White Chocolate Moments Read online

  "Please tell me you're joking," Sam said in a voice that told his secretary that he was in no mood for laughter.

  "What do you want me to do?"

  Carlee heard her employer sigh and waited.

  "Send her in, but beep me with something in about 20 minutes:' "Will do:'

  Carlee put the phone down and smiled at the interesting woman at her desk.

  "You can go right in:'

  "Thank you:' Geneva said sincerely, not having realized until she was in the building just how unlikely it was that Sam Bryant would agree to see her. Bryant Marble was on the top three floors of a huge office building, and Sam Bryant's own office was immense. The woman in the lobby had been hard enough to get past, but when Geneva spotted Sam's own secretary, she had all but given up.

  "Come Sam greeted, suddenly at the door. "I'm Sam Bryant:' "Geneva Sperry. Thank you for seeing me:'

  "Have a seat:' Sam invited without returning the compliment. He barely waited for Geneva to get settled in the sitting area of his office before saying, "What can I do for you?"

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  "I'm here about Arcie. She told me she doesn't want to dance anymore, but I must admit that I rather hoped she wasn't serious:'

  "And so you came to see me?" Sam asked, not rudely but with no enthusiasm.

  "Yes. I don't know if you realize Arcie's talent. She just can't give it up:'

  "You speak as though you've forgotten what she's lose

  "I haven't:' Geneva's voice and face were most sincere. "But I feel that dance is very therapeutic, and when someone with Arcie's natural gift understands that, it's also healing:'

  "Would it be just as healing if she were forced?"

  Geneva, as sure and polished as she was, did not expect this question. However, she answered honestly. "No, it wouldn't be healing at all. I guess I just wanted to be heard:' She stopped for a moment, but made no sign of leaving. "I've been dancing since I was three, and teaching for almost 30 years. Arcie's talent is remarkable:'

  Sam had heard the same from his son and believed it to be so, but he also knew dancing had to be his granddaughter's choice.

  "If you want my honest opinion, I think Arcineh will dance again, but I don't think she'll make a living with it as I suspect you are hoping:'

  Geneva nodded. He had read her very well. But Sam was not done.

  "I would wish for her to return to your studio, Ms. Sperry, but I need to know from you that whether it be next week or two years from now, she'll be welcome:'

  "What makes you think she'd be anything but?"

  Sam smiled a little. "The more time that goes by, the more she loses. Indeed her hip might have made that decision for her. If she doesn't return to you soon, I do not want her greeted with guilt or regret that she didn't come back sooner. Or passed over out of malice

  Geneva was impressed, and nodded her head a little. "I'm glad you've made that very clear, and I'm also glad to tell you that's not

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  who I am. It's true that in some schools in Chicago she would never be allowed in again, truly allowed:' Geneva qualified. "But not with me. Arcie will always be welcome at my school and given parts that match her skill." She shrugged a little. "You are correct in your assessment that she may have lost or will lose something with this absence, and her parts in performances will reflect that, but there will be no malice. Not from me, and not from anyone on my staff."

  Sam nodded, pleased that he'd been understood. A moment later, the intercom on his telephone beeped.

  "That will be my secretary getting me out of this meeting as I asked her to do:' Sam said, one corner of his mouth lifting. "As it was, I did not need to be rescued, Ms. Sperry, but if we've covered everything, I do have work:'

  "Certainly, Mr. Bryant. Thank you for seeing me:'

  "Thank you for your care of Arcineh. May I tell her you stopped?"

  "Absolutely. I would want her to know."

  Sam saw Geneva to the door, had a word with Carlee, and went back to work. He planned to tell Arcineh all about the visit, but a call came in at the end of the day that sent the dance instructor's visit from his mind.

  "Tonight?" Arcineh question again. "You have to leave tonight?"

  "Yes, but I should be home on Friday:' he said, packing all the while. "Violet will be here

  Arcineh did not look comforted. She knew her grandfather's work took him far and wide, but it never once occurred to her that he would leave her.

