Giuliana bolts out of the house the second she sees us pull into the driveway.
Aarya smiles in the passenger seat, and it’s the first sign of emotion from her all morning. She was quiet while we packed her boxes into my SUV, and she hasn’t said much aside from whispering words of comfort to Dash inside his travel case.
I feel awful, as if I’m forcing Aarya to live with me—despite the fact that she chose to do this, and is being compensated. Nerves eat away at my stomach.
Will this plan work?
Will my grandfather believe the façade and leave us alone?
How will Giuliana handle this when Aarya moves out?
My daughter hops on her bare feet in the driveway waiting for Aarya to step outside. She’s been so excited to meet Dash, and I can’t help but chuckle as she peers inside the carrier when Aarya holds it up in front of her.
“He’s beautiful,” Giuliana whispers.
Aarya crouches down in front of her. “He’s a little scared right now. He might need some time to get used to his new living space.”
“Then I can hold him?”
“Then you can hold him.”
Giuliana tugs on Aarya’s hand as she stands. “Come on. We have to show you the surprise.”
“Hold on, baby girl.” I pop the trunk as I round the vehicle. “Let us get settled first. Then you can do the big reveal.”
Giuliana squeals, her tiny hands balling into fists as she shakes. “Hurry!”
“Keep her out of the room, Annie,” I call as she stands waiting in the doorway.
Annie grins. “On it.”
I carry everything inside and stack Aarya’s boxes in her new room. I debated on which of the three guest rooms to give her, and ended up opting for the one farthest from Giuliana’s room. Sometimes she wakes up from a nightmare, or cries out for me if she’s scared, and I’d hate for Aarya to get woken up in the middle of the night.
Aarya’s eyes bounce around the room as she sets Dash’s case on the bed.
“I hope this is okay.” I scratch the back of my neck. “Feel free to decorate it in any way you want. Hang pictures on the wall, or change the comforter.”
“It’s fine the way it is.” Aarya looks at me for what feels like the first time today. “Don’t stress it.”
I heave a sigh and shake my head. “I—”
“It’s time for the surprise!” Giuliana bursts into the room and bounces on the bed, sticking her nose against the metal door separating her from Dash. “Hi, kitty! You’re so pretty. You look so soft. I can’t wait to hold you. Ellie wants to meet you too. I hope you get along, not like Tom and Jerry.”
“Giuls.” I kneel down at the foot of the bed. “What did we talk about? You can’t barge into Aarya’s room. You have to knock first.”
Giuliana’s big eyes fly up to Aarya. “Sorry.”
“It’s okay.” Aarya holds out her hand for Giuliana. “Let’s see that surprise you’ve been telling me about.”
My stomach clenches as I follow them into the hallway, nerves eating away at me in anticipation.
“Close your eyes,” Giuliana says.
Aarya glares at me over her shoulder before she complies. “Don’t let me walk into a wall, kid.”
Giuliana giggles. “I won’t.”
They stop in front of the closed door of one of the other guest rooms, and Giuliana counts down from three.
“Three, two, one.” She twists the doorknob and flings open the door. “Open your eyes!”
Light floods in from the windows on the opposite side of the room, and Aarya squints as she steps inside.
“It’s an art room,” Giuliana explains, gesturing to the easel. “You can paint in here.”
I wait for Aarya’s reaction, watching as her eyes bounce from the different brands of paint on the wooden work table, to the dozens of paint brushes standing in the holder I found at the craft store, to the blank canvases stacked against the wall. I didn’t know there were so many kinds of paint, and wasn’t sure which kind she preferred…so I bought them all.
“I don’t…” She blinks up at me. “I haven’t painted in so long.”
“I know.” I swallow, slipping my hands into my pockets. “You said you used to love it, so I figured you could have your own creative space to do it again. Maybe even make a piece to hang in your own gallery one day.”
She walks over to the table and runs her fingers over the bristles of the paint brushes.
“Maybe we can paint together one day,” Giuliana blurts out, and I know she’s been holding back that question this whole time.
Aarya smiles down at her. “That would be fun. We can get you a little easel of your own.”
Her smile is so wide, her cheeks bunch up around her eyes. “Okay!”
Aarya put that smile on her face, and damn if that doesn’t do something to my heart.
I hold out my hand for her. “Come on, Giuls. You can help me with lunch while we let Aarya unpack in her room.”
