29. Ajay
ajay
. . .
T elling Whiskey about the condo I’m renting and how the James’s went shopping for the girls in my life is something for me to be proud of, but the real highlight comes when I watch Whiskey’s face as we drive through the complex and pull into my driveway.
Of course, as soon as the limo parks, Chandler’s outside and waiting in my yard for us to get out of the car.
“Who’s that?” Evelyn asks as she gets out and stands next to me. I half expected her to leave her Minnie Mouse in the car, but she’s holding on to her tightly. Better yet, she’s talking to me and that makes me feel good. I want her to like me — no, I want her to love me — because I want to be in her life as her dad. I want her to grow up knowing she had a dad that wanted to be in her life.
“That’s my friend, Chandler. Her dad and I work together.”
“Oh,” Evelyn says.
“Chandler this is Evelyn. Do you want to show her where she can put her stuff?”
Chandler nods and comes forward, reaching for Evelyn’s hand. “Your room is pink, come on let me show you.” Evelyn looks back at me, making me wonder if she’s seeking my approval or wants me to follow. I choose to follow and pull Whiskey right along behind me.
“Is this Keane’s daughter?” Whiskey asks me quietly.
“Yep, when the place next to him became available he told me about it and I put in an application.” We follow the girls in, and as much as I want to show Whiskey around, I want to see how Evelyn likes her room. Chandler is talking to her the entire time they’re climbing the stairs to the second floor, telling her about the playground and that there’s a bunch of kids to play with. Chandler talks about the swimming pool and how she takes lessons there a couple days a week and asked Evelyn if she wants to go swimming with her.
Evelyn doesn’t answer her and I think it’s because she’s stepped into her room. I wish I could take credit for the room, but I can’t. It was all Miss Katelyn and Peyton, explaining little girls love pink, but it was Chandler who suggested the daisy comforter to go with the white bed because girls like flowers too.
“Ajay…” Whiskey gasps. Her hand is covering her mouth as she takes in the bedroom. “You did all of this for her?”
I nod and wrap my arm around her shoulders. “I want her to love it here.”
“And what about me?” she asks.
I motion her to follow me down the hall. The room next to Evelyn’s is mostly empty minus my new drum kit. I show her the bathroom, which has a stepstool in there for Evelyn so she can reach the sink, and finally the bedroom at the end of the hall.
“Wow,” she says as she steps into the master bedroom. The king size four poster bed is in the center of the room with a white and navy color duvet. There are windows on each side of the room — one facing the front and the other facing the back of the condo. The walk-in closet is separated nicely with my clothes on one side, and her new things on the other. Her fingertips trail over the hangers of her new garments as she walks into the bathroom Where there’s a stand-up shower built for two and a jacuzzi tub, along with a place for her to do her make-up.
“Ajay, this house is amazing.”
“It’s a good start,” I tell her as I lean against the counter.
“A start? I’d say this is a home.”
“You haven’t seen the rest of it. Come on, I’ll show you.” I take her hand and we head back down the hall, stopping briefly to check in on the girls, who are on the floor playing with the dolls I ordered to make sure Evelyn had things to do while she’s here. I know it’s only for a few days, but I want her to be comfortable.
Downstairs I show Whiskey the living room with the sectional couch we always talked about owning because we said that we’d host parties once we had our own house and need the seating.
“Is there anything you haven’t thought of or remembered?” she asks.
“No, I have a fairly good memory.”
“Yeah, I remember.”
Our next stop is the half bath, the laundry room, and I even show her the linen closet before taking her into the kitchen. She runs her fingers along the stainless appliances and stretches her arms over the granite countertop.
“I think I’m in love.”
“Hopefully with me,” I say as I pull her into my arms. My hand cups her cheek and I guide her until our lips press together. I try to keep things PG, not wanting to heat up the kitchen, especially with the girls upstairs, but it’s hard. I’m beyond happy that she’s here, in my house which I want her to consider her own.
“Did you do all of this for me?”
“For us. For Evelyn. I know I said before I left that I won’t ask you to uproot your life and interrupt hers, but I want you here. I know I’m not her dad, but I want to be, and I want us to be husband and wife… maybe even expand our family someday if that’s something you would want.”
The words I’ve said to her are heavy and full of life changes. I’m talking about us having a baby, living life here, and asking her to accept my crazy schedule.
“I want to tell Saul to withdraw the divorce petition — just say ‘fuck it’ and stay married. And I want to adopt Evelyn if she’ll have me as her dad.”
“Ajay,” again she gasps my name, and I can’t wait to hear it again later while we’re in bed. “I really don’t know what to say.”
“Don’t say anything. You have a few days here. You can observe how I am with Evelyn and the two of you can make a decision later. I’m not going anywhere.”
“But you’re moving to Bailey?”
As much as it pains me, I shake my head. “I can visit, but it would be for a month here and there and that’s not the kind of life we want. When it comes to you, I know that much for sure.”
