotion was coming from me.
I kissed her soapy forehead. “Your daddy was in advertising,” I told her. “He used to help different companies sell their products.”
“Really?”
“Uh-huh,” I nodded. “Remember that commercial for nougat chocolate bars?”
“The one with blue teddy bear?” Renni asked, her eyes going wide.
“That’s the one,” I smiled. “Your daddy is the one who worked on that campaign. It’s a few years old now, but it was popular at the time.”
“Wow,” she said in awe.
“Yeah,” I nodded.
“Mommy?”
“Yes, darling?”
“What was daddy like?”
I smiled, trying not to let the emotion show too much on my face. “Your daddy was…
“Well, you had him wrapped around your little finger. He used to play with you all the time. He used to take you to the park and push you on the swings. He used to make you breakfast and then help you eat it. He used to read stories to you at night and sometimes would even act them out for you. He made you laugh so much…much more than I could.”
“Really?”
“Really,” I nodded. “Come on, puppet, let’s get you dry now.”
She stood up in the bathtub, and I wrapped a towel around her and pulled her out of the water. Then I wiped her dry and helped her into her soft pink pyjamas. I combed her hair out before we headed for her bed. She was all settled down under the sheets when I reached for one of her favorite bedtime stories.
“Mommy?”
“Yes, darling?”
“Instead of reading…can you tell me more stories about my daddy?”
I looked into her green eyes and saw myself reflected in them. And despite how much Renni looked like me, I could see that her deepest nature was her father’s. I was glad she had inherited that from him. She was kind, just like he had been.
“Of course, angel,” I nodded.
I spent the next half an hour talking about Clint. I told Renni little stories about him. How he had loved her. How he had made mistakes with her, but above all, how hard he had tried to be the perfect father. I told her how funny he was and how much he loved playing with her.
“He sounds like Sam,” Renni said, after a moment.
I let that sit for a moment. “You’re right…he does,” I nodded.
Chapter Thirty-One
Sam
I had never been to an art exhibit before let alone an art gallery. I had no idea how to dress, how formal to be, or how big a deal this was in cultured circles. I felt like some dorky, uneducated fireman who would have to pretend to understand what he was looking at the whole night.
I decided to stick with Renni. I couldn’t know less than a five-year-old, right? Then I remembered that Renni was no ordinary five-year-old and would probably know more than me. Sighing, I stared at myself in the mirror. It was a strange new experience, to not only be conscious of myself, but to also worry about if I looked presentable or not.
I wouldn’t exactly call myself vain. I liked to pretend I was to amuse the people around me from time to time, but I wasn’t one of those guys who actually thought he was the hottest thing in the room. That being said, I was honest about my looks. I knew I was a good-looking guy, which gave me the confidence I needed with women.
But being with Mia was different somehow. I knew looks alone wouldn’t cut it with her. She was smart enough to see through me, and if personality was all she was looking at, I felt much more exposed than I wanted to be.
I had opted for black pants, a white long-sleeved shirt, and a black belt with matching shoes. I toyed with the idea of wearing a tie, but I changed my mind at the last moment. A tie just wasn’t me, and despite the fact that I wanted to impress Mia tonight, I wanted to impress her looking like myself. I decided to just go for a more casual open collar look.
I checked my reflection in the mirror and decided I looked quite presentable. I was sure they wouldn’t kick me out of the gallery, at the very least.
I stopped by a special florist Madison had told me about a few days ago to pick up something unique for Mia and Renni, and then I drove over to their place and rang the doorbell. It was Mia who answered the door. She was wearing a silky dressing gown cut just above her knees. Her hair was gathered up in a messy knot above her head, her face looked fresh and clean and her feet were bare.
“Wow,” I said. “You look beautiful.”
She smirked at me. “I’m not ready yet.”
“Really?” I teased. “This isn’t what you’re wearing tonight?”
I heard a giggle from behind her and that was when I noticed Renni peering in through the narrow hallway.
“Hi, cutie,” I said. “I brought something for you.”
“Really?” Renni said, her eyes going wide with excitement.
“Come on,” Mia smiled, nudging me inside. “Would you mind hanging out with Renni for a few minutes? I still need to figure out what I’m going to wear.”
“Sure thing,” I nodded willingly. “But first, I should give you lovely ladies my little gift.”
“You brought something for Mommy, too?”
“Of course,” I nodded. Then I pulled out the hand I had been strategically hiding behind my back to reveal the bouquets I was holding. Each bouquet held three long stems, one that was held together by a red ribbon and the other was held together by a blue ribbon. I handed the blue-ribboned bouquet to Renni.
“Mommy, look,” Renni said, in awe. “It’s not flowers… it’s –
“Cookies,” Mia laughed. “Flower cookies.”
