Accidentally Perfect (25 page)

“Nathan, do we have our own rooms now?”  Addie asks.  Well shit, I didn’t think they wanted their own rooms.  I had a wall taken down to give them a really big bedroom.  But if they want their own room then I’ll have the wall back up by the weekend.  I look at
Nat, and she just shrugs.

“No Bug, I thought you would want to have Amanda close, but if you want your own room then I would be happy to make that happen.”

“No, I want Bear with me, I’m just making sure.” 

“Alright, then right this way.”
 

Natalie ushers
the girls toward the hallway where all the rooms are located.  The penthouse is about eight thousand square feet.  I know there will be plenty of room for the four of
us,
the only downfall is they won’t have a backyard like they have at Laney’s.  That is one good thing about growing up on the family estate like I did.  If I wanted to go out and
play,
I just ran outside.  The girls won’t have that luxury.  They will be cooped up unless we take the time and walk them across the street so they can play at Central Park. 

“Alright girls, I have two different rooms to show you.  The first two doors are your bedroom doors.  Amanda, why don’t you open and help Addie in.  We grown-ups will stay back while you girls explore.”

Amanda opens the double doors
and she and Addie walk in.  The girls squeal in delight. Amanda is running around looking at everything while Addie is wiggling trying not to lose her balance on her crutches.  Amanda is touching lifting and squeezing everything.  She keeps telling Addie to look at this and look at that.  She brings Addie the things she can carry so Addie can feel and snuggle for herself. 

Natalie completely outdid herself.  The room’s wall
s
are painted with shiny and matt pink stripes half way up. Darker pink swirls lay on top of the stripes giving the stripes a type of border.  The rest of the walls along with the ceiling are decorated
with
black polka dots.  There are pink and crystal mini chandeliers along the ceiling giving the room plenty of light.  Each girl has a
full-size
bed with matching pink plush headboards with the letter “A” etched into the middle.  The bedding is classic pink and white with black accents.  The furniture throughout the room follows the color pattern of pink, black, and white.  Each piece is different and antique looking.  “The furniture is from mom’s collection.  I had them sanded and repainted.  The dressers on the far wall are from when you were little Nathan.”

I look at her. 
“Really?”
  Biting her lip she nods.

     “This is too much Nathan.”  Brad chimes in, making me take my eyes from the
girls’ excitement.

“No, it’s not too much.  It’s really beautiful.  I can’t believe you did all this Nathan.”  Laney’s eyes are full of unshed tears.  I bring her to me and wrap my arms around her.

“I just told Nat that I wanted the girls to have their own room.  The decor and everything that went with it was all her.” 

“Well, you did tell me to blow a wall out so the room would be double its usual size.”

I give a small laugh, “Yes, I did do that.”  The adults stand back as the girls continue to explore.  “You did an excellent job, Natalie.  Thank you for doing this for me.”  I give her a smile.

“I didn’t do it for you big brother;
I did it for my nieces.  I want to be their favorite aunt.”

“You’re their only aunt,
”  I
say

“Why do you always have to be a party pooper, Nate?  You’re always stealing my thunder.”

“That’s what big brothers
are for.”  I give her a wink.

“I still say the girls don’t need all this. 
Especially if this isn’t where they’re going to be permanently.
You wasted your money and Natalie’s time, Nathan.  This living situation isn’t supposed to be permanent.  We agreed this is only while Addie heals.
Once she’s able to climb stairs by herself, then Laney and the girls are supposed to move back home.”

I am on my last nerve with this man. 
“Look,
Brad, I want the girls to feel as if this is their home. Yes, the agreement was to come here while Addie recuperates, but there was never a time limit set. You said for the duration, not Laney and not me, you.  I know you’re having a hard time with the idea of another man looking after the girls, my mouth hasn’t helped any.  But the fact of the matter is they live with Laney
full-time,
and I want them to be fully comfortable and feel wanted.  I don’t want them to ever feel that I’m just their mother’s husband.  I want to be more to them.

“Brad, my brother would never try take your spot in their lives.  He knows how important a father is.  He also knows what it’s like to feel like you're not wanted by your parent.  You may have grown up with two loving parents, but the three of us didn’t.  I think that messes up a person.”

“I agree with Natalie, Brad.  Nathan is just trying to make the situation acceptable for the girls.  It’s very sweet of him really. You should feel lucky that your children have someone else to care for them and to love them.  They can never have enough love.”

“How is it I have to defend myself against two women now? This isn’t how this supposed to work.  I think I’m getting the short end of the stick here.”

“Believe me,
Brad, I will not always defend the big oaf, brother or not.  When he’s wrong he’s
wrong,
and you can bet your fine ass I’ll tell him.”  Wait, did she just say Brad had a fine ass?  “But Nathan’s right
on with
this one.  I’m sorry.”

“Alright, fine.  Thank
you, Nathan.”

“Well, um, don’t thank him yet,
” Natalie says, “We aren’t done.  Girls, come over here.  We have one more thing to show you.”

The girls come when my sister calls them.  She ushers them further down the hall to another set of double doors. 
“Alright.
  This is your special spot.  Your bedroom is for you to
sleep,
but this is where the magic happens.” 

