I was just packing up, planning to head to Peak 7 to visit the housekeepers, when Jake’s phone number popped up on the caller ID. He’d left early for some family thing.
“Hey, what’s up stranger?” It wasn’t like most guys to call. There was something old school about it that made me smile.
“Hi Ellie,” a small, feminine voice replied.
Surprise rippled through me. “Oh, er, is this Olivia?”
“Yes.”
“Hi Olivia. Why are you calling me? Is your daddy there?”
“Yeah, he’s here.”
“Is he okay?”
“He’s fine.”
“Okay… so why are you calling?”
“I asked my dad if I could call you. He said yes.”
“Okay, what can I do for you?”
“Will you come to my choir concert?”
That was a surprise. “I’d love to! Thank you for inviting me. When is it?”
“It’s tonight. We’re going to get pizza first. Do you want to come?”
“Oh, um, sure. Can I talk to your daddy real quick, Olivia?”
“Okay.”
There was a muffled noise as the phone swapped hands, then Jake’s voice. “Hey, sorry about the ambush. She just brought it up now, and honestly, I was so thrilled that she wanted to ask you. I didn’t know how to say no.” He chuckled. “So, there you have it. If you can’t make it, we understand, it was a last-minute invite.” His voice took on a clear, almost-commanding tone, and I could picture him looking down at Olivia’s hopeful little face, trying to convey his message.
“Well, I don’t have any plans, so I can come. If you really want me to,” I added, not sure whether or not to be flattered.
“Of course we do. Like she said, we’re going to Tony’s for pizza first, then heading to the school from there. If you’d like to join us? We’re meeting my folks too,” he added as an afterthought, like it might be a deterrent.
“Okay, yeah, I’m in the office. What time are we meeting at Tony’s?”
“Five, we don’t do late dinners when bedtime is eight.”
“I got it. I’ll meet you there. I’m still in my work clothes. Hope that’s okay.”
“Whatever you have on is fine,” he replied, then added in a whisper, “thanks for doing this. I think she’s nervous about singing in front of people, and suddenly it was very important to ask you to come.”
“Well, tell Olivia I feel very special that she invited me. I’ll see you soon!”
“Okay, see you.”
My heart was pounding, although I wasn’t sure why. Olivia’s sweet invite to her choir concert was definitely unexpected, and I was flattered that she wanted me to go.
Of course, then I realized what made me nervous. I was about to meet Jake’s parents for the first time. I hadn’t met a guy’s parents since Zach and I started dating in high school. I dated a bit while getting my MBA, but nothing serious enough to necessitate meeting each other’s parents. This all came on rather suddenly.
I drew in a deep breath to slow my racing heart. I just had to remember it was just Olivia being Olivia. She probably didn’t have anyone else to invite, and knowing all the other kid’s moms would be there, she probably wanted to have a stand-in of sorts.
Woah, did I just consider myself a stand-in for Olivia’s mom? Where the hell did that come from?
Before I could let my nerves get to me, I shoved those thoughts aside. A little girl was counting on me, and there was nowhere I’d rather be.
I did a quick check in at Peak 7, then made my way into town with plenty of time to find parking and meet up at Tony’s. It did not surprise me to see Jake, with Ethan and Olivia, already waiting outside.
“Ellie!” The kids cheered as soon as they spotted me and fenced me in with hugs.
“Hey guys, it’s good to see you too. I dunno about you, but I’m starving. Are you ready for some pizza?”
“Yeah!” they replied in unison.
“Good, Tony’s is my favorite. What kind of pizza do you like?”
“Pepperoni,” Ethan answered first.
“Sausage and peppers,” Olivia replied.
“And what about you, Jake?” I glanced up to meet his gaze, which watched us with obvious affection. “What do you take on your pizza pie?”
“I like Hawaiian, but I usually end up eating whatever is left of theirs,” he confessed, grinning.
“Well, we can fix that. I think between the two of us we can put away a whole Hawaiian pizza, don’t you?”
“I’m up for the challenge, if you are.”
“You’re on.”
“Hey kids!” A shout from behind Jake drew their attention away, and in an instant they were both tearing down the sidewalk toward an older couple. Obviously Jake’s parents.
My fingers shook with nerves, but Jake wrapped his hand around mine and tugged me forward. “Mom, Dad, this is-”
“Ellie!” Ethan shouted excitedly. “Ellie’s here!”
“Yes, I see that,” the older gentleman said with a laugh, then turned his gaze to me. “Ellie, lovely to meet you. I’m Malcom, and this is my wife, Violet.” He stepped forward to shake my hand, and his wife did the same.