  Sam saw Arcineh's pale face at that moment and stopped what he was doing. He sat on the bed, his gentle hands on her shoulders as he brought her to stand in front of him.

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  "If I could send Mason, I would, but I've got unhappy people in Italy, and I've got to handle this myself."

  "What if something happens? What if you don't come back?"

  "I'm going to come back:' Sam said with extreme confidence. "I'll call you when I get there. I'll call you with my hotel number, and Violet will have all my flight information. I'll be home before you can miss me."

  Arcineh did not look convinced.

  "Why don't you ask your friend over? What was her name-- Daisy?"

  "She lives far away from here"

  "I'll call before I leave and see if she can come home from school with you tomorrow and, just this once, spend the night on a school night."

  "Really?" Arcineh perked up a bit.

  "Really"

  Arcineh nodded. Her face was still pale, but her heart was willing to take the proffered olive branch.

  "I don't have to leave for an hour, so as soon as I'm done packing I'll call Daisy's house, and then you and I can sit and talk'

  Arcineh nodded again, seeing that he was going to leave. She would have preferred him even to Daisy, a fact that was confirmed by the way she remained within inches of his side until he exited for the airport.

  CREVE COEUR, MISSOURI

  Quinn snapped at Austin during dinner, an occurrence that wasn't all that strange, but she was short even with her father. Tiffany took all of this in stride, but when it didn't stop and bedtime neared, she decided to confront her daughter.

  "Who is it?" Quinn barked when Tiffany knocked on her door.

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  Tiffany opened the door, feeling a headache coming on. "I've come to talk to you. What's going on?"

  "I don't know what you mean:' Quinn said obstinately, not meeting her mother's eyes.

  "Yes, you do. Now, let's have it."

  Quinn was not silent for long. Holding her feelings in had never been a strong point of her personality, and she was simply too frustrated to even try.

  "I don't want to show my horse this weekend. I want to see Grandpa. We haven't talked in months:"

  This was not true, but Tiffany was used to such exaggerations from her children.

  "You can't miss this performance:' Tiffany reasoned. "I wish you'd said something earlier. We could have called:'

  "It's not the same by phone, and he's probably doing something with Arcie."

  Tiffany heard a tone in her daughter that not even she could ignore.

  "I won't have that attitude, Quinn. That's nothing but selfishness:'

  Quinn did not take the rebuke well, but Tiffany didn't care. She told her daughter in clear terms that they would get her to Chicago as soon as possible, but that no one was going to live with her attitude.

  Tiffany did not wait to see what Quinn had to say. She went to her own room to find something for her headache. She then readied for bed but became wide awake when Jeremy made an appearance. She told him all about Quinn's attitude, wondering all the while where her daughter learned such self-centered tendencies.

  ebb.

  CHICAGO

  "We're going to Europe this summer:' Daisy told Arcineh when the hour was very late.

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  "When?"

  "Not until July. It'll be beastly hot, my mom says, but that's when Dad has business and that's when we'll go."

  "For how long?"


  "I think for two weeks:'

  "Where exactly?"

  "I don't know."

  "My grandpa's in Italy right now:"

  "Have you been?"

  "No:'

  Arcineh felt lonely for Sam just then, but Daisy didn't notice. She was also starting to feel sleepy and said, "We're going to be so tired tomorrow:' her voice scratchy with the late hour.

  "Yes, and my mom will say, 'Never again:"

  "Moms always say that:'

  The comment was not all that funny, but both girls laughed until they were red in the face. It seemed to be just what they needed. Not even bothering with the light, they both drifted off to sleep. Only after Violet checked on them some 30 minutes later was the room left in darkness.

  CREVE COEUR

  "Oh, Grandpa!" Quinn pulled the emerald necklace from the box, just about squealing in delight. "I love it:'

  Sam smiled with love at her, never letting on about his little secret. Violet had been buying the gifts for his children and grandchildren for more years than he could recall. Certainly the credit card was in his name, but Violet did all the work while he took the praise.

