Authors: V.S. Tice
“Here, you can talk to her.” I held out the phone and called for Victoria.
She ran over and I handed the cell phone out to her. “It’s your father.”
She took the phone. “Daddy? Uh-huh. I will. Yes, sir. Bye.”
“That was quick.” I took the phone and snapped it shut.
“He had to go.” She shrugged.
My heart broke for her.
“Come on, let’s decorate the tree!” I smiled wide and we skipped to the tree.
It was late after Carla’s family had left for the evening when Victoria fell asleep on the couch. Carrying her to my old bed, I tucked her in.
Grabbing the gifts I’d brought with me, I took them downstairs to arrange beneath the tree.
“What do you have there?” At the sound of my father’s voice, a feeling of family and belonging settled over me.
“Just a few things that I brought with me.” I shrugged.
“You know she’s completely in love with you, right?” I heard the familiar sigh of the lazy boy recliner as my father sat down.
“Hmmm?”
He pointed up the stairs. “Victoria. All she did tonight was tell people about what you two do together and how great you are.” He beamed proudly.
“She spends most of her time with me.”
“It’s more than that. This is the first time I’ve seen you so attached to a child.” He raised a brow.
“What can I say? The little girl has got me wrapped around her finger,” I laughed.
My father sighed. “Be careful, baby. I don’t want you to get hurt. You know, if you were ever to not work for her family and –”
I put up my hand.
“I know the risks, Dad, but thank you for worrying about me.” I walked over and kissed his forehead. “Good night.”
The next day brought us a massive breakfast, Carla’s family, some neighbors, and lots of presents. Victoria opened the digital camera I bought for her and gushed over it. Carla and Dad had gotten her a large handmade doll. Carla and Dad tried to argue with me over the round-trip tickets to Hawaii I’d purchased for them.
“Just make some damn reservations and put your asses on the plane,” I ordered with a smile.
Victoria was wiping tears from her face when Dad carried her and buckled her into the car.
“Bye, Pawpaw Rick.” She’d graced him with the nickname because of his bear paw pancakes. He closed the passenger door of my jeep and wrapped his arms around my shoulders.
“I’m going to miss you, Soph. I am glad you made it for a visit though.” We embraced by the side of my truck, and he kissed my forehead.
“Thanks, it was nice to see everyone. I’m sorry I can’t be here for Christmas.”
He shook his head.
“Don’t you worry about it, you take care of that little baby doll for me.” He motioned to Victoria.
“You know it.” I walked around to the driver’s side and climbed in. Victoria and I both wiped tears from our cheeks as we drove away from Tacoma.
“Thank you,” Victoria whispered.
“For what, honey?” I glanced from the road to Victoria and then back.
“For bringing me to meet Pawpaw,” she smiled up at me, “and Carla.”
“You don’t have to thank me.”
Victoria slept through the car ride home, but as soon as I opened the door to get her out, she was hit with a second wind. She stayed up until almost two in the morning. I was half asleep, lying next to her in her bed while she watched movies. Finally, she passed out and I used the remote to shut off the DVD player and television, quickly dropping off into the darkness of sleep.
There was a creaking noise that started to pull me from my sleeping state, but I just couldn’t will my body to worry about it. I felt the light touch of fingertips and hair being brushed away from my forehead. I fell back into my deep sleep.
THE WEEK PASSED in a flurry of cleaning people, decorators, party coordinators, deliveries, and the whirlwind of Allison and Ilene directing the whole thing. I tried to keep Victoria out of the way and even out of the house as much as possible.
Christmas Eve arrived. Victoria and I were making a gingerbread house when we heard a knock. I licked icing from my fingers and headed to the door. I was surprised to find Dr. Bishop already there. As I turned to head back to the kitchen, he called for me.
“It’s for you,” he said sharply.
I walked back to the door. Dr. Bishop had an intense look in his eyes. On the other side of the door was a delivery guy holding a large red and white striped box topped with a large green bow and poinsettias.
“Miss Ashwood?” the deliveryman asked.
I nodded. “Yes?” My brow wrinkled at the delivery.
“Please sign here.” He held out the black tablet with the signature screen prepared. I signed, and he handed me the box. “Merry Christmas!”
“You too.”
“What’s that?” Victoria hurried over, curiosity all over her face.
“I don’t know. Let’s find out.” I motioned for her to follow me. All the while I could still feel Dr. Bishop watching. Back in the kitchen, I yanked the card from the top of the box as Victoria eyed the gift anxiously.
“Go ahead and open it.” Smiling, I pulled out the white note card.
“Hope you have a very Merry Holiday! Love, Lucas.”
My eyes widened at the closing on the card. We had gone out a couple of times–mostly meeting up through Miranda and Benji, but that was it. He was nice and I liked him, but I just…I don’t know. Love was kind of a strange way to sign the note.
