Chapter 5
five
. . .
Miles
The office was still a bit chaotic after the move as my staff and I settled into our new normal. After extensive interviews, most of the vacant positions left by staff who didn’t make the jump to San Diego had been filled.
The past few weeks had been challenging, but every time I heard MJ laugh I knew it was all worth it. I didn’t realize how lonely both of us had been.
My company, E-Tech, sat in the heart of downtown, perfect for single employees chasing the energy of urban living. Yet it was just as convenient for married couples, who could retreat to quieter neighborhoods nearby.
I still felt like there weren’t enough hours in the day, though.
Looking around the office, I could see the new employees having easy conversations at the coffee bar about plans for some of them to get together over the weekend.
That gave me the idea of how to build relationships with them and my long-term employees who had made the move.
Picking up my phone, I called my mother for some ideas on how to celebrate our new adventure. She picked up on the third ring.
“I hope you’re not checking in on MJ and me again,” she said teasingly. I could hear my daughter in the background singing along to her favorite pop song. “We’re baking cookies, so come home early.”
Rubbing my neck, I replied, “You have no idea how much I’d like that. We had some IT problems today, and I feel like I’ve been playing catch-up since breakfast. Have I told you how much I appreciate you?”
“Yes. About twenty times now. I’ve been waiting for this for years, son. More than happy to spend the rest of the summer with my girl.”
“She’s so happy. I should’ve done this a long time ago.” I spun my chair and looked out onto the busy downtown street from my large window. “I called because I want to do something special for the staff. Any ideas? Was thinking of a get together at my place in a few weeks.”
I heard her rummaging through some bottles before answering. “That’s a great idea. A welcome to the new employees and a way to thank the ones who followed you. Give me a few days, but I’ll come up with something great. Leave it to me.”
“You are an angel. Thanks, Mom. Let me know what you need and I’ll take care of it. Remind me tonight, and I’ll leave you a credit card. I was thinking a low-key party, so we’ll need food, drinks, music. That kind of stuff.”
“I know exactly what to do. Finish and come home. I’ll have chicken cacciatore for you when you get here,” she said, making my mouth water.
“We’re making monster cookies,” MJ shouted.
“Guess she’s not going to bed on time tonight,” I grumbled. Monster cookies must have at least forty grams of sugar from all the candy pieces. “Thanks, Mom.”
She laughed and answered, “What’s a mimi for?” She hung up before I could complain anymore.
My thoughts drifted back to something MJ had said the night before.
She was always chatty, but no more so than at bedtime.
Waffling between wanting to lightly scold her for her obvious attempts to stay up later and enjoying these sweet moments, I always gave in.
We were reading slowly through the Chronicles of Narnia, something Mom had done with Luke and me when we were kids.
She had a harder time keeping us in check than I did with MJ, thankfully.
She asked last night about the lion Aslan character who wanted to take Edmund’s place with the evil witch.
That led us into a deeper conversation about the faith I was raising her in.
Understanding the love that caused Jesus to take our place as our Savior was rich with imagery and beliefs I feared her heart was too young to fully grasp.
However, despite being very analytical, MJ's pure heart held a simple faith.
It was honestly something I envied at times when life let me down.
Before I got too busy again, I sent up a simple prayer of gratitude for her, for my life, and for the faith that had helped keep me together all these years.
After several hours and a dozen phone calls, I finally headed home.
As I crossed the Coronado Bridge that connected my new city to San Diego, I glanced at the sailboats and yachts in the harbor.
San Diego was such a beautiful city, and I didn’t realize how much I’d missed it until we moved back.
We had taken MJ whale watching, given her surf lessons, and had bonfires on the beach.
My family and I wanted to give her the kind of childhood Luke and I had enjoyed.
We had a visit to Disneyland planned soon.
School started after Labor Day here, so we still had time for everything on her long list.
As I pulled onto my street, I rolled the windows down and took a deep breath.
The salty air filled the cab of my SUV, making the weight of a chaotic day roll away.
When I got into my driveway, I parked and turned the car off, sitting there for a moment and enjoying the quiet.
We didn’t live on the beach, but it was close enough for me to hear the waves crashing onto the shore.
My quiet was short-lived when MJ bounded out of the house calling for me. “Daddy, we’re starving, and Mimi made me wait for you.”
Smiling wide as I exited the car and picked her up, I plopped her on my shoulders and said, “Sorry, kiddo. Long day.”
“You’re going to have to stop calling me that soon when I become a teenager.” She ducked as we made our way through the front door.
“Guess that’s never going to happen since I’m not allowing you to get any bigger.
I flipped her, setting her on her feet. She put her hands on her hips and protested.
Her ponytail swung from side to side with the motion as her eyes blazed.
“I’ll have you know that I intend to grow several inches this year and might even be taller than you by high school.
