When You Least Expect It (64 page)

“We’ll play it by ear then, except for your birthday.  I have big plans for that day.”

She giggled like a teenager, and they went and picked up her baggage.  They decided to go to eat, as Amanda was ravenous.

Once outside, Amanda noted the fall air. “Wow, it’s pretty cold here for September.  I don’t think I brought the right clothes, Ray.  It’s still warm in Texas, and I never thought to ask!”

‘Did you bring a dress?”

“No, should I have?”

Ray wondered how to tell her this without ruining her birthday plans.  “Yes, you’ll need one, for your birthday.  How about we go shopping after this, and I’ll buy you a pretty dress and a fall jacket?”

Amanda agreed, only because she was freezing. 

~~~

Ray was so excited about Amanda’s birthday plans.  He’d thought long and hard about what to get her, about their relationship and about their future.  He was going to ‘push the envelope’ as they say.  He was going to take control of their situation and bring it to a climax. He laughed, okay; he was going to try to, if Amanda agreed. 

As he had held Amanda at the airport, he was sure he had made the right decision.  It felt right.  He knew it was risky, that he was making Amanda make a decision, but he was tired of waiting for something to happen.  He wanted to
make
it happen.  He fingered her present that sat in his coat pocket.  It was going to be the moment of truth.

~~~

The next morning, Ray announced his first surprise of the weekend.  “We’re having breakfast today with some special people.”

“Oh?  Is Diego coming?”

“No, not this time.  He’s already done his thing with you.”  They both laughed at that statement.  “It’s time you met my girls.”

Amanda’s eyes widened.  “Are you sure they’re ready for this?”

“Yes, they want to.  They know all about you, so this is the next step, right?”

Amanda nervously bit her lower lip.  “Okay.  What if they hate me?”

Ray hugged her as he laughed and shook his head.  “Why do you always go to the worst case scenario?  They aren’t going to hate you. They’ll like you, just as I do.  But they’re pretty shy around new people, so don’t read into their quietness, okay?”

They dressed and drove over to the restaurant in silence.  Amanda was very nervous.  Ray held her hand as they drove, and looked over at her occasionally to make sure she was okay.  Finally, they pulled into the parking lot.

Ray bent over and looked at her squarely in eye.  “It’s going to be fine.  Just be yourself and they’ll love you.”

Amanda didn’t answer; she was looking at the three girls standing on the sidewalk staring at them.  They all resembled Ray in one way or another.  They were tall, well built, and pretty.  Two had light brown hair, and one had chestnut brown.  She seemed to be the youngest of the three.  Even from her distance, she could see they all had Ray’s remarkable green eyes.  One more thing they had in common; they looked as nervous as she was.

Ray opened the door for her and she took a deep breath and got out.  They walked up to them and Ray hugged each of them, and then introduced her. 

“Girls, this is Mandy.”

She hugged each of them.  She could feel their hesitancy in each hug.  “I’ve heard a lot about you from your dad.  It’s nice to finally meet you.”

They looked at her with curiosity, as if taking her in inch by inch, trying to figure her out.  After what seemed like an eternity, Ray rustled them all into the restaurant.

After they ordered their breakfast, Amanda did what she did best.  Talk.  Especially when nervous, she hated awkward silences.  She asked the girls about school, boyfriends, interests, the town they lived in, and anything else that popped into her mind.  The girls did answer her questions, but with one or two sentences at most.  Glenda was the one who filled her in little more, and for that, she was grateful.

Glenda asked her about El Paso, and her children.  She asked her if she worked, and even about her past marriages.  She answered everything as honestly as she could.

Ray finally rose to go to the men’s room, leaving them alone.  There was a very long awkward silence. 

“I know this is weird girls, but you’re Dad and I just enjoy each other’s company.  I’m not trying to take your place in his life, or even your mothers’ place in his life.  We’re just two people who met, and like each other.”