“I can help her unpack.”
I answer before Aarya can say anything. “Give her some space so she can organize her stuff. Plus, Dash needs to calm down.”
Her bottom lip juts out, but she doesn’t fight me on it. “Okay.”
I squeeze her hand as she slips it in mine.
I glance at Aarya, who’s still staring at the assortment of art supplies. “Let me know if you need anything.”
She nods and offers me a smile.
It’s a small one, but I’ll take it.
Aarya didn’t come out of her bedroom for lunch, much to Giuliana’s dismay, but she ate with us for dinner.
I made her favorite spaghetti and meatballs as a welcome to our home kind of meal. More like a thank you for agreeing to live with me and marry me so that I don’t lose my parents’ villa even though this is entirely too much to ask of you meal.
After dinner, we introduced Giuliana and Ellie to Dash. Giuliana held out her hand to let Dash sniff her, and he let her pet his head until he decided he was over it. That wasn’t nearly enough attention for my daughter, but she’s being patient. Ellie is a gentle giant; she sniffed the cat curiously, but didn’t jump or bark. Dash, on the other hand, hissed and then squirmed to get out of Aarya’s arms before bolting inside his travel case to hide.
“It’s movie time.” Giuliana slides off Aarya’s bed. “I picked a good princess movie for you.”
I ruffle her curls. “Go get your pajamas on first.”
“Can I help make the popcorn?”
“Of course.”
She runs out of the room with Ellie hot on her heels.
I flick my eyes to Aarya. “I’m sorry. I know she’s a lot.”
“You don’t have to keep apologizing for her.” She shrugs. “She’s just a kid.”
“I know, but I also know this isn’t the kind of life you’re used to, and I just want to make sure—”
“I’m fine, Big Man.” She tucks her hair behind her ear. “And thanks for the art room. You really didn’t have to do that.”
“I wanted to give you something that felt like yours.”
“You’re giving me plenty.”
We stare at each other, and I have to ball my hands into fists at my sides to keep from reaching out and pulling her into a hug. The need for physical touch when she’s around has become increasingly inconvenient. I’ve gone years without the touch of another woman, yet whenever I’m around Aarya, it’s all I crave. Her arms wrapped around me, her body against mine, her nearness.
But that would be crossing a line, and I have to keep that boundary solid.
Giuliana appears in the doorway wearing her favorite pink onesie pajamas. “Do you have feetie pajamas, Aarya?”
She chuckles. “No, but I’m thinking I might have to get a pair now.”
Giuliana’s eyes light up as they step into the hallway, leaving me behind like I’m chopped liver.
I make three bowls of popcorn and pull out the fleece blankets from inside the ottoman. Giuliana takes the spot next to Aarya on the couch, insisting on sharing a blanket. She’s practically in her lap, and I don’t know how Aarya feels about it, but if she’s annoyed, she doesn’t let it show on her face.
Ellie curls up with me on the opposing recliner, and I pat her head as I push play.
As the music starts and the ice harvesters collect the cubes of ice from the lake, Giuliana explains the premise of the movie Frozen to Aarya.
“But the prince doesn’t save the princess in the end,” she finishes. “So, I think you’ll like it.”
“Don’t spoil the movie,” I warn.
“I won’t.” Giuliana sticks out her tongue at me, and Aarya sticks out hers too.
I chuckle to myself. Something tells me those two are going to be thick as thieves, and that worries me as much as it brings me joy.
“Hey, Aarya? What’s wrong with the prince rescuing the princess?” Giuliana asks.
Aarya takes a deep breath before answering. “I just think the princess should try to save herself instead of waiting for someone to come and rescue her.”
Giuliana nods as she takes in her answer. “But sometimes she needs help. She can’t always do it by herself.”
“Out of the mouths of babes,” I mutter, unable to conceal my smile.
Aarya glares at me before bringing her gaze back to Giuliana. “You’re right. Everyone needs help sometimes. But don’t forget that the princess can be her own hero too. She doesn’t always need a man to save her.”
“She can even be the one to save him,” I add.
Aarya’s face softens as she offers me a smile, and I know she understands the underlying meaning within my words.
Giuliana beams. “They can help each other. And then they fall in love.”
My daughter, the hopeless romantic.
Just like her father.
