However when I’d decided on earrings number three and did a mini-spritz of perfume (that day, I decided on the one Olympia had chosen for me) and I heard my phone chime it had a voicemail, curiosity got the cat.
I picked it up, went to voicemail and listened to Conrad’s message.
“Amelia,” he said tightly. “I’m hoping this call came in prior to your evening’s…festivities.”
He knew what tonight was for the kids and me.
“However,” he kept talking, even on voicemail sounding like he was doing it while having his nails pulled out by the roots, “things are busy at the moment and I had some time to call. There are some things we need to discuss. If you’d please call my secretary, we can set a meeting. Have a…good evening.”
He then rang off but as I was listening my phone chimed with a text. This too was from Conrad and it was his secretary’s name and number.
I stared at it wondering what we needed to discuss. I also wondered why whatever that was needed to be discussed face to face. And last, I stared at it thinking that we actually didn’t have anything to discuss face to face and I would share that via text the next day after I survived the trauma of the next few hours.
I walked out of my bathroom and was heading down the hall when the doorbell rang.
My steps faltered as I experienced a mini-heart attack.
“I got it!” Auden called.
I then experienced a not-mini-heart attack.
Even in the throes of a life emergency, I rushed down the hall seeing Auden strolling to the door and I did this feeling my pulse jumpstart and do it way too quickly.
I got to the mouth of the hall and stopped dead because Auden had the door open and Mickey was standing there looking all that was Mickey, wearing another nice shirt, this one plaid in a muted red and brown against a cream background, jeans and boots.
He was also carrying an enormous bouquet of flowers.
Again, my heart stuttered as my cheeks flushed and I fell a little bit deeper in love with Mickey.
I did it wondering how that saying came about considering falling in love didn’t feel like falling.
It felt like soaring.
“Hey,” Mickey greeted, not having looked at me, his focus was on Auden.
My son puffed up his chest a little and straightened his back, not yet as tall as Mickey and I didn’t know if he would get there, but he was claiming all the height he had in the face of all that was Mickey.
“Hey,” Auden replied.
“Flowers!” Pippa exclaimed happily, skip-dashing toward the door before she stopped, turned to me and beamed.
My girl liked her flowers and Mickey thinking of them was a good thing.
But Mickey bringing a bouquet that huge, to Pippa, was a major statement that spoke volumes.
“You wanna let him in, kiddo?” I suggested to Auden, forcing my body to move forward as Mickey looked from Pippa to me.
He smiled, big and beautiful.
I smiled back, hoping I gave him the same thing.
Auden stepped out of the way and Mickey walked in, coming right to me as I met him halfway.
When we stopped, he put a hand light to my hip and bent deep, touching his mouth briefly to mine.
When he lifted away, he murmured, “Hey.”
“Hey back,” I replied quietly.
His eyes kept smiling then he took his hand from my hip and turned to the kids.
“Okay, I think we all know each other but let’s make that official,” I suggested. “Auden, Pippa, this is Mickey. Mickey, these are my kids, Auden and Olympia.”
I did hand gestures along the way as Auden pushed in first, offering his hand to Mickey.
“Hello, sir,” he said formally, which made Pippa widen her eyes and look at me.
I pressed my lips together, giving her wide eyes back, as Mickey took my son’s hand and replied, “Mickey’s fine, Auden.”
“Right,” Auden muttered as he let go.
“Hey!” Pippa cried brightly, hopping toward him, beaming up at him and offering a hand.
I watched her do this, allowing myself a brief moment of sheer joy that my girl was back.
Mickey took her hand and replied, “Hey.”
They separated and Pippa tipped her head to the flowers and offered, “Do you want me to take those? I can put them in water for Mom.”
Mickey lifted the massive bouquet of green hydrangeas, peach roses and red gerbera daisies to Pippa and said, “Sure, darlin’. Thanks.”
She took them in both hands, pulling them to her chest, before she beamed at me and skipped away.
“Can I get you a drink, Mickey?” Auden asked.
“Yeah, thanks. A beer,” Mickey answered.
Auden nodded and moved away.
I looked to Mickey. He looked to me. Then he moved in close, sliding a hand to the middle of my back.
“You doin’ okay?” he asked under his breath.
“I’m a wreck,” I told him under mine.
“Don’t mean to freak you, Amy, but you aren’t hiding that.”
“Great,” I mumbled and he grinned.
“It’s cute.”
“It doesn’t feel cute.”
“Relax,” he replied. “I already know you got good kids. This is gonna go fine.”
It seemed so far he was right. I just hoped it kept up that way.
“The flowers were a nice touch,” I shared.
“Got that. Your girl is as easy to read as you.”