11. Kaitlyn
11
KAITLYN
I heard the voice before I could see who it belonged to.
It was Saturday and I was officially off the clock, but I was insanely curious about who was making Harper laugh loud enough for me to hear it up on my balcony. I peeked over the edge, taking care not to be seen, and saw a chic gray-haired woman in a flowy turquoise Asian-print robe and wide white pants striding out to the seating area by the pool. Harper danced behind like she was the Pied Piper, followed by a smiling James.
“Where’s Kaitlyn?” Harper asked, turning in a circle.
Seeing that as my cue, I stepped out from behind my potted plant hiding spot. “Hi there, I’m up here.”
The three of them turned to look up at me, and the gray-haired woman swept both of her arms through the air dramatically. “Kaitlyn Thorn, hello ! I’ve heard all about you from my granddaughter. Come down here immediately and join us, please!”
“Sorry,” James looked up and grinned at me. “Usually, I’d say you don’t have to do anything you don’t want to on your day off, but that’s a direct order from my mom, and it never ends well if you ignore those.”
His mom smacked him in the arm. “Something you should have learned a long time ago, James dear, and yet you persist in trying my patience at times with your grumpy, stubborn ways. You and your father were like two peas in a pod that way.” James rubbed his arm, attempting to scowl at his mom and that earned him another smack in the arm and I couldn’t resist chuckling, glad they couldn’t hear me.
James and I had barely talked unless it was about Harper’s progress since taco night, but surely this would be safe. We would have a buffer, and a larger than life one at that. Plus, I was eager to learn more about his family. Every insight about them was potentially something I could use as I worked with Harper. Especially since it was clear Harper and this grandmother had a great relationship.
Luckily I looked decent, clean from my post-run shower and wearing a cute white romper.
When I walked outside, Harper ran over and circled my legs in a hug.
“Hi you,” I said, stroking her hair.
“That’s my Grandy,” Harper said, disentangling herself and pointing at the woman.
She laughed as she walked over to me to shake my hand. “I refused to be called ‘Granny.’ I’m Petra. I’m just back from Barcelona and catching up with these two.”
Petra pronounced the city’s name with the cultured “th.”
“And she has presents for us!” Harper said, skipping around us. “Presents, presents, presents!”
“I hope you didn’t bring me anything,” James said from his spot on the lounge chair.
“Never. I couldn’t hope to pick anything that’s up to your discerning tastes,” Petra laughed. “But I did bring something back for these two ladies.” I glanced around to see who else Petra could be talking about, and she touched my arm gently. “It’s just something small, dear, to thank you for everything you’re doing. Please come sit with us.”
I still wasn’t convinced that I was hearing her correctly. A gift for me ?
Harper hopped up on one chair and Petra took the other, leaving me to join James on the lounger. He shifted to the corner of it as I sat down, his body stiff as though he didn’t want to be near me.
Petra waited until she had our attention and then reached into her oversized, undoubtedly expensive bag and pulled out a pretty wrapped gift. She handed it to Harper. “This is for my tiny dancer.”
Harper tore into it and pulled out a bright red dress, edged in black lace. When she held it up I realized that it was a child’s sized flamenco dress, but not a costume-y version. I could tell even at a distance that it was an elaborate and authentic piece of craftmanship.
“Grandy, it’s a princess dress!” Harper breathed, her eyes wide in awe.
“In a way,” Petra agreed. “Later I’ll show you videos of how they dance in those types of dresses.”
Harper twirled away, singing to herself and holding the dress against her.
“Now for you,” Petra said, digging into her purse again. “Just a little something to help you beat the heat around here.”
“Oh…you didn’t have to…”
“It’s nothing, really. Just a little thank you for helping our girl.” She handed me a slim package while I tried to figure out how much she knew about me. I wasn’t surprised that James had told her he’d brought me on board, but had he given her enough detail about my time here to make her think I was worthy of a gift ? I resolutely stopped myself from thinking of how long it had been since I’d gotten a gift from my own mother. Those thoughts wouldn’t lead anywhere useful or pleasant.
I opened the box to find an intricately carved fan, pale blue and covered in delicate flowers, with a bit of lace along the edge.
“It’s stunning,” I breathed as I flapped it a few times. “Thank you so much!”
“Vintage,” she said with a satisfied nod. “The man I bought it from said it belongs in a museum, but my perspective is why keep beautiful things under glass? Use them, enjoy them!”
“I… I will.”
I was speechless that this stranger had thought to bring me something so beautiful and valuable. I glanced over at James, and he tipped his head as if to say, That’s just the way she is.
It wasn’t just her generosity that caught me off guard, it was the way the three of them seemed so connected. The easy way James laughed as Petra regaled us with stories of haggling with street vendors, and how she had to fight off the advances of men half her age. How she chatted while casually braiding Harper’s hair. They were a family in the truest sense of the word, and it was nothing that I was familiar with. Sure, Cassie and I were tight, but I’d never just hung out with my mom the way James did. I felt like an anthropologist watching an unknown species.
“Can Bernardo whip something up for dinner for all of us?” Petra asked James. “And let’s invite your sister over as well. I’ve been gone for too long, and I want all of my favorite people together!”
What I wouldn’t have given to hear my own mom say something like that.
“Bernardo can create a seven-course meal out of potatoes, onions, and water so yes, he can most certainly make dinner for all of us,” James answered. “I’ll ask him to grill to make it a little easier. It’s a gorgeous night; we can stay out here.” He swung his eyes to me. “Kaitlyn, would you like to join us?”
