Chapter Six

Gabriel 

"How was school today sweetheart?" I ask Kareena after I hugged and rained kisses on her face making her squirm.

"Good daddy." She beams. "My teacher gave us an assignment to do. It's going to be tough."

"Why's that?" I frown.

"She wants us to write about our mothers. Why do we like our mothers better than our fathers." Kareena makes a face. "But I love you more than mommy, daddy."

I lift her up in my arms and hug her. "It's okay to love your mommy too, Kar. I know she doesn't show you that she loves you but I know she does." I tell her.

"You just told a white lie, daddy." She pats my cheek, making me laugh. "You and I both know she doesn't love me."

"She does." I insist. "She just doesn't know how to show it."

Kary shakes her head. "It's more like a debate though. I'm on team mommy while Shania and Amber Grace are on team daddy." She pouts. "I wanted to change mine but teacher Nora said I can't."

"Fine then. Just write about an imaginary mommy. How you want your mommy to be." I say. "Teacher Nora will not know if it's your real mother or not." I grin.

Kary lets out an excited gasp and her eyes widens. "You're right daddy! Thank you!" She throws her little arms around my neck.

"You're welcome baby." I turn and open the back door and put her down on the leather seats then fasten her seatbelt. "Do you want me to stop by Cold Cones to get you ice-cream?"

"Yes please!" She exclaims.

"Okay." I shut the door, go around and get in behind the wheel. I fasten my seatbelt, start the car then back out of the parking area and drive out of the school premises.

~~~~

I'm surprised to find Lucille sitting on one of the lounge chairs on the front porch as I pull up in front of the house. From my view inside the car, I can see that she's upset even though her face is devoid of any emotion and I sigh. 

I know she won't let me get into the house before one of our never ending arguments begins again.

"What's with her?" Kary inquires from the backseat. "She's never waited for us on the porch before."

"She's not waiting to welcome us home baby." I tell her.

"She's waiting to fight with you again." Kary surmises. She lets out a beleaguered sigh. "Why don't you get a divorce daddy? I don't like seeing you unhappy."

"I've been there, done that." I thought grimly. "Didn't work."

"One day sweetheart." I promise her. "Let's go."

"Okay." 

I get out of the car and go around to open the back door for Kareena who alights from the car with her bag and lunch box then I shut the door. The front door opens and Theresa walks out to meet us.

"Welcome home sir, Miss Kareena." Theresa greets us.

"Thank you Theresa. Please take Kary to her room." I say.

Kareena takes Theresa's outstretched hand and follows her into the house without looking at Lucille which I think is for the best.

"What's up?" I climb the steps to meet her but stand a few feet away from her with my hands in my pockets. "How're you feeling?"

"Don't act like you care." Her voice comes out ice cold. "You were probably happy when the doctor called to tell you about my accident."

"I'm not going to do this with you Lu." I inform her. "I'm exhausted and I need to rest." I brush past her to go inside when her voice stops me in my tracks.

"I want a break from you." She says.

I turn around to stare at her in surprise. Never in a million years did I think I'd ever hear such words from her. She always wants to be where I am and now she wants a break? All it took to break her was to not care if she was dying or not? I should have done it sooner then!

"A break." I echo.

"Don't look so excited. It's just for two months." She tells me. "It's not even a break per se. I got a job to model for your aunt Layla's business rival and it's going to go on for two months."

"I see." I rock back on the balls of my feet. "When are you leaving?"

"In two weeks." She replies then rises to her feet and walks up to me. "That doesn't mean I give you carte blanche to do as you please."

"Whatever." I mutter under my breath and make my way into the house with a wide smile on my face. I almost do a victory dance but I fight the urge to do so. 

Two whole freaking months from her? Hell yeah!

~~~~

"You look very excited bro. Care to share your good news?" Simon asks me as we talk on Skype.

"I've been praying for this kind of miracle for years and God finally answered me today." I tell him. 

"Lucille decided to grant you a divorce?"

My shoulders slump slightly and I shake my head. "No."

"So... What's there to be excited about?" Simon arches a brow.

"She got a job in Italy and she'll be gone for two months." I reply. "That's longer than all the times we've spent apart."

"I guess it's something." Simon mutters dryly.

"I was thinking of hiring a nanny for Kary. Gabi promised to help me find someone." I inform him.

"Have you talked to Kary about this?" Simon asks. "I mean, didn't you hire several nannies when she was a baby and none of them stayed for more than a month?"

