Chapter twenty-six
I took out my cell phone and called the driver.
“Mr. Lennox.” It didn't take long for Mylon to answer.
“Where are you?”
“I've come to do some shopping that the maid asked me to do and as soon as I've delivered it to your apartment, I'm going to school to pick up the girls.”
“You don't have to go there today.”
“Oh!” He looked surprised. “Did something happen?”
“No, but I'm going to pick up my daughters.”
“Are you sure? I'll be on my way soon, and I'll get to the school before they're released. After that, I'll take them home immediately and leave them in the care of the nanny.”
“You can do your shopping, leave it in the apartment, and then go home.”
“Okay.” He didn't insist, no matter how unusual my attitude was.
“Good afternoon, Mylon.”
“For you too.”
I hung up the call and checked the time on my luxury wristwatch. There was still a long time before my daughters would be released. I hadn't said anything to my driver, but they weren't my main reason for going to school, but the excuse to see the teacher.
After the evening with Helena, I spent the whole day thinking about her. Between meetings with clients and analyzing the progress of cases, she took up my every thought. I hadn't felt so eager to see a woman and be with her for a long time.
It would be a lie if I said that I had put aside all the fear of being alone that had prevented me from getting involved with another woman since losing Daphne. But my sister was right; it was a risk. It didn't mean that I was going to lose Helena in the same way, did it?
Even before I had her in my arms, before I had tasted her body, I was more and more enchanted by her. Could this relationship work? I was the kind of man who didn't go into a dispute to lose, but I was much safer when it came to my legal cases.
I tried to avoid those thoughts, at least until it was time to leave. At some point, I would have to make up my mind about my relationship with Helena, but it didn't have to be then.
It could be much simpler than it seemed; maybe all I needed was to want her and be able to keep her. It was becoming clear that this was the best thing for my daughters and for me.
Just as their departure time was approaching, I said goodbye to my secretary, ending my work for the day, and got into my car, driving to the nursery school where they were studying. Several parents and guardians were already at the school gate before the main gate was opened, and the children were released. The woman at the door recognized most of the people who were there, but took a little longer when she needed to analyze some authorization. They had better be very careful not to hand one of the children over to just anyone.
I got close to the gate and she stopped staring at one of the mothers to look straight at me. Her eyes swept me from head to toe, almost as if they were scanning me, and then she giggled.
“Good afternoon, Mr. Lennox.”
“Good afternoon.” My tone was firm and rigid as I looked above her hoping to see the courtyard and in search of a certain teacher.
“A... I mean, the girls are waiting.”
“Can you get them for me?”
“Of course!” She leaned against the gate a little so that no one could get through but soon returned, holding my daughters in each of her hands.
“Daddy!” They shouted excitedly when they saw me.
“Hi, my princesses.” I knelt down, and they both hugged me.
“ you didn't come home yesterday,” Anne grumbled.
“I had a long appointment.”
The woman at the entrance giggled, and I raised my head to look at her because I thought she might know something, but she didn't dare say anything. I just couldn't keep quiet.
“Where is she?”
“She?” She played dumb.
“You know.”
“She's in the living room. Do you want me to call her?”
“Yes.”
“Just a moment.” She looked around and handed over three more students before going inside and disappearing for a few seconds.
“Daddy!” Mary tugged at the hem of my jacket. “ Let's go!”
“Wait a minute, child.” I stroked her hair.
It took a few minutes for Helena to show up. She was wearing the same clothes as when I had left her there in the morning, but I had the strange feeling that I hadn't seen her for a long time.
“Tho-Thomas...” stammered in surprise as soon as her eyes found me standing on the sidewalk and surrounded by the twins.
“Hey, Helena.”
“What are you doing here?”
“I've come for my daughters.” I put one of my hands on each of their shoulders
“Ah!”
“I also wondered if you wanted a lift home.”
“I don't think so.” She scowled.
“Girls, you'd love to leave the teacher at home, wouldn't you?”
“ Let's go! ” They jumped up and down excitedly.
“What a dirty game, Mr. Lennox.”
“Not that dirty.”
She nodded.
“You know you don't have to.”
“And you know that I'm only here because I want to be.”
“Go and get your things.” Encouraged the other woman who I took a while to remember was called Holly.
“Okay.” Helena pondered but ended up agreeing. “I'll be right back.”
“I'm taking the girls to the car.”
“Okay.”
