White Chocolate Moments by Lori Wick Page B

"Goodnight, Grandpa: was soft, but Sam heard it because he was right on her trail.
    He saw her into bed and then sat down on the edge of the queen- sized mattress. Arcineh was back asleep in seconds, but Sam sat still and tried to remember the evening. He thought he had talked to Violet but then realized he'd planned on it but not called. However, it still surprised Sam that Violet would leave before he'd made an appearance.
    Sam eventually left Arcineh's room and headed down to see if Violet was home. Her car was not there and her apartment off the kitchen was dark and quiet. From a dating standpoint, it was still early, and Sam did not want to stay up. He took himself off to bed, knowing he'd dropped the ball on this one and was fully to blame, but also knowing that not overreacting would be easier after some sleep.
    "You got home when?" Violet asked for the second time. "Nearly 10:00:'
    "But I left at 7:00:'
    "Why did you?"
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    "We had tickets for a show. We had to be there at seven-thirty. Carlee assured me you'd get the message--which you did:' Violet answered, repeating what Sam had told her. "But then Arcie was so positive you'd be home on time that I left." The older woman stopped, still horrified by what had happened. "I can't believe it. What if there had been a fire or a break-in?"
    Sam visibly shuddered at the idea and knew it was time to talk to his granddaughter. He was on the verge of going for her when she made an appearance in the kitchen. She was not at her best in the morning, and she looked as she always did, fuzzy and adorable.
    "Are you awake?" Sam said, just holding back from his interrogation.
    "A little:'
    "We need to talk about last night:'
    "What about it?" Arcineh said, her voice sounding utterly normal.
    "Didn't you find it odd, Arcie, that you'd been left alone?" Violet asked, her voice already tense,
    "Well:' Arcineh paused, thinking about this. "I did think Grandpa would be home sooner, but then he wasn't, so I just hung out:' "Why didn't you call me?" Sam asked.
    "I don't have your number:'
    The adults looked at each other, wondering if this could be possible, and realized with fresh guilt and surprise that it was completely true.
    "What did you do all evening?" Violet, who was the first to find her voice, asked.
    Arcineh shrugged before saying, "I listened to music and watched TV"
    "Weren't you scared?" This came from Sam.
    "A little. That's why I got in your bed:'
    Suddenly desperate to touch her, Sam went and put his arms around her.
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    "I'm sorry:' he said quietly. "I got the message that Vi would be gone and then forgot. I'm very sorry, Arcie."
    "It's okay" She smiled up at him, hugging him back. "I got to eat anything I wanted."
    The adults laughed a little, and Arcineh thought all was well, but she missed the look that passed between Sam and Violet, the one that said this would never happen again.
    Sam woke up four nights later to screams down the hall. It had been in his mind to shut his door again, but something held him off. He now sprang from his bed and ran to Arcineh's room to find her sobbing uncontrollably.
    Sam touched her and called her name, but Arcineh continued to yell "No, no:' and cry into her arms. Sam rubbed her back until she calmed, turning the light on at some point and finding Arcineh's eyes open, her body still shuddering from the images in her mind.
    "Do you want something to drink?" Sam asked.
    "Maybe some water."
    Sam went to Arcineh's bathroom and came back with a full glass. Arcineh sat up enough to sip it and then lay looking up at Sam. "Can you talk about it?"
    "It was so real:'
    "What was real?"
    "My parents were alive, and the house was on fire. I couldn't do anything."
    Sam rubbed her arm a little, just waiting for her to talk if she wanted.
    "And Landon was there:' Arcineh said with wonder. "He didn't even know my parents."
    "Do I know Landon?"
    "He's a boy at school that I like."
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    "Does he like you too?"
    Arcineh's head moved on the pillow. "We're