  Looking on, Arcineh smiled from her place in the room, but in her heart she knew something was wrong. She had not seen Quinn since her last visit to Chicago several weeks earlier. They had tried to arrange a visit but could manage nothing but phone calls, and all the

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  calls had been to her grandfather. Nevertheless Arcineh had been sure that they would pick up where they ended, but from the moment she arrived, Quinn had been a bit cool with her. Arcineh had never seen her like this, and she was nothing short of crushed with how often Quinn wanted to do things with just their grandfather. They were both finally done with school, and Arcineh assumed that they would be making every sort of plan to be together in the next few months, but Quinn said not one word about wanting to see Arcineh.

  "Who's ready for cake?" Tiffany offered when the pile of expensive presents had been opened. For the moment Arcineh's uncertainties were shelved.

  "Hey:' Austin spoke quietly when Arcineh joined him on the wide porch a few hours later.

  "Oh, hi, Austin. I didn't see you:'

  Austin sighed with ill humor and said, "There's only so much Quinn I can take when she's made herself queen for the day:' "Is that it?"

  "Is that what?"

  Arcineh stopped. If Austin didn't know what she was talking about, she was not going to fill him in.

  "You noticed it too, didn't you?" Austin continued, his look smug. "She's having to share Grandpa for the first time and finding out what the rest of us live with all the time. It makes her next to impossible to be around, and she's close to being that the entire rest of the year:'

  Again Arcineh didn't answer, but the look on her face told Austin she was not going to argue with him. The two didn't talk anymore, and that suited Arcineh fine. Much as she wanted to play with Quinn, she did not see Austin as a substitute. Unfortunately it made the weekend move at a snail's pace.

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  "We'll be up in a few weeks:' Quinn finally said to Arcineh as Arcineh and Sam were preparing to leave. They were in the driveway. "I can't wait'

  "Me either," Arcineh agreed, comforted by Quinn's familiar tone. "We can do whatever you like"

  Quinn looked thrilled at the thought, and they were more than halfway back to Chicago before Arcineh thought to ask her grandfather if Quinn was all right.

  "What do you mean?" he asked, his brow creasing a bit. "I don't know. She just seemed different:'

  Sam shrugged. "I didn't notice anything, but keep in mind that she's now a teenager. I think mood swings are to be expected:'

  Arcineh took him at his word, glad to know it was nothing serious. She wasn't telling Sam and Violet everything she was thinking, but lately in Arcineh's mind, everyone she loved was dying. With Quinn, Arcineh had imagined some sort of illness, but now she knew her grandfather would have told her about that.

  Arcineh settled in for the remainder of the ride home, completely forgetting what Austin had said. Her young heart believed it was just as her grandfather said: Quinn was entering the moody teen years.

  "Do I have to go?" Arcineh asked Sam when it was time to head to her parents' house. Sam stared at her. He didn't know if it was wise to allow Arcineh to completely avoid the task of choosing what she wanted from home so it could be cleared and sold. She had been so reticent about the whole thing that it was already August. School would be starting in just under four weeks.

  The summer had gone fairly well, even though Tiffany had not been able to come and help with the house. Arcineh had spent time

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  in Missouri and Quinn had twice come to Chicago for weekend visits. Sometimes the girls got along and sometimes they didn't. Sam took it in stride. But each time the subject of clearing Trevor and Isabella's house came up, Arcineh retreated in a hurry. Sam was unwilling to push the point, and now weeks had gone by. The house was being watched over for safety and taken care of, the flowers and lawn watered, but difficult as it was, something had to be done.

  "What are we going to do, Arcie?"

  "I don't know."

  "We can't keep putting it off:'

  "You could go. I could stay here:'

  Sam sat down. He thought she was past this.

  "It's like this:' he explained patiently. "Everything in the house is yours. If Violet, Mason, and I go through it without you, we might get rid of something you want:'

  "Well, just keep all the pictures and stuff."