“It’s very nice to meet you both.” Somehow I kept my voice steady, despite my nerves.
“Come on Grandpa, Ellie is starving. We have to go inside. Let’s go!” Ethan grabbed his hand and tugged him toward the door.
Laughing, he held the door open for the little boy, and the rest of us followed inside. Once we had a table and placed our order, the kids ran off to play video games with the pile of quarters Malcom provided.
“So, you’re Isabelle Tremont, of Aspen Ridge, right?” he asked conversationally.
“Yeah, but I prefer Ellie. Isabelle always felt way too fancy to me.”
The older man chuckled. “Pretty much since he could speak, Jake refused to answer to Jacob. He said it wasn’t his ‘real name’ at some point. Despite what it said on his birth certificate. But what can you do? Kids have minds of their own.” His gaze traveled affectionately to Jake.
“That I understand, although I wish my dad was as understanding as you are. He’s called me Izzy since I was a little girl, despite my refusing to answer to it since I was eleven.”
“That’s a long time to hold on to a nickname you don’t like.”
“Tell me about it. He says he’s an old dog who can’t learn new tricks. I tell him he’s just stubborn. Either way, I don’t think he’s gonna change soon.”
“Well, it’s always good to acknowledge the situation as it is,” he agreed. “So, how is Jake working out for you?”
Jake, who’d been taking a sip of his iced tea, choked, spewing the drink back in his cup. “What?”
Malcom continued earnestly. “It’s always good to get a feel for how you’re doing at a new job, son. If you don’t ask, you miss an opportunity to get an answer and improve.”
Oh, the job, right. “Nothing to worry about, Mr. Wright. Jake is doing a great job. He fits right in.”
“Malcom, please. I’m glad to hear that. I knew it would be a difficult transition for him out of the military, but we’re so grateful to have the chance to see him more.” His voice cracked with emotion, and Violet took her husband’s hand where it sat on the table. He smiled at her in appreciation, then his gaze strayed to his son. “We’ve barely seen him a half dozen times since he joined the Air Force. So despite everything that’s happened, this is quite the blessing to us.”
“I can imagine it’s nice to have time with your grandkids, too.”
Violet answered. “Absolutely. These past few weeks have been the best we’ve had in a dozen years. We feel very fortunate to know we’re looking at lots of time with them going forward.”
Just then, the pizzas arrived, and the kids materialized out of nowhere to claim their share.
We ate in silence interspersed with happy family banter, and I soaked it up with a smile. I hadn’t had a meal like this since James and I were still in school. I had occasional meals with him and his kids now, but it was usually on more formal occasions. It was fun, sitting around a casual meal and just enjoying the noisy company of a family.
By the time we made it to the school, Ethan was yawning and Olivia was a bundle of nerves. As soon as I joined them in the parking lot, she slipped her little hand into mine and clung to it as we approached the doors.
“Are you nervous?” I asked her gently.
She nodded, as if afraid to use her voice to speak.
“What scares you the most?”
“Being in front of all those people, singing bad, and then everyone makes fun of me.” She answered immediately, as if this scenario was already clear as day in her mind.
“Okay, then let me give you a bit of advice.” I crouched down so I could look her straight in the eye. “If you’re nervous at first, just move your mouth to the words, but don’t make any noise. That way, it looks like you’re singing, but no one will know you’re not actually singing. Then, when you feel a little more confident, you can sing in a tiny baby voice, and as you get more confident, you can sing as loud as you’re supposed to. Does that sound like a plan?”
She nodded again with wide eyes, then threw her little arms around my neck. “I’m glad you’re here.”
“There’s nowhere I’d rather be. I’m so happy you invited me,” I answered. “If you’re really nervous, you can look at me, okay?”
“Okay.”
I stood, and she clasped my hand again, not releasing it until we made it into the school auditorium. When her teacher came to collect her, I gave her one more swift hug. “You’ll be great. It’s okay to be nervous, Olivia. Just remember that everyone else is nervous too, and everyone in the audience watching is super proud of you.”
“Are you proud of me?”
“You know I am. Go on, you’ll do great!”
She flashed me a wide smile, then trotted off in the direction her teacher pointed.
We sat through the whole concert, and I held my gaze on Olivia the entire concert. She smiled and gave me the ‘thumb’s up’ when she took the stage. I couldn’t tell if she actually sang or not, but I saw her eyes rarely strayed from mine, and she smiled the entire time.
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