Averil walked back home in silence, admiring New York City’s Christmas look. Decorations had always been her favorite part of Christmas. When she arrived home, Simon was standing there, at the door.
* * * * *
Brooklyn woke up feeling like she was in the wrong place, but it was still very familiar. The first thing she realized was that her head was pounding with acute pain and she felt nauseous. “Carter?”
Instead of his voice, another softer one reached her ears. “Brooklyn, darling, you’re at home.”
Brooklyn opened her eyes to find Cecily standing over her. She was in her childhood home, in her old bed. Her mother stood in front of her, her hair let loose, in a floor length maxi dress. “Carter brought you here yesterday. He seemed pretty angry, Brook. He said he needed to be away from you.”
Brooklyn tried to process what had happened. Suddenly, it all came flooding back to her. The beer, Ty, Carter, the tears, the overwhelming sadness. She groaned. “I’m hung over, Mom.”
Cecily grinned. “Well, that’s pretty obvious. You were dead drunk when Carter brought you here yesterday. You called me Seth.”
Brooklyn’s eyes widened. “Oh god, no! No, I didn’t.” Cecily just smiled. “Where’s Ella?”
“With Carter. Or with your nanny now, I suppose.”
Brooklyn stood up, quickly. “I’ve got to go home. I’ve got to apologize to Carter.”
She stood up and hugged Cecily tightly. Oddly enough, the only times she ever got a hug form her mother was when she was an adult. She often wished her mother had been the way she was now throughout her life.
When she reached her house, she pulled open the door and found Carter sitting on the couch, red in the face. “Carter—“ she started.
He cut her off. “Brooklyn. What the hell were you thinking?”
Brooklyn stared at him, stunned. “What?”
“Melissa Moon was going to hire me to take her company public, until she saw my wife, last night, dead drunk, at a bar. Thought I wouldn’t be professional enough after that, so she decided not to. Do you know how bad that looks? I can’t have you running around like that.”
And then Brooklyn got angry. “I am not a caged animal, Carter. I am not a child. You don’t get to tell me what to do,” she said, her voice deadly calm. Her green eyes were blazing, and her fists were clenched so tightly, they were white.
But Carter was equally mad. “I do, I do. When you’re acting like a raving lunatic, I do. You can’t just go out and get drunk like that. What if that Brenson guy hadn’t brought you home? You have a daughter and a reputation, Brooklyn.”
Carter was standing up by then. Brooklyn stalked forward as she yelled. “Don’t tell me what to do. You’re never around, and now you think you can suddenly come here and tell me how to live my life? You are just, so, so—“
“So—what? It’s not my fault you’re acting like this. But this has to stop now.”
“You know what, Carter. I’m going to stay with my mom for a while. Where’s Ella? We’re leaving.”
Carter’s eyes bulged with anger. “You are not taking my daughter anywhere and going!”
“Oh, so you’re going to take care of her? Or leave her with the nanny twenty-four seven. I don’t think so. I’m taking her. We’ll be back when I’m ready.”
* * * * *
Seth arrived home from work that evening, feeling very alone. Valerie was sitting next to him in the parlor, but somehow, he had no idea how to talk to her. She didn’t laugh at his jokes, she wasn’t interested in the same things. Honestly, they had never really clicked.
“Val?”
She looked up at him through her impossibly long eyelashes. “Yes?”
“Shall we invite Brooklyn and her husband over for dinner tonight?”
She wrinkled her nose. “At such short notice? Will they even be able to come?”
Seth shrugged. “Let’s hope so. And you’ve barely met Brooklyn. You should meet her.”
Valerie smiled. “Sure, then.”
Seth dialed Brooklyn’s cell phone. She picked up on first ring. “Hello?”
“Hey, Brooklyn?”
“Seth?”
“I was wondering if you wanted to come over for dinner? Bring Carter and your daughter.”
Her voice was bitter when she answered. “Carter and I are having problems right now.”
Seth couldn’t stop his heart from flying when he heard that. “Do you want to come over anyway? Bring your daughter?”
“Actually, I’d love to. I’ll be there soon.”
