White Chocolate Moments Read online

  "Was it the tears?"

  Arcineh shook her head in confusion. "She can't stop, and I don't know how to help her:'

  "She asked for you to come and live with them. Did she mention it?"

  Arcineh looked as shocked as she felt.

  "What did you say?" she whispered.

  "No:'

  Arcineh's relief was visible. She sagged on her crutches, and Sam's heart clenched at the sight.

  "I can't leave you and Chicago, Grandpa. You understand, don't you?"

  "Absolutely. I would never send you away:"

  Arcineh stared at the floor for a long time, still trying to take it in but not succeeding. Her parents had come back to mind, and all she felt was loss. "I'm going to watch television:' she finally said, turning to the family room.

  "I'll be in my office if you need me:"

  "All right:'

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  They went their separate ways, but not for long. Sam couldn't concentrate on a thing and soon went to check on Arcineh. He found her sound asleep, which turned out to be a good thing. Visitors began arriving the next day, and there seemed to be no end of them.

  "I've got a bit of work for you:' Arcineh's teacher, Mr. Sutter, said kindly. "There's no hurry, but when I spoke with your grandfather, he said you'd talked about it:'

  Arcineh nodded. "Thank you, Mr. Sutter. I'll get it done as fast as I can:'

  "There's no hurry Arcie. You're so far ahead in almost every subject that you could miss the rest of the year, but we're still working on that World Lit project, and I want you to get going on it again:'

  Arcineh nodded, but she didn't feel as calm as she looked. All the work she'd done on it was at her old home.

  "Is there something I can get you? Library books or anything else?"

  "I don't think so. I'm going to try to get back to class next week. Grandpa wants the doctor to approve:'

  "There's no hurry, Arcie. We miss you, but your grades are not going to suffer:'

  Arcineh thanked Mr. Sutter again and walked him to the door when he left. He had been with Fetterman Academy, a small private school that Arcineh had been attending since she was seven, for ten years. He had been her teacher for two years.

  Fetterman Academy was run very much like a homeschool, with a low student-teacher ratio and more than one age-group in a class. All subjects were covered, and covered thoroughly, but great amounts of time were also spent in subjects of interest to each child. Arcineh learned best when subjects were taught in solid blocks, and much of her schoolwork had been tailored with that in mind. In the fall,

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  she had spent weeks and weeks on math and almost nothing else. Following math was science, with refresher tests for math, and after that social studies and history, again, accompanied by regular refresher tests in each subject.

  But afternoons were much more open. Whatever a child wanted to study could be accommodated. Reports and papers were expected--it was not a time when a child could be idle--but the very nature of allowing the students to choose their own topic was unique. One year Arcineh had spent the entire first semester researching the life of Lewis Carroll. Another year, she had done four projects in the same amount of time.

  "Is your teacher gone?" Sam asked, suddenly beside her, causing Arcineh to realize she was still standing by the front door. "Yes. He left some work."

  Sam studied her face and knew something was wrong. "If you're not ready, Arcie, just say so."

  "That's not it." Her voice was flat. "I'll need some papers from home."

  Sam was now just as quiet. It might have surprised his granddaughter to know that he was not looking forward to that trip any more than she was.

  More visitors arrived over the next few days, including kids from both school and dance class, as well as her closest friend, Daisy Cordell. They had been in school together for the past three years and were very close. Both were children of privilege and only children.

  "I brought you a flower:' Daisy said; it was a daisy. "Your grandfather's house is far enough away from ours that I don't know how often I'll get here. It's to remind you of me."

  "Thanks, Dais:' Arcineh said sincerely. She really was a very good friend, and Arcineh loved her.

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  "So how is it?" Daisy did not believe in mincing words. "It's horrible if I think about it, so I try not to:'

  "Have you been home?"

  "No, but I have to go soon. I need some schoolwork:' "Can't someone else go?"

