White Chocolate Moments Page 6

  "I think so. Can you stay a little bit?"

  "Sure. I'll turn off the light, and you just go to sleep:'

  "Your door's open?"

  "Yes, it is."

  Arcineh's sigh when she heard that was audible, but Sam's was very quiet. This wasn't what he'd bargained for, but at least he had this precious girl. He missed Trevor and Isabella more every day, but Arcineh was his, and she was here to stay.

  62

  "Chapter Five

  good information at the library last night:' Landon told Arcineh as soon as the afternoon session began. "Look at this book."

  "Oh, wow" Arcineh's eyes widened when Landon put a thick book full of photos and articles concerning the fire on the library table. Landon's job was facts and details. Arcineh was concentrating on the people and the more personal stories.

  "There isn't as much in here for you, but there are some names you might want to check on:'

  Arcineh took notes when Landon turned pages and pointed or read out loud. Her grandfather had wanted to know more about Landon over breakfast, and for a moment, Arcineh's mind went back to that conversation.

  "How old is he?"

  "Just a year ahead of me."

  "Did you decide to do this project together, or were you assigned?"

  "We decided."

  62

  63

  'And you're allowed to do that?"

  "Sure. I always do well on my projects, so Mr. Sutter trusts me to do it my way."

  'And does Mr. Sutter trust Landon?"

  "Landon just got here from New York, so Mr. Sutter doesn't really know him yet."

  "And you feel like you do?"

  "Grandpa," she had said impatiently, "I'm not marrying the guy. We just like each other and decided to do this project."

  "What does like mean exactly?"

  Arcineh rolled her eyes. "You know."

  "No, I don't. Explain it to me, please."

  "Tonight, Sam," Violet cut in. "Arcie is going to be late."

  Sam had not looked thrilled, but he'd let her go. Arcineh knew,

  however, that the topic would return to the table that evening. "Are you listening?" Landon's voice came to her.

  "Oh, sorry," Arcineh said. "I was thinking about something" "What?" Landon smiled, hoping it was him.

  "My grandfather wanted to know all about you:' she explained with a small shake of her head. "He's so funny"

  "You told your grandfather that we like each other?"

  "Sure."

  It was Landon's turn to shake his head.

  "What's the matter?" Arcineh asked.

  "Just that: You tell parents something and they want to know everything."

  Arcineh made herself ignore the word parents and even laughed a little. And it was funny in this case because it was proving to be very true.

  64

  "How much do you know about boys?" Sam had barely taken a seat at the dinner table before he asked.

  "I don't know?' Arcineh felt confused, not having expected this. "What's to know?"

  "How old is he, this Landon?"

  "He'll be 13 in two weeks?'

  "Oh, Arcineh:' Sam's voice was pained.

  "What's the matter?" Arcineh's eyes had grown a little, and she looked tense.

  The upset in Arcineh's face stopped Sam. He had been on the verge of telling her how young men thought, not knowing any other way to handle it. Tiffany had been promiscuous from the moment she turned 12. For a moment Sam had forgotten that Arcineh was nothing like her aunt.

  "Nothing's the matter:' he tried again, "except that boys sometimes have different thoughts than girls. I don't know this boy personally, and I want to know that you're going to be careful."

  "Okay?' Arcineh agreed, sounding a bit at sea.

  "Can you tell me a little about him?" Sam asked.

  "Like what?"

  "Maybe his full name for starters:'

  "Landon Rybeck III?' Arcineh said with a small laugh. "He likes cars and he misses New York sometimes?'

  "Why did he move here?"

  "His father's job changed. I don't know what he does:'

  "Landon Rybeck III, huh?" Sam worked to keep his voice light. Arcineh laughed again before answering.

  "He says his family has no imagination when it comes to names?'

  "And why do you like him?" Sam asked, feeling calmer now. "Well, he's cute and nice, and he liked me first?'

  "Of course he liked you:' Sam's voice was utterly sincere. "You're smart and fun and beautiful?'

  65

  "You think I'm beautiful?"

  "I know you're beautiful."

