Chapter 36
‘My daddy says I’ve got to learn to take a breath while I’m speaking because I talk really fast and sometimes people don’t understand me, but you understand me, don’t you, Naomi?
I don’t know why other people don’t understand me.
Do you think it’s maybe because they think too slowly and I talk too fast?
It gets boring having to repeat myself all the time.
Wouldn’t you get tired of having to repeat yourself all the time?
’ Holly prattled as she sat across from Naomi in The Palms lobby.
Naomi still didn’t know how Greg could describe this place as a dump. To her it was tropical paradise and so restful, compared to the sleek wholly affected modernism of some of the newer chain hotels in the area. The Palms pretty much embodied St Lucia, or at least as she’d always imagined it.
Yes, some of the lobby furniture was a little rustic and the chairs across from her looked as if they were cut straight from the tree, nailed together and covered in varnish.
It made her think of a more refined version of something you’d see on Gilligan’s Island.
She could see a golf cart parked nearby and a warm breeze floated through, inviting her to come outside, jump on and go play a round.
The mature dwarf palm beside her swayed in time to the breeze and gently tickled her arm.
Despite yesterday’s disagreement with Greg, these gorgeous surroundings always managed to lift Naomi’s spirits.
Now, she turned her focus back to Holly and smiled. ‘I don’t think you talk too fast and I love talking to you,’ she assured her and watched the little girl’s face light up with delight.
The more time she spent around Holly, the better she felt too, Naomi observed.
When just a few minutes ago, they’d all bumped into one another in the lobby again and Will realised he’d forgotten something in his room, Naomi had happily agreed to stay with his daughter until he returned.
She was waiting on Sam anyway, so it wasn’t any inconvenience, and, besides, she was happy for the opportunity to spend more time with the cute little girl.
‘So what are you doing today, Naomi?’ Holly questioned, as her legs swung back and forth on the edge of the seat.
She was wearing a pretty flamingo-print sundress and her hair was in two pigtails on either side of her head.
The thought that her dad had been the one playing hairdresser touched Naomi’s heart a little too.
‘I’m going shopping with my best friend, Sam. She wants to bring home a present for her baby,’ she informed Holly.
‘Oooh, I love babies! Is it a boy or a girl?’
‘A boy.’
‘What’s his name?’ Holly prattled as she moved the magazines back and forth on the coffee table in front of them.
‘His name is Nate, and he’s my godson.’
‘What does that mean?’
‘Godson? Well, that means as his godmother, I get to spoil him rotten and if anything should happen to my friend it also means I’d help take care of him.’
Holly seemed to ponder the new information. ‘Then I guess I don’t have a godmother,’ she deduced sadly.
‘Why would you say that?’
‘Because no one helps my daddy take care of me, only Nana.’
Naomi paused. ‘No one?’
‘Nope. No one.’ The little girl continued to poke at the magazines on the table until her father reappeared a moment later.
‘So sorry to keep you,’ Will announced, looking a little harried upon his return.
‘It was no trouble at all. Like I was telling Holly, I enjoy talking to her,’ she replied smiling.
‘I enjoy talking to Naomi too, Daddy. Would you like to come with us?’ she asked, studying Naomi as she hopped up from her seat and moved to stand at her father’s side, taking his hand in hers.
‘Honey, Naomi has her own plans for the day, I’m sure. That’s why she’s here in the lobby,’ he explained, giving Naomi an apologetic look.
‘Thank you very much for the invite, but remember I told you I was going shopping for my godson?’
‘Ooh yes. Because you have to help his mummy take care of him,’ Holly echoed Naomi’s earlier explanation.
‘Exactly. Otherwise I would love to come along on whatever adventure you’re going on today. Maybe next time?’
‘OK,’ Holly sang. ‘We’re going to the botanical gardens to see all the flowers and pretty plants. Come on, Daddy, let’s go,’ she urged, tugging on Will’s arm.
He shrugged apologetically. ‘Enjoy your day, Naomi, and thanks again.’
‘No problem. You too.’
She was still smiling as she watched the pair saunter off through the lobby entrance doors and climb into a waiting taxi.
It must be so difficult for him to raise a little girl on his own. Yet he makes it look so easy, the way he is with her, she thought. You could feel how much he loved her just by looking at him.
‘What are you smiling at?’ Sam’s curious voice interrupted and Naomi turned to greet her friend.
‘Nothing,’ she lied. ‘Ready to go?’
‘Nothing, eh?’ Sam turned in the direction of the taxi that was driving off. ‘Wasn’t that the hot guy from the plantation the other day?’
‘Yes. So?’ Naomi replied as she started walking towards the entrance, her friend following behind her.
‘Oh, nothing. He’s married right?’
‘Was. He’s a widower.’
‘A widower? How sad,’ Sam replied, looking thoughtful.
‘I was actually thinking of introducing you two,’ Naomi told her. ‘Since you’re now young, free and single again.’
‘Single, yes, but sadly no longer free. Or young for that matter,’ she groaned. ‘But nah, he’s not my type.’
‘What? I mean, why wouldn’t he be?’ Naomi asked, genuinely curious.
‘Like I said, not my type – I was merely trying to get some information out of you, that’s all. A man who seems to love kids and who can make my best friend smile like that is worth enquiring about.’
‘I wasn’t smiling because of Will,’ Naomi protested as she waved down one of the waiting taxis. ‘I was smiling because of Holly.’