10. In the Shade of Her Past
10
In the Shade of Her Past
C hanging meeting locations at the last minute wasn’t the smartest move on Nicole’s part when trying to endear herself to a new client. She was aware of that, but she had a feeling when Spencer saw the venue she was standing in that he would understand. She had taken him from a stuffy office to The Old Paint Factory, a venue that would fit their vision of Nessa’s party.
Nicole was standing outside, waiting for Spencer to arrive, when her phone rang. “What the hell are you doing calling me? I’m at work. Whatever this is will have to wait until I’m done.”
“Like you wouldn’t just ignore my calls like you’ve been doing,” Kennedy pointed out. “But I’ll do you the favor of making this quick. I want to know what you’re doing about William.”
“Why? Has he contacted you again?”
“No, but he won’t go away because you’re ignoring him. Trying to blackmail me into paying him the money you and Maya stole from him was just the beginning. You didn’t hear the conversations I had with him before that meeting. I thought paying him would get him to drop his vendetta, but since someone screwed that up…”
Nicole rolled her eyes. A second away from hanging up on the little brat. “He’s determined to make you and Maya pay for conning him,” she finished.
“I’m not afraid of William.”
“Well, I am. I’m afraid he might take Maya away from me. You’re her mother, doesn’t that worry you?”
“What gives you the right to ask me that?” Nicole snapped. “You’ve been dating my daughter for a year. Now you think you have the right to question me about her well-being? You aren’t Maya’s parent. That’s who I am. Who I’ve always been.”
“Then why aren’t you doing anything to protect her? William could send not only you, but her to jail. And you’re going about your day like everything is normal. Ignoring the problem won’t make it go away.”
Nicole took a deep breath and tried to calm down. “I’m not going to worry myself over this when William has nothing on me or Maya. In fact, the only reason he knows the truth about us is because of what you told him. Don’t you remember being the one who told him about our con? You’re the reason we’re in this mess.”
“You think I don’t feel guilty about that? In a moment of anger, I gave leverage to a man trying to destroy the woman I love. I know this is partly my fault. I own up to it. That’s why I want to fix it.”
Ah, so that’s why she had been so willing to fork over a backpack full of her family’s money when William came calling. Nicole should’ve known. “You don’t get it. This isn’t something that can be fixed. You tried money, and it didn’t work.”
“It would have if you hadn’t followed me and scared him off.”
“What was I supposed to do? Let him con you out of your fortune? You should be grateful. I saved your family fortune from being given to the devil.”
“Saving me wasn’t the reason you did it. You did it because no one else could possibly know better than you. You hated the idea of William beating you and you interfered. If I wanted to give William the money, you should’ve just let me. He could be gone for good right now and Maya’s future wouldn’t be in jeopardy.”
“Maya’s future will be fine. You’re worrying yourself sick over nothing. William will slither away like the snake he is in due time.”
“Keep telling yourself that. In the meantime, I’ll be the one actually trying to get rid of him.”
Kennedy hung up, leaving Nicole alone with her thoughts. She was fuming, ready to throw her cell on the concrete. It wasn’t enough that Kennedy was with her daughter and trying to poison her against her. Now she was trying to make Nicole question herself.
The sound of a car pulling up drew her out of her rage. Nicole took another deep breath and pushed her anger towards Kennedy to the back of her mind. She watched Spencer parked his Honda Fit. Nicole hid her surprise that a millionaire would drive something so humble. She expected a sports car, not an efficient hatchback.
Then again, his reason was likely the small child coming out from the backseat. Nessa had amber skin and wore a pink polka dot romper and pink Nikes. Her hair was braided into two floppy space buns, and her smile was the spitting image of Spencer’s.
“Hi, Ms. Taylor,” Nessa greeted, skipping toward her. She stopped inches away from her and extended her hand, very adult-like. “I’m Vanessa, but everyone calls me Nessa. Or sometimes Ness. Once or twice I’ve gotten Loch Ness Monster.”
“Which one do you prefer?”
“Definitely Nessa.”
“Nessa, it is then. It’s nice to meet you,” Nicole said, shaking her hand. “You can call me Nicole. How are you today?”
“Great! I get to skip school to tour places where my birthday party might be held. I’m turning six. What about you? Are you as old as my uncle? ”
Nicole’s eyes darted over to Spencer, who was busy getting a cup holder out of his car without spilling the drinks. He rushed over, trying to hush his niece. “Never ask a lady her age, Nessa.” Spencer laughed to hide his embarrassment. “It’ll be useful to you when you’re older.”
“I don’t mind the question,” Nicole replied. “I’m 42, much older than your uncle.”
“You don’t look that old.”
Normally Nicole would take that as a compliment to avoid awkwardness, but Nessa was a young, impressionable girl. She wasn’t about to reinforce society’s harmful beauty standards to her. She smoothed her fawn colored skirt out and bent down to Nessa’s eye level. “Don’t believe everything you hear about your 30s, 40s, or even 50s. You won’t turn into a fossil because of a few wrinkles. Age is just a number, and it’s more about how you feel on the inside than how you look on the outside.”
“So, when I’m your age, I’ll be just as smart as you?”
“Oh, absolutely. And even smarter and wiser, I’m sure. Two qualities I’m confident you’ll use to do amazing things in the world.”
“Thanks, Ms. Nicole.”
“You’re welcome.” Nicole straightened her posture, standing at her full height.
“Nessa, why don’t you go wait by the door for us?” Spencer suggested.
He watched her go, making sure she was out of earshot. “Sorry about that. Nessa can be…”
“Curious?” Nicole offered.
“That’s a good word for it.”
