Finding You (24 page)

Buzz…

Nova shot her eyes towards the phone, “Ian does that damn thing always buzz?”

“You wanted the view from the top baby and the view comes with a constant buzz,” he replied laughing at her. 

“Sir, you have a call on line one.  It’s your mother.”

What? 
Staring at him she asked “Your mom?”

Ian picked up the phone, “Hi Mom.  Sure, sure.  Let me get back with you.  No, it shouldn’t be long.  You too.”

Nova didn’t say anything.  She had never heard Ian talk to his mom.  She just assumed they weren’t very close after he had told her what had happened.

“Babe, I really hate to drop this on you and I completely understand if…”

“What Ian, what did she want?”

“She has invited us for the weekend, seems she would like to meet her soon-to-be daughter-in-law.”

She could tell Ian was nervous.  Did he honestly think she wouldn’t want to go?  “Ian I would love to meet your mother.  I’m just a little shocked is all.”

“Shocked?” he asked.

“You have only mentioned her to me once.  I mean I had no idea you even talked to her.  I just assumed with everything that happened that you two weren’t close.”

Ian ran his fingers through his hair.  That was never a good sign for him.  Typically Ian was rock hard despite the situation.   “We aren’t very close Nova.  It’s not for lack of trying on her part, I just prefer to keep my distance.”

“But you called to let her know of our engagement?”

“I still talk to her, I just don’t go back home very often.”

Nova saw a need to push.  At least Ian had a mom who apparently did in fact care about him.  She knew if her mom were still alive the first thing she would ask was how much money did he have.  “Ian I’m in.  When are you thinking about going?”

She saw relief wash over him but it wasn’t enough to completely release his tension.  “We can leave in the morning. I don’t usually have a hectic schedule on Friday’s anyway so I will clear my schedule.  We can come back tomorrow night.”

“Your mom lives in New York.  Would you like to stay the weekend,” she asked trying to get a feel for just how uncomfortable this trip was going to be.

“Don’t feel obligated Nova.”

“I don’t feel obligated Ian.  Let me know what you decide but honestly as long as your mom isn’t a panther or someone who isn’t going to like me then I think it would be nice to have some time to get to know her.”

Ian’s expression changed.  “No, it’s nothing like that Nova.  My mom will love you.  She is a very good person it’s just hard for me to go back there.”

“Then I will leave it up to you.  I know how hard it is to deal with the ghosts, we will do whatever is best for you.”

“
Holy. Cow
.  You grew up here?” Nova asked as the driveway opened up into wide open acreage revealing a house not less than a castle.  “Are we in England,” she asked nudging him.

“The old place is pretty isn’t it,” Ian acknowledged with not so much as a smile on his face.

“Are those stables,” she asked noticing the large barn.

“Yes, not many horses left I don’t think but if you like to ride we can.”

Despite Ian’s apprehension to coming, Nova couldn’t help but admire his childhood home.  It was absolutely incredible.

Nova grabbed his hand.  “I am so nervous Ian.  I have never met a parent before.”  She took a few deep breaths.  “You know I am going to sound like I came from Mayberry don’t you?”

He started laughing.  “I needed that Nova, thanks.”

A tall, gray haired gentleman met us at the door.  His smile was a mile wide when he saw Ian.  Not a word was spoken.  Nova stepped back to take in the enduring hug between Ian and the old man.

“Nova, I would like you to meet Henry.  He taught me ever thing I know about poker,” he said.

Blushing a little from the compliment he turned to her.  “No miss, Ian was always a natural.  I think he taught me,” he said taking my hand in his.

“It’s a pleasure to meet you Henry.”

“Nova, Henry and his wife have worked with our family since I was a child.  They come no better than this gentleman.”

“Oh Lord, how much is that going to cost me,” Henry asked playfully.

“I’ll let you play Nova but I should warn you, she is not a stranger to poker odds,” Ian warned walking me into the house.

She couldn’t help but be taken aback by Ian’s change.  She knew Henry obviously meant a lot to Ian.  Funny he had never mentioned him.             

“Your mother is outback Ian.  Won’t you and Miss Nova join her for lunch?  Nanny has made your favorite.”

“Nanny,” Nova asked?

“Nanny is Henry’s wife.  Her name is Nancy but Brandon couldn’t say anything but Nanny when we were little so the name stuck.”

“How funny,” she said.

“Do you need anything before we go outback,” he asked?

“A quick pit stop if you don’t mind.”

“Up the stairs, first door on your left.”