She opens the doors to
another world.  The girls scream so loud I may have gone deaf in my right ear. Three of the walls are painted a soft yellow with flowers and vines painted everywhere. There is a huge carriage in the corner that looks like
it’s
right out of Cinderella.  A castle is built on the opposite wall with stairs for the girls to climb.  The far corner looks like a dressing room with two full racks of dress up clothes.  I can tell there are two outfits each.  Now the girls can both be certain princesses at the same time, just like they wanted.  There also looks to be a big tree full of tulle and sparkles. I’m assuming those are all tutus.  The fourth wall looks like it’s a chalkboard where Natalie has written each of the girls names in cursive.  The middle of the room holds a sitting area with a circular
bookcase full of books.

I sit back and enjoy the girl’s excitement. I see Natalie take the girls to the closet,
and they both scream ‘Barbies’ at the same time.  The closet is stacked with boxes of
Barbies
and clothes.  It also looks like there are several dollhouses,
cars,
and other Barbie things.  “I can’t believe you did all this Nathan.”  

“Why not?
  I think I’ve made myself very clear when it comes to you and the girls.  Why wouldn’t I do this?  I want my house to be our
home,
Laney. 
For good, not just temporary.
  I have no memories here other than ones of myself.  I want to make new memories with you and the girls.  I want to watch them play dress up and dolls.  I want to have them serve us
tea, and I want to be their knight in shining armor, saving them from the villain. I want to be everything my father wasn’t.”

She doesn’t say anything.  She wraps her arms around my neck and kisses me.  My hands find their way to her waist pulling her into me.  “I love you.”  She tells me. 

“I love you too.”  She will never know just how much.  

“Alright, you two.
Stop sucking face.”  Natalie comes up pulling us apart.

“The closet is full of Barbies, dolls, and whatever else the people at FAO Schwarz suggested I get for two little girls.  I also got all my
Barbie
dolls and all my old dress up clothes from the attic at home when I picked out the furniture.  I thought the girls would enjoy them.  Let’s give the girls a chance to play and get comfortable.”  She ushers us out of the playroom and back into the living room.   

“Natalie, you didn’t have to do that.  I don’t want the girls to ruin your toys.  Those are your childhood things.”

“You didn’t happen to bring my G.I. Joes did you?”  Nathan grabs my hand and leads me, Natalie and Brad over to the couches.

“No brother, the girls don’t want to play with those nasty things.”

“You never know, they may be tomboys.”

“I’m afraid, that’s not true,” Brad
says.  “I’ve been trying to get them to enjoy football and baseball since they were able to stand and nothing has stuck.”

“Well, thank you for allowing the girls to play with your toys.  I’m sure that means a lot to them.”

“Don’t even worry about it.  I have no plans on getting
married, and if I do want children, then I already have plans to adopt when the time’s right.”

“Why wouldn’t you want to get married?”

“Didn’t have the best example.
  I always promised myself that I would never allow a man do to me what my father did to my mother.”

“Not all men are like that Natalie.  Look at your brother.  Do you see anything that resembles your father?   Brad isn’t a bad man either.”

“Even while he was cheating on you?” Nathan asks.

“We all make mistakes.  I have to take responsibility on the part I played in that. I’m not condoning the cheating.  I think that’s the coward’s way out.”   I look at Brad, “Sorry but
it’s true.”

“I know.” Brad responds.

“Anyway, Brad gave me two precious gifts. I will forever be thankful to him.  Just because he cheated on me doesn’t mean he will always cheat.  I think if he finds the right woman then cheating would never cross his mind.”

“I think you’re giving me too much credit Street.”

“I agree.”  Nathan piped up.

“Any who.
  The girls are welcome to my toys.  I know they’ll take good care of them.  If there comes a time I ever need them back, I’m sure it wouldn’t be a problem.  Who knows, maybe I’ll just adopt a boy to give the girls a run for their money.”

After Natalie’s comment,
the room got uncomfortably silent.  I still haven’t had a look
around,
and I was dying to take everything in.  This is Nathan’s home. This is a part of him. I wanted to know everything there is to know about the man I married and am now living with.  I see Brad looking out the windows that line the living room.  “It’s beautiful isn’t it?”  He notices that I’m looking at him.

“That it is.  It’s amazing the kind of views money can buy, you know?”

“Look, um why don’t Brad and I get out of your hair?
  I’m sure the girls are getting hungry for dinner and then I know they will want to take care of whatever nighttime routines they have.”

“Yeah, I still need to figure out their clothes and stuff.”

“Oh, well Nathan had all that stuff brought over this morning.  The moving truck came first thing.  I have it all put away in their dressers and the bathroom across the hall from their room.”

“You had all their stuff packed and moved over here?”  Brad looked upset.

“I’m not sure.  Nathan and Amanda packed up everything last night while I was sleeping.”

“Nathan packed?”

“Yes, is that a problem?”

“It is getting late.”  Nathan breaks the tension.  “I’ll order in tonight, is that alright Laney?  I’ll just order some burgers and fries.”

“Nathan, don’t forget about the charity event I’m hosting this weekend at the house.  You and Laney need to be there.”