White Chocolate Moments Page 7

  "You don't understand:' Sam began without warning. "Quinn is sensitive'

  "What has she got to be sensitive about?" Arcineh argued.

  Not expecting her angry tone with him, Sam stared at her in some surprise, but Arcineh was not done.

  "Both her parents are alive!"

  Sam's look became patient before he said, "She's just like her mother in that regard. Tiff is sensitive too:'

  "And why should she be?" Arcineh spat, feeling rage now. "Aunt Tiffany has a husband and two children and lives like a queen. You call it sensitive--I call it ungrateful!"

  Sam did not know what to say. In truth Arcineh had an excellent point, but he felt dreadfully disloyal to Quinn and Tiffany by agreeing with her. As it was, Arcineh didn't give him a chance. She turned and walked toward her room, saying she wanted to be left alone.

  Sam covered his own hurt with anger and took her at her word, not even allowing Violet to call her for supper. She would have gone

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  without if she'd not made an appearance before the meal ended. By then, both Sam and Arcineh had calmed down. They talked about various things, but the subject of the family did not come up. It wouldn't have done any good. It was not a topic they would agree upon.

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  Chapter Six

  "Hey," Landon spoke as he sat down next to Arcineh in the library. "What are you working on?"

  "Not much:' Arcineh said, not happy to see him for the first time. She didn't want to see anyone right then but knew she couldn't explain.

  "Big plans for the weekend?" he asked.

  "I have a dance thing Arcineh told him, not mentioning that her dance performance in the children's wing at a hospital was coming two days before the one-year death of her parents, partnered with the fact that she'd never danced without her mother before. She felt sick at the thought and suddenly knew she wanted to go home.

  "Do you get nervous?" Landon asked. He noticed her demeanor but didn't understand it. They had become more friends than anything else. Landon had wanted more but never said that to Arcineh. He could tell that she didn't see him that way, and when he'd found out about the death of her parents, he didn't have the heart to demand more of her.

  She was the first girl he'd been sensitive with. The girls in New York

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  had liked his looks and money and wanted to be with him. Arcineh was different, and Landon had not been willing to lose her friendship over his own ego--a mature act for his normally selfish behavior.

  "I think I'm going to go home Arcineh said, hoping she wouldn't be sick on the spot. "I don't feel too well:'

  "Okay," Landon replied, noticing that she looked white, but he didn't say that. He didn't offer to walk her to the office either--he wasn't that sensitive--but when he saw Daisy, he reported to her, feeling as though he'd done his part.

  "Better?" Violet asked Arcineh after she'd had a brief nap. "I think so:'

  "Did you get sick?"

  "No:"

  Violet touched her forehead. "No fever:'

  "I don't think I'm sick:' she said.

  "What's going on?" the housekeeper asked, well aware what day was approaching--not Arcineh's dance performance, but the death of her parents.

  "Geneva gave me the lead. I can't just back out:'

  "Why do you want to?"

  "I can't do it, Violet. My mom's not here. I've gone on with my life. She would be so hurt:'

  "You haven't gone on with your life Violet argued, wishing Sam were there. "Your little heart has been turned upside down over this, Arcie. You didn't even want to dance until a month ago. And even if you had, your mother loved you more than her own life. She would want you to do whatever makes you happy. If you want to dance, she would want that for you:'

  "But she's not here!" The tears and anger finally arrived. "How could she leave like that? I need her here:'

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  Violet just sat on the edge of the bed and let the child cry and vent. Arcie alternated between grief and rage and then guilt that she would accuse her parents of dying on purpose, and for the first time she tried to remember what had happened.

  "You fell asleep, Arcie," Violet reasoned. "You can't remember something that's not in your mind."

  "But what if they needed me? What if they cried out to me for help?"

