Chapter Three – Ladd #2
The second my mother saw us, she jumped up. “Ladd! Look at you!” she said, before engulfing me in a hug that nearly took my breath away with how hard she was squeezing me. She drew back and gave me a once-over. “You look so happy, sweetheart.”
I chuckled. “That’s because I am happy.”
She turned and looked at Vivianne, and if it was at all possible, her face lit up even more. My father stood and made his way over to me.
“And I can see why you’re so happy,” Mom said. “My goodness, aren’t you a beautiful young woman.”
Vivianne blushed. “It’s a pleasure to meet you, Mrs. Wilde.”
Waving her formal name usage off with a hand, Mom replied, “My mother-in-law is Mrs. Wilde. Please call me Nellie.”
“Nellie, it is, then,” Vivianne replied.
“May I hug you?”
“Of course you can,” Vivianne replied as my father came up and shook my hand.
Leaning in, he whispered, “She’s beautiful. I see why you broke my promise.”
It was my turn to feel my own cheeks heat.
After Mom hugged Vivianne two more times, my father approached.
“Nellie, you’re going to scare the poor girl off if you keep this up.
” He reached for Vivianne’s hand and shook it.
“No Mr. Wilde for me either. Please call me Gus. It’s a pleasure to meet the young woman my son has been going on and on about.
He’s said nothing but wonderful things about you, Vivianne. ”
Exchanging a glance with me, Vivianne smiled. “You have an amazing son, I hope you know that. I’ve never met someone like him before. He has the kindest heart of anyone I’ve ever met.”
My father looked at me, then focused back on Vivianne and winked. “He gets that from me.”
“Balderdash!” my mother said. “He gets it from me, thank you very much.”
I pulled out a chair for Vivianne, and she sat down. My mother and father were across from her, with David and me flanking each side.
“Before we get into how you two met, why don’t you both figure out what you want to drink and eat.”
“We already know,” I replied. “We always split the stromboli and each get a side salad.”
My mother smiled as my father stared as if he didn’t recognize me.
“You? Ladd Wilde? Share food?” he asked.
“Stop it, Gus,” my mother playfully scolded.
“What?” my father replied. “I just never in my life thought I’d hear the words ‘food’ and ‘share’ come from Ladd’s mouth.”
David and my mother both chuckled.
“It’s true, I see him share food with her all the time,” David said. “Even though I begged him for a fry the other day and he told me to get lost.”
I rolled my eyes.
“You don’t share food with other people?” Vivianne asked.
“If I’m being honest, you’re the first person I’ve ever shared food with.”
“He likes his food. Always has, since he was a baby. I knew the first time I fed him actual food and he threw a fit when I pulled him away, that he was obsessed” my mother declared.
Vivianne giggled. “Well, I feel honored then.”
After we gave the waiter our orders, my mother, whom I had previously warned not to ask anything personal, went for the safe question.
“How did you two meet?”
Vivianne and I both looked at one another and smiled. “I saw her with a group of her friends, and I’m pretty sure I fell in love with her right then and there.”
“The one thing I told you not to do,” my father sighed, but he also winked at the same time.
“We had a mutual friend who introduced us, kind of,” Vivianne laughed. “He tried to, but Ladd beat him with the introduction. He asked me out to dinner that night, and we came here.”
Surprised, my mother replied, “Here? Did Ladd tell you this was my favorite place to eat?”
“He did!” Vivianne confirmed. “We come here a lot; although, I think I have their alfredo sauce mastered.”
“Her sauce is better,” I added.
“Do you enjoy cooking?” Mom asked.
Vivianne nodded as she took a drink of her water, then placed it back on the table. “I love to cook. I don’t get to cook nearly as much as I’d like with working and school.”
“What’s your degree in?” my father asked.
Smiling, Vivianne replied, “English. I’m hoping to be an English teacher.”
Mom beamed at Vivianne. I could already tell she adored her. “Any certain grade you’re thinking?”
“I’m torn right now. Either middle school or maybe late elementary.”
“I had such a crush on my seventh-grade English teacher,” David said with a dreamy smile. “I wonder what she’s up to now?”
Dad cleared his throat. “Okay, away from that disturbing train of thought. Do you plan on teaching in Colorado?”
