Much of Mickey and his kids’ stuff was dotted here there and everywhere with some of his furniture filling in empty spaces. But most of it I’d taken pictures of and now it was in a storage unit awaiting me selling it on Craig’s List.
The move had been such a huge project, I hadn’t thought of it until right then, when I was in Ash’s room, vacuuming.
She’d kept the beachy feel of the room but switched out the bed linens and added her knickknacks and posters, making the room hers.
The candle didn’t fit in it.
And further, the candle was too important to be hidden in her room.
I probably should have asked but I didn’t. I didn’t because I didn’t want her to think she had to be nice and thus say no.
The statement had to be made.
So I turned off the vacuum and grabbed the candle.
I moved my fabulous bowl to the corner of the kitchen counter.
I put the candle in the middle of the dining room table.
It worked perfectly.
I made a mental note to chat with Rhiannon before she came over again so she wouldn’t be blindsided by seeing it and possibly hurt.
I then went back to cleaning.
I was at the desk in the den when the kids got home from school.
“Drop off, Mom!” Auden shouted. “I’m going to Lacey’s.”
I blocked out the second part of what he said because I was even less of a fan of my son dating than Mickey was of his daughter doing it.
“Okay, kiddo!” I shouted back.
“What’s for dinner?” Cill yelled.
“Cheesy chicken!” I yelled back.
“Awesome!” he returned.
“Oh my God!” Pippa screeched. “Did someone erase my Vampire Diaries?”
“It’s right there, Pip, jeez!” Cillian told her loudly.
“Homework, Pip!” I shouted.
“I know, Mom!” she shouted back.
I had my eyes to the computer but turned them to the door when I sensed something there.
Aisling was leaning against the jamb, hair curled, understated makeup making her pretty face even prettier, her curvy body encased in a cute short skirt, tights, cuter low-heeled boots and a pretty sweater.
“Hey, blossom,” I called.
“Love you, Amy,” she replied quietly.
She’d seen the candle.
Sitting at the desk, working, suddenly I was flying.
“Love you too, kiddo,” I returned.
She gave me a small smile and disappeared.
I drew in a deep breath so I could get my feet closer to the ground in order to concentrate on work.
When I accomplished that, I turned back to my computer and went back to work on the invoices.
*
“I’m gonna vomit,” Robin mumbled.
“You’re not gonna vomit,” I retorted.
“If she doesn’t vomit, I’m gonna vomit,” Alyssa stated.
I looked to Josie, who was standing with the rest of my girls in our klatch.
All my girls together.
Happy.
I saw Josie was looking at me and when I caught her eyes, she said, “It is nauseating.”
I gave my attention back to what was happening across the room, this being my mother and father fawning over Mickey’s mother and father.
We were at Mickey and my rehearsal dinner in the back room of The Eaves. A grand spectacle dripping with flowers and free-flowing champagne with the dress code my mother decreed as strictly cocktail, something that didn’t bother me or anybody but the guys.
I liked dressing up.
And it meant I got to give Mickey his own personal LBD.
Mom could decree this since she and my dad were paying for everything, the food, the flowers, the hostess gifts (two expensive crystal champagne flutes for everyone, except the kids who got boxes of imported Belgian chocolates) and the open bar.
Needless to say, my parents’ freeze out had ended. This happened when Lawr told them I was marrying into the Maine Fresh Maritime family. In fact, it wasn’t just that the freeze had ended, they were beside themselves with delight.
This was because Mickey’s family had more money than Conrad’s and they felt this move on my part was me again toeing the line.
Mickey’s family didn’t have as much money as my family did (and this wouldn’t do, the Bourne-Hathaways always had to have the upper hand). Not to mention, Mickey didn’t work in the family business.
But surprisingly, this last didn’t bother Mom and Dad.
“Runs his own business,” Dad had stated arrogantly over the phone during the official end of the freeze out call he’d made to me months before. “There’s a lot to be said about a man who’s his own man.”
I already knew that so I’d said nothing.
They’d arrived the day before, and since their arrival they’d spent nearly all of their time crawling right up Mickey’s family’s asses. Including Mickey’s brothers.
Genteelly, of course.
Mickey’s family was great, just like Mickey. Friendly. Teasing. Affectionate. Loving.
Mine, not so much.
“It’s just their way,” I said to the girls.
“How you and Lawr are of their loins, I’ll never know,” Robin replied.
Since I agreed with this statement, I had no comment.
But at hearing it, I looked through the room to find Lawr standing talking with Jake, Jake’s son Conner and Conner’s girl, Sofie. Conner had his arm around her and was holding her close. She was comfortable there. Safe and content and happy.