White Chocolate Moments (10 page)

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 her 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.

"Bring a chair:' Miss Knepper instructed before Arcineh could get to her and she grabbed the closest one.

"I want to talk to you about this algebra test from yesterday: Miss Knepper spoke gravely as soon as Arcineh was settled close by. "All right:'

"Are you used to scores like this?" the teacher asked, holding the test so they could both read the "100%" at the top.

"Yes:' Arcineh answered, but she didn't look happy about it. She certainly hoped Miss Knepper did not think she cheated. "Just in math, or in all subjects?"