Seth smiled as she shut the phone. Dinner with Brooklyn. He remembered when they were teenagers. They’d had dinner in almost every restaurant in the city, before everything got all complicated. He could still see both of them in his head, laughing and running into the first restaurant on the street. He turned to Valerie. Suddenly, she seemed very boring in comparison to Brooklyn. “She’s coming.”
Valerie stood up. “Well, I’ll talk to the cook then.” He watched her walk away. Valerie was beautiful, and that had been what had attracted him to her in the first place, though he didn’t like to admit it.
Ten minutes later, the door bell rang. Seth made his way to the door, swinging it open. Brooklyn’s presence hit him hard, but in a way he loved. She had grown up beautifully. Her copper colored hair was wound up in a French twist, though a few tendrils were let loose around her heart shaped face. Her green eyes were alight with the same fire, though they looked kind of sad, he noticed. She smiled when she saw him, and he watched her full red lips stretch into her familiar smile. She was still wiry thin in a crème colored blouse and a blue pencil skirt.
Perched on her hip was a beautiful little girl. She was impossibly blonde—like light gold, very unlike Brooklyn. Her eyes however, were exactly like her mother’s. The eyes that he had fallen in love with. She smiled at him. She really did look a lot like Brooklyn—she had the same sprinkle of freckles, the same smile, and the same elegant features. “Hey,” he said, very breathlessly.
Brooklyn smiled. “Hey. It’s been a while.” She stepped inside, towards him, but he didn’t move away. They were a foot apart. She stared at him, and he felt like some kind of energy was connecting them. He stared straight into her leaf green eyes. But then she looked down and stepped away. Seth turned his attention to her daughter. He’d seen her at a few parties, but he hadn’t talked to Brooklyn enough to enquire about her daughter. He’d heard her name was Ella, though. “This must be Ella.”
Brooklyn looked down at her daughter. “Her name is Elena, really. Elena Adele Jules, but we call her Ella. Sometimes Elle. Do you want to hold her?”
Seth looked at Brooklyn’s daughter nervously. She was like one of the crystal figurines that adorned his house—very delicate. But he wanted too. “Will she come?”
Brooklyn smiled up at him. “We’ll see.” Seth held out his arms, and to his delight, Ella slid right into them. He was struck by how perfect this picture was. He, Brooklyn, and their child. But she wasn’t his child, and Brooklyn wasn’t his either.
Brooklyn smiled at her daughter. “I think she likes you.”
Seth smiled down at the little girl in his arms. He couldn’t suppress the overwhelming desire for her to be his daughter. “Hi, Ella,” he said.
“Daddy?” the girl asked, patting his cheek. He looked at Brooklyn, startled. She bit her lip.
“No, Ella.” She placed a cool hand on his arm. “This is Seth. Seth,” she pronounced.
Ella laughed. Seth felt like she was looking at him knowingly. But that was impossible. He shook his head, trying to shake out the foreboding thought. Brooklyn took Ella back as Valerie walked into the room. She had changed into a form-fitting lavender dress and black heels. She smiled at Brooklyn and held out her hand.
“I’m Valerie,” she introduced herself.
Brooklyn took her hand. “Brooklyn.”
They sat down to a dinner lit with long white candles. “So, Br
ooklyn, you’re an interior designer?”
Brooklyn nodded. “Yes. I didn’t realize when I was young, but design is my forte. I guess I should have known.” She laughed. “I was always planning outfits. Interior designing is much like that. What do you do?”
“Oh,” Valerie shook her head. “I don’t really work. I love art, so I collect it. I spend a lot of time in galleries and such. I never figured out what I want to do in life, so I look at many different things. But just for fun. I don’t really intend to work.”
Seth stared at Brooklyn. He knew she hated people who didn’t work when they could. Especially rich people. Brooklyn had always told him that everyone who can work should. Otherwise, what was the point of sitting at home? She firmly believed that everyone had a talent, and they should use it. Not using it, she said, made you a waste of space. When they were younger, Valerie was one of the people they’d meet, and Brooklyn would laugh at her afterwards. He couldn’t help feeling a bit ashamed. “Do you know Tyler Brenson?” Valerie asked Brooklyn. Seth had no idea who she was talking about.
