White Chocolate Moments (6 page)

"Who's ready for cake?" Tiffany offered when the pile of expensive presents had been opened. For the moment Arcineh's uncertainties were shelved.

"Hey:' Austin spoke quietly when Arcineh joined him on the wide porch a few hours later.

"Oh, hi, Austin. I didn't see you:'

Austin sighed with ill humor and said, "There's only so much
Quinn
I can take when she's made herself queen for the day:' "Is that it?"

"Is that what?"

Arcineh stopped. If Austin didn't know what she was talking about, she was not going to fill him in.

"You noticed it too, didn't you?" Austin continued, his look smug. "She's having to share Grandpa for the first time and finding out what the rest of us live with all the time. It makes her next to impossible to be around, and she's close to being that the entire rest of the year:'

Again Arcineh didn't answer, but the look on her face told Austin she was not going to argue with him. The two didn't talk anymore, and that suited Arcineh fine. Much as she wanted to play with Quinn, she did not see Austin as a substitute. Unfortunately it made the weekend move at a snail's pace.

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"We'll be up in a few weeks:' Quinn finally said to Arcineh as Arcineh and Sam were preparing to leave. They were in the driveway. "I can't wait'

"Me either," Arcineh agreed, comforted by Quinn's familiar tone. "We can do whatever you like"

Quinn looked thrilled at the thought, and they were more than halfway back to Chicago before Arcineh thought to ask her grandfather if Quinn was all right.

"What do you mean?" he asked, his brow creasing a bit. "I don't know. She just seemed different:'

Sam shrugged. "I didn't notice anything, but keep in mind that she's now a teenager. I think mood swings are to be expected:'

Arcineh took him at his word, glad to know it was nothing serious. She wasn't telling Sam and Violet everything she was thinking, but lately in Arcineh's mind, everyone she loved was dying. With Quinn, Arcineh had imagined some sort of illness, but now she knew her grandfather would have told her about that.

Arcineh settled in for the remainder of the ride home, completely forgetting what Austin had said. Her young heart believed it was just as her grandfather said: Quinn was entering the moody teen years.

"Do I have to go?" Arcineh asked Sam when it was time to head to her parents' house. Sam stared at her. He didn't know if it was wise to allow Arcineh to completely avoid the task of choosing what she wanted from home so it could be cleared and sold. She had been so reticent about the whole thing that it was already August. School would be starting in just under four weeks.

The summer had gone fairly well, even though Tiffany had not been able to come and help with the house. Arcineh had spent time

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in Missouri and Quinn had twice come to Chicago for weekend visits. Sometimes the girls got along and sometimes they didn't. Sam took it in stride. But each time the subject of clearing Trevor and Isabella's house came up, Arcineh retreated in a hurry. Sam was unwilling to push the point, and now weeks had gone by. The house was being watched over for safety and taken care of, the flowers and lawn watered, but difficult as it was, something had to be done.

"What are we going to do, Arcie?"

"I don't know."

"We can't keep putting it off:'

"You could go. I could stay here:'

Sam sat down. He thought she was past this.

"It's like this:' he explained patiently. "Everything in the house is yours. If Violet, Mason, and I go through it without you, we might get rid of something you want:'

"Well, just keep all the pictures and stuff."

Sam, knowing it wasn't that simple, shook his head.

"You're coming. Bring a book, some music, whatever you like. You'll sit on the sun porch and hang out, and when we have questions, we'll come to you:'

Arcineh began to open her mouth, but Sam put his hand up. "If you need to cry, you cry. If you need a break, we'll take one, but we have to get started on this, and today is the day:'

Arcineh was clearly not happy with the decision. However, she said no more and she did just as she was told. Loaded with books, music, and everything else she could get her hands on, Arcineh climbed in the back of Sam's car, resigning herself to being miserable.

"Oh, I remember this:' Arcineh laughed at the picture of herself as a baby, and Violet laughed with her.

She had started on the sun porch, slumped down in a chair and

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angry at the world, but that hadn't lasted long. Violet had found her baby plate, cup, bowl, and tiny silverware. She'd gone out to ask Arcineh if she wanted to keep them, and minutes later Arcineh had followed her back to the kitchen. And that was just the start.

Her grandfather was going through papers in her father's study, and Mason was making a detailed list of every item upstairs. In the kitchen, Arcineh had not been interested in anything more than her dishes and her mother's favorite coffee cup, but then she and Violet had moved to the family room, a room that was filled with photos, framed and in albums.

For the first hour they stopped and looked often, but then Violet got busy. With only the occasional lingering look, she put pictures and albums into boxes, packing them neatly and labeling the outside so Arcineh would know where to look. At times Arcineh sat in the furniture and looked around. At other times she had to work not to cry. If Violet caught her, she told her not to hold back, but Arcineh only listened once.

Nevertheless they kept on and by lunchtime had accomplished a great deal. Mason had sent for food, and it was delivered on time. The four sat around the kitchen table to eat. Arcineh listened to Mason's report to Sam concerning the upstairs items and realized she was not attached to anything more than her bedroom furniture. The family room furniture was also special to her, as was the wicker from the sun porch, but nothing else.

When they were done eating, Arcineh shared this with her grandfather, who took it in stride. They weren't going to do anything drastic in the next few months, but Sam didn't share this. He simply made a mental note to keep his ears open and to not do anything until he'd checked with Arcineh at least one more time.

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Chapter Four

Sam was usually home on Sundays, but today he was flying in from another business trip, this one to India. Arcineh had been in the family room listening to music, but suddenly all was quiet. Violet didn't search her out, not wanting to treat her like a baby, but began to wonder if she was all right.

