White Chocolate Moments (3 page)

"Why are you still here?" Sam asked Mason in a way that was all too familiar.

"I wasn't aware we were done Mason answered with quiet dignity, never allowing his feelings to show.

"We're done Sam said dismissively.

Mason didn't bother to say goodbye--there would be nothing in return--but simply exited. He hoped to see Arcineh so he could greet her, but she was not in sight. Instead he exited through the kitchen and confirmed with Violet that the clothing was in fact stored in an out-of-the-way place.

Sam and Arcineh sat in the car in the driveway of the place that had always been her home, neither one speaking for a time. Everything looked normal, but nothing was right and they both knew it.

"You don't have to do this:' Sam said, repeating the statement he'd made when they'd left his house. "Just give me directions."

"That's just it, I don't know exactly where my papers are:'

"I'll just gather everything I find and bring it out:'

Arcineh still refused. She didn't want to go into the house, but something inside of her told her it would only be worse if she waited. When she'd left her grandfather's birthday party nearly four weeks ago, she had never dreamed she would not be back here in all these days.

"But then that's the way it always is, isn't it?" Arcineh spoke her thoughts out loud.

"What's that?" Sam asked.

"No one ever thinks this will happen:'

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Sam certainly agreed with that. He was still in shock and felt as though he always would be.

"Well:' Arcineh said with a hand on the door. "I just want to get in and get out."

Easier said than done, Arcineh found as soon as they'd let themselves in. The feel of her parents was everywhere, and she felt as if she couldn't breathe. Actually feeling dizzy, she sat on the bottom of the stairs, all color draining from her face. Sam felt just as bad but made himself concentrate on the child.

"Where shall I look first?" Sam asked, and Arcineh gave in. "Try the desk in my room."

Sam took the stairs on swift feet and was back in a very short time. Arcineh saw that he'd grabbed nearly everything and thought that might be the end of it.

"Did you see a schoolbag?"

"What color is it?"

"Blue."

Sam was gone again in a hurry, but this time he came back empty Arcineh had taken time to look through the papers and saw that everything was there.

"No blue bag:' he apologized.

Arcineh frowned but couldn't remember where it might be. She also realized she didn't care.

"Do you have something I can use?"

"I'm sure I do, and if not, we'll stop at Marshall Fields and find something."

Arcineh nodded, and they both headed toward the door, just needing to get out. They had been logical and controlled, but that lasted only until they gained the front porch. Arcineh's tears burst forth without warning, and Sam's head bowed on his own. They didn't go to the car but sat on the heavy stone benches that Isabella had used to make the front porch a welcome place. It was a bit humid, although still cool, but neither one noticed. Too few tears had passed

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between them, and now they came in a torrent. For almost an hour they cried off and on, saying little.

However, it helped. When Arcineh had no more tears, she wanted to go back inside. With her grandfather's help, she gathered some of the things she'd not been able to describe to Violet. Feeling drained, she still made herself look for the blue bag. They left as soon as she'd found it.

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CHAPTER Two

"We're coming up this weekend:' Tiffany told her father on the phone that evening.

Sam met this news with silence, his head still hurting. "Dad?"

"I'm here:'

"Is something wrong?"

"It's just been a rough week, Tiffany, and I don't know if that's such a good idea:'

Tiffany could not believe her ears. Her father never denied her a visit. It was rather unsettling after all these years, and she knew Quinn would feel the same way.

"Did Arcie say something about not wanting to see us?" "Of course not, Tiffany. It's nothing like that:'

"Well, ask her. I'm sure she wants to see Quinn:'

Sam realized for the first time why his daughter's relationships with her children were so argumentative. She expected them to have opinions and be able to reason and think like adults. When they didn't agree with her, however, a fight usually broke out.

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"I'll make sure life stays calmer next week:' Sam offered, "and we'll plan on next weekend."

"But Quinn has a show next weekend!"

The strident sound of Tiffany's voice told her father she had become very emotional. He didn't want to argue with her, but neither did he want to give in.

"School will be out in less than a month, Tiffany, and then we'll get the girls together as often as possible:'

"Well, that's no help at the moment, is it?"

Their conversation did not end well. Sam got his way, but at great expense. His daughter had fallen to tears and recriminations and then hung up in his ear. He was still thinking about it when Arcineh came to the door.

"Are you busy this weekend?" she asked.

"No, why?"

"Could we go to the Shedd? Just for a little while?"

"Certainly. Which day?"

"Saturday morning, right when they open:'

"We'll plan on it."

Sam's heart lightened a bit. He knew Tiffany and Quinn did not agree with him, but for the moment, he was going to handle this his own way.

The Shedd Aquarium was one of Arcineh Bryant's favorite places in the world. It had been a Chicago landmark for more than 60 years, and she loved everything about it. The architecture and layout of the building captivated her, and that was even before she began to roam from level to level and room to room to take in the thousands of sea creatures, amphibians, and reptiles.

The Pacific white-sided dolphins and beluga whales delighted her,

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and she could stand for an hour at the penguin display. Time became no more when she watched the antics of the Alaska sea otters.

The crutches inhibited some of her normal activities, and it was fairly crowded even at this early hour, but that didn't change Arcineh's pleasure. The last time she had come was with her father, and she had to push that memory from her mind, but for Arcineh the Shedd had a calming effect, and that was true this time as well.