  Arcineh shrugged, and Daisy dropped that line of questioning. As a rule she would have told Arcineh exactly what to do and how to think, but things were not normal anymore. Her friend looked pale and thin. And Daisy knew better than anyone how much Arcineh loved dance, making her cringe at the sight of Arcineh's crutches.

  "How is school?" Arcineh asked.

  "You won't believe it:' Daisy replied, swiftly becoming her animated self. "Miss Moore is getting married!"

  "Moore the Bore?"

  "Yes! She's floating in and out of rooms like a fairy, and all she does is look at her ring:'

  Arcineh giggled. She loved Daisy's descriptions and could so easily see the school's librarian and secretary acting just that way. She was a mousy woman in a school full of wealthy, gifted, and highly confident students who could at times be ruthless.

  "When's the big day?" Arcineh asked.

  "This summer. Rumor is she won't be back in the fall. Good riddance!"

  For some reason the last comment bothered both girls. Their eyes caught, and Daisy looked ashamed.

  "Promise me something, Dais," Arcineh almost whispered. "Anything!"

  "That you won't stare at me when I get back to school:'

  "Not only will I not stare Daisy said fiercely, "I'll pinch anyone who does:'

  Arcineh relaxed again. As long as everyone else was acting normal, she could give herself permission to do the same.

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  Mason Beck, Sam's assistant and right-hand man for at least 20 years, sat across from him in his home office, taking copious notes on the words his employer was firing at him. He had been doing this for years and found it routine. The only problem he ran into was Sam's habit of thinking that once he'd given an order, the job was somehow magically done.

  "Is Trevor's house ready?" Sam asked.

  "Yes:' Mason was able to reply, although the order to make sure all was in readiness was just 24 hours old. Mason had gone himself--taking Violet and a few others with him--to Trevor and Isabella's home in anticipation of Sam and Arcineh's visit.

  "You saw to it yourself?"

  "I did."

  Sam grew quiet and thoughtful then, something Mason rarely saw.

  "How did it seem?" Sam eventually asked.

  "Just normal. We opened things up so the house could air out. Violet cleaned out the fridge and left everything smelling fresh. She even brought back the dirty clothing we found in the bedrooms and plans to wash and box them."

  "Where are the boxes?"

  "Somewhere here, I imagine. Out of sight:' Mason added, wanting to be sensitive. In all the years he'd worked for Sam, he hadn't seen him like this, a bit soft-spoken and unsure. Sam Bryant was an exacting man, expecting his orders to be carried out with precision and demanding only the best from those. who worked for him. He paid each person well, and they saw bonuses on a regular basis, but he didn't always remember that his employees had families and lives of their own.

  The marble that Sam provided to companies all over the United States was without equal, but to accomplish that Sam was married to

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  his business and expected his employees to be as well. Mason got the worst of it. He was paid a small fortune for his trouble, but truth be told, had his family not become so accustomed to the life he provided for them, he would have quit on the spot.

  "Why are you still here?" Sam asked Mason in a way that was all too familiar.

  "I wasn't aware we were done Mason answered with quiet dignity, never allowing
his feelings to show.

  "We're done Sam said dismissively.

  Mason didn't bother to say goodbye--there would be nothing in return--but simply exited. He hoped to see Arcineh so he could greet her, but she was not in sight. Instead he exited through the kitchen and confirmed with Violet that the clothing was in fact stored in an out-of-the-way place.

  Sam and Arcineh sat in the car in the driveway of the place that had always been her home, neither one speaking for a time. Everything looked normal, but nothing was right and they both knew it.

  "You don't have to do this:' Sam said, repeating the statement he'd made when they'd left his house. "Just give me directions."

  "That's just it, I don't know exactly where my papers are:'

  "I'll just gather everything I find and bring it out:'

  Arcineh still refused. She didn't want to go into the house, but something inside of her told her it would only be worse if she waited. When she'd left her grandfather's birthday party nearly four weeks ago, she had never dreamed she would not be back here in all these days.

  "But then that's the way it always is, isn't it?" Arcineh spoke her thoughts out loud.