“We know.  We’re happy for him.  We just want him to be happy.  Unfortunately, he and our mom were not, so we hope that he’ll find someone who can make him happy.  If that’s someone’s you, that’s fine.” 

Amanda raised her eyebrow, impressed by the speech that came from eighteen-year-old Glenda.  “Do you all feel that way?”

Norma nodded, and Nikki verbally agreed.  “We don’t want our daddy to be alone.  He hates it.”

Amanda smiled at her and how young she sounded in her grown-up body.  She was about to reply when Ray returned to the table.

“What did I miss?”

Sensing that the girls wanted to keep this little conversation private, she replied, “Just girl talk.”

Ray smiled at them hoping it had gone well.  “Shall we wrap it up?”  He paid and they went outside to go their separate ways.  She hugged them again, and was happy to get a warmer hug back. 

“I’m glad I met you, and hope to see you again soon.

“Nice to meet you too, Mandy.  See you soon.” 

She walked to the car and gave Ray and the girls some privacy.  She noticed how animatedly they were speaking, and wished they’d been able to be like that during breakfast.  She was exhausted from trying to keep the conversation going, and Ray hadn’t been much help. 

He came to the car and looked so happy he was going to explode.  “They liked you!”

  “What did they say?”

“That they liked you and you seemed nice.”

Amanda was astounded at how men could take such a small statement as, ‘she seemed nice’ and run with it.  “That’s good.  I liked them too, even though they were quiet.”

“Yes, but one day you’ll look back on this day and wish for the quiet again.  Except for Glenda, they’re really loud and outgoing.  They just have to get to know you first.”

Amanda smiled, doubting it.  “I’m happy to have met them and to have it go well.  At least they didn’t hate me.”

“See, I told you!” 

Amanda laughed at him.  “You’re so funny, Ray.  What’s up next?”

“I thought we’d go to Old Port and go on the Lighthouse Tour, then stop for a lobster roll for lunch.”

“That sounds fun.  I love lighthouses, and well, we don’t see much of those in Texas.”

Ray laughed.  “Not much need for them I guess.  Lighthouses it is!”  He gave her a quick peck on the lips and happily drove to their destination, feeling on top of the world.

~~~

Amanda woke up with a start, then smiled and stretched lazily when she realized where she was.  She wondered what Ray had in store for her today, her birthday.  He’d been so excited yesterday that he could barely contain himself. 

She got up and padded into the kitchen to look for him.  She was amazed to find balloons, flowers and a ‘Happy Birthday Mandy’ sign waiting for her.  “When did you do all this?”

Ray came in the living room.  “Wait!  I’m not done!  I was suppose to bring you breakfast in bed!’

She curled up against Ray’s chest, visibly touched.  “Ray, this is so sweet.  How long have you been up?”

“Hours.  I already went shopping, put all this up, and now I have chocolate chip pancakes ready for you.  Do you want to go back to bed?”

“And miss all this birthday ambience?  No way.  Let’s eat in here.  She settled on the sofa and looked around at her birthday stuff.  There was the hugest bouquet of roses she’d ever seen, of all different shapes and colors.  The balloons were colorful and again, abundant.  The room lit up like a rainbow with so much color in it.  She loved it. 

He brought over her pancakes and she dug in.  “Everything is wonderful, Ray, thanks so much.  So what else do I have in store for me today?”

“Well, we’re going on a little trip.  Boston!”

Amanda clapped her hands like a little girl.  “We are?  That would be great, Elisa will be so jealous!”

“I thought you might like to see just how close it really is.  It’s just a short car ride and the best nightlife ever.  I think it’s the perfect place to celebrate today.”

Amanda wolfed down her food and shot up off the couch.  “Then let’s get this party started.  I’ll be ready in just a few.”  She ran in to shower and change, singing to herself.  “Happy birthday to meeee…”

Ray smiled and reached into his pocket, fingering her present.  He was nervous about giving it to her, but couldn’t wait.  He hoped he could actually wait until dinner as planned.  He looked around at the room, and could easily imagine being able to spoil Amanda like this every day.  He would love it; live for it.  She just had to say yes.