  Arcineh smiled at him, a shy smile that told him she appreciated hearing that.

  Did your dad ever talk to you about boys?"

  "I don't think so."

  "Well, their minds move faster. You might like it if he holds your hand, but he might want to kiss you:'

  "I don't think Landon does," Arcineh said innocently.

  "I'm not talking about Landon right now:' Sam answered, knowing she would not accept any criticism of this young man. "I'm talking about boys and men in general."

  Arcineh nodded. She looked accepting, but Sam was not quite done.

  "Has he held your hand?"

  "No, it's not like that."

  "What will you do if he wants to?"

  Arcineh made a face. "I think I'd be embarrassed:'

  Sam had to smile. She was so mature at times and utterly childlike at others. She was only about a month from her twelfth birthday, and somehow he thought she'd be more interested in hand-holding and such.

  "Are we done with Landon now?" Arcineh asked.

  "I think so, why?"

  "I don't know. It just seems like a lot of talk over nothing."

  "It might seem like nothing at the moment, but if you could remember this conversation for future reference, I think that would be wise."

  Arcineh looked at him, her face intent.

  "The nerds kiss sometimes:'

  "Who are the nerds?"

  "A pair of seniors at our school. All they did was study until last year--now they study and kiss."

  66

  For the first time Sam thought that Arcineh's school might not be so bad. Had she been in a public school, or even a larger private one, she would have witnessed kissing all along.

  "Do you do much kissing?" Arcineh asked, and Sam knew that he'd not cut off soon enough.

  "As a matter of fact, I don't"

  "Who do you kiss when you do?" Arcineh asked, her face as open as though they were discussing the weather.

  "No one you would know:'

  "How about Vi? Do you think she kisses much?"

  "I don't ask her, and you're not going to ask her either:'

  Arcineh leaned back in her seat, her smile slow and mischievous. Sam caught the look and threw back his head as he laughed. She'd been having him on, and until the smile peeked out, he'd not caught it. It was something her father would have done to him and also gotten away with.

  "Eat your dinner, you little monster:' Sam growled at her as he speared a piece of now-cold potato.

  Arcineh picked up her fork and began to eat, but a satisfied smile lurked in the depths of her eyes.

  "We're leaving for Creve Coeur on the Wednesday before Thanksgiving:' Sam informed Arcineh a week ahead of time. She'd come to his office and found him working on his home computer.

  "We're having Thanksgiving at the Rowens'?"

  "Yes. Where did you think?"

  "I don't know:' she answered quietly, still glad the family hadn't come up for her birthday. "I guess I thought we'd be here "What does it matter?"

  Arcineh didn't answer out loud but knew it did matter. Here she

  67

  could disappear in many different directions. At Quinn's house, the locations to escape her moody cousin were much more limited.

  "Are you still thinking about the last time they were here?"

  "Yes:' Arcineh answered
, deciding to be up-front.

  "I don't know what's happened between the two of you. You used to get along so well."

  "Do you really not know?" Arcineh asked, having finally figured it out.

  "Do you?" Sam stopped studying the computer screen and looked at Arcineh.

  "Yes. Quinn's never had to share your

  "What are you talking about?"

  "She's the favorite. She knows it. We all do. She's always had you all to herself. Now I live here, and I'm with you every time you go there, and she hates it"

  Sam was so stunned he couldn't move. Quinn was his favorite, but he didn't think anyone knew that. He studied Arcineh's face to see if this bothered her and realized she'd known all along. He also knew in that instant that Austin knew too.

  Sam Bryant, not normally a fool, realized he had been just that. Quinn had always been special in his heart. She was his first female grandchild. He would never forget the day she was born, and all the memories that came flooding back of how he'd failed her mother. In his mind, Arcineh had never seemed as needy as Quinn, and neither had Austin.

  Sam almost started when he realized Arcineh was still standing there watching him.

  "Do we have to go?" she asked.

  "Yes'

  "Can we come home on Friday?"

  "Arcineh," Sam said patiently. "You could try getting along with her'

  68

  "I'm not the problem:' Arcineh replied, her voice becoming tight with anger.