  The tears came again, and Violet was glad. Trevor's and Isabella's deaths were swift and violent. Mercifully Arcineh's parents had no time to call on their daughter for help. Violet would tell Sam what Arcineh had said, but she would not be the one to explain these details. She hoped that Arcineh would fall asleep after crying so hard, but the girl finally calmed and lay awake. Violet offered both food and drink, and just about everything else she could think of, but Arcineh declined it all. Not until Sam came home from work did Arcineh want to get up. She didn't discuss her parents with her grandfather, but she stayed very close to him the rest of the evening.

  Saturday morning found Violet and Sam at the hospital, lingering in the hallway outside the children's wing, waiting for the dance to begin. The troupe was scheduled to do what Geneva would call a mini-musical. She enjoyed taking portions of musical productions or a medley of dances from just one show and putting together a 20- to 30-minute performance that seemed to be just right for the children.

  There were no singers in the group--the music was all on tape--but the dancers performed the steps in costumes as close to the original as they could find. Today's performance was from both The Sound of Music and Oklahoma! There were no lead dancers for Oklahoma! but Arcineh played Maria's role from the Sound of Music, and her

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  performance was perfect. Smaller children played the parts of the von Trapp family children. The patients confined to beds and wheelchairs were delighted, and the staff could not thank the dancers enough.

  Sam's and Violet's hearts were near to bursting as they watched Arcineh in her element, and Arcie came away smiling and proud of how well the troupe had done. In fact she didn't stop smiling until they were back home and she remembered that the following day was her grandfather's sixty-first birthday. She found Violet in her apartment, and the older woman could see that she was ready to panic.

  "I didn't shop for him!" Arcineh said twice before Violet could get a word in. "Grandpa's birthday is tomorrow:'

  Violet tried again. "I shopped for you:' she said, and was finally heard.

  "You did?"

  "Yes, do you want to see it?"

  Arcineh nodded in relief, and Violet produced a box. The shirt and tie inside were exactly the type her grandfather loved, and a great color for gray-and-black hair. Violet had even added a tiny bottle of expensive cologne. She knew that Sam would never wear it, but Arcineh would have a great time giving it to him.

  "Oh, Violet, these are perfect, but how will I pay you?"

  Violet smiled. "I just used your grandfather's credit card. He doesn't need to know:'

  The two laughed together before sharing a hug and then spent the next hour wrapping the packages, giggling like girls and acting completely innocent when Sam came looking for Violet. He was hungry and wanted to know what she'd planned for dinner.

  "I have something to tell you:' Sam said the morning after his birthday. They had spent a good birthday together--he'd enjoyed

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  his gifts and the call from the Rowans--but this morning, the day of Trevor and Isabella's deaths, had not been far from Sam's mind.

  "What is it?" Arcineh asked. She was ready for school, but it was the last place she wanted to go.

  "I've bought myself a birthday present that I think you'll enjoy:" Arcineh looked at him. "Are you going to tell me what it is?" "I think you should guess."

  Arcineh laughed a little. She was all ready to be sad, but his playful mood was infectious. "It's for you?" she clarified.

  "Yes."

  "But I'll like it?"

  "Yes!"

  Arcineh laughed a little again. "Something to do
with dance or music?"

  "Nope."

  Arcineh chuckled at his tone but really had no idea what he was talking about. She glanced at Violet, who was frying bacon at the stove, but that lady only smiled. By the time Arcineh looked back at her grandfather, Sam had sneaked a pair of swim goggles onto the table. Arcineh spotted them and stood.

  "A pool? Are you buying a pool?"

  "Yep."

  Sam thought she would strangle him. Her arms were around his neck, and she was squeezing with all her might. Her home--on which he'd already accepted an offer to purchase--had a pool, and she'd loved it. She'd never uttered a word of complaint about not having a pool here, not so much as a hint, but Sam had known how much she missed it.

  "When?" she finally let go to ask.

  "They start today. That's why I had to tell you:'

  For some reason Arcineh wanted to cry. Tears filled her eyes, and she could not speak.

  "I think:' Sam said slowly, "that you should just stay here and

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  watch them start. I'll let your school know, and you can look at the plans and even say if you want some changes:'

  "You'll be here?"