Vivianne nodded. “Yes. I can’t ever imagine myself leaving Colorado. I love it here too much.”
That seemed to please my father.
Our dinner came, and we fell into an easy conversation. My mother and father had listened to my request and didn’t ask Vivianne anything too personal, sticking to topics like school and hobbies she enjoyed.
Once the dinner plates were cleared and we were eating dessert, Mom brought up Christmas.
“You boys will both be able to come home for the whole break, I hope? Will you be heading back home for Christmas break, Vivianne?”
It was the first mention of home, and Vivianne flinched, but it was so small that I was positive only I had noticed.
“No, I’ll be staying here in town.”
Before Mom could reply, Dad cut in.
“I hope you boys will be home at least for a good few days. I’ve got some repairs I need help with in the main barn.”
David spoke first. “I’ll be there for sure the whole break, so I can help you, Dad.”
I was instantly torn. I wanted to go home and see the rest of my family; my younger brothers, Michael and Jason, were still in high school, and I wanted to spend as much time with them as possible…but I also wanted to be with Vivianne.
Clearing my throat, I set my napkin down. “I’ll be home the week of Christmas, and I can help with the repairs as well. But I’ll most likely come back here to spend some time with Vivianne.”
My parents looked at each other, then at Vivianne.
“I know you said you work two jobs, Vivianne, and couldn’t take time off,” Mom started.
“But I’m organizing an event on Christmas Day for some local kids.
This will be my second year doing it, and let me tell you, it’s a lot more work than I thought.
It’s for kids from a local orphanage who otherwise wouldn’t have a Christmas like most. They always try to do a little something for the kids, but it’s not much. ”
“What do you do for the kids, if you don’t mind me asking?”
My mother smiled. “Well, it’s on Christmas Day to make it special for the kids.
Last year we just had the kids come over to open presents in the indoor arena at the barn.
This year, though, we’ve invited the younger kids to come and have Christmas breakfast with us.
The older kids are staying back during the Christmas breakfast so they can deliver dolls that they have made throughout the year to give to the younger kids. ”
“How sweet of them,” Vivianne stated.
“Yes, it is. But the work for the event starts well before that. With fundraising for the gifts and such. The week before Christmas Day, we cut down some trees and set them up in the indoor arena of our horse barn. Then we decorate them with a theme and put the presents for the kids from the orphanage under the trees. They come and spend the day opening them.”
“Santa was played by Dad last year,” I said with a laugh.
“Hey, I think I did a great job.”
Mom patted my father’s hand. “You did an amazing job, sweetheart. Anyway, I work with the orphanage to gather the kids’ Christmas lists, and we purchase two gifts for each of them. It’s not much, but it means so much to the kids.”
“Wow, that is so kind.”
Nodding, Mom went on. “We couldn’t do it without the help of the residents of River Falls. They all donate, and this past summer we held a small rodeo at the ranch, raising money for it as well. Our community is amazing.”
“Sure is,” Dad and David both added at the same time.
“Anyway, the boys all help, of course, but you can imagine it’s rather hard finding people who want to help around the holidays, and especially on Christmas Day.”
Vivianne nodded.
“I have a proposition for you. Would you be willing to come home with Ladd during Christmas week? We have a guest room available for you to stay in, and I’d compensate you for your help with the Christmas Day event for the kids. That is, if your two jobs would allow you time off.”
Surprised, Vivianne stared at my mother before turning and looking at me. I took her hand under the table and squeezed it. She blinked a few times, and I swore she was trying to keep tears at bay.
“I, um…well, it’s slow during Christmas week. So I don’t think it would be a problem getting off.”
A wide smile grew across my mother’s face. “Then it’s a yes? We’d love to have you, and I would greatly appreciate the extra hand.”
Vivianne bit down on her lower lip, then released it. “I’d love to join you for Christmas and help.”
Mom clapped, while Dad, David, and I all smiled. Knowing that Vivianne would be coming home with me, seeing the ranch and spending time with my family, made me happier than I could have ever imagined.
“This is going to be a wonderful Christmas,” Mom said, beaming at my father. “I just know it!”
He agreed, turning to me with a wink.