For most hours of the day, life had fallen into an easy pattern. It was true that Arcineh's parents were gone and she was living with and being raised by her grandfather and his housekeeper, but for the most part, things seemed normal. However, it was never far from Violet's mind that this little girl was motherless, and it wasn't very often that you could tell. She lived life at Sam's house as though it were her own, voiced her opinion at will, and acted like a typical preteen.

But in truth, they were still working on her parent's house, and it had taken an emotional toll on all of them. Violet didn't know what Sam noticed, but she could see the chinks in Arcineh's armor and the occasional looks of vulnerability, and she wondered how the child inside was faring. Violet didn't baby the girl--it wasn't her way--but

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she also didn't think anything would surprise her. If Arcineh were to fall apart, she was sure she would take it in stride.

"Violet?" Arcineh found her in the laundry room. "Are we going to shop for school sometime soon?"

"How much time do we have?" Violet asked, giving herself time to catch up.

"Maybe about two weeks. I don't have any new clothes or school supplies."

"How do we know what to buy for supplies?"

"I have a list. They gave it out at the end of the school year:'

"That was a good idea. Your grandfather will be home in about three hours, and we'll check with him. If he doesn't want to take you, you and I will make a day of it"

Violet suddenly found young, thin arms around her.

"Thanks, Violet!"

Violet stood, a load of damp towels in her arms, and stared at the place where Arcineh had been. She learned something about herself in that instant. The house had grown quiet and she'd expected the worst. She was not beyond surprises after all.

"You're taking Arcie shopping on Tuesday?" Sam asked of Violet after all had been explained.

"Yes:'

"I thought that was going to be your new day off:'

"It still is. Using your money to shop for Arcie isn't work:'

Sam couldn't hold his smile. He would never fire Violet--there would never be a need--and she knew it.

"Where are you going?" he finally asked.

"Where do you think?"

"Michigan Avenue," Sam said dryly. "And I suppose I'm paying for lunch too?"

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Violet only smiled at him, and this time he didn't try to hold back. His head went back as he laughed, knowing that if his housekeeper asked for the moon, especially concerning Arcineh, he would rope it and hand it to her.

Not for the first time, Violet noticed that Arcineh had great style. She enjoyed the new trends of the day, but the clothing that fit her best was that of classic styling and lines. Isabella had been just that way, and Violet wasn't surprised to find Arcineh in the same mode.

"Do you like this color?" Arcineh asked about halfway through the morning, her hand on a dark gray-blue blouse.

"It's not the best one for you. Do you like it?"

"I was thinking of you."

"Me?" Violet blinked. "We're not shopping for me:'

"But we could:"

Violet eyed her. "Is that your subtle way of telling me my wardrobe needs help?"

"No:' Arcineh answered honestly. "But you have a date on Friday night, and I wondered if you might want something new:' "How do you know about Friday night?"

"I know a lot of things:' Arcineh said evasively.

Violet shook her head in wonder. "I am going out Friday night, but he's an old friend, and I have no desire to turn his head:'

Arcineh smiled at her tone, but Violet wouldn't look at her for fear of laughing and encouraging her.

"Now:' the older woman said as she tried to take back some control, "are you done shopping?"

"Not even close:'

"Well, then, let's put my dating life aside and get back to business:'

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Arcineh did not argue. She wanted to know more about this friend of Violet's, but knew it was going to have to wait. She still had scores of ideas on her mind for shopping.

"What did you find?"

Sam had made his way to Arcineh's room after work, knowing that if he didn't distract himself, he was going to need a drink. He'd missed his son that day in the most painful way. While most of Trevor's business dealings had been passed on to other managers, Trevor's account with the Faribault Corporation had needed Sam's personal attention. All day Sam had been forced to read his son's handwriting and business notes. Trevor had even recorded some things on his small tape player, and hearing his voice was almost more than Sam could take. Right now he was willing to do anything to block out the pain. The only thing that kept him from the liquor cabinet was his granddaughter's presence in the house.

"Almost everything I need! Do you want to see?"

"Yes, I do." Sam sat on the bed, and Arcineh ran for the spacious walk-in closet. When the eleven-year-old emerged, she was utterly charming in baggy jeans, a deceptively simple top, and Keds tennis shoes in navy canvas.

Sam enjoyed the fashion show, and his praise to Arcineh was genuine. She had looked great in everything, and so much like Isabella that Sam wondered if he was going to survive.

"Are you all right?" Arcineh asked before she changed from her last outfit.

"Yes:' Sam lied convincingly. "Why?"

"You look a little sad:"

Arcineh had sat next to him, and Sam put an arm around her. She leaned against him, and it struck her how little they hugged. Her parents had hugged and kissed her every day, but Sam usually

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only hugged her when she was upset. Arcineh wished for it to be different and, in a mature moment, knew she could make an effort to change it.

This decided, she suddenly hugged him. Sam seemed a bit surprised, but just for a moment. The grandfather hugged her right back, and they remained this way until Violet called them to dinner.

The Rowan family visited on the weekend before Labor Day. Traffic on Labor Day weekend was predictably horrific, so they came up early for one last trip before settling into a new school year. Austin was entering his freshman year in high school, and Quinn was going into grade eight. Arcineh was a seventh grader.

Arcineh was looking forward to the weekend visit, but since Quinn's birthday she had held back just a bit. Quinn had become mercurial at times, and Arcineh was weary of being burned. However, Quinn showed up in fine spirits and didn't even try to gain Sam's attention.