  Sam nodded because tears were clogging his own throat. He held out his arm, and Arcineh moved close to sit in Sam's lap and be held. Sam couldn't speak for a long time. When he did, all he could manage was, "We'll get through this:'

  Arcineh only nodded against his shoulder, glad that she didn't have to answer. She might have gone on sitting there for a long time, but just five minutes later they heard the trucks arrive. Like conspiratorial children, they went to the front door. It was the perfect remedy for this painful day.

  CREVE COEUR

  "Dad's putting in a pool," Tiffany told Jeremy when she got off the phone.

  "Is he?" Jeremy sounded as distracted as he felt.

  "Hot tub and all:'

  Jeremy heard her sarcastic tone. He didn't want to ask what was bothering her but forced himself.

  "Why is that a problem?"

  "Do you know what Quinn will say? She's been wanting a pool for years, and you always say no. Now Arcie will have one:' "Tiffany, you've got to stop this:'

  "Stop what?"

  "Seeing Arcie as the competition. No wonder Quinn fights with her:'

  "I don't do that:'

  "You do it constantly!" Jeremy said in a tone that always bothered Tiffany and silenced her in the bargain. Jeremy was normally a mild-mannered person. When he grew truly angry, his tone became

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  tense and quiet, and he sounded like that now. And on top of all of that, Tiffany knew he was right.

  "Even if I stop right now, Quinn will still feel the same way:"

  "I've heard that excuse for the last time. We're going to start expecting Quinn to treat Arcineh better. You've both forgotten how alone she is and turned Sam into some type of prize. I'm sick of it and I want it to stop now."

  "Are you guys fighting?" Austin asked, suddenly at the edge of the room.

  "No:' Tiffany said, giving her standard answer. "I was just telling your father that Grandpa's putting in a pool."

  "Oh, man!" Austin shouted without warning. "That'll put another burr under Quinn's saddle!"

  Tiffany looked at her husband, her brows raised to remind him she'd been right, but Jeremy was on his feet, calling his son's name and rushing from the room in an attempt to stop Austin from finding his sister and cruelly breaking the news.

  CHICAGO

  "A pool?" Daisy said with delight the next time she and Arcineh had a chance to talk. "When will it be done?"

  "By the time school's out. We even get a hot tub."

  "Your grandpa is so cool," Daisy said, having only met the man twice. "I've never known an old person to get a pool:'

  "He's not old," Arcineh said, defending him.

  "I didn't mean it that way:' Daisy protested. "Don't be so touchy"

  Arcineh was ready to do some defending on her own account but stopped. She was a little touchy about things Daisy said. She used to join in on cruel comments and jokes without a second thought. And she knew Daisy was aware of the change in her but didn't care.

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  She regretted every angry thought she'd ever had about her parents, every cross word they'd shared. Saying mean things about others only reminded her of that regret.

  Without warning Quinn came to mind. She didn't want to have regret where Quinn was involved either. The Rowans were coming for a visit as soon as school was out. She was willing to live in peace with Quinn, but she wasn't going to compete with her, not on any level. Quinn wanted Sam's full attention, and Arcineh wasn't going to fight her. Quinn would also want the pool and the hot tub while she was there, and again, Arcineh was going to let her have them. She comforted herself with the knowledge that it was just for the weekend. When the family left, she could have her life back.

  "What happened here?" Sam asked of his granddaughters when he arrived at the edge of the hot tub. Jeremy and Tiffany had gone shopping, and Austin was in the pool. Sam had come home from work to find a bottle of baby oil spilled on the pavement.

  "Arcie did it," Quinn said. "I told her to clean it up."

  "I did not, Quinn:' Arcineh wasted no time saying. "You bumped it over five minutes ago and left it:'

  "I wasn't anywhere near there

  "Enough!" Sam said sharply, sick of the way the girls had been acting for the better part of the week. "Austin, what happened here?"