  "It takes two to tango:' Sam said, causing Arcineh to roll her eyes and walk away. Sam watched her, thinking he might do some eye rolling of his own. He wondered if any of them would survive Quinn and Arcineh's adolescent years.

  "I missed you:' Arcineh told Violet when she arrived home the Saturday after Thanksgiving.

  "I missed you too. How did it go?"

  "It was good:' Arcineh said, still surprised. "Quinn and I had a lot of fun. Even Austin wasn't too much of a jerk:'

  Violet wanted to laugh at this description. She'd seen Austin in action more than one time, and the name jerk usually came to her mind as well.

  "Did you eat a lot of turkey?"

  "And gravy!" Arcineh said, one of her favorite foods.

  "Stuffing and mashed potatoes?"

  "Of course, but I like your stuffing better:'

  "When have you had my stuffing?"

  "Last Thanksgiving. Did you go with Ed and his family?"

  "He doesn't have family, Miss Nosy. And if you must know, we ate out:'

  Arcineh looked into Violet's eyes, her own becoming serious. "Will you marry Ed?"

  "No:' Violet said without hesitation, serious as well. "I've been married, and I'm not doing it again:'

  Arcineh stayed very close, and Violet suddenly saw tears in the little girl's eyes.

  "What is it, honey?"

  "I miss my mom:' she whispered as words came pouring out. "We

  69

  always ate gravy together. She loved it too, and Aunt Tiffany kept talking about Christmas, and I don't even want Christmas this year. Not without my dad and mom. I don't want to shop or even have a tree. It won't ever be the same, and I just don't want it at all:'

  Arcineh would have run from the room then, but Violet's arms were around her. The older woman thought that life was cruel just then. Arcineh had enjoyed her holiday, only to remember that Christmas was less than a month away. Sam had never wanted Violet to go overboard with decorations of any kind, so this house would probably not even remind Arcineh of Christmas at her own home, but it would still be painful.

  Sam came to the kitchen just then to tell them that he was headed to the office. He changed his plans, however, when he found Arcineh upset. He had been pleased with how well the girls had done over the weekend, but he had wondered how Arcineh was doing inside.

  Against his own heart's desire, Sam canceled his visit to the office and suggested they see a movie. Violet declined, but Sam and Arcineh spent a wonderful afternoon and evening together, making life feel normal again for the 12-year-old.

  "Where does the money go?" Arcineh asked of Sam when he explained that it was time to put her family home up for sale. "Where all your money is, into special accounts:"

  "Don't you use some of Dad's money to pay for me living here?" "No, I don't:'

  "Not even with the lawyer and everything you had to do to become my guardian?"

  "Not even then:'

  "How about the hospital bills and all my physical therapy?" "There's insurance to pay for most of that:'

  "What does my dad's money do, just sit in the bank?"

  70

  "Until you're ready for it, yes:'

  "I don't want it:' Arcineh said, not for the first time, her look becoming guarded.

  "That's fine Sam said, also repeating himself but still not knowing why it bothered her so much.

  "You can sell the house, but I don't want the money:'

  Again Sam agreed, not going into details about the fact that it was hers, like it or not.

  "Do you want to see the house again?"

  "Not if it's empty."

  Sam watched her shiver a little and knew it had nothing to do with the frigid February day. She weathered things at the most amazing times and in the most amazing ways. She and Quinn had fought through Christmas--even Sam had seen that Quinn was impossible to please--but now that it was time to sell her parents' last possession, she was all right as long as she didn't have to deal with the money.

  "What are you thinking right now?" Sam. asked.

  "That I want hot chocolate:'

  Sam nodded, not even attempting to probe deeper. He took Arcineh at her word, reminding himself that she had always been up-front with him in the past.

  "Do you want some?" she asked.

  "Ask Violet to make mine coffee, and I'll have to drink it in here if I'm going to get my papers in order for my trip:'

  Arcineh only nodded and made her way from the office. She didn't like it when he traveled, but it had become more normal to her. His travel, for some reason, was always the greatest reminder that her parents were gone.

