I’ve always thought of myself as a good guy. I’m trying to prove to Maxima I am. But, how will she take it when I finally tell her the truth.
After dinner, we head home, and with Maxima’s help, we’re able to unload the car quickly. Maxima helps Arabella get everything ready for tomorrow and then sends her off to take a bath.
I go into the bedroom where Maxima has some of her new clothes on the bed. I lean against the door frame and watch her. She’s staring at the clothes almost lovingly. She looks like she might cry.
“Penny for you thoughts?” I ask, stepping fully into the room.
She doesn’t look up right away; she waits several seconds. “Thank you, Remington.”
I walk up to her, trying to hold back my smile. I don’t want to scare her with my over jubilation. “You deserve it.”
Her cheeks turn a beautiful shade of pink, and the corners of her lips twitch.
“I’d like to make a suggestion. Just a suggestion.” The last thing I want to do is ruin our wonderful day.
She nods.
“Since you have so many new clothes, why don’t we get rid of some of the others?” I hold my breath, waiting for her reaction.
“I thought the same thing. I usually donate to the domestic shelter or the homeless one.” He voice is small.
It makes me fall even more in love with her. “Why don’t I grab some bags and we can pack some tonight? I can drop them off tomorrow when I take Arabella to school.”
“Okay.” This time she does give me a small smile.
“I’ll be right back.” I thought the conversation would be a struggle, but it was easier than I originally thought. When I come back to the bedroom, Maxima’s expression has changed. It’s sad again. I toss the four garbage bags by the closet and go over to her. Immediately, I take her hands in mine.
“What is it? What’s wrong?” I was only gone for a moment.
“When I leave, do I get to take them?”
Her question is like a puck to the face. Seriously. “The clothes are a gift from me because you deserve them and so much more.”
She nods. “Thank you.”
“Let’s clean out your closet for the new stuff.” I’m hoping my upbeat tempo will bring her good mood back.
“Okay.” Her small smile returns and she heads to her closet.
She pulls out a piece at a time, inspects it, and then hands it to me. I take it off the hanger, fold it, and then put it in the bag. Not much is said between us as we continue the task. We’re just about done when a small gasp stops us both.
“What are you doing?” Arabella chokes out a sob.
“Honey, we’re packing my clothes—” Maxima begins before she’s cut off.
“You’re leaving us?” Huge tears roll down my daughter’s cheeks.
“No.” Maxima rushes over to her and wraps her up in her arms. “No. No, I’m not leaving. I’m just donating my old clothes to make room for my new ones.”
“Really?” Arabella sniffles.
Maxima pulls back and wipes Arabella’s tears away. “I promise. Your dad was very kind in getting me new clothes, so I thought I would donate my old stuff to people who need it.”
Arabella looks up at me then back at Maxima. “We love you, Max; we don’t want you to leave.”
My heart skips a beat at her words.
“I love you too, and I’m not going anywhere for a long time.
I hope forever.
“Why don’t you brush your hair and teeth and then grab Percy Jackson? I’ll be there in a moment.”
Arabella hugs her again, and she runs back across the hall to her bedroom. Maxima stands and turns to me.
“She really loves you.” And I do too.
“I love her very much.”
I wait for her to say more, maybe something about me, but she goes back to her clothes. I take a deep breath, settle my nerves, and focus on the task.
As I tie up the last bag and set it in the hallway, I watch Maxima hang up the last of her clothes. I continue to stare at her as she reaches for the last bag and pulls out a large box. She eases it up and then softly gasps, closing it
After dinner, we head home, and with Maxima’s help, we’re able to unload the car quickly. Maxima helps Arabella get everything ready for tomorrow and then sends her off to take a bath.
I go into the bedroom where Maxima has some of her new clothes on the bed. I lean against the door frame and watch her. She’s staring at the clothes almost lovingly. She looks like she might cry.
“Penny for you thoughts?” I ask, stepping fully into the room.
She doesn’t look up right away; she waits several seconds. “Thank you, Remington.”
I walk up to her, trying to hold back my smile. I don’t want to scare her with my over jubilation. “You deserve it.”
Her cheeks turn a beautiful shade of pink, and the corners of her lips twitch.
“I’d like to make a suggestion. Just a suggestion.” The last thing I want to do is ruin our wonderful day.
She nods.
“Since you have so many new clothes, why don’t we get rid of some of the others?” I hold my breath, waiting for her reaction.
“I thought the same thing. I usually donate to the domestic shelter or the homeless one.” He voice is small.
It makes me fall even more in love with her. “Why don’t I grab some bags and we can pack some tonight? I can drop them off tomorrow when I take Arabella to school.”
“Okay.” This time she does give me a small smile.
“I’ll be right back.” I thought the conversation would be a struggle, but it was easier than I originally thought. When I come back to the bedroom, Maxima’s expression has changed. It’s sad again. I toss the four garbage bags by the closet and go over to her. Immediately, I take her hands in mine.
“What is it? What’s wrong?” I was only gone for a moment.
“When I leave, do I get to take them?”
Her question is like a puck to the face. Seriously. “The clothes are a gift from me because you deserve them and so much more.”
She nods. “Thank you.”
“Let’s clean out your closet for the new stuff.” I’m hoping my upbeat tempo will bring her good mood back.
“Okay.” Her small smile returns and she heads to her closet.
She pulls out a piece at a time, inspects it, and then hands it to me. I take it off the hanger, fold it, and then put it in the bag. Not much is said between us as we continue the task. We’re just about done when a small gasp stops us both.
“What are you doing?” Arabella chokes out a sob.
“Honey, we’re packing my clothes—” Maxima begins before she’s cut off.
“You’re leaving us?” Huge tears roll down my daughter’s cheeks.
“No.” Maxima rushes over to her and wraps her up in her arms. “No. No, I’m not leaving. I’m just donating my old clothes to make room for my new ones.”
“Really?” Arabella sniffles.
Maxima pulls back and wipes Arabella’s tears away. “I promise. Your dad was very kind in getting me new clothes, so I thought I would donate my old stuff to people who need it.”
Arabella looks up at me then back at Maxima. “We love you, Max; we don’t want you to leave.”
My heart skips a beat at her words.
“I love you too, and I’m not going anywhere for a long time.
I hope forever.
“Why don’t you brush your hair and teeth and then grab Percy Jackson? I’ll be there in a moment.”
Arabella hugs her again, and she runs back across the hall to her bedroom. Maxima stands and turns to me.
“She really loves you.” And I do too.
“I love her very much.”
I wait for her to say more, maybe something about me, but she goes back to her clothes. I take a deep breath, settle my nerves, and focus on the task.
As I tie up the last bag and set it in the hallway, I watch Maxima hang up the last of her clothes. I continue to stare at her as she reaches for the last bag and pulls out a large box. She eases it up and then softly gasps, closing it
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