~~~

Amanda immediately fell in love with Boston.  The skyline alone was amazing.  She loved the architecture, the history, and especially the Charles River.  Ray drove her threw Boston Common, and past Fenway Park.  It was a beautiful city.

“Elisa is going to love it here, Ray.  It’s such a big city, filled with life, and people; and I hope opportunities for her and Tom.  She’s going to love living so close to the water.”  Amanda was busy taking picture after picture so that she could show her. 

Next, they went to Fanueil Hall, a market place with a lot of little shops and restaurants and outside vendors.  She loved the cobblestone streets and the autumn leaves falling around her.  “This is so different from Texas…”

Ray loved watching her as she experienced everything, taking it in for the first time.  It was as if she was trying to memorize it, to store it in a place that she could recall it whenever she wanted to. 

They ended up at Quincy Market, which had delicious smells wafting throughout.  She bought a few trinkets to take home to the kids and Hilary and then Ray said they had to leave.

“Where are we going?”

“I reserved a hotel so we have to go check in.”

“Oh, I didn’t know.  I didn’t bring enough clothes!”

“Yes, you did.”  I snuck some in my own bag.”

Amanda laughed.  “You really are a sneak.’

They found their car and drove to the Hyatt on the Charles River.  It was a beautiful hotel at the edge of the river, and their room was on the tenth floor.   Amanda was overwhelmed as she stood on the balcony of the hotel and watched the sailboats go by, and took in the skyline.  She loved it.  “Ray, I don’t even know what to say.  This is like nothing I’ve ever experienced before.”  She had tears in her eyes as she turned to hug him.  “Thanks so much for all this.  It’s almost like a dream.”

Amanda’s tears confused Ray.  “Your welcome, Mandy, but why are you crying?” 

“I’m crying because I’m happy.  I’m happy to be here, with you.  I’m happy because I’m getting to experience things I never have, or ever thought I would.  What seem like the simplest gestures to you, Ray, are huge to me.  My life has never included luxurious hotels facing the water, or lobster rolls.  It’s …” She was at a loss for words.  She’d never be able to explain to him how she felt.  They were from different worlds, and she doubted that he understood hers.

It wasn’t long before they took advantage of the King sized bed in their room.   Amanda clung to Ray as if for dear life, never wanting to release him, never wanting this day to end.  She wanted time to stand still, for them to be able to be together, just like this, forever. 

Ray, startled by Amanda’s intensity at first, was soon lost in it; surprised by the places that she could reach, not physically, but in his soul.  She was like no one he had ever been with before.  Soon, they both lay spent, dozing off into a contented sleep.

Ray awoke with a start.  He looked at his watch and groaned.  They were going to be late for their reservation.  He gently kissed Amanda awake.  “Wake up, birthday girl.  It’s time for dinner.  We have to hurry or we’ll be late.” 

She woke up slowly, and stretched like a kitten.  “Okay Ray.  I suppose it’s time to put on my new dress?”

“It is, now hurry.”

She ran in and quickly dressed.  She came out of the bathroom in record time.  “How do I look?”

Ray looked up from where he was tying his shoes. The simple black dress she had picked made her look elegant. She took his breath away.  “You look spectacular.”  He went over to her and hugged her.  “I will be so proud to be with you tonight Amanda, and every night that you allow me.”  He gently kissed her, anxious to ask her; to give her the present. 

They came back to reality when the phone rang.  Ray insisted Amanda answer. 

“Hello?”

“Your limo is here ma’am.”

“It is?”

“Yes, ordered by Mr. Knight.”

She raised her eyebrows at Ray.  “Thank you.”  She hung up the phone.  “We’re taking a limo?”

He loved the look on her face and hoped he could put it there often.  “Why, yes, birthday girl; only the best for you.”

“Cool!”  Amanda could not hold back.  “I love today!”