The Quelling Tide (The Gifted Realm Book 7)
Page 24
The Governor looked extremely pleased. “Congratulations, son. I had a feeling that might be happening soon.”
“Yeah, well, we’re over the moon about it, so if it’s gonna upset Mom….” The challenge was implicit without him finishing the statement.
“I’m sure she’ll be thrilled, Dan. Do we know what we’re having?” He tried to sound offhanded, but Dan and Fionna knew perfectly well that if she were having a boy Mrs. Vindico would be far more pleased.
“It’s a little girl.” Fionna blinked back another onslaught of tears.
“And we couldn’t be happier.” Dan spat.
“Of course. I’m thrilled for you. Maybe let me tell your mom. You all stay out here with the girls.” Governor Vindico looked relieved with his own plan as he rushed back inside the house.
“Mom will be really happy.” Meredith lied outright desperate to soothe Fionna’s tears.
“No, she won’t.” Fionna kept her head buried on Dan’s shoulder. “I don’t ever seem to make her happy.”
Dan shook his head to protest, but Kara stepped in. “But you know what Fionna, you make Dan so happy. You and Aida gave him a family and a real life. You just don’t know how much I used to worry about him. Ask Zach. I cried myself to sleep some nights because he was just so miserable, and then he met you, and it was like all of my prayers had been answered. I still don’t know how this happened, but I’ve been married for three years and just have one on the way. You’ve been married for like six weeks and already have two!”
Dan kissed away Fionna’s tears as he chuckled. “We work fast.”
“But you work.” Meredith stepped in. “And it doesn’t matter what Mom thinks or what anyone thinks because it works for you.”
“They’re right, Fi. I don’t give a damn what my mother thinks because you and Aida and this little one.” He gently slid his hand over her stomach. “You’re my whole world, and you make my life worth living.”
Trying desperately to stop crying, Fionna turned to Kara and they embraced both crying together. Dan shook his head in defeat.
Meredith laughed outright. “You’ll never really understand pregnancy hormones.”
A few minutes later, Dan was standing with his sisters and Zach watching the girls ride circles around little Oliver in the very same cul-de-sac where Dan, Kara, and Meredith had learned to ride their bikes.
Tim had gone inside after declaring that the pollen from the cherry trees was giving him a headache.
“Mommy, watch me!” Olivia urged.
“I see you, baby.”
Aida seemed to consider as she slowly followed Olivia’s path. She bit her lip and was visibly distressed. Dan raced towards her worried she’d forgotten how to stop.
“You okay, baby?” He positioned himself to catch her as she went by. Aida pressed back on the pedals halting the bike beside him.
“Yes,” she assured him as he knelt beside her. “I wanted to say, ‘Watch me too, Daddy,’ but I was scared with all of these people around.”
Dan lifted her off of the bike and into his arms as she wrapped her body around his chest.
“Okay, clearly, I have no hope of not crying all night.” Fionna whimpered.
“I’m watching you, baby girl, and you don’t have to be scared.”
“Okay, put me back on so I can say it!”
Dan blinked back tears of his own as he set Aida back on the bike. He stepped back and wrapped his arms around Fionna.
“Watch me, Daddy!” She beamed at Dan as she picked up pace and began flying around the cul-de-sac. Fionna turned into his side and cried in earnest.
“Always, sweetheart, always.” Dan pressed his fingers in his eyes while Aida’s back was turned certain that he’d never heard anything so sweet.
Zach slapped him on the back as Kara attempted to hug he and Fionna simultaneously. The size of her stomach combined with Dan’s sheer width prevented her from her task.
“Well, it’s been quite awhile since I’ve seen so many Vindicos playing in the cul-de-sac.” Gerald Richmond, Amelia’s father, joined everyone outside.
Dan felt his heart go numb from the sheer emotion of the evening. “Gerald, uh, how are you, sir?”
Fionna pulled away and tried desperately to wipe her eyes.
“I’m all right, Dan. Faith and I just received the invitation to the reception.” He offered Fionna a kind smile.
