14. Anthony #2
She instantly blushed but nodded. “Very much so.” Then she clasped her cup with both hands, taking a sip. “But… it’s still not the weekend.”
I smiled. She smiled back.
“Fair enough.” I was so damn tempted to step inside, but I didn’t. I just had to hold back for one more day. “I won’t be in the office for the rest of the afternoon.”
Her shoulders slumped. “Oh.”
“I’m just a phone call away if you need anything.”
“Of course.”
With that, I turned around and left. I couldn’t fucking wait for tomorrow. I couldn’t remember the last time I was so eager to take someone out. I tried to pluck that detail from my memory, but it was impossible. It was as if anything I’d had with anyone else was meaningless.
I generally loved Fridays and called it Family Duty Day. My life was fucking epic. I was running a hugely successful business, and yet my time was entirely flexible. I could do whatever I wanted when I wanted. I was completely aware of the privilege and was grateful for it every day.
Before picking Bella up from school, I dropped by Mom’s gallery. I bought a muffuletta sandwich for her and one for myself. Knowing Mom, she’d forgotten to eat lunch today because she was preparing for a big event this evening.
As expected, Mom was running around the place, trying to do everything at once: arranging the paintings, checking the lighting, counting how many champagne glasses they had and if the bottles were chilled. It took a while for her to notice me as I stood at the entrance, watching her.
“Anthony! Did I know you were coming?”
“No. But I know how you are on days like this. You barely remember your own name, let alone to have lunch. I got you a muffuletta.”
“You’re a godsend,” she said. “I?—”
“Forgot to eat,” I finished for her.
She nodded, immediately unpacking it and sitting down on the table next to the champagne glasses. I rested against the edge of the table.
After taking a few bites, she sighed and relaxed a bit. “This is just what I needed. I can’t believe I get in a frenzy every time I’m presenting a new artist. After all, I’ve done this for so long.”
“It’s something new. It’s exhilarating every time. I don’t think it’s a bad thing.” I pointed to the muffuletta. “Just that you forget to eat.”
“Will you be here tonight?”
“Of course I will.”
She rarely asked the family to attend a gallery event. Usually, she did so only when she thought the artist was especially spectacular.
“How’s the music competition coming along?” Mom asked.
“It’s going great.”
“I’m so proud of you for setting that up. This city is full of artists just waiting to be recognized. It’s the same with paintings.” She mostly represented paintings made by locals.
“I quite agree. You inspired me to start a jazz competition in the first place.”
“How so?”
“When I was sixteen, you asked my entire school to submit a painting. You spent weeks going over them.”
“I can’t believe you remember that. I loved doing it. I do it at Bella’s school, too, although it’s so much work.”
“I can definitely help you out.”
She tsked. “Anthony, you’ve got enough on your plate. Though I’m hearing that your new assistant is extremely efficient.”
I stopped mid-bite and glanced at Mom. I couldn’t tell if she was being genuine or fishing for information. That was alarming, because Mom was pretty easy to read, at least for me. “Yes, she is. Just this morning she went over to the festival by herself.”
“Hmm. I’m hearing that she’s very involved in the jazz competition as well. Julian said she was there with you on opening night.”
She was definitely fishing. “That’s right, but you know part of the job is shadowing me.”
“Yes, yes, of course. Did she enjoy your grandmothers’ perfume?” Mom went on when I didn’t offer anything more.
Bingo! That’s what she wanted to know.
“Yes. I should probably call and thank them.”
“She already did that.”
“How do you know?”
“I live with your grandmothers, remember? We talk. A lot . But they didn’t tell me what made them think they should give her lilac.”
The corners of my mouth twitched. “And you’re hoping to get that from me?”
Mom laughed. “Know what? It’s fine if you don’t want to tell me anything. It’s a good sign that your grandmothers think you’ve met someone worthy of lilac. I always thought it was all a bit of hogwash. But now I’m not so sure. Don’t tell them I said that.”
I burst out laughing. “Don’t worry, your secret is safe with me.”
As we finished the muffuletta, I looked around. “You need help here?”
“No. Besides, you’re due to pick Bella up, aren’t you?”
“I’ve still got a bit of time.”
“No, you go ahead. I have an entire team to terrorize around here. They just went to lunch. And about tonight… Why don’t you tell Daisy to come too? Maybe she’ll enjoy this.”
I narrowed my eyes. “You think I’d invite her to the lion’s den knowing full well they’ll pounce on her?”
“You’re right. I didn’t think about that. You’re protective of her.” Mom sounded surprised and then gave me another smile. “I won’t ask anything else. I promise. I think love finds its way mysteriously into everyone’s lives. And I also think it happens when you least expect it.”