  "I didn't see it:' Austin lied, watching Arcineh's face behind his sunglasses.

  Sam turned back to his youngest grandchild. "Clean this up, Arcie:'

  Arcineh's gaze was murderous as she looked at Austin and then shifted her eyes to Quinn across the hot tub. Quinn would not meet her gaze, and Arcineh got out to do as she was told. There had been a cold war between the girls for most of the day, but now Quinn had

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  crossed that line. Arcineh had been willing to at least be in the pool and hot tub with her cousin, not responding to the rude comments she made under her breath or reacting to the way Quinn sometimes treated her possessions, but this time she'd gone too far.

  Cleaning up the oil and then retreating to the only person who always was on her side, Arcineh hung around the kitchen with Violet for the rest of the day.

  "What is going on with that child?" Sam asked of Violet early the next morning. The Rowans would be leaving that day.

  "It's hard with Quinn here. You know that, Sam:"

  "It doesn't have to be. Arcie could choose to get along."

  Violet didn't reply. She continued to work on the egg dish and

  coffee cake she'd be serving and kept her opinion to herself.

  "Out with it!" Sam ordered. "I can hear you thinking from

  here:'

  "Then there's no need for me to say it:"

  Sam sighed in irritation. "Why does everyone expect me to take sides between my own granddaughters?"

  "Who expects that?"

  "Everyone Sam muttered angrily before stalking from the room.

  Violet stared at the place where her employer had been. If she'd spoken up, he'd have only accused her of taking Arcineh's side. He was going to have to find out for himself who his granddaughters really were.

  Arcineh had never known a summer to fly by so quickly. She danced every week, spent hours in the pool, had friends over, had

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  to contend with only one more visit from her cousins, and basically had the time of her life. In no way was she ready for the school year to start, especially considering the fact that she wouldn't have Mr. Sutter this year.

  She was now in the eighth grade in some subjects, and in the ninth grade for the rest. Miss Knepper would be her new teacher, and although she'd heard nothing but good things about her, Arcineh wanted to be back with Daisy and the other girls her age.

  She also wasn't sure she was ready to be with high schoolers all day, but in all of these thoughts, Arcineh missed how he
r new classmates might feel about her. She was just six weeks from her thirteenth birthday, and changes had happened over the summer. Curves had begun to appear, and since she was dancing again, her legs took on the long, lean look that drew attention from the first day of class.

  With her dark hair shining with perfect health, tanned, and dressed in the latest fashions, Arcie turned male and female heads when she walked into the room. Landon had gotten into a serious relationship over the summer with a girl who didn't attend their school, but even his eyes strayed when the new Arcineh walked in. By lunchtime she'd been approached by kids as old as the junior class, and although she didn't have a lot to say, there was much running through her mind.

  One girl even asked her to go shopping that weekend, wanting to know the exact spot she'd found her Cole-Haan shoes.

  "We can just go together:' Hillary Littman suggested. "I've got the car all weekend:'

  "I'd have to ask:' Arcineh ventured quietly, sure she would be laughed at.

  "Sure' Hillary acted as if she'd heard this before. "If your folks need to meet me, I can come early"

  "I live with my grandfather:'

  "No problem. I'm good with old people:'

  Arcineh only nodded, a little surprised at the older girl's flippant attitude but also rather captivated. Hillary was one of the most popular

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  kids in school. And coming from a school where popular was the norm, that was saying something. Arcineh quietly watched her the rest of the day, wondering what her grandfather would say about a shopping trip with Hillary.

  Arcineh was not to know. He'd been called away on business, and Violet was not willing to give permission for such an outing. Arcineh hoped Sam would check in before she went to bed, but that didn't happen. She went to sleep hoping he'd be home long before Saturday.

  "Arcie," Miss Knepper called, motioning her to her desk on Thursday of that first week. "Will you please come here?"

  Arcineh, hoping she wasn't in trouble, left the table where she was seated at the back of the room and went up front. She felt eyes following her and wondered what it meant.