White Chocolate Moments (9 page)

Sam came to the kitchen just then to tell them that he was headed to the office. He changed his plans, however, when he found Arcineh upset. He had been pleased with how well the girls had done over the weekend, but he had wondered how Arcineh was doing inside.

Against his own heart's desire, Sam canceled his visit to the office and suggested they see a movie. Violet declined, but Sam and Arcineh spent a wonderful afternoon and evening together, making life feel normal again for the 12-year-old.

"Where does the money go?" Arcineh asked of Sam when he explained that it was time to put her family home up for sale. "Where all your money is, into special accounts:"

"Don't you use some of Dad's money to pay for me living here?" "No, I don't:'

"Not even with the lawyer and everything you had to do to become my guardian?"

"Not even then:'

"How about the hospital bills and all my physical therapy?" "There's insurance to pay for most of that:'

"What does my dad's money do, just sit in the bank?"

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"Until you're ready for it, yes:'

"I don't want it:' Arcineh said, not for the first time, her look becoming guarded.

"That's fine Sam said, also repeating himself but still not knowing why it bothered her so much.

"You can sell the house, but I don't want the money:'

Again Sam agreed, not going into details about the fact that it was hers, like it or not.

"Do you want to see the house again?"

"Not if it's empty."

Sam watched her shiver a little and knew it had nothing to do with the frigid February day. She weathered things at the most amazing times and in the most amazing ways. She and Quinn had fought through Christmas--even Sam had seen that Quinn was impossible to please--but now that it was time to sell her parents' last possession, she was all right as long as she didn't have to deal with the money.

"What are you thinking right now?" Sam. asked.

"That I want hot chocolate:'

Sam nodded, not even attempting to probe deeper. He took Arcineh at her word, reminding himself that she had always been up-front with him in the past.

"Do you want some?" she asked.

"Ask Violet to make mine coffee, and I'll have to drink it in here if I'm going to get my papers in order for my trip:'

Arcineh only nodded and made her way from the office. She didn't like it when he traveled, but it had become more normal to her. His travel, for some reason, was always the greatest reminder that her parents were gone.

All the way to the kitchen Arcineh thought about them. If you had asked her how long her parents had been dead, she could have told you, but part of her heart didn't believe that it had been almost a year. Less than two months would mark the one-year date, but for Arcineh it had been much longer.

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She could no longer remember her mother's laugh. She had tried hard to hang on to that wonderful sound, but it had slipped away. As had her father's imitation of Mickey Mouse. It had never sounded just like Mickey, but Arcineh had liked it better.

"Vi:' Arcineh called to that lady when she reached the kitchen, but she wasn't around. Arcineh was headed to look for her when she realized she never did anything for herself in the kitchen. Not sure how to make coffee and knowing she'd need Violet for that, Arcineh did go ahead and make herself a cup of hot chocolate. It didn't taste just like Violet's, but Arcineh--proud of her own efforts--thought it was good. And when Violet came and praised her, she felt even better, thoughts of her parents slipping momentarily from her mind.

Violet caught Sam at the door as he came in. She looked almost secretive as she motioned to him with one hand. Sam followed his housekeeper to the closed glass doors of the family room. The furniture was pushed back, the rug rolled up, and the music blasted from within.

Arcineh Bryant, showing her grandfather what Geneva Sperry had seen all along, danced in the middle of the floor to one of the latest pop songs. As if she'd written the music herself, her body moved in perfect rhythm, her face relaxed with pleasure. For several long minutes Sam could only stare.

"When?" he finally asked.

"Just today."

Again the adults continued to watch, moving for a better view. As they stared, the music changed, and so did the dance. The beat a little slower this time, Arcineh danced as though she had a partner. Sam and Violet continued to watch until the beat picked up again and Arcineh made the transition so smoothly that Sam slowly shook

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his head. Not until the fastest song ended did Arcineh seem to need a break, and that's when she spotted them.

"Hi," she said as she came out to greet her grandfather, her face

moist. "You're back:' she said, kissing his cheek and smiling. "And you were dancing," Sam said in quiet amazement. "Yeah:' Arcineh shrugged a little. "I was in the mood:' "Did your hip hurt?" Violet asked.

"No:' Arcineh looked surprised. "In fact I was wondering if Geneva would let me come back:'

"Yes:' Sam's voice was definite.

"How do you know?"

"She came to see me:'

Arcineh's mouth opened a little.

"When was this?"

"Last year. I forgot to tell you. She wanted me to order you back but understood why I couldn't do that. She did make it very clear to me that you could come back anytime you :wanted."

Arcineh looked as pleased as she felt and even went back to the family room to dance a little more.

The next day was Sunday, and Geneva's studio was not open. However, the moment school ended on Monday, Sam was there. He'd left the office early to pick up Arcineh. He drove her to the studio and learned that Geneva was good on her word: The dance instructor welcomed Arcineh back with open arms.

The first weekend in March brought a surprise visit from the Rowan family. They arrived late on Friday night, just as Sam and Arcineh were talking about going to bed.

"Quinn has one performance after another coming up, and we thought we'd better come while we can: Tiffany explained, clearly pleased with herself. Arcineh was not thrilled. She and Quinn had

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not enjoyed the visit at Christmas, but there was more to it than that. Arcineh waited only ten minutes before catching her grandfather's ear to remind him.