“Ty?” Brooklyn exclaimed. “Of course. He’s Romeo’s friend. Romeo is my brother,” she added the last part afterwards.
Seth knew Ty. He’d never realized his name was Tyler. “How do you know Ty Brenson?” he asked Valerie.
“I went to Painter’s & Co. to browse and he owns the place. His paintings are amazing, really.”
Brooklyn nodded. “A lot of the paintings are pictures from Romeo or my vacations. We send them to him. I do feel bad for him, sometimes.”
Valerie’s eyebrows scrunched together. “Why?”
Brooklyn sighed. “He came to New York as a teenager. As a foster child, actually. He’s never really had all the wealth that the people he knows do. After all, he’s an artist. There isn’t a lot of money in that business unless you’re spectacular. And he is, I know. But it takes luck too. Actually, ever since his girlfriend left him, he hasn’t been the same. I think he was really in love with her.”
“That’s so sad,” Valerie said.
Just then, Ella let out a loud shriek, and Brooklyn turned back to her daughter. Seth watched her, thinking that the motherly affection really suited her.
* * * * *
Kat Ryder knocked on the door to Natalia’s hotel room. The door swung open and Natalia stood there, looking frazzled. “Are you okay?” Kat asked her.
“Sometimes, I think you’re really lucky you don’t have kids yet. Jesse’s throwing a tantrum, and I can’t even figure out why, and Juliet is hungry, but I can’t take them out to eat until Jesse stops crying.” Kat wrapped her arms around her friend and Natalia leaned into her, feeling exhausted. “All I want, Kat, is to go to bed.”
Kat looked at Natalia. Her white blonde hair was all over her face, her eyes had purple bags under them, and they were drooping with sleep deprivation. “You know what, Nat? Today is your lucky day. I’ll take Juliet and Jesse out. You sleep or whatever. Take the evening off.”
Natalia looked at Kat like she was an angel. “Really?”
Kat nodded. “I’d love to do it.” She walked inside and picked up the thrashing Jesse. He looked up at her, confused. Kat wiped a tear from his cheeks and kissed him on the cheek. “Hey, Jesse,” she cooed, smiling.
He touched her face wonderingly. “Aunt Kat?”
Kat beamed at that. “He knows me!” she exclaimed. Natalia looked up sleepily.
“Wonderful,” she managed to get out. Kat decided to let her be.
She put Jesse down, who had stopped crying, and ushered him and his sister out of the house. They really did look a lot alike. They both had their mother’s moon colored hair. Their eyes were both emerald green, though.
Once outside, Juliet patted Kat on the leg. Kat crouched down to her height. “What is it?”
“I’m hungwy,” she said with her lisp. Kat laughed.
“Then let’s go get something to eat, right?”
Suddenly, Kat’s cell phone rang. She laughed as Jesse heard it and covered his ears with his tiny hands. She almost forgot to answer it. “Hello?”
“Hi, Kat?”
“Averil?”
“Yeah. Do you want to come over for dinner? Simon and I haven’t seen you in a long time. Bring Romeo.”
“Romeo’s working late, but I can come. I’d have to bring Nat’s twins with me, if that’s okay. I’m taking them for the evening so she can have a much needed rest.”
“Nat’s in the city? How come no one told me? We have to have her over one of these days. Anyway, you come over today. Bring the kids. I’d love to meet them. Do they look like her?”
Kat looked down at the two toddlers at her feet. ‘”A lot like her. We’ll be there soon.” She hung up and threw her hand out to hail a taxi.
Five minutes later, then were ringing the ice crusted doorbell to Averil and Simon’s apartment. Averil opened the door and smiled at Kat. She still looked very beautiful; she always had been. She had the traditional good looks, with her long, very very blonde hair and blue eyes. She stood in front of them in a white sweater and a pair of jeans. “Come in, come in. It’s so cold!” she exclaimed. She ushered them inside and shut the door behind them quickly.
Averil looked down at the twins. “Oh, my God! They look exactly like her! And like each other, actually. Simon! Come see Nat’s kids.” She called.