Her eyes goggled as Dan stood utterly astonished on the cement. How could his mother have invited Amelia’s parents to he and Fionna’s wedding reception?
“Mr. Richmond, sir, please don’t feel like you have to come. Dan and I completely understand.” Fionna’s voice was choked and harried. Dan nodded his adamant agreement.
“What was mom thinking?” Kara whispered in shock.
“We’d like to come, but Faith was worried it might make you uncomfortable.”
“If you’d like to come, we’d love for you to be there.” Fionna assured him. Dan was still unable to speak.
“Daddy, watch me again!” Aida called, and Dan immediately turned his attention back to her. Confusion and terror spiraled into a maelstrom in his gut.
“I see you, sweetheart.”
Gerald looked completely stunned.
“Dan and Fionna adopted Aida a few weeks ago.” Kara appeared bereaved as she gestured timidly to Aida.
Gerald managed a half nod. “Arthur and Marion didn’t mention that you’d also become parents.”
Aida pulled to a stop right in front of Fionna. “Did you see me? Was I fast?”
Fionna guided Aida closer. “You were fast, baby. You be careful.”
Aida gave Mr. Richmond a sweet smile.
“Aida.” Fionna drew a deep steadying breath. “This is Mr. Richmond. He’s a very, very dear friend of ours.” She held Gerald’s eyes steadily with her own.
“Hi! It’s very nice to meet you, sir.”
Clearly moved by Fionna’s vow, Gerald gazed down at her sweetly. “It’s nice to meet you too, Aida.” He lifted his eyes to meet Dan’s bewildered expression.
“Daniel, life is for the living. Faith and I both know what Amelia meant to you. We don’t blame you for anything that happened to her. I’m just so thankful that you finally decided to really live while you’re here, because life is precious.” He choked.
“And you should never take any day for granted.” Fionna completed the sentiment for him.
“Precisely.” Holding up the mail that he’d come to retrieve from the mailbox, he smiled. “Enjoy your evening and your family, Daniel.”
“I still can’t believe she invited them!”
“But you promised Aida you wouldn’t yell.” Fionna’s reminder was vehement as they followed the girls back to the garage.
“I will not yell.” He vowed more for himself than his wife. “But I will talk.”
“Nicely!”
“I’ll work on it,” was the best Dan could offer her truthfully.
“Well, I hear we’ve decided to rush into something else!” was Mrs. Vindico’s huffed greeting.
“Mother, what the hell were you thinking inviting the Richmonds to our reception?” Dan kept his voice low but menacing. “Did you not think that might make them extremely uncomfortable?”
“I really don’t think that we need to tell everyone about this until after the reception.” Mrs. Vindico gestured her hand to Fionna’s abdomen.
“It’s like you’re having two different arguments.” Meredith sighed.
“This!” Dan felt his fury begin to pulse acridly through his veins.
“Dan, please! You promised Aida.” Fionna begged.
He swallowed down his volatile anger. “Mother, this is my wife, the woman who means everything to me, the woman who quite literally pulled me out of the depths of hell. Whom, by the way, I have already married. She is carrying my child, just like Aida, my baby, your granddaughter. Please, for once, respect something that I want even if it isn’t just how you planned it.”
“Did you ever think that having my former fiancée’s parents there might make my wife uncomfortable, or that it might make me uncomfortable? Of course you didn’t. It doesn’t matter what I want. It never has! As long as it’s all about you, that’s all that will ever matter.” It took all of Dan’s massive strength to keep his tone a notch under shouting.
“Olivia, why don’t you and Aida come up to my old room and we’ll play Barbies.” Kara attempted to guide the girls out of the storm of tension barraging the kitchen.
“No! We’re eating now!” Mrs. Vindico flung a massive casserole dish of some kind of rice concoction onto the dining room table.
Nervous glances shot around the room like a lit fuse.
The shrill ring of the house phone shattered through some of the choking tension. The Governor shot Dan a warning glare before answering.