"They didn't stay because of Lucille." I remind him. "But I'm hoping that it'll be different this time."

"Well, good luck bro." Simon says.

"Thanks. I'm going to need it." I inhale deeply and slowly let it out. "So... How's it going with your company? Almost done with the project you're working on?"

"Yeah." Simon nods. "We're going to wrap everything up in about two weeks then I've got another to work on after that."

"That's good. Told you it'll work out." I grin at him.

"If not for you..."

"No, don't go there." I cut him off. "It was all you. I just gave you a little helping hand, that's all."

"Fine." He rolls his eyes. "You're so modest."

I laugh. "I don't like to brag but yeah." I say.

"Jerk." Simon chuckles then looks behind him to talk to someone before he faces the screen again. "Gotta go. Duty calls."

As if on cue, the door to my home office opens and Kareena walks in holding her notebook and pencil case then she shuts the door behind her.

"Daddy, are you busy?" She asks.

"No sweetheart." I reply. "I gotta go myself. See you bro." I wave then go offline. "Time for homework?"

"Yes."

"Okay." I rise from my seat and walk over to join her on the sofa. "Let's start."

I help her spell words she doesn't know how to spell and then after she's done, I go over her essay and smile when I realize that she wrote exactly what I used to have in mind for the kind of woman I wanted to be with.

"Is it any good?" She looks worried.

"A+ good." I beam at her.

"Yay!" She claps her hands excitedly. "Thank you daddy." She hugs me.

"You're welcome sweetheart." I kiss her hair. I check my wristwatch and see that it's time for dinner. "Go upstairs and put that in your school bag so you won't forget it then come back down for dinner."

"Okay daddy." She smiles and hurries out of my office.

I go to the dining room but it's empty and I wonder where Lucille is. Theresa walks in through the French doors leading to the kitchen carrying a tray of something delicious - I don't know what she's concocted this time - but I know it'll be just as good and two maids follow behind her.

"Has someone informed my wife that dinner is ready?" I ask Theresa.

"Yes sir. Kelly went to inform her but she said she's not hungry and requested for juice." Theresa replies.

Kareena walks into the room, looks around with a frown then she suddenly smiles and walks over to take a seat at the table. I know she knows her mother won't be at the table so she didn't bother asking.

"Something smells delicious." She rubs her hands together. 

"It does, doesn't it?" I take my own seat. "I wonder what Theresa prepared tonight." I look over at her. "Pray tell, what are we having for dinner tonight?"

"Well, I thought that the madam would like to try a new dish tonight so I prepared stir fry with a side dish of egg fried rice." Theresa smiles.

"Stir fry? Really?" I'm surprised. "That's great!"

The maids serve us dinner and they leave with Theresa. Kareena and I stare at each other with our forks and spoons in hand then at the food on our plates. We've both had stir fry before but that was only when we went on vacations abroad - never at home.

"Ready?" She asks.

"Ready." I nod. We both scoop some rice and stir fry on our spoons then with deliberate slowness, let it go into our mouths. We chew and swallow then stare wide eyed at each other.

"Delicioso!" Kareena exclaims. "Thank you so much Aunt Theresa!"

Theresa smiles at her from the doorway. "I'm glad you like it sir, Miss Kareena."

"Can I take this to school tomorrow for lunch please?" She pleads.

"Sure Miss." Theresa smiles.

"Me too." I speak up. "Breakfast and lunch to work."

"Very well sir." Theresa chuckles. "Your wish is my command."

After dinner, we headed to Kareena's room where she brushed her teeth and changed into her nightwear. I sit with her for a few minutes until she starts to fall asleep then I kiss her forehead and get up to leave but her voice stops me before I get to the door.

"Daddy?" She calls.

"Yes sweetheart?" I turn to look at her.

"Do you think we will ever be happy?" She questions.

Her question takes me by surprise. "We're happy." I say.

She sighs. "Yes." She agrees. "But it's... fleet... What's the word?"

"Fleeting?" My lips curl up in a half smile.

"Yes." She nods.

I walk back to her bed and sit down, lift her slightly and hug her then let her sleep back.

"This won't last forever." I tell her. "I'll find a way. I promise."

"I love you daddy."

"I love you too baby." I kiss her cheek. "Go to sleep."

She shuts her eyes and after a few minutes, I hear her even breathing then I quietly leave her room shutting the door behind me.