Shiloh ate breakfast while she chatted playfully with Tristan. It was clear they adored each other by the way she kept beaming at him while he told her stories using funny voices and characters. Tristan was a natural at being a dad.
I didn’t go to his wedding, so I had never met his wife, but I couldn’t help being envious of the woman who was lucky enough to marry him and be the mother of his child. What did she look like? What did she do?
But most importantly, where was she?
Tristan
Arya had grown up. Not just grown in the sense that she wasn’t the little girl I knew many years ago. She was now a gorgeous woman. I wouldn’t have recognized her, except I would know those almond-shaped brown eyes and beautiful smile anywhere.
Her silky, chestnut brown hair was longer than she used to wear it, but she still twirled a few strands around her index finger when she was nervous. Like right now, apparently.
Her curves had filled in and shifted over the years, and she was an incredibly sexy balance of soft and strong.
I wondered why she kept glancing at the doorway. Maybe she was waiting for Gram and Pop to join? I was hoping they’d wait just a little while longer to come down to join us. I wanted a few more minutes to sit here and admire the simple beauty of grown-up Arya.
Arya and Shiloh were instantly hitting it off. I had a feeling they would. Shiloh loved Mason and the two siblings had a lot of similarities–especially in their kind, warm, and welcoming energies. But still, I’d never seen Shiloh warm up to a stranger so easily before. Watching the two of them chat like they were best friends was heartwarming.
Shiloh had been struggling with her emotions since her mom and I got divorced. She occasionally broke out into wild tantrums, but the family therapist assured us it was just her way of trying to adjust to her new reality. Seeing Arya so naturally connect with Shiloh and bring out her bubbly side made her even more attractive.
I remembered my mom saying that Arya was a registered nurse, and a passionate and empathetic one, too. It was clear she chose the right career path–everyone who had the chance to meet her adored her.
I know people used to overlook her, since she was chubby and wore glasses, and kids could be mean. We're almost ten years apart, so I never really knew her all that well, but I always thought she was cute, incredibly smart, and kind. I still thought the same about her, but now, I also saw her in a different light. She was beautiful and carried herself with such confidence. A big difference from my best friend’s shy, little sister.
It seemed she still had her shy moments, but I liked how easy she was to talk to during breakfast. It was like I just saw her yesterday and we were just two friends catching up.
Shiloh had pulled out the coloring book and crayons that were stored in the dining area’s built-in cupboard. She and Arya sat at the table coloring together as I finished clearing our breakfast mess in the kitchen. I set aside a couple of plates for Gram and Pop to reheat when they were ready, got another cup of coffee, and wandered back over to the table.
“You want one?” I asked Arya, gesturing to my mug.
“No thanks,” she said with a smile. “I already had about a gallon of coffee before coming over here.”
“What’s your day typically like around here?” I asked her, sitting down at the table.
“Not as interesting as you might think,” she said, looking around as if she forgot where she was. “I do some light housekeeping, like vacuuming and sweeping, you know, clean the dishes. Your parents have a professional cleaner come in once a week for a deeper clean. I make breakfast, lunch, and dinner, but neither of them have been very hungry these days, so their meals are pretty light. Mostly, I take care of William and Grace–-keep up with their meds, help them do some light exercise, and track their vitals to make sure everything is looking good. I’ll also run errands for them and take them to their appointments.”
Her enthusiasm was captivating. She described her daily task list with a lot of passion and warmth. I knew she was trying to downplay the situation–we all knew my grandparents’ health was declining and caregiving was mentally, physically, and emotionally taxing. She spent her days focused on other people’s needs and the fact that Arya cared enough to make it seem like a walk in the park, proved that she still had the heart of gold I knew her to have.
“I definitely want to pitch in while I’m here. Tell me what you need me to do and I’ll get it done,” I assured her.
I had opened my own successful orthopedic medical practice years ago in New York, and it was so successful that I wanted to grow it. I couldn't clone myself, so I franchised the idea. Franchising was a bigger deal than I expected, but it just took off and now, I did more business than surgery, even though that was my first love. I guess I became more of a CEO of an empire of private surgical clinics. Honestly, the business side of things had started to wear me down, especially when I had a vision to open rehabilitation centers alongside the clinics. I worked hard to build this business and couldn't be more proud of what I'd accomplished so far.
Then, there was the divorce from Regina. It had been as amicable a process as a divorce could be, but still, I was exhausted.
After making a name and life for myself, I realized I wanted to be there for my little girl. I wanted her to be as happy as I had been in this house and I realized in my exhaustion that she must have been exhausted too, being shuffled between two houses every week. It was a lot for a little girl.
So, I brought her to Kentucky for the summer. I wanted her to have a bright and secure future full of opportunity, but I also wanted her to have a happy childhood with lots of people around her that loved her. I also realized that I didn't want to miss out on these years, so it was easy to make the decision to come home and take a break. Life in New York City didn't offer much free time because I was always busy. I forced the time and we had some fun, but I couldn’t escape the work, even at home. Someone was always calling, demanding my attention. And I didn’t want my relationship with Shiloh to suffer as she grew older and more aware. I couldn’t have that. I wanted to be with my girl.
I also realized how much I missed my grandparents and how important they were to me. Who knew how much longer I would have them, especially now that Gram’s osteoporosis was getting so severe. I used to fly them out, but with Gram's discomfort, that was becoming more difficult to arrange.
I was tired of the fast pace of the city and wanted to slow down in a place where I felt most at peace. And I had missed Bardstown and the slow, calm, simple life it offered. This was the perfect compromise: a summer in my happy place with my grandparents. They had raised my dad but couldn’t be more different in personality and values.
I had tried to stay with my parents for a while, but they hadn’t changed from when I was growing up. I didn’t want Shiloh to be dragged into that world. To be forced to behave or look a certain way just because people might be watching. Like they’d made me do all my life.
I stayed as long as I could, which meant a week of biting my tongue. That was long enough. Now I was at my real home, with my grandparents. I could finally relax and enjoy time with them and Shiloh.
“How about you, Shiloh? Are you willing to give me a hand?” Arya was so good at engaging Shiloh.
Shiloh placed her index finger between her teeth. She nodded with excitement, and I could tell that she was also looking forward to the summer ahead in Bardstown.