“Hello?” He rolled his eyes and gave an annoyed huff. “Since you are currently speaking with the Governor let me assure you and any other media organizations that I have no comment on whether or not my daughter-in-law will be signing for another season with the Angels. Let me also assure you that if you phone me at home again, it will not end well for you and the Gifted News Network.”
As he slammed the phone down, Fionna’s head sank. “I’m so sorry, sir.”
Governor Vindico softened instantly. “Sweetheart, this certainly isn’t your fault. It’s none of their business. They’d planned to run those honeymoon pictures of Rainer and Emily for weeks. When Stephen made that impossible, they scrambled for news.”
“Oh, that reminds me, I intended to phone Lillian and request that they return the place settings and linen napkins that we gave them.” Mrs. Vindico drew herself up into a pursed lip, craned neck monument of righteous indignation.
Incensed fury catapulted through Dan. “What!”
“Dan!” Fionna glanced at Aida.
“Marion, you are not requesting that they send our gift back. That is ridiculous. Stephen and Lillian have been friends of ours since the academy, Joseph and Maggie as well. If Joseph were still with us, he would have dismantled the entire Gifted Associated Press over this. His son did nothing wrong.” Governor Vindico appeared to agree with his son this time.
“Arthur, did you see those pictures? I don’t hold with such things.”
“Yes, I am aware, but they had no idea they were being photographed.”
“If they had more decorum and decency there would have been nothing to photograph. Stephen and Lillian were far too lax with Rainer and Emily, just like all the rest of them. I think we’ve seen where their liberal parenting has gotten them.” Mrs. Vindico seemed to decide to continue setting the table as she spouted off her injustices.
“Mother! My God! It was their honeymoon! And, yes, we’ve seen the products of the Haydenshire’s parenting. They currently have 9 biological children and 2 non-biological children that are all phenomenal human beings. Will is a Vice-President of the bank. Garrett has been named Officer of the Year three times now, and will receive the accommodation again this year. Connor was just hired on as the youngest city planner in D.C. Cal gave his life serving this Realm. Levi is an extremely talented architect. He could design most anything, and Patrick owns his own real estate investment company. Logan is one of the bravest men I’ve ever known, and he will follow in Garrett’s footsteps. His wife is one of the top Medios at Georgetown. Emily is about to become the Senior Receiver for the Angels, and trust me, Rainer Lawson will run Iodex one day. What more do you want!”
“Let’s just eat!” His mother shrieked. Aida and Fionna’s simultaneous shudders kept Dan working his molars instead matching his mother’s volume. He lifted Aida up into his right arm and wrapped his left around his wife. The emotions in the house were getting to both of them.
“Come on.” Fionna drew up a fair amount of resolve and directed Dan to the table. Tension thickened the air in the already stuffy dining room as everyone took a seat. Dishes were passed. The occasional muffled clink of silver on porcelain was the only sound willing to wage war against the deafening silence.
The severely over-cooked chicken and undercooked rice did nothing to improve Dan’s mood.
“Uh, so, you’re going to Paris.” Kara shared a pleading gaze with Fionna. “Are you excited?”
“We’re very excited.” Fionna glanced uncomfortably at Dan’s mother. “The Angels played in an international exhibition there several years ago, but I didn’t get to see much of the city. Dan even made us reservation at the Tower for my birthday.”
“Well, it’s good to be best friends with the Captain of French Iodex.” In an effort to be civil, Dan joined the conversation.
“Are Fitz and Maddie keeping my grandbaby or are you taking her with you to the Tower?” Governor Vindico winked at Aida trying to ease her obvious distress.
“She’s going to play with Alex and Alfred, so Fi and I can celebrate that evening.”
“Good. That’s important, and you two really didn’t stay in Kauai very long after your wedding.”
An exasperated huff from his mother was her contribution to the conversation.
Dan rolled his eyes. “What, Mother?”
“Not that my opinion ever matters to you, but do you intend to just gallivant around the globe forever or are you planning on returning to work at some point, Daniel?”
Tossing his napkin down on the inedible meal, he sighed. “Actually, Mother, I’ve accepted Chancellor Wilshire’s offer to replace Mentor Sullivan as the head of Ioses order at Venton next school year.”