Aarya watches the movie with rapt attention, and I even catch her giggling at some of the quirky things Anna says. I do think my daughter picked the perfect movie to serve as an introduction to Disney movies. You have the self-isolating ice queen who has to learn how to stop pushing away the people who care about her; the brave, headstrong sister who fights for what she believes in; the deceitful man—which goes along with Aarya’s jaded views—and the good guy who goes above and beyond to help the sisters. Plus, who doesn’t love Olaf and Sven?
I even caught Aarya wiping a tear from her eye when she thought Anna had died.
“Well, what do you think?” Giuliana asks when the credits appear on the black screen.
“I loved it.” Aarya’s watery eyes flick to mine. “The princesses saved each other.”
Giuliana smiles proudly at me, pleased with herself for picking the right movie.
I push off the couch, and Ellie jumps down with me. “Brush your teeth, and I’ll read you a story before bed.”
“Can Aarya read me a story?” Giuliana whips her head around. “Aarya, will you read me a bedtime story?”
Aarya glances at me looking unsure. “Uh, sure. If that’s okay with your dad.”
I feign sadness, slumping my shoulders and pouting. “I guess I’ve been replaced. No one loves me anymore.”
Giuliana runs along the length of the couch and dives into my arms. “I love you, Daddy. Don’t be sad.”
I chuckle as I squeeze her tiny body, being careful around her cast. “I know you do. I was just joking.” I lower my voice as I whisper, “I don’t think Aarya has ever read someone a bedtime story before, so you might have to show her what to do.”
She nods. “Got it, boss.”
“Boss?” I arch a brow. “You really need to stop hanging around Uncle Mac so much.”
She giggles as I set her on her feet and darts into the hallway.
I turn to Aarya as she stands and folds the blanket before stuffing it back inside the ottoman. “You don’t have to read to her if you just want to go to bed.”
“I don’t mind, as long as you don’t.”
“Of course not. I just…” I pause. “I don’t want you to feel obligated to do something if you’re not comfortable with it. She’s going to ask for things, and it’s okay for you to say no.”
She nods. “I know.”
I try to give the two of them privacy while Aarya reads the book Giuliana picked out, but I sneak a few peeks as I purposely pass her room in the hall. Giuliana insisted Aarya get on her bed and sit against the headboard while she read, and Giuliana laid her head in her lap. If Aarya is uncomfortable with it, she doesn’t let it show. She looks more comfortable with Giuliana than I thought she would, to be honest.
At one point, Giuliana fell asleep, but Aarya didn’t move. She closed the book, and gazed down at Giuliana while she played with her curls. I’d have given up a lot of money to hear her thoughts in that moment.
The sight had my throat burning, and I had to walk away to find something to busy myself with while I waited for Aarya to slip out of her bed. Giuliana has always had Annie, but she doesn’t look at her like a mother; more like a grandmother if anything. Her preschool teacher is older, as well. Aarya is the only younger woman in her life, and I just hope she doesn’t develop any feelings for her that could be problematic later on.
Giuliana once asked why she doesn’t have a mother like the other kids at school, and all I could bring myself to tell her was that God decides what kind of family you have. That seemed to quell her questions, but I know as she gets older, it’ll come around again.
After twenty minutes, I crept into the hallway to check on Aarya again—only to find her passed out with Giuliana in her arms.
I tiptoe into the bedroom and lift Aarya off the bed, careful not to jostle Giuliana too much and wake her. I shut the lights off on my way out, and close the door behind me.
Aarya’s eyes blink open as I carry her into her bedroom. “What’s happening?”
“You fell asleep in Giuliana’s bed. I’m just taking you to your room.”
Her head falls back against my shoulder, and she nuzzles into the crook of my neck as she hums.
I peel back the comforter and lower her onto the bed. She scoots under the sheets, and curls up in a ball on her side.
I lean down and brush her hair away from her face. The moon shining through her window casts a sliver of light across the room.
“Thank you,” I whisper, letting my fingers graze her cheek.
For agreeing to do this.
For being so patient with Giuliana.
For supporting me so I don’t feel so alone.
I move toward the door, but stop when she calls my name.
“Alex?”
I glance over my shoulder.
“The art room was a good surprise.”
Pride swells in my chest. “I’m glad you like it.”
A faint smile touches her lips, and as I watch her drift off to sleep, I’m certain I’d do anything at all just to see her smile.