“Double chocolate chip,” I told them. “And for you, my lady.”
I presented Mia with the red-ribboned bouquet from which stood wrapped Godiva chocolates on each stem. She accepted it with a wide smile and gave me a wink. “This was a brilliant idea,” she told me. “Thank you, Sam.”
“It was my pleasure.”
Mia looked at Renni’s delighted face and laughed. “Why don’t you put those in some milk, sweetheart?”
“Can I?” she asked.
“Sure,” Mia nodded. “Dinner might be late tonight, so a snack might help. Now, I’ve got to go get ready.”
Mia disappeared into her room, leaving Renni and I alone. “Let’s eat the cookies, Sam,” Renni said immediately.
“Sounds like a plan,” I nodded willingly. “How about so
me milk?”
“In the fridge,” she replied, as she ran to get it for me.
I got out two glasses and then poured out the milk that Renni brought me. We sat together at the kitchen table, clinked our glasses together, and dunked our cookies into the milk.
“Thank you for the cookies, Sam,” Renni said, after taking the first bite. “They’re yummy.”
“I’m glad you like them.”
“They’re yummy,” Renni said again, as though she wanted to make sure I knew that.
“So Renni…” I started.
“Uh-huh?”
“How much do you know about art?”
She smiled, with crumbs coating her lips. “I know that art is pretty, but Aunt Vanessa says that it can be…sub-juc-get-ive.”
I smiled. “Subjective?”
“Uh-huh,” she nodded. “I think it means that different people can like different art. That’s why I like art so much – no one can be wrong about it.”
“Have I ever told you how smart you are?” I asked, shaking my head at her. “I think you may be smarter than me.”
Renni blushed instantly and gave a little giggle. “Mommy says I’m smart, too,” she confessed, as though she was slightly embarrassed to admit that. “But I don’t think so.”
“Why not?”
“Because I don’t always understand everything,” Renni admitted. “And sometimes when I learn math, I get the answers wrong. And when I read books, I can’t always say some words.”
“Hmm,” I said thoughtfully. “How old are you, Renni?”
“Five and three quarters,” she replied promptly.
I smiled. “Well, I’m twenty-four and three quarters and I still get certain answers wrong, I still read and can’t always pronounce certain words, and I don’t always understand everything, either. No one can understand everything. The point is that when we don’t know something, we ask so that we can learn about them.”
“I always do that,” Renni said happily.
“And that’s what makes you smart.”
She beamed. She was quiet for a moment, as though lost in her own thoughts. Then she looked up at me suddenly, her little green eyes boring into mine. “I’m glad Mommy has you, Sam,” she said with a maturity that defied her age.
I was touched, but covered up my emotion with a smile. “Does that mean you approve of me, Renni?”
She smiled. “Uh-huh,” she nodded. “Very much. I’m happy when you’re around. And so is Mommy.”
They were simple, honest words, yet they filled me with so much hope and happiness. I was intensely grateful that Renni liked me and that I got to be part of her life. Our cozy little conversation was interrupted when Mia came back into the room. I took a deep breath as I stared at her beautiful classical silhouette.
She was dressed in a strapless silk, organza dress in a light shade of lilac. She was wearing tall black heels, and her earthy brown hair coated her pale shoulders, drawing attention to her expertly made up eyes.
“What do you think?” she asked both of us, twirling around on the spot.
“You look beautiful, Mommy,” Renni said instantly.
I stood up and took a moment to admire her. “You are…breathtaking,” I said.
She smiled and her eyes were soft and romantic. “Thank you,” she said quietly. “Now, let’s get going.”
We spent the car ride talking about art, how much Renni liked to draw, and the fact that she wanted to be an artist when she grew up. By the time we got the art gallery, I wasn’t feeling as nervous anymore.
We walked inside, and I was struck by how beautiful and cultured everything and everyone looked. There were no tables or chairs. Just empty space between walls filled with framed photographs, paintings, and canvases. There were waiters in white shirts and black vests walking around with trays filled with tiny bite-sized snacks and tall glasses of champagne.
“There she is, Mommy,” Renni said, tugging on Mia’s hand and pointing towards the willowy white-blonde in a flowing black dress.
“Mia!” Vanessa called out as she spotted them. “Renni! There are my two best critics.”
She came forward and embraced them both, and I noticed the deep affection that lay between the three of them. I knew how significant a role Vanessa had played in Mia and Renni’s life since Clint passed away; for that reason alone, I wanted to make a good impression on her.
Vanessa turned to me and gave me a smile that was a little less warm than the one reserved for Mia and Renni. I could see that she was assessing me, studying me, observing me to make sure I was good enough for the two of them – and to be honest, I couldn’t blame her.