  All the way to the kitchen Arcineh thought about them. If you had asked her how long her parents had been dead, she could have told you, but part of her heart didn't believe that it had been almost a year. Less than two months would mark the one-year date, but for Arcineh it had been much longer.

  71

  She could no longer remember her mother's laugh. She had tried hard to hang on to that wonderful sound, but it had slipped away. As had her father's imitation of Mickey Mouse. It had never sounded just like Mickey, but Arcineh had liked it better.

  "Vi:' Arcineh called to that lady when she reached the kitchen, but she wasn't around. Arcineh was headed to look for her when she realized she never did anything for herself in the kitchen. Not sure how to make coffee and knowing she'd need Violet for that, Arcineh did go ahead and make herself a cup of hot chocolate. It didn't taste just like Violet's, but Arcineh--proud of her own efforts--thought it was good. And when Violet came and praised her, she felt even better, thoughts of her parents slipping momentarily from her mind.

  Violet caught Sam at the door as he came in. She looked almost secretive as she motioned to him with one hand. Sam followed his housekeeper to the closed glass doors of the family room. The furniture was pushed back, the rug rolled up, and the music blasted from within.

  Arcineh Bryant, showing her grandfather what Geneva Sperry had seen all along, danced in the middle of the floor to one of the latest pop songs. As if she'd written the music herself, her body moved in perfect rhythm, her face relaxed with pleasure. For several long minutes Sam could only stare.

  "When?" he finally asked.

  "Just today."

  Again the adults continued to watch, moving for a better view. As they stared, the music changed, and so did the dance. The beat a little slower this time, Arcineh danced as though she had a partner. Sam and Violet continued to watch until the beat picked up agai
n and Arcineh made the transition so smoothly that Sam slowly shook

  72

  his head. Not until the fastest song ended did Arcineh seem to need a break, and that's when she spotted them.

  "Hi," she said as she came out to greet her grandfather, her face

  moist. "You're back:' she said, kissing his cheek and smiling. "And you were dancing," Sam said in quiet amazement. "Yeah:' Arcineh shrugged a little. "I was in the mood:' "Did your hip hurt?" Violet asked.

  "No:' Arcineh looked surprised. "In fact I was wondering if Geneva would let me come back:'

  "Yes:' Sam's voice was definite.

  "How do you know?"

  "She came to see me:'

  Arcineh's mouth opened a little.

  "When was this?"

  "Last year. I forgot to tell you. She wanted me to order you back but understood why I couldn't do that. She did make it very clear to me that you could come back anytime you :wanted."

  Arcineh looked as pleased as she felt and even went back to the family room to dance a little more.

  The next day was Sunday, and Geneva's studio was not open. However, the moment school ended on Monday, Sam was there. He'd left the office early to pick up Arcineh. He drove her to the studio and learned that Geneva was good on her word: The dance instructor welcomed Arcineh back with open arms.

  The first weekend in March brought a surprise visit from the Rowan family. They arrived late on Friday night, just as Sam and Arcineh were talking about going to bed.

  "Quinn has one performance after another coming up, and we thought we'd better come while we can: Tiffany explained, clearly pleased with herself. Arcineh was not thrilled. She and Quinn had

  73

  not enjoyed the visit at Christmas, but there was more to it than that. Arcineh waited only ten minutes before catching her grandfather's ear to remind him.

  "I have a special practice at Geneva's tomorrow:'

  "Do you have to go?" Sam made the mistake of asking. Arcineh's look was telling. "She gave me a lead part:' she said, her voice tight with irritation. "I can't miss this:'

  Sam wanted to argue but remembered that his daughter hadn't warned them they were coming and that Arcineh could hardly be blamed. However, Quinn did not take it that way. She sulked through Saturday because Arcineh was gone for hours, and wouldn't talk to her when she got home that evening or on Sunday at all. Arcineh ended up just as angry, coming from her bedroom to see them off only because her grandfather ordered her to do so. The house was very quiet after their car drove away, right up to the moment Sam tried to fix things.