Nicole smiled, her mind drifting back to her daughter. Maya used to ask so many questions about her father and her grandparents growing up. As she grew older, the questions became less frequent. “I’ve raised a curious child myself. Her name is Maya, and she was full of questions like that. She’s 24 now and I consider myself lucky if I even get a phone call from her. So, I say enjoy Nessa’s curiosity while it lasts. You never know when the questions will stop coming.”
Spencer didn’t respond, instead focusing on the rest of the near empty parking lot. Nicole berated herself internally for making him uncomfortable. She cleared her throat, trying to clear the awkwardness. “What do you have there?”
“Oh, right. I have a grande salted caramel cold brew. For you, a grande blonde flat white with three pumps of brown sugar.”
Nicole took the drink, stunned. “You guessed my order?”
“As much as I want you to think I’m that cool, no. I asked your assistant, Reggie, how you took your coffee. Since we’ll be working together, I wanted to know.”
Nicole nodded, hiding her smile behind a sip. No client she worked with had gone out of their way to do that for her. If this was how their partnership was starting, Nicole had a feeling it would only get more rewarding.
“You know I may not think you’re cool,” she started, eliciting an audible snort from Spencer. “But can you settle for me thinking you’re kind?”
Spencer looked down at his own coffee cup, sipping to avoid replying. A technique Nicole knew well. From her vantage point, she could see the tips of his ears turning red. “You tell me. You’re the one who’ll have to work with me.”
“I think I can work with that. Makes it easier for me to bully you into approving my ideas,” she said with a wink.
“As long as your ideas please Nessa. I have no problem being bullied into them.”
“Speaking of Nessa, would you and her like the official tour?”
“Absolutely. ”
Inside, Nicole began with a brief history of the building. She detailed how the repurposed warehouse became a thriving event space it was today. As they walked through the spacious rooms with high ceilings and large windows, Nicole pointed out how the original soaring ceilings and giant skylights that once housed paint production had been preserved.
Nicole’s eyes wandered around, imagining the party there. It was the perfect venue. A giant balloon arch with the number 6 printed on it greeting guests. A custom mural behind a sweetheart table for the birthday girl in the ballroom space. Each of the rooms set up to be a different artistic station for Nessa and her guests to explore.
“It would be perfect. There’s plenty of space for the idea we discussed. Plus, the connection with art already makes it perfect for Nessa.”
Spencer pursed his lips, his eyebrows raising at her comment. It was the same look he had when he shot down her first party idea. “But it doesn’t matter what I think,” Nicole backtracked. “It matters what Nessa thinks of it. Nessa, how do you feel about the space? You can be brutally honest. You won’t hurt my feelings.”
“Well, I like the ceilings. And the skylight. And the big windows. I like how big everything is! It makes me feel like a grown-up.”
“I love hearing what you like about it. Could you tell me what you don’t like? It would help me make this the best birthday party you’ve ever had.”
Nessa looked up at Spencer, looking for his approval. He nodded, giving it to her. “My invite list is small. I don’t have many friends or a lot of family. I don’t think I’ll have enough people to fill the space.”
“Fuck,” Nicole thought, but certainly did not say out loud. She spent hours researching and calling venues in town that could host a party of this magnitude. It never occurred to her these venues could make the guest of honor feel small, in the metaphorical sense. She knew the feeling Nessa was describing all too well.
At every school Nicole transferred to when she was sent to a new foster home, there were whispers about her. About her parents, their deaths, how she was a troubled orphan girl who everyone would be smart to stay away from. No matter what school she attended, the narrative was always the same. And it was lonely.
Nicole made a silent assurance that she would not let Nessa suffer the same fate. She was going to throw her the best damn party anyone could ever throw. Kids will be begging to be friends with her after seeing what kind of event she put together.
“Nessa, if you want, I have some smaller venues we can look at. But I want you to remember, you don’t need a lot of people to fill this space. What matters is having the people who mean the most to you here with you to celebrate. Quality over quantity, always.”
The corners of Spencer’s mouth lifted up in the tiniest smile before it disappeared. “Nessa, would you like to see a smaller venue?”
She nodded. “Yes. If that’s okay with you, Ms. Nicole.”
“Oh, sweetheart, it’s perfectly alright. Your birthday should be whatever you want it to be. It’s your day. No one else’s opinion matters.”
Outside, Nessa skipped ahead of Nicole and Spencer until she was back in Spencer’s car. Spencer turned to Nicole, lowering his voice. “You didn’t have to do that.”
“Do what?”
“Tell Nessa what she wanted to hear. I know you were probably counting on this booking.”
“Your niece’s happiness is more important than booking this place. I want her to have the best party. If this place is going to make her feel insecure, then it’s not the place for her. There will be others that are a better fit. I have one in mind that we can go and look at now if you have the time. ”
Spencer nodded, seeming to agree with her answer. “That would be great.”
“Can Ms. Nicole ride with us?” Nessa asked, poking her head out of the car window.
“That’s a great idea, Nessa.”
“That’s very nice of you both to offer, but I drove here in my car.”
“We could always drop you back off.”
“That’s really nice of you, but I wouldn’t want to impose.” Or break any more rules with a client. Especially one she had already broken enough rules for.
“You wouldn’t be.” Spencer covered his mouth so Nessa wouldn’t read what he was about to say. “Honestly, you’ll be doing me a favor. I’m terrible with directions. I could have a map tattooed on my body, and I’d still get lost.”
“A real life Michael Scofield, you are not.”
“Yeah. I have nothing on that Prison Break guy.” Spencer looked up at her, his smirk widening. “Seriously, though, having you in the car with us would be an enormous help.”
Nicole’s eyes gazed over from his to Nessa’s. Her big brown eyes grew round. “Please, Ms. Nicole?”
The little girl had won her over, pushing Nicole’s boundaries further away.
“When you make such a compelling offer like that, I would have to be a monster to say no. I would be happy to join you guys.”