A second later, Simon came into the now crowded living room. Kat thought he looked very much like a writer, with long hair and thick glasses. He was nice looking, and she’d read his books, which she found very engaging. His attention to detail was amazing. His books kept her hooked all the way through and got her interested in subjects she never thought were interesting before.
“Simon!” she exclaimed, and wrapped him in a hug. “Got anything new for me to read?”
He grinned. “You really are my biggest fan, Kat.”
Kat smiled. She led him to the sofa, where Averil was trying to talk to the twins. “This is Juliet and Jesse,” she said, gesturing to the two of them.
Juliet wrinkled her nose. “Jules. My name is Jules.”
Kat laughed. “Okay, Juliet likes to be called Jules.”
Ten minutes later, the three of them were seated at the dinner table, while Juliet and Jesse sat on the floor on the carpet, playing with the table’s leg.
Kat looked over at Simon and Averil, who sat close together. “So, Kat, how’s it been? What have you been up to?” Averil asked.
* * * * *
The next day, Ty pulled his beat up Honda to Seth’s three story house on Park Avenue. He gave the building a baleful glare before getting out and unloading the first painting. He carried to the door and struggled to balance it and ring the door bell at the same time. When he finally did, it slid open. Valerie stood there in a cream colored dress with tiny red flowers all over it. “Ty!” she exclaimed. He smiled and set the painting down on a chair.
“I’m here with the paintings. The rest are in the car. I’ll get them.”
But she stopped him. “No, I’ll send Dwight to do it.”
“Dwight?”
“He’s our butler.” A man in a suit came out and Ty watched as Valerie told him to unload the rest of the paintings. Then she turned to the painting he had set down. It was of Vienna—from a photograph Brooklyn had given him.
He watched Valerie’s delicate fingers brush over the painting. “This is beautiful,” she said breathlessly.
Suddenly, Ty had an idea. “You love paintings so much. Don’t you want to paint?”
She shook her head. “I’m probably no good.”
“Well, have you tried?”
She looked at him sheepishly. “Not exactly. But I’d be horrible, I know. You need that attention to detail and an eye for darks and lights, and I—“
“How do you know you don’t have those things?” Ty asked.
“I don’t, but—“
He shook his head and took her arm. “No. You’re coming with me to my studio, and we
are going to see if you can paint.”
She laughed. “You’re insane.”
“Who said insanity was bad?” he smiled.
She rolled her eyes but gave in. “Okay, fine. Let’s go.”
But Ty held out his hand. “Not so fast, Val. You can’t paint in that.” He let his eyes slide up her body. When he got to her face, it was red. He averted his eyes. “Go put on something casual.”
“This is casual,” she proclaimed indignantly.
He looked at her dress and almost laughed. “I don’t think so. Don’t you have jeans?”
She stared at him, until she realized he was serious. “I might. From a long time ago.”
“And a T-shirt?”
She shook her head. “Absolutely not. I don’t touch T-shirts.”
He sighed. “Okay, I’ll lend you one. Go and change.”
He watched her walk away. As she changed, he looked around her house. It was beautifully done, with a spiraling mahogany staircase and crystal chandeliers. Ten minutes later, she was back. The jeans looked too big for her—they hung limply on her tiny waist and were folded up to make sure they didn’t cover her feet. “Are those yours?
She nodded. “They are from a time when I wasn’t exactly thin.”
“Glad you know you weren’t always perfect. It was starting to get a little scary.”
She raised her eyebrows, but smiled. “You thought I was perfect?”
It was Ty’s turn to blush. “Let’s just go,” he said. She let out a laugh.
Twenty minutes later, he was unlocking the door to Painter’s & Co. He led her all the way to the back, where there was a room he used as a studio. Inside, he opened up one of the cardboard boxes where he kept the shirts he painted in. He threw her one. On her purple heels, she couldn’t jerk to catch it and it fell to the floor. “You might want to take those off.”
She nodded and slid them off her feet. He had never seen her without heels, and he realized she was really quite short. He noticed then how small and delicate she seemed. “Turn around,” she ordered.