“Mommy,” Aida whispered hesitantly. Fionna leaned down. “This rice makes my tongue feel funny.”
Dan turned to attend to his daughter while his parents stared at him in bewilderment.
“You don’t have to eat it, baby. How about if Daddy takes you and Mommy out for pizza after this?”
His mother was too distracted with his announcement to bitch about his offer to Aida.
“Son, do you really want to teach?” Governor Vindico sounded like he couldn’t quite believe what he’d heard.
“Well, why didn’t you tell us that you’d decided to teach at Venton?”
“Well, I didn’t really get a chance, Mom.”
“Come on, son. You’re never very forthcoming with information when it comes to your mother and I.”
Fionna offered Dan her sweet smile and a glance that said his father was right.
“He’s right, Daniel. I mean you called us an hour before your wedding, you didn’t tell us about Aida, and you didn’t tell us about the baby Aida did. If Fionna had asked to meet your family, we probably wouldn’t know about her either.” Mrs. Vindico fought tears.
“I’m...sorry.” He stammered though he wasn’t entirely certain the statement was the truth.
The Governor handed his wife a handkerchief from his pocket then turned to Dan. “Son, you’ve always wanted to be independent. From the moment you could walk, you never wanted anyone else’s help, and you did that at ten months old.” He shook his head at the memory.
“And I know that most of the time you think that we’re just interfering in your life, but your mother and I love you. We want to help you and be a part of your life. We want to be a part of our granddaughters’ lives.”
“Okay, fine, but I don’t need your help finding a job. I am perfectly capable of handling my life.”
“I only want what’s best for you. I was only trying to help.” Mrs. Vindico shuddered through her abashed tears. “Your father kept telling me that you were going to have a baby soon, and I knew you needed a job, Daniel.”
Dan let his eyes close in defeat. He felt Fionna lace her fingers in his to supply him with soothing calm.
“Okay, you’re right. I did shut you out. I shut everyone out. But Mother you have nev
er listened to me, really listened to anything I said. Did you think that I would just get married, adopt a child, get my wife pregnant and never go back to work? Is that really who you think I am? You have that little faith in me!”
This brought his mother up short, and in the silence, Aida’s brow furrowed. “I thought God put the baby in Mommy’s tummy?”
Nervous chuckles went around the table as Dan grimaced.
“He did.” Zach assured Aida and then provided she and Olivia with Lifesavers from his pocket.
“Well, no.” Mrs. Vindico admitted. “But you just always seem to have everything figured out. You never needed me. Sometimes, it would be nice for you to ask for your father’s or my opinion. It might not have been the way I would have liked for you to go about it, but we should have at least been given the option of seeing you and Fionna marry, of being there. You’re my only son!”
“Fine,” Dan sighed. “You’re right, and that was my doing not Fionna’s. But Mom, I never felt the need to ask your opinion. You’ve shouted them at me at every available opportunity for my entire life.” He was willing to accept his part of the extremely tenuous relationship, but he wanted to be heard as well.
The Governor squeezed her hand. “He’s right, Marion.”
“Well,” Mrs. Vindico huffed. “I suppose I’m sorry that you felt that way. I will try to listen to you, Daniel, but I do not agree with the way you choose to conduct your life.”
“I know that, Mother, but if you want to be included in our lives more often then you need to learn to keep your opinions to yourself.” He stood. “Right now I think Fi and I are going to take Aida on. This evening has been enough.”
The words forming in his Mother’s mouth appeared to taste very bitter. “I suppose I understand that, and I will try.”
“Thank you.” Forcing his feet to move towards her, he embraced the woman who’d given him birth.
“Lindley is getting out of the healthcare facility spa at the end of the month. Perhaps when you get back from Paris, we could let her meet Aida.”
Trying not to laugh hysterically at his mother calling his youngest sister’s stint in drug rehab a visit to a healthcare facility spa, Dan shook his head. “We’re spending the summer in Kauai on the Iona’s farm. We’ll be back just before school starts, and we’re leaving after this reception you’re throwing.”