Nova left Ian talking to Henry.  She walked through the entryway admiring the tile which led her straight to the stairs.  When she looked up and realized that these were “the stairs” she suddenly felt stupid for not better understanding how hard it was for Ian to come back here. 

She followed the thick burgundy carpeted steps up to the second floor.  At the top she saw the door that she presumed was the linen closet the boys had been hiding in.  Stopping to look back down she understood why the fall had been so devastating. 

She hurried to the bathroom and came back to find Ian waiting for her at the top of the stairs.  He didn’t notice her at first and when she realized how heavily in thought he was, she stopped to watch him.

His eyes searched the staircase like he was looking for someone.  Even though Nova had no siblings she could only imagine how hard it would be to lose a sibling but to lose your twin must have been horrific for Ian. 

Giving him time with his thoughts she waited until he finally noticed her. 

“Hey, you ready,” he asked.

“Yeah, are you going to be okay?” she asked kissing his cheek.

He smiled and led her down the stairs.

Outside under the veranda sat the women who Ian obviously received his good looks from.  She was beautiful.  Tall, with dark hair and she had the same dark eyes as Ian.

“Ian,” she said with the excitement of a child.

Nova noticed the cane as she stood to walk to him.  Despite the slight inward deformity of her foot she walked with grace.

“Mom,” he said hugging her tightly.  “I would like you to meet Nova.”

“Oh, dear!  I’m so very excited to meet you,” she said pulling me in for a hug.

It took me a minute to relax.  This certainly wasn’t what I was expecting.  She was so warm and cheery.  I liked her instantly.  “Mrs. Strong, thank you so much for having me.”

“The pleasure is all mine.  Thank you so much for coming to visit.”

As they waited for her to sit down Ian pulled back her chair and then sat down to join her.  Unsure of what to say she waited until Ian’s mom turned to her. 

“So, let’s see that ring.”

“Of course,” I said offering my hand over.

“Oh Ian, it’s beautiful.  Were you surprised Nova?”

“Yes ma’am.  I had no idea.”

“Oh Nova, your accent is so sweet,” she said pouring us a glass of lemonade.

Nova felt her cheeks blush.  Ian smiled and nodded his head. 

She looked at us quizzically.  “Did I say something wrong?” she asked.

She was certainly as perceptive as her son was.  “No, I do really well with it until I get nervous.  I told Ian coming up the driveway I knew I was going to sound like I came from Mayberry.”

Ian almost spit his lemonade back in his glass.  He couldn’t believe I had told her but I could tell right away she was someone I could be myself around.

She laughed.  “Sweet Nova, I certainly wouldn’t say Mayberry if that makes you feel any more at ease, dear.”

“Mrs. Strong, your home is beautiful.”

“Oh dear, it’s just a bunch of brick and sheetrock but thank you for the compliment.  She’s an old one but she is still standing strong.”

Nanny brought lunch out but not before she came out to hug Ian and introduced herself to me.  She was exactly what I imagined a Nanny to look like.  She had a sweet round face with grey hair that matched Henry’s.  With promises to bring out Ian’s favorite meal I sat quietly as Ian and his mom caught up.

When Nanny and Henry set out our meal I almost giggled. It was southern cuisine at its finest.

Turning to Ian I asked.  “Your favorite food is fried chicken?”

“I love it but only if Nanny makes it.”

Well, at least that explained why Roberta never made it for us.

As Nanny and Henry sat down to join us I couldn’t help but notice the sweet smile on Nanny’s face from Ian’s compliment.  She loved Ian.  It was easy to tell.

After lunch, Ian and I went up to our room.  Actually it was Ian’s old room which was exactly as I pictured it.  He had old copies of Business Journals on his desk.  His book shelf was full of books and surprisingly there were a few pictures sitting around.  In Boston he didn’t have any personal pictures anywhere, but then again, neither did I.

“I see the ruler of the Empire was eager to rule even as a young man.”

“Not much different than you I think,” he said pulling me into his arms.  “Are you sure you are alright being here.  We can go home if you want.”

“Ian your mom is wonderful.  I had really prepared myself for being interrogated about a wedding, grandchildren and that sort of thing.”

“She isn’t like that but I’m sure she is dying to know.”

Kissing her once more he laid down on his bed. 

You doing alright?”  she asked sitting down next to him. 

“Yes, it’s much better with you here.”

Nova snuggled in beside him and fell fast asleep.

When Nova opened her eyes, she was alone.  She had slept longer than she should have but it had been a restful nap.  She freshened up and headed down stairs.  The house was huge so the idea of walking around aimlessly made her afraid she would either get lost or intrude.  She was relieved when she heard voices coming from the kitchen.