“You’re right, but I also have my parents to consider.”
I push her hair behind her ear and gaze into her eyes. There have been times lately when I wished my life was different, and this moment is one of them. I’d love to pack up and move to Bailey to be with her but it’s not possible. I’m living my dream but Whiskey’s my dream too. Somehow the two need to mesh so we’re all happy.
“Would you like to go for a walk?”
“Yeah, that would be nice,” she says. I head upstairs and gather the girls, text Keane to let him know that Chandler is coming with us, and usher the girls outside.
Whiskey and I hold hands while the girls walk in front of us. Besides their height difference, you can’t really tell there’s two years between them. I like that Chandler is trying to make Evelyn feel welcomed. I want Evelyn to feel like she has friends here. She may only be five, but it’s important to feel wanted at any age.
We walk along as a family, laughing and joking until we reach the pool. Evelyn wants to swim but Whiskey tells her that she can go later, maybe after dinner. I haven’t told her yet that everyone plans to come over tonight. It wasn’t my idea, but Miss Katelyn’s. She said that it’s important for Whiskey to know what she’s getting into with this band stuff. The band is a family, who spends a lot of time together, and if Whiskey can’t handle it, it might be better to know now as opposed to later. I don’t agree or disagree, but just follow her advice because I trust her implicitly.
By the time we make it around the subdivision, Evelyn’s tired. I offer to carry her, expecting her to tell me no, but she raises her arms so I can pick her up. I’m even further surprised as she rests her head on my shoulder and wraps her arms around me.
When we get back to the house, Chandler says she’s going to go home. I walk past mine to make sure she gets in okay before turning back and meeting Whiskey at the now full driveway.
“Where did all these cars come from?” she asks.
“Well, that’s the next surprise. I think everyone is here for an early dinner before they head over to the Hollywood Bowl for the concert.”
“Liam Page is inside your house?”
I nod and wonder why she chose to mention him over the others.
“Oh man, Dhara’s going to kill me if I meet him first.” Whiskey takes off toward the door, laughing. I trail behind her and by the time I step in, Miss Katelyn is already hugging my girl. She takes over introducing Whiskey to everyone… and I do mean everyone . It seems everyone important to me is here to meet my girls, including Noah, who is in town visiting as well.
Up until this moment, I thought my condo was fairly large. I was wrong. With all my band family inside of it, the living room and kitchen feel incredibly small.
Evelyn picks up her head and looks around the room. I think I’ve figured her out; she’s shy until she feels comfortable enough around new people.
“Do you want me to put you down?” I ask her but she shakes her head. “How about I take you around and introduce you to everyone? You can tell Miss Katelyn and Miss Peyton thank you for your pretty room.”
“They did that?”
“They sure did. They picked out all the colors and I painted it for you. Do you like it?”
“I do.”
I walk over to Katelyn and introduce her to Evelyn. “I have a wiggly tooth,” she says, showing Katelyn which tooth is loose. “My mommy says I’ll lose it any day now.”
“Oh boy, we will have to call the tooth fairy and tell her where you are so she can come visit you when you do.”
“Ajay, will the tooth fairy come here?”
“Of course,” I say, trying to reassure her.
After we make our rounds and she meets everyone, she wiggles to get down. I watch as she goes from person to person, each one of them falling for her charm… the same charm her mother got me with so many years ago.
Josie and Katelyn recruit Whiskey to help them in the kitchen, while JD and Harrison man the grill. Whiskey fills Liam in on Dhara while he’s in the kitchen with her and tells him how she’s been a fan forever. Liam promises to give her the red-carpet treatment at the show tonight.
Outside, I hang with the guys. Harrison hands me a beer from the cooler, but I pass, opting for water. I don’t know if Whiskey drinks in front of her daughter and I don’t really want to put us in an awkward situation.
“She’s a stunner,” JD says.
“Thanks, man.”
“Quinn really likes her,” Harrison adds. “Nola was a bit sad that you moved out.”
“Yeah, I know, but I needed to show Whiskey that I’m serious about her and Evelyn — and somehow, spending the night in one room of a place that isn’t mine doesn’t exactly scream responsibility.”
“No, it really doesn’t. What’s the plan for tomorrow?” Harrison asks.
“Disney!” JD yells. “Eden is really excited. Jenna has the tickets.”
“Speaking of, where is Jenna?” I ask.
“Eden, surfing, beach,” JD says, shrugging. “She’s always surfing but she’s good and I love that kid more than life so whatever makes her happy.”
I lean against the railing of my deck and look back into my house. Whiskey’s laughing and she looks like she’s in her element. In that moment, I realize how important her happiness really is to me… hers and Evelyn’s.
I hear Evelyn yell for Chandler and a smile spreads across my face. Even if Whiskey decides this life isn’t for her, Evelyn will have some great memories of her trip to California.