“Really?”
“Yes. Even for your dad and me. I mean, I was so set on a completely different path.”
I stopped in my tracks. “And that was?”
“I was dead set on studying in New York. I wanted to get out of New Orleans for a bit, maybe even travel the rest of the world and discover what art had to offer everywhere. But I fell for him hook, line, and sinker. Ended up studying art at Loyola.”
“Did you ever regret not going to New York?”
“Not at all. The thing about dreams and plans is they can change at a moment’s notice. Especially when the heart wants something else. I’ve never looked back.”
“You’ve never told me that story.”
She shrugged. “I don’t want you to think that I feel like I’ve missed out on anything. Because your dad is a great husband.”
I always had mad respect for my parents’ relationship. They respected each other and had each other’s back 100 percent of the time.
“Don’t be late for Bella or she’ll stop asking you to pick her up at all.”
I bristled. “That’s not possible.”
“She’s negotiating with Chad to let her go home by herself.”
“She’s too young!” I protested.
She nodded. “That’s what Chad thinks too. My guess is Bella wants to be more independent.”
Damn! I had to get used to this. She was growing up fast.
After bidding Mom goodbye, I left the gallery. I always felt wiser after chatting with her or any of the other elders in my family.
I wondered how they’d react if they knew I called them elders.
Bella was already outside the school gate when I arrived. “Sorry I’m late, cricket.”
“No, you’re not, Uncle Anthony. I just ran out as soon as the bell rang because I didn’t want to be late.”
Ha! Independence be damned. She couldn’t wait to leave school to spend time with me.
“What do you want to do? Beignets at Café Du Monde?” I suggested.
“Can we do something else today?”
“Sure.” I was keeping my fingers crossed that she wouldn’t want something outlandish like going to the Voodoo Museum.
Zachary took her there some time ago, and the guy still had nightmares.
Everyone thought New Orleans was all magic and fantasy-like, but most of those “magical” elements were downright macabre.
“Want to go to the zoo?” It used to be one of her favorite hangouts in the past.
Bella sucked in a breath and put her hands behind her back. “Can we go to Bourbon Street?”
I blinked. “Sorry. What?”
“There’s a dare at school. ”
Fuck my life! What was it with these kids and the dares? “Go on.”
“No one’s parents really allow them to go to Bourbon, let alone in any of the bars there. I told them I can do it.”
“Bella, this is something your dad has to approve.”
“Why is no one fun anymore? Why does Dad have to approve everything?”
I cleared my throat. “Because he’s your father, and if we keep secrets from him, he won’t trust us anymore.” I wanted Bella to know that she was spoiled and cared for and loved. But this was a line I never crossed.
“Fine,” she sighed. “Let’s call Dad.”
Chad answered right away. “She’s trying to sell you on Bourbon.”
“You know, then. Good.”
“I heard her talk to some friends at drop-off this morning.”
“Listen. I have a good plan.”
“That’s fine. It’s daytime, and she’s with you.”
“We’ll go to Julian’s newest establishment.” Bella all but yelped. “And then we’ll be done. See you tonight at Mom’s gallery?”
“We’ll be there. I’m just convincing Scarlett to let the sous-chef take the reins for the evening so she can join us too. Everyone else is coming with their significant others, and I want Scarlett there. I’ve got a babysitter for Simone, since I don’t want to keep her out late.”
“Good luck.” After hanging up, I looked at Bella. “He agreed.”
“Yes! Daddy’s getting cooler, isn’t he?”
Chad was choosing his battles very wisely lately.
As Bella and I headed to Bourbon, Chad’s words came back to me.
“Everyone else is coming with their significant others.” The craziest idea popped into my mind, and not just because Mom mentioned it.
What if I asked Daisy to join us? She seemed to have an appetite for the arts and food and everything else.
I was certain she’d enjoy herself, although the family would butt in. That didn’t stop me from texting her.
Anthony: Do you have plans this evening?
Daisy: Yes. I’m out exploring.
The disappointment rolling through me was fucking surreal.
Anthony: Have fun.
Daisy: Why are you asking?
Anthony: I’ll tell you tomorrow.
Maybe this was for the best, and yet the temptation to flirt the panties off her until she agreed to come was fucking huge. But again, it wasn’t the weekend yet. And I’d promised her that I’d be on my best behavior.
“Uncle Anthony, are you listening to me?” Bella asked.
I immediately tucked my phone away. “No, sorry. I was caught up with work.”
“You didn’t have your work face on!”
“What do you mean?”