Just before pushing the door to walk into the kitchen she heard Ian’s mom.

“Ian, you said she was beautiful but I had no idea.  She has the prettiest green eyes I have ever seen.”

Not wanting to intrude she waited outside the door.  Not to ease drop but because she was afraid to interrupt the conversation.

“Beautiful she is, but you have no idea just how brilliant she is.  She was top of her glass at Harvard.”

“Beauty and brains, seems you have certainly made a good decision,” she heard Ian’s mother say. 

“What?” Ian asked.

She wished she could have seen the expression on her face to see what prompted his question.

“Ian, I am just so thankful that you found her.  Your happiness is at all that matters to me.”

“Are you going to cry?” he asked.

“No, no.  I wouldn’t dare and then have you call me silly.  You are my son and I have worried so much about you.  You have your father's business sense and you are so successful.  I just worried that you wouldn’t slow down enough to let someone in.  I’m happy, so if I cry, know it’s only because I am so happy for you.”

There was a long silence.

“She knows everything mom, I told her.”

She heard the heavy clank of the glass that his mom most likely sat down.

“Are you upset with me?”

“I guess she must think I am the most horrible mother in the world then, hmm?”

Nova’s heart instantly ached for her.

“Mom, she has had a hard life too.  If I thought she would judge me or you I wouldn’t have told her.”

“I don’t doubt that Ian, it’s just a little startling to know that someone else knows. You can imagine my concern.”

Nova walked away.  This wasn’t a conversation she needed to be a part of so she headed back towards the front of the house.

“Nova,” Henry called her name.

“Hi, I was looking for Ian.”

“I believe he is in the kitchen,” he said gesturing for her to turn around.

“I know, but I don’t think it’s a good time.  Will you let him know I am awake?  I’ll go back up to his room.”

“Nonsense.  Ian said you liked horses.  Would you like me to take you down to the stables?”

“Sure, I would love it.”

Henry drove her down to the stables.  “Ian said most of the horses were gone.”

Henry patted her hand as he opened the door.  “Yes, old age but there’s still a few.”

The stable was beautiful.  “Goodness, makes me wish I was a horse,” Nova kidded.

“You and me both,” he replied walking her down the alley.

“This brute here is Ian’s horse.  His name is Silver.”

“He is beautiful,” Nova said reaching her hand in to let him smell her.

“Do you ride much Nova?”

“I used to before I moved to Boston.  My stepfather had horses.”

“Oh yes, Ian said you were from Georgia.”

“Yes Sir.  My step dad had a big farm.”

“Well, then let’s not give old Silver all the attention. Let me show you the others.”

There were six more horses in total, all with funny names like Camelot, Noble and Sneer.  The last one was a beautiful Red Roan.  He was older but she’d bet money he was something in his earlier years.  “What’s his name?”

“This old fella is Buck, he was Brandon’s horse.”

Her heart hurt at the thought of it.  Reaching inside the horse nuzzled her hand.  “He is a beautiful horse.”

“Yes ma’am he is but he is an old fellow.  We never ride him.  He just grazes and gets spoiled rotten.”

Nova smiled as she watched Henry.

“I guess you were close to both of them,” she asked.

“That boy up there is like my own.  I think I always favored Ian and Nanny always favored Brandon.  He gave her the name, Nanny.”

She could see the endearment in his eyes.

“Yes, Ian told me.  I think that is absolutely adorable.”

“I tell you, those two were mischief in the making.  They were quite the rounders as little ones.  They certainly kept things lively around here.”

“I can only imagine what it would be like to have two Ian’s in this world.”

“You said it right; Ian was as much Brandon as Brandon was Ian.”

“Hey you,” Ian said walking down the alley.

“Hey, Henry was just showing me the horses.”

Ian pulled her in for a kiss.  “Be careful with Henry here, he is quite the daredevil.  Don’t let that wrinkled skin and grey hair fool you.”

“Now son, is that anything to say to a lady.  I thought I taught you better than that.”

We both laughed at him.

“I promised not to tell all his antics.  At least not on your first trip but just to put your mind at ease about me, I believe this man holding you so tightly is also the same young boy I saw racing out of the barn early one morning with not so much as a sock on and riding bare back at that.”

“Oh my God, Ian, why”

Ian smiled wanting to fire back at Henry but he kept his cool.  She could tell Henry’s rousing didn’t bother him.

“I did it only because Brandon bet me that I wouldn’t do it.”

“See Nova, I told you those two were nothing but mischief.”

She couldn’t stop laughing.