  "What's that?" Sam asked.

  "No one ever thinks this will happen:'

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  Sam certainly agreed with that. He was still in shock and felt as though he always would be.

  "Well:' Arcineh said with a hand on the door. "I just want to get in and get out."

  Easier said than done, Arcineh found as soon as they'd let themselves in. The feel of her parents was everywhere, and she felt as if she couldn't breathe. Actually feeling dizzy, she sat on the bottom of the stairs, all color draining from her face. Sam felt just as bad but made himself concentrate on the child.

  "Where shall I look first?" Sam asked, and Arcineh gave in. "Try the desk in my room."

  Sam took the stairs on swift feet and was back in a very short time. Arcineh saw that he'd grabbed nearly everything and thought that might be the end of it.

  "Did you see a schoolbag?"

  "What color is it?"

  "Blue."

  Sam was gone again in a hurry, but this time he came back empty Arcineh had taken time to look through the papers and saw that everything was there.

  "No blue bag:' he apologized.

  Arcineh frowned but couldn't remember where it might be. She also realized she didn't care.

  "Do you have something I can use?"

  "I'm sure I do, and if not, we'll stop at Marshall Fields and find something."

  Arcineh nodded, and they both headed toward the door, just needing to get out. They had been logical and controlled, but that lasted only until they gained the front porch. Arcineh's tears burst forth without warning, and Sam's head bowed on his own. They didn't go to the car but sat on the heavy stone benches that Isabella had used to make the front porch a welcome place. It was a bit humid, although still cool, but neither one noticed. Too few tears had passed

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  between them, and now they came in a torrent. For almost an hour they cried off and on, saying little.

  However, it helped. When Arcineh had no more tears, she wanted to go back inside. With her grandfather's help, she gathered some of the things she'd not been able to describe to Violet. Feeling drained, she still made herself look for the blue bag. They left as soon as she'd found it.

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  CHAPTER Two

  "We're coming up this weekend:' Tiffany told her father on the phone that evening.

  Sam met this news with silence, his head still hurting. "Dad?"

  "I'm here:'

  "Is something wrong?"

  "It's just been a rough week, Tiffany, and I don't know if that's such a good idea:'

  Tiffany could not believe her ears. Her father never denied her a visit. It was rather unsettling after all these years, and she knew Quinn would feel the same way.

  "Did Arcie say something about not wanting to see us?" "Of course not, Tiffany. It's nothing like that:'

  "Well, ask her. I'm sure she wants to see Quinn:'

  Sam realized for the first time why his daughter's relationships with her children were so argumentative. She expected them to have opinions and be able to reason and think like adults. When they didn't agree with her, however, a fight usually broke out.

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  "I'll make sure life stays calmer next week:' Sam offered, "and we'll plan on next weekend."

  "But Quinn has a show next weekend!"

  The strident sound of Tiffany's voice told her father she had become very emotional. He didn't want to argue with her, but neither did he want to give in.

  "School will be out in less than a month, Tiffany, and then we'll get the girls together as often as possible:'

  "Well, that's no help at the moment, is it?"

  Their conversation did not end well. Sam got his way, but at great expense. His daughter had fallen to tears and recriminations and then hung up in his ear. He was still thinking about it when Arcineh came to the door.

  "Are you busy this weekend?" she asked.

  "No, why?"

  "Could we go to the Shedd? Just for a little while?"

  "Certainly. Which day?"

  "Saturday morning, right when they open:'

  "We'll plan on it."

  Sam's heart lightened a bit. He knew Tiffany and Quinn did not agree with him, but for the moment, he was going to handle this his own way.

  The Shedd Aquarium was one of Arcineh Bryant's favorite places in the world. It had been a Chicago landmark for more than 60 years, and she loved everything about it. The architecture and layout of the building captivated her, and that was even before she began to roam from level to level and room to room to take in the thousands of sea creatures, amphibians, and reptiles.