“Yes!” Harper yelled before I had a chance to answer, hopping over to where I was sitting. “Stay!”
Her excitement made me laugh. “I’d love to, thank you for the invitation.”
Jess joined us an hour and a half later, and we were all seated at the long, teak table enjoying grilled jerk salmon, scallops, and corn with a side of mango salsa. I could feel James watching me as the evening progressed, and I couldn’t imagine what might be going through his mind. I worried that he was upset I was crashing his family dinner until I finally glanced his way. He looked like he was studying me. Trying to figure me out.
“Jess, darling, you’ve been quiet since you arrived,” Petra said, gesturing toward her daughter with an overfull glass of white wine. “What’s going on in your life?”
Jess’s eyes flew to James before she answered, and his jaw clenched.
“I was working on something that was really exciting, but I might have to drop it since I’m not getting the support I need.” She fired another look at him that revealed her anger and frustration.
“Why not? Tell me about it,” Petra said.
“It’s a fashion house that my friend from school wants to set up in Raleigh?—”
“Is it Henri?” Petra asked. “I adore him, I still have a silk scarf he designed for me all those years ago. He’s got such an eye.”
“Right?” Jess exploded. “That’s exactly what I said, but?—”
“It’s not worth your time investing in something like that, Jess,” James interrupted. His voice had an edge that didn’t make sense given the conversation. “Or the money. I don’t care if it’s Coco Chanel herself, fashion is always a bad investment.”
“Oh, I don’t agree with that at all,” Petra said. She glanced between her children. “Is Lucas somehow involved with this operation? Is that why you two are squabbling?”
“Mom, no,” Jess replied, practically vibrating with anger. “Why would someone I dated a million years ago be a part of a new business venture? Of course I wouldn’t go near anything he was involved in—and not just because it would send James through the roof. Again.”
I was insanely curious about what had gone down between Jess and this Lucas person to make everyone so prickly about him, but I didn’t dare insert myself into the family drama. The table went silent except for the sounds of clinking utensils on fine China until Harper finished gulping her drink, stood up on her chair, and slammed the empty cup on the table.
“Done!” she shouted loudly enough that the people in the next villa probably heard her.
“ Harper ,” we all scolded her in unison.
She looked delighted that she had everyone’s attention. “Now let’s watch a movie!”
“Harper Rose Morris, you’ll sit down and wait until everyone at the table is finished,” James said in his no-nonsense voice. She bowed her head and sank back onto her chair. “And once we’ve cleared away the plates, then we can watch a movie.”
She raised her head, and the victorious smile was back.
James
After fighting our way through clearing the table and bickering with my daughter about what we were going to have for dessert, the five of us finally settled in my theater room. Harper had suggested we hold movie night in my room the way we usually did when it was the two of us, but I finally managed to convince her that we’d be more comfortable in the larger room.
Besides, I didn’t want Kaitlyn in my bedroom. I’d never get those intrusive and inappropriate thoughts about her out of my head if I had more mental pictures to spur my imagination along.
We’d settled on The Wizard of Oz , which just happened to be Jess’s favorite growing up. She’d been quiet since the conversation about the fashion ridiculousness over dinner, and I wanted to make a small peace offering. Bernardo had quickly cooked up a batch of kettle corn and served glasses of port for the grown-ups, and we all settled in to enjoy the movie.
As Kaitlyn took in the room, I realized that there were still parts of the house she rarely visited. She was so focused on Harper’s rehabilitation that she probably forgot everything the place had to offer. I’d have to find a way to remind her she was free to explore. She deserved to be able to kick back after a long day. Enjoy the sauna, perhaps.
I cleared my throat as an image of a sweaty, half-naked Kaitlyn flashed through my mind. No . Focus on the flying monkeys, idiot.
I realized a little too late that some of the scarier parts of the movie might be too scary for my daughter at this age. Harper started off sitting next to my mother, then found her way to Jess before she jumped off the couch to dance her way down the yellow brick road.
The unexpected reappearance of the Wicked Witch sent her flying to Kaitlyn, who welcomed her onto her lap and shielded her eyes while the witch was on screen. She bent her head to whisper into Harper’s ear until the action on the screen changed.
It was too sweet. I knew Kaitlyn was going to be perfect for Harper the second I hired her, but I never expected it would evolve into this . There was so much she did that was above and beyond her job description, beyond the classroom and into the core of our lives.
I glanced around the room and my mom caught my eye. She tipped her head toward the pair and I nodded. The simple gesture spoke volumes about what she was seeing happen. And I saw it, too. Harper was slowly becoming the happy child we’d all known before the incident, and we had Kaitlyn to thank for that.
I downed the last of my port and wished I had something stronger. I could see Kaitlyn’s long, shapely legs stretched out in front of her. I remembered how it felt to have them wrapped around me.
Damnit, stop .
But I couldn’t resist taking her in. Barefoot, her toenails sparkled with some sort of glittery pink polish that suited her personality. Her skin glowed with a healthy looking tan. Probably from her runs around the neighborhood. I’d seen her out the window, returning home looking sweaty but somehow still perfect. She’d occasionally be smiling to herself, and I had to wonder why.
Kaitlyn adjusted herself and I quickly averted my gaze. When I looked back I realized Harper had fallen asleep in her arms with her head nestled on Kaitlyn’s shoulder. It was precious. Perfect. Peaceful.
Kaitlyn glanced at me over Harper’s head and smiled.
Shit.
I was so screwed.