But just as quick as the smile appeared, it disappears. And then she looks just like Ronnie did a few minutes ago. Sad.
“What did you guys do?” I ask, waving her towards the couch and taking a seat. She follows, sitting down next to me.
“I caught a bouquet of flowers at a Saint Joseph’s wedding, and we went to eat at Anna Ameci’s, and then…”
She tells me about her whole day. Every last moment of it, right up to the part where she thought Five was going to kiss her as they stood in front of the city Christmas tree in downtown. She smiles for every second of her tale. Until that last part. She swallows hard and the silent tears stream down her face. “I always thought things would stay the same, you know?”
I know. I thought that too.
“I always thought that no matter what happened, Five Aston was my knight. And all I had to do was press his face on my phone and he’d come rescue me. But he’s not going to be here anymore, Dad. He’s going to be so far away, he’ll forget everything he loves about me before next summer.”
I pull her into a big Daddy hug and hold her tight. “He won’t, Princess. I promise. Five Aston is your forever guy. He’s always going to be your knight, I promise.”
“I want to believe it, Dad, but I just don’t.” She pulls away, sniffing just the way Veronica did. “I just don’t have it in me to pretend that this is a fairy tale and love is magic. It’s not. It’s real life and he’s leaving. And he’s a genius. He’s going to go to Oxford and do all these important things, and he’s never coming back.”
Maybe she’s a little bit dramatic, but maybe she’s a little bit right too. It would be one thing if Five was normal. If he was in high school with her. If he took her to all those high-school things and they grew into adulthood together. But he’s not. He’s Five. And he’s been an adult since he was… well, born. I almost laugh at that thought.
“Well,” I say, letting out a sigh of defeat, “you two still have a few weeks together. So don’t give up on that kiss, OK?”
She tips her head up to see if she heard me correctly.
I shrug. She knows what that means.
“I got a present for Mommy. To make her feel better. Do you want to see it?”
“Yes,” I say. “I’m desperate to make her happy tonight, Princess. So if you can help me do that, I’d even let Five take you on another date.”
“Really?” she almost squeals.
“With Oliver as chaperone.”
“Deal! I’m so going on that second date. Because I know exactly what Mommy needs.” And then she gets up and takes my hand, pulling me to my feet. “But let’s sneak out the library door so I can show you. It’s in Uncle Vic’s truck.”
We walk out the doors, down the pathway to the front of the house, and she stops at the truck door, smiling like she’s got the secret of the century.
And when she opens it up and shows me the present, I smile that way too.
Because my daughter’s unauthorized date with Five Aston just might fix everything.
Rory Shrike is a genius.
Chapter Fourteen
Sparrow is… like a bird flying in the wind. That’s how I pictured her when she was born. Some free-flying spirit with her mother’s beauty and her father’s… well, I’m not sure she’s got anything of value from me. That makes me smile as I watch her flit around on stage, playing the part of one of the party kids in act one of The Nutcracker.
She’s danced in this production up here in Vail since she was four and down in Denver since she was seven. Well, it wasn’t dancing way back then. It was sitting on stage dressed up like a piece of candy. But she stuck it out. She did the work, took all the classes, and got the pointe shoes.
So this year it pays off. Party kid in act one and a Chinese dancer in act two. That’s one of the songs everyone thinks of when you say Nutcracker.
Sparrow was beyond thrilled.
Hell, I’m beyond thrilled. Even if I didn’t realize it until this very second.
During intermission we get up and mingle, but I know Rook’s mind is only on Sparrow. I walk up to her and Starling with drinks from the bar. Ford and Spencer come with us to this show every year. It’s become a tradition. Like decorating the cookies afterward. Like coming up here to the mountains for Christmas every year. We only stay the two nights. Spencer and Ronnie take the kids to the grandparents down in Park Hill on Christmas Day. Rook and I see Elise, Antoine, and their three kids, who are all the right ages to play with my brood. And Ford and Ash take their kids to Mrs. Aston’s where Sasha and Jax turn up with Lauren and little Matthew for the family party at night.