70. Aarya #3
“Your Uncle Mac is bonkers,” Alexander mutters before redirecting his attention to Annie. “How was today?”
“Good, as always. She has one page of homework tonight.”
Alexander’s eyebrows lift as he swings his gaze to his daughter. “My big girl has homework?”
She scoots up on her knees, unable to sit still for more than a minute.
“I have to trace letters “B” and “G” tonight. “B” says buh, like b-b-banana. And “G” makes two different sounds. Miss Kelly used my name as an example today. She said the word game starts with the letter “G,” but so does Giuliana. That’s just confusing.
Why wouldn’t they make it a “J” instead? ”
Annie laughs. “The English language is very confusing.”
Giuliana keeps us entertained for the remainder of dinner, but I can’t help it as my eyes drift to Alexander. He gives his daughter his full attention, never once pulling out his phone or telling her to be quiet, and there’s no TV on in the background.
It’s a true family dinner—nothing like I’ve ever experienced.
Annie tries to clean up once we finish eating, but Alexander shoos her out of the kitchen. “You’ve done more than enough. You’re officially off duty.”
I bump him with my hip. “And you’ve had a long day, so go spend time with your daughter. I’ll handle the dishes.”
Annie watches us from the doorway with a faint smile on her lips. “I like this one, Alexander.”
His dark eyes flick to mine. “Yeah, so do I.”
Giuliana barrels into the kitchen holding two fortune cookies in each hand. “Daddy, do the thing!”
He lifts her into his arms and sets her down on the island before taking the cookies from her. He tosses them into the air, juggling them, while she squeals with laughter. Then he holds them behind his back and asks her to pick a hand.
She taps on his left arm, and he tosses a cookie at her. We watch as she tears through the wrapper and cracks open the cookie, pieces dropping onto the floor below—where Ellie is waiting to lick them up.
“It says...” Alexander flips the small piece of paper to face him. “Good luck and prosperity will follow you.”
“What’s pros-rare-ity?” she asks, totally messing up the word.
“Prosperity. It means success.” He scoops her off the counter and sets her on the floor. “Which will happen if you keep eating your broccoli and doing your homework.”
She rolls her big eyes. “My fortune isn’t about broccoli, Daddy.”
I laugh at that.
Alexander turns around. “Pick a hand, Annie.”
She points to his right arm, and he tosses her a cookie. “You will always be surrounded by true friends.” She crouches down and pulls Giuliana into a hug. “That’s the best fortune.”
Alexander spins to face me. “Your turn.”
I tap my chin with my index finger. “Left hand.”
He holds out my cookie with his palm facing up, and I tear into the wrapper. Fortunes are silly and meaningless. My mother always threw out the cookies with the takeout bags, so we never read them. But with three pairs of eyes on me, I know I have to read this one with a smile.
“A dream you have will soon come true.”
“Your art gallery!” Giuliana wriggles out of Annie’s arms and crashes into my legs. “Your dream will come true now.”
“Maybe you’re right.” I pat the top of her head and toss the paper onto the counter. “Okay, it’s your dad’s turn.”
Alexander breaks open his cookie. “The art of life is not controlling what happens to us, but using what happens to us.”
I nod. “See? Can’t be in control all the time, Big Man.”
“Where did you get this food from?” he says with a laugh.
Yeah, these fortunes were oddly specific.
“Well, it was a pleasure meeting you, Aarya.” Annie steps forward and wraps me in another hug. “I hope to see you again soon.”
“Likewise.” I glance at Alexander and gesture to the sink. “I’m going to handle these dishes, and then I’ll be out of your hair too.”
“No!” Giuliana wraps her entire body around my leg. “You can’t go until you see my room. And I want to show you my homework. My handwriting is really neat. And then you can read me a bedtime story. I’ll show you all my stuffed animals. Can you sleep over?”
“Easy, tiger.” Alexander pries her hands from around my leg and lifts her into his arms. “Aarya can see your room, but then she has to go. You have homework, and you have to take a bath.”
She groans and her body goes limp in his arms. “Why does she always have to go?”
Guilt pricks my stomach. “Why don’t you come by the gallery after school tomorrow? I can take you on a private tour.”
Her curls bounce around her face as her head whips around to look at me. “Really?”
I shrug. “As long as your dad is able to take you.”
Alexander rubs the back of his neck. “I don’t know if we’re ready to go out just yet.”
“Please, Daddy, please! I want to go!”
“I don’t know if you’ll ever feel ready,” I say, lowering my voice. “But the paparazzi won’t be allowed inside the gallery, so it’ll be nice and quiet in there. You can even have Sam drive you around to the back entrance if you’d like.”
His dark eyes bounce between me and his daughter. “I’ll think about it.”
Giuliana squeals and launches herself at me. “Come on. Let’s go see my room!”