"I'm going to try walking a bit:' she said to Sam about an hour after they arrived.

"Don't, Arcie," he begged. "The floor is cobbled here. Why don't you wait?"

But Arcineh had a stubborn look on her face and only handed him the crutches. Sam wanted to argue with her but held his tongue. His body gripped with tension as he watched her, a tension that didn't leave until she grew weary and wanted the crutches back.

"Let's head to the Oceanarium," Arcineh suggested tiredly.

Sam agreed, hoping the dolphin show was over. They found the seating area nearly empty, and Arcineh went down about halfway to the water, sat down, and just stared.

The Oceanarium was where the dolphins lived and performed. Long roof trusses eliminated the need for support columns, and thanks to the floor-to-ceiling windows, the two million gallons of water in Whale Harbor appeared to flow directly into Lake Michigan.

This was Arcineh's favorite place at the Shedd. She enjoyed the dolphin show, but more than that she enjoyed sitting in the large room, watching the dolphins race around on their own and looking out over Lake Michigan.

Sam sat beside her, more concerned with her hip than the view of the lake, but trying to stay calm. He wanted to ask if she was all right but decided to let the matter rest. He was determined, however, not to hold her crutches when he didn't feel it was safe.

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"I thought I heard you:' Violet said, suddenly at the kitchen door and finding Arcineh looking into the refrigerator at about 1:00 in the morning.

"I'm sorry I woke you:'

"What can I get you?" Violet asked, ignoring the apology.

"I don't know" Arcineh continued to stand, the cold air hitting her, not sure what she was hungry for.

"I can heat up that soup you like:'

Arcineh shook her head. "I think I'd just like a peanut butter sandwich!'

"With or without jam?"

"I can make it," Arcineh offered, but Violet was already on the move. Arcineh gave up and sat on one of the counter stools. She didn't talk, and Violet didn't ask any more questions. She prepared the sandwich, sliced it just the way Arcineh liked, and placed it in front of her. Arcineh thanked her and began to eat.

Violet did not try to engage her in conversation. She was very concerned for the little girl who seemed too old for her body and experiences and didn't seem to cry enough. Such a thing didn't seem natural to her.

"I think I can sleep now:' Arcineh said when the sandwich was gone. Violet was pleased to see that she'd drunk the milk she poured for her as well.

"I'll walk you to your bed:'

Arcineh was relieved. Every once in a while her grandfather's house felt huge and scary, and right now most of the lights were off. Violet walked behind Arcineh, letting the little girl set the pace, before tucking her into bed.

Violet bent and kissed her cheek, something she'd done only since the accident, but something to which Arcineh did not object. She then switched out the light and exited the room. Not until she was back in her own bed did the housekeeper shed her own tears.

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Arcineh's first day back to school, a few days later than they planned, was an event in more than one way. She moved slowly but without crutches. On the Monday after their visit to the Shedd, the doctor had given her leave to walk without them, albeit with a warning about her activity level. Sam wanted her to have a day around the house without the crutches, so she started back to school on Wednesday of that week.

Having been dropped off by Violet--her grandfather had an early meeting on his schedule--Arcineh stood quietly in the elevator, a conveyance she'd never needed before, and hoped she would be treated normally. When the doors whooshed softly open, Arcineh walked carefully out and turned for her classroom. Relief filled her when Mr. Sutter suddenly stepped into the hallway.

"I was wondering if I might see you today:'

"I made it:' Arcineh said with a smile.

Mr. Sutter's pleasure in her appearance and his matter-of-fact way put her at ease. It was a good start back to normal.

"How did she seem?" Sam asked Violet. His meeting was done and he'd called as soon as he was free.

"A little tense:'

"Did you walk in with her?"

"She didn't want that:'

"You should have anyway."

Violet was dead silent after that, and Sam knew he'd overstepped. Violet had told him early in her employment that she would do everything in her power to do things as he liked, but when it came to judgment calls, she expected him to trust her and even be forgiving if she erred. She was the only one of his employees to ever stand up to him in this way. And she had never let him down.

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Sam backtracked.

"What made you decide not to walk her in?"

"She has her own way of handling this, Sam. I'm not going to push in where I'm not wanted. She knows I'll do anything she wants."

"All right:' he agreed, but still wished he knew more. He thanked Violet and got off the phone, turning immediately in his calendar to see if he could get home before 3:00.

When Arcineh got home, she found her desk had arrived, and more of the things from her bedroom. She had lived upstairs only a few days at her grandfather's--the climb had been too hard on crutches--and even though it seemed strange to have these things here, she appreciated Violet's efforts.

Little by little that woman had been bringing Arcineh's possessions to Sam's house. Her clothing was all there, and everything else Violet thought she might want. Now the desk was there, the one from her bedroom. Arcineh touched it and felt emotion flood through her.

She remembered the day her mother bought it for her. For a long time it had sat on the screen porch, a place where Arcineh loved to do her homework in good weather. Only recently had she moved it to her bedroom.

Without warning, tears filled her eyes. The enormity of what she'd lost and how life was never going to be the same crushed down on her like a huge boulder. She stood very still and cried, sobbing into her hands and desperately wanting her mother.

Violet had come up to check on her and was almost at the door when Arcineh broke down. That woman did not intrude but stood outside in the wide hallway and felt her own tears run unchecked down her face.

This was the way Sam found them. He had meant to be home already, but the streets had been clogged. He watched Violet's slim