“Come on, girls.” I led them to where I had parked my car.
“Wow!”
“ Let's take her home.”
They were jumping up and down, very excited, but they had no idea that my intention went far beyond a simple ride.
“Yes.” I opened the back door. “Now settle into your car seats and stay behaved.”
I helped them to sit down and fastened their belts so that they were secure. When I stood up and looked back, Helena was standing with her arms crossed and looking a little out of place.
“I don't know if it's a good idea.”
“The ride?”
“Yes.”
“I brought you in this morning.”
“But it was different; I was late.”
“And we...”
“Be careful what you say,” she interrupted me emphatically, looking from side to side as if we were being watched.
“I'm not kissing you now because I haven't said anything to the girls.”
“Thomas, this is crazy.” He bit his lower lip, and I moistened mine, feeling even more needy for the taste of his mouth.
“I'm quite sober.”
“It's not a joke.”
“I'm sure you don't. I'm ready to answer that I want you. We can be together.”
“I'm not going to get into it without labels.”
“Labels?” I repeated in surprise.
She shook her head.
“My girlfriend. Is that enough for you?”
She uncrossed her arms and took a step back as if she had been hit by something invisible.
“Girlfriend?” it was his turn to repeat.
“I think we'd better start like this and see what happens.”
I hadn't had a girlfriend for years, and starting again gave me a chill in my stomach. If I accepted the challenge, there was a reward that could be very gratifying.
“I...” He began the sentence, but his voice dropped until it disappeared.
“Need some time to think?”
“I just didn't think you'd talk here.” He looked from side to side again.
Most of the parents had already left, but the woman at the gate was staring at us. As much as she couldn't hear our conversation, she was spying on us.
“I thought you enjoyed our evening last night.”
“I loved last night.” Her cheeks blushed.
“So just tell me, yes, then we can discuss the details of this deal.”
“Deal?” She laughed. “Yes, counselor.”
“Daddy!” Mary leaned back in her car seat. “ Aren't we going ?”
“We're going, child.”
I opened the car door and motioned for Helena to get in. She hesitated a little but eventually got in.
I got behind the wheel and drove away from the school.
“My house is on the other side,” said the teacher when she noticed that I was going the other way.
“I decided to take a little detour.”
“Thomas.”
“You'll like it, and so will the girls.”
“My grandmother will worry about me if I get home too late.”
“I promise I won't take up too much of your time, but you can call her and let her know where you are.”
“And where am I?”
“In an ice cream parlor.” I pointed to the facade as I stopped the car in a parking space in front of the establishment.
“Ice cream!” The girls vibrated in the back seat.
“Before dinner?” Helena twisted her lips, making me laugh.
“Just one day won't hurt.” I blinked.
I got the girls out of the car, and the four of us headed inside the establishment. I settled them in chairs around a table and asked which flavor each of them wanted before pouring two scoops for each, adding syrup, and weighing them. I ordered myself a milkshake in honor of my first meeting with Helena, and she did the same. While I waited for our orders, I watched the twins slurp their milkshakes.
“Is it tasty?” I asked them.
They nodded.
I looked at Helena sitting next to me and put my hand over hers.
“Thomas.”
“Don't you think we'd better tell them straight away?”
“We can prepare them a little more.”
“They're clever.”
“But...” She didn't even manage to finish her sentence before Mary screamed.
“Dad and Helena are dating.”
“How do you know that?” The teacher and I spoke together, wide-eyed.
“Matt spoke,” Anne answered. “He saw...”
“What did he see?” I tried to extract what they knew.
I'd only dropped Helena off at school, I hadn't even kissed her in front of the building or anything that could arouse any suspicion.
“You together.”
“When?” Helena insisted.
“Hoji.”
I started to laugh.
“I thought we were telling them something new.”
“Can I have some more sorbet? ” Anne lifted her pot.
“In a little while, child.”
“Are you happy to see us together?” Helena was still wary, even though the twins had given many indications that they wanted this.
“Yes!” Mary vibrated.
“The people, ” Anne admitted.
I smiled as I looked at them both. In a way, their wish had come true. They both looked at each other and then got up to hug their teacher and kiss her on the cheek. Seeing my daughters happy made me even happier with my decision. I tried to push aside all my fears and the possibility that the three of us would suffer if it didn't work out.
I could allow myself and my daughters a different perspective on a woman being part of our lives.