“So what’s in there?” I leaned over Victoria and watched her pull the lid off.
Inside was a large brown bear in a Santa costume. Victoria giggled. Dr. Bishop’s presence suddenly loomed close, and I swallowed hard before reaching in and taking the bear out.
“It’s cute, huh?”
Victoria nodded.
“There’s another box!” Victoria pointed. I looked down and found a long box in the bear’s hands. “Open it!” She was bouncing.
“Okay, okay.” My nerves felt raw being under his gaze.
Taking the box from the stuffed bear’s hand, it was cold to the touch. I untied the bow. Lifting the lid of the long flat box, my eyes rested on chocolate covered strawberries. But not your normal kind, these were dipped, sprinkled, and swirled in chocolate.
“Those look good,” Victoria said, close to me, licking her lips.
“They sure do, don’t they?” I smiled.
“Try one,” she urged.
“Okay.” I placed one to my lips and bit. “Mmmm…”
“Good huh?”
I nodded and held the strawberry out to her. She bit into it and moaned just as I had.
I heard a noise from Dr. Bishop and glanced at him.
Was that a snort? What an ass.
“How about we get back to the gingerbread house?” We walked back to the counter where the half-built confection sat.
“Your boyfriend is very thoughtful.” Dr. Bishop’s tone was a little sharp. Frankly I was pretty surprised he had spoken at all.
Was he mad I received a delivery, a gift?
“Um…he’s not my boyfriend.” I scrunched my brow before going back to work on the gingerbread house with Victoria.
Why did I explain myself to him?
Dr. Bishop finally left the room.
CHRISTMAS MORNING ARRIVED. I assumed an excited Victoria bouncing on my bed, squealing, and dragging me down the stairs to the Christmas tree to open presents, would wake me up. But that wasn’t the case. I woke up on my own and headed to her room. She was sitting in her chair, reading.
“Hey, don’t you want to see what Santa brought?” I cocked my head at her.
She looked up at me confused.
“We don’t open gifts until all of the family has arrived.”
“What?” I crinkled up my nose. She shrugged. “Come here.”
I put my hand out, and as she took it I could feel his imminent presence. He was close, and I had to fight with myself not to look for him. Pulling Victoria to my room, I pointed to a pile of gifts tagged with her name.
“For me?”
“No, they’re for the dust bunnies under your bed.”
She giggled and ran to the gifts. I sat down next to her on the floor, instantly feeling the buzz of his arrival and cursing myself for not closing the door to my room.
“Victoria, presents are not to be opened until later.” His voice rang through my room like crackling ice.
I scowled at him. “I told her she could open them. They’re from me.”
His eyes narrowed on me. “Miss Ashwood, can I please speak with you for a moment?”
“Go ahead and open them.” I rubbed Victoria’s back.
Getting up from the floor, I followed Dr. Bishop into the hallway. I pulled the door closed behind me and waited for my verbal assault.
“We have traditions in this house–”
“You have traditions, as do I,” I countered.
“She has rules to follow, and you are breaking them.” He lifted his eyebrow.
“Those are your rules for
your
gifts, not mine. My tradition is to open them first thing in the morning. She’s doing that with my gifts, with me. What she does with yours is your choice.” I reached for the doorknob, but he put his hand there first. I looked back at him.
“You need to be careful how you speak to me.”
Leaning to reach the doorknob brought him closer to me. I backed against the door. His lips parted and his warm breath wafted over mine. His eyes became a sea of swirling emerald, beckoning me closer. Heat permeated between our bodies. The fight melted away, and I gave a quick nod, breaking the moment. He stepped back, and I fumbled with the doorknob before finally reentering my room.
After getting Victoria and myself ready for the afternoon, we headed down the stairs. The Bishops had already started arriving with their children and nannies. Max and Larissa were sitting in the oversized living room with drinks, laughing at something Jonathan was telling them. Allison was poised behind Jonathan with her hands on his shoulders. Victoria ran in the direction of the laughing children, who were hidden away in the large, cleared out den at the rear of the house. Turning away from the living room, I followed Victoria to where the children would be segregated from the adults.
“I’m so sorry.” I backed away from the broad chest I just ran into.
“No problem, my dear, are you okay?” I looked into the kind eyes of Connor Bishop.
I nodded. “Yes, thank you.”
“Dear god, Connor, can you please not flirt with the nanny?” Mrs. Bishop snapped as she tossed her coat at me and headed into the living room.
“Allison…” she crooned.
“Mother…” Allison crooned back.
“Allow me.” Connor gave an apologetic smile as he took her coat and went to hang it up.
I ran for the kids.
Later in the evening, I was leaning against the wall, waiting for Victoria to finish going to the bathroom, when the doorbell rang. I looked up and saw Dr. Bishop go to the door, pull it open, and then freeze.
“What are you doing here?” he spat.