  The Pacific white-sided dolphins and beluga whales delighted her,

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  and she could stand for an hour at the penguin display. Time became no more when she watched the antics of the Alaska sea otters.

  The crutches inhibited some of her normal activities, and it was fairly crowded even at this early hour, but that didn't change Arcineh's pleasure. The last time she had come was with her father, and she had to push that memory from her mind, but for Arcineh the Shedd had a calming effect, and that was true this time as well.

  "I'm going to try walking a bit:' she said to Sam about an hour after they arrived.

  "Don't, Arcie," he begged. "The floor is cobbled here. Why don't you wait?"

  But Arcineh had a stubborn look on her face and only handed him the crutches. Sam wanted to argue with her but held his tongue. His body gripped with tension as he watched her, a tension that didn't leave until she grew weary and wanted the crutches back.

  "Let's head to the Oceanarium," Arcineh suggested tiredly.

  Sam agreed, hoping the dolphin show was over. They found the seating area nearly empty, and Arcineh went down about halfway to the water, sat down, and just stared.

  The Oceanarium was where the dolphins lived and performed. Long roof trusses eliminated the need for support columns, and thanks to the floor-to-ceiling windows, the two million gallons of water in Whale Harbor appeared to flow directly into Lake Michigan.

  This was Arcineh's favorite place at the Shedd. She enjoyed the dolphin show, but more than that she enjoyed sitting in the large room, watching the dolphins race around on their own and looking out over Lake Michigan.

  Sam sat beside her, more concerned with her hip than the view of the lake, but trying to stay calm. He wanted to ask if she was all right but decided to let the matter rest. He was determined, however, not to hold her crutches when he didn't feel it was safe.

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  "I thought I heard you:' Violet said, suddenly at the kitchen door and finding Arcineh looking into the refrigerator at about 1:00 in the morning.

  "I'm sorry I woke you:'

  "What can I get you?" Violet asked, ignoring the apology.

  "I don't know" Ar
cineh continued to stand, the cold air hitting her, not sure what she was hungry for.

  "I can heat up that soup you like:'

  Arcineh shook her head. "I think I'd just like a peanut butter sandwich!'

  "With or without jam?"

  "I can make it," Arcineh offered, but Violet was already on the move. Arcineh gave up and sat on one of the counter stools. She didn't talk, and Violet didn't ask any more questions. She prepared the sandwich, sliced it just the way Arcineh liked, and placed it in front of her. Arcineh thanked her and began to eat.

  Violet did not try to engage her in conversation. She was very concerned for the little girl who seemed too old for her body and experiences and didn't seem to cry enough. Such a thing didn't seem natural to her.

  "I think I can sleep now:' Arcineh said when the sandwich was gone. Violet was pleased to see that she'd drunk the milk she poured for her as well.

  "I'll walk you to your bed:'

  Arcineh was relieved. Every once in a while her grandfather's house felt huge and scary, and right now most of the lights were off. Violet walked behind Arcineh, letting the little girl set the pace, before tucking her into bed.

  Violet bent and kissed her cheek, something she'd done only since the accident, but something to which Arcineh did not object. She then switched out the light and exited the room. Not until she was back in her own bed did the housekeeper shed her own tears.

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  Arcineh's first day back to school, a few days later than they planned, was an event in more than one way. She moved slowly but without crutches. On the Monday after their visit to the Shedd, the doctor had given her leave to walk without them, albeit with a warning about her activity level. Sam wanted her to have a day around the house without the crutches, so she started back to school on Wednesday of that week.

  Having been dropped off by Violet--her grandfather had an early meeting on his schedule--Arcineh stood quietly in the elevator, a conveyance she'd never needed before, and hoped she would be treated normally. When the doors whooshed softly open, Arcineh walked carefully out and turned for her classroom. Relief filled her when Mr. Sutter suddenly stepped into the hallway.

  "I was wondering if I might see you today:'

  "I made it:' Arcineh said with a smile.

  Mr. Sutter's pleasure in her appearance and his matter-of-fact way put her at ease. It was a good start back to normal.