“Vanessa,” I said, leaning in and giving her a hug. “It’s nice to officially meet you. I feel like I already know you, though, especially the way Renni’s been going on about you.”
Vanessa gave Renni a little wink. “Well, I really appreciate you coming tonight Sam,” she said. “I know how busy you must be.”
“I am,” I nodded. “But I like to make time for important people.”
I was trying to say that I was always going to put Mia and Renni first, and by the look in Vanessa’s eyes, she got the message loud and clear. She gave me an appreciative smile, but I could tell that I had fully passed her test yet.
“So, Sam?” she said. “Fire fighting, huh? Must be dangerous work?”
“It can be,” I nodded. “But I do my best to stay safe…and I have a great team that helps me out. I don’t do anything alone.”
“I would hope not,” she nodded. “Mia mentioned that you have brothers?”
“Four,” I replied.
“Are you close with them?”
“Of course,” I nodded. “We lost our father when we were all quite young, so we relied on each other a lot.”
“I’m sorry to hear about your father,” she said.
“It was a long time ago.”
She smiled and nodded. “Do you generally work long hours, Sam?”
“Well, depending on the day, I can work long hours yes.”
“Twenty-four hour shifts?”
“We get breaks so that we can get in a couple of hours of sleep,” I replied. “It helps with productivity.”
“I’m sure,” Vanessa nodded, grabbing a glass of champagne from a passing waiter. “But that can’t be very conducive to family life, can it?”
“Alright, Vanessa,” Mia said, stepping in. “Sam came to admire your paintings tonight, not be subjected to an interrogation.”
“I’m just interested,” Vanessa said, with a shrug.
“And, I don’t blame you,” I said. “If I were you, I’d want to make sure the guy Mia was dating passed muster, too.”
Vanessa gave me a warm smile. “See?” she said to Mia. “He gets it.”
“Sam,” Renni said, grabbing my hand. “Come with me. I want to show you my favorite painting.”
Renni grabbed my hand and dragged me away, leaving Vanessa and Mia behind. She took me through the gallery, explaining paintings to me, and whispering when she didn’t like an image. I was having a blast. Towards the close of the night, Renni went off with Vanessa, leaving Mia and I alone together.
She slipped her hand into mine and looked up at me with those intoxicating green eyes. “How are you doing?”
“I’m having a surprisingly good time,” I admitted. “I expected to be a fish out of water here, but… Renni made me feel comfortable.”
“Good,” Mia nodded. “I bet she loved showing you around.”
“She might end up on the walls here herself one day,” I said, with a twinge of pride in my tone.
“I think so,” Mia agreed. “Wouldn’t that be wonderful?”
“It would be,” I nodded. “I’m going to have to start reading up on the art world… I don’t want to be ignorant if this is where Renni’s future lies.”
Mia was looking at me with an emotional smile on her face.
“What?” I asked gently.
“Nothing,
” she said, shaking her head and looking away from me.
A moment later, Vanessa walked up to us with Renni in tow. “Hi, guys,” she greeted. “Renni wanted to know if it was okat if she spent the night with me?”
“Can I, Mommy?”
Mia smiled. “Sure, sweetheart,” she nodded. “But you have to listen to Aunt Vanessa, ok? Go to bed on time and do as you’re told…yes?”
“Yes,” Renni agreed.
“Good girl.” Mia bent down to kiss Renni on the forehead.
I knelt down so that I was at eye level with Renni. She moved into my arms and gave me a hug before I could ask for one. “Night, night, Renni girl,” I said.
“Good night, Sam,” Renni smiled. “I’ll see you soon?”
“Very soon,” I promised.
She beamed and stepped away from me. Then Mia and I said our goodbyes and headed for the exit. We held hands on the drive back, and I could feel the waves of sexual tension start to emanate between us the closer we got to her place. We slipped back into the house, but Mia didn’t bother too much with the lights. There was enough light coming in from the open windows.
She took my hand and led me into her bedroom without a word; I followed her willingly, prepared to walk into the depths of hell, just as long as she was the one taking me there. That struck me as an odd thought, and I started to question my own feelings because of it.
Would I really do anything for this woman? And if so, didn’t that mean my feelings for her were stronger than I had first realized? Had I fallen in love and not even realized it?
“You’re quiet,” Mia said, breaking the silence. She closed her bedroom door and turned to me. I sat down on the edge of her bed and met her startling green eyes.
“I’m thinking…”
“About what?” she asked softly.
“I care about you so much, Mia,” I admitted. “You and Renni… In a short time, you both have become so important to me.”
Mia smiled and walked slowly towards me until she was between my legs with her hands caressing the back of my neck. I put my hands on either side of her hips and held her close to me.