"I have a special practice at Geneva's tomorrow:'

"Do you have to go?" Sam made the mistake of asking. Arcineh's look was telling. "She gave me a lead part:' she said, her voice tight with irritation. "I can't miss this:'

Sam wanted to argue but remembered that his daughter hadn't warned them they were coming and that Arcineh could hardly be blamed. However, Quinn did not take it that way. She sulked through Saturday because Arcineh was gone for hours, and wouldn't talk to her when she got home that evening or on Sunday at all. Arcineh ended up just as angry, coming from her bedroom to see them off only because her grandfather ordered her to do so. The house was very quiet after their car drove away, right up to the moment Sam tried to fix things.

"You don't understand:' Sam began without warning. "Quinn is sensitive'

"What has she got to be sensitive about?" Arcineh argued.

Not expecting her angry tone with him, Sam stared at her in some surprise, but Arcineh was not done.

"Both her parents are alive!"

Sam's look became patient before he said, "She's just like her mother in that regard. Tiff is sensitive too:'

"And why should she be?" Arcineh spat, feeling rage now. "Aunt Tiffany has a husband and two children and lives like a queen. You call it sensitive--I call it ungrateful!"

Sam did not know what to say. In truth Arcineh had an excellent point, but he felt dreadfully disloyal to Quinn and Tiffany by agreeing with her. As it was, Arcineh didn't give him a chance. She turned and walked toward her room, saying she wanted to be left alone.

Sam covered his own hurt with anger and took her at her word, not even allowing Violet to call her for supper. She would have gone

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without if she'd not made an appearance before the meal ended. By then, both Sam and Arcineh had calmed down. They talked about various things, but the subject of the family did not come up. It wouldn't have done any good. It was not a topic they would agree upon.

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Chapter Six

"Hey," Landon spoke as he sat down next to Arcineh in the library. "What are you working on?"

"Not much:' Arcineh said, not happy to see him for the first time. She didn't want to see anyone right then but knew she couldn't explain.

"Big plans for the weekend?" he asked.

"I have a dance thing Arcineh told him, not mentioning that her dance performance in the children's wing at a hospital was coming two days before the one-year death of her parents, partnered with the fact that she'd never danced without her mother before. She felt sick at the thought and suddenly knew she wanted to go home.

"Do you get nervous?" Landon asked. He noticed her demeanor but didn't understand it. They had become more friends than anything else. Landon had wanted more but never said that to Arcineh. He could tell that she didn't see him that way, and when he'd found out about the death of her parents, he didn't have the heart to demand more of her.

She was the first girl he'd been sensitive with. The girls in New York

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had liked his looks and money and wanted to be with him. Arcineh was different, and Landon had not been willing to lose her friendship over his own ego--a mature act for his normally selfish behavior.

"I think I'm going to go home Arcineh said, hoping she wouldn't be sick on the spot. "I don't feel too well:'

"Okay," Landon replied, noticing that she looked white, but he didn't say that. He didn't offer to walk her to the office either--he wasn't
that
sensitive--but when he saw Daisy, he reported to her, feeling as though he'd done his part.

"Better?" Violet asked Arcineh after she'd had a brief nap. "I think so:'

"Did you get sick?"

"No:"

Violet touched her forehead. "No fever:'

"I don't think I'm sick:' she said.

"What's going on?" the housekeeper asked, well aware what day was approaching--not Arcineh's dance performance, but the death of her parents.

"Geneva gave me the lead. I can't just back out:'

"Why do you want to?"

"I can't do it, Violet. My mom's not here. I've gone on with my life. She would be so hurt:'

"You haven't gone on with your life Violet argued, wishing Sam were there. "Your little heart has been turned upside down over this, Arcie. You didn't even want to dance until a month ago. And even if you had, your mother loved you more than her own life. She would want you to do whatever makes you happy. If you want to dance, she would want that for you:'

"But she's not here!" The tears and anger finally arrived. "How could she leave like that? I need her here:'

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Violet just sat on the edge of the bed and let the child cry and vent. Arcie alternated between grief and rage and then guilt that she would accuse her parents of dying on purpose, and for the first time she tried to remember what had happened.

"You fell asleep, Arcie," Violet reasoned. "You can't remember something that's not in your mind."

"But what if they needed me? What if they cried out to me for help?"

The tears came again, and Violet was glad. Trevor's and Isabella's deaths were swift and violent. Mercifully Arcineh's parents had no time to call on their daughter for help. Violet would tell Sam what Arcineh had said, but she would not be the one to explain these details. She hoped that Arcineh would fall asleep after crying so hard, but the girl finally calmed and lay awake. Violet offered both food and drink, and just about everything else she could think of, but Arcineh declined it all. Not until Sam came home from work did Arcineh want to get up. She didn't discuss her parents with her grandfather, but she stayed very close to him the rest of the evening.

Saturday morning found Violet and Sam at the hospital, lingering in the hallway outside the children's wing, waiting for the dance to begin. The troupe was scheduled to do what Geneva would call a mini-musical. She enjoyed taking portions of musical productions or a medley of dances from just one show and putting together a 20- to 30-minute performance that seemed to be just right for the children.

There were no singers in the group--the music was all on tape--but the dancers performed the steps in costumes as close to the original as they could find. Today's performance was from both
The Sound of Music
and
Oklahoma!
There were no lead dancers for
Oklahoma!
but Arcineh played Maria's role from the
Sound of Music,
and her

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performance was perfect. Smaller children played the parts of the von Trapp family children. The patients confined to beds and wheelchairs were delighted, and the staff could not thank the dancers enough.