  Sam, knowing it wasn't that simple, shook his head.

  "You're coming. Bring a book, some music, whatever you like. You'll sit on the sun porch and hang out, and when we have questions, we'll come to you:'

  Arcineh began to open her mouth, but Sam put his hand up. "If you need to cry, you cry. If you need a break, we'll take one, but we have to get started on this, and today is the day:'

  Arcineh was clearly not happy with the decision. However, she said no more and she did just as she was told. Loaded with books, music, and everything else she could get her hands on, Arcineh climbed in the back of Sam's car, resigning herself to being miserable.

  "Oh, I remember this:' Arcineh laughed at the picture of herself as a baby, and Violet laughed with her.

  She had started on the sun porch, slumped down in a chair and

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  angry at the world, but that hadn't lasted long. Violet had found her baby plate, cup, bowl, and tiny silverware. She'd gone out to ask Arcineh if she wanted to keep them, and minutes later Arcineh had followed her back to the kitchen. And that was just the start.

  Her grandfather was going through papers in her father's study, and Mason was making a detailed list of every item upstairs. In the kitchen, Arcineh had not been interested in anything more than her dishes and her mother's favorite coffee cup, but then she and Violet had moved to the family room, a room that was filled with photos, framed and in albums.

  For the first hour they stopped and looked often, but then Violet got busy. With only the occasional lingering look, she put pictures and albums into boxes, packing them neatly and labeling the outside so Arcineh would know where to look. At times Arcineh sat in the furniture and looked around. At other times she had to work not to cry. If Violet caught her, she told her not to hold back, but Arcineh only listened once.

  Nevertheless they kept on and by lunchtime had accomplished a great deal. Mason had sent for food, and it was delivered on time. The four sat around the kitchen table to eat. Arcineh listened to Mason's report to Sam concerning the upstairs items and realized she was not attached to anything more than her bedroom furniture. The family room furniture was also special to her, as was the wicker from the sun porch, but nothing else.

  When they were done eating, Arcineh shared this with her grandfather, who took it in stride. They weren't going to do anything drastic in the next few months, but Sam didn't share this. He simply made a mental note to keep his ears o
pen and to not do anything until he'd checked with Arcineh at least one more time.

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  Chapter Four

  Sam was usually home on Sundays, but today he was flying in from another business trip, this one to India. Arcineh had been in the family room listening to music, but suddenly all was quiet. Violet didn't search her out, not wanting to treat her like a baby, but began to wonder if she was all right.

  For most hours of the day, life had fallen into an easy pattern. It was true that Arcineh's parents were gone and she was living with and being raised by her grandfather and his housekeeper, but for the most part, things seemed normal. However, it was never far from Violet's mind that this little girl was motherless, and it wasn't very often that you could tell. She lived life at Sam's house as though it were her own, voiced her opinion at will, and acted like a typical preteen.

  But in truth, they were still working on her parent's house, and it had taken an emotional toll on all of them. Violet didn't know what Sam noticed, but she could see the chinks in Arcineh's armor and the occasional looks of vulnerability, and she wondered how the child inside was faring. Violet didn't baby the girl--it wasn't her way--but

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  50

  she also didn't think anything would surprise her. If Arcineh were to fall apart, she was sure she would take it in stride.

  "Violet?" Arcineh found her in the laundry room. "Are we going to shop for school sometime soon?"

  "How much time do we have?" Violet asked, giving herself time to catch up.

  "Maybe about two weeks. I don't have any new clothes or school supplies."

  "How do we know what to buy for supplies?"

  "I have a list. They gave it out at the end of the school year:'

  "That was a good idea. Your grandfather will be home in about three hours, and we'll check with him. If he doesn't want to take you, you and I will make a day of it"

  Violet suddenly found young, thin arms around her.

  "Thanks, Violet!"

  Violet stood, a load of damp towels in her arms, and stared at the place where Arcineh had been. She learned something about herself in that instant. The house had grown quiet and she'd expected the worst. She was not beyond surprises after all.