Plus, it’s scientifically impossible for you to stunt my growth. ”
I pressed my lips together to keep from laughing. Kissing my mother, I washed my hands before snatching a piece of carrot from the salad bowl and said, “You mean like eating too many monster cookies? That much sugar will stunt your growth for sure.”
MJ scowled, but I could see her wheels turning. A moment later, she slipped the two saucer-sized cookies she had hidden behind the blender back on the pile while I winked at my mom.
“Glad you’re home, son. We’re ready to eat. Dad had a late meeting, so I’ll take his to go.”
“I thought he was going to retire completely this year.”
“He insists he’s mostly retired,” she joked, saying it like the line from our family’s favorite movie, Princess Bride.
A laugh barreled out of me as I sat down with my two favorite girls at the table.
“I’m either starving or that smells good,” I teased, watching my mother glare at me.
“So, I’ve been thinking about this party since we spoke. I have some great ideas. Text me your budget and leave your card,” she said with an eyebrow waggle. “I love spending other people’s money.”
Mom had retired from Earth Organix as VP of Research and Development a few years before. Having helped throw many a party, she was the perfect person to put in charge.
“Just remember, low-key. Techies are not like the fussy people Luke deals with,” I said with a smirk.
She swatted me on the arm and said, “Stop teasing your brother. You know full well he stopped being the grumpy CEO when he met Sofia. I’m afraid with Leyla at the helm, it’s almost too laid-back now.”
I knew she was joking. We were all pleased to see Luke return to his roots. Now he only wore a suit when he had meetings with the kinds of people I had mentioned. Leyla was Luke’s best friend, who had taken over most of his duties, so he had the freedom to travel between California and Italy.
“Think somewhere between a dinner party and a BBQ. And no themes. I hate themed parties,” I warned.
“You’re no fun, Daddy. I was telling Mimi we should do a luau,” MJ said, taking a huge bite of her chicken. It was nice to have a home-cooked meal. Those had become few and far between once we started packing.
“Absolutely not. Just a fun time, good food, fun music. Mimi knows what I would like,” I said, shoveling cacciatore.
“Slow down. You’re going to get indigestion,” she scolded. I loved her so much, but sometimes it was like going back to my childhood. “And don’t you worry. I know exactly what you would like.”
I stopped, my fork halting mid-bite. Not liking that tone and smug expression, I said, “Mom. I don’t know what’s going on in that pretty little head of yours, but all I need you to do is find a caterer and get a plan together.”
“Of course, of course,” she answered, tapping my hand like I was being silly.
I didn’t like the sound of that at all.
The following evening, I unlocked the front door, feeling exhausted after another hectic day of scrambling when the server crashed unexpectedly. I tossed my keys onto the side table by the door and called out.
“Honey, I’m home.”
Checking the pots in the kitchen, I closed my eyes as the smell of roast chicken hit me.
Sure enough, on the stovetop sat a perfectly golden bird with rosemary and lemon slices bursting out of it.
Mom made the most amazing roasted chicken with crispy skin that we all fought over.
Not great for my cholesterol, but a treat nonetheless.
“Hey, where are you guys?” I yelled as I walked through the living room, where I saw evidence of MJ’s latest art project. “That’s a lot of glitter,” I groused.
I heard giggling from her bedroom, so I headed that way.
“What are you two chickens clucking about? Speaking of chicken, I call dibs on the crispy skin tonight. Too hungry to…”
The moment I entered MJ’s room, a familiar fragrance enveloped me, halting my words mid-breath.
My daughter chattered excitedly about the color she wanted for her wall, her words spilling out to a woman whose back was turned to me, while Mom sifted through color swatches.
My heart pounded as I took in the scene, waiting for the woman to turn.
But I didn’t need to see her face to know who she was.
My thoughts flashing back to Enzo’s wedding, I remembered holding my breath when she was introduced to me, musk and jasmine filling my senses. It was an unforgettable fragrance.
My throat parched like the Sahara as I stood there, taking in that same scent, my eyes scanning her face trying to make sure.
She was wearing high-waisted, dark-wash jeans and a white button-down shirt tied at the waist, which accentuated her curves.
Black wedge sandals made her legs look impossibly long.
My eyes drifted to her face, and I was momentarily stunned into silence at the sight of her wide eyes and full lips.
I swallowed hard, fairly sure everyone in the room heard it.
Vicky Lazzara was standing in my house.
“Ciao, Miles. How are you?”
My heart stuttered in my chest, making me fear fainting on the spot. I’ve heard women talk about swooning, but I was pretty sure they were supposed to be the recipients of such things, not men.
But her voice. That voice was sweet and raspy at the same time. The kind of voice that invites you in, then holds you firmly in place.
The kind of voice that could wreck my dormant heart for life. For all these years, I wore my failed marriage like a coat of quiet shame, heavy with the belief that I wasn’t someone a woman would choose to stay with.
As I looked at Vicky’s soft smile, hope suddenly bloomed.