Live In Position (8 page)

The blankets and mattresses were all pulled out and gathered in the middle of Victoria's large room. I curled up on a bean bag chair next to Victoria and Laura, at their request. I cheered for the evil queen in 'Enchanted' when she turned into the dragon, and they all tossed popcorn at me. The last thing I remember was the priest in 'The Princess Bride' saying 'twooh love'. When I woke up, I was covered with a fluffy pink blanket and everything was off. I wondered if one of the girls had taken care of everything.

I pulled the feather boa off of my neck and put the strand of pearls on Victoria's dresser before I walked around quietly picking up the garbage and the bowls. Once they were all collected I went to the kitchen. Along the way to the kitchen I groaned at the mess I would be cleaning up tomorrow, but was also a little surprised it wasn't worse. Sixteen girls can do a lot of damage.

While I was rinsing out the popcorn bowls I heard a noise behind me and spun around quickly, dropping the sponge on the floor. I clenched my chest and attempted to catch my breath. Dr. Bishop was standing in the center of the kitchen looking around.

"Sorry," his voice was the normal glacial tone.

"It's okay. I didn't, uh…I thought you were on a trip." I said in a low tone and picked up the sponge.

"I suppose you did." He was being very short.

I rinsed out the bowls and took a deep breath before turning back around. He was closer than before.

"Is there a particular reason this place is a disaster and there are twenty little girls in my home?" He crossed his arms over his chest.

"It's just a party for Victoria, for her birthday. I wanted to –"

"You didn't feel the need to run this past me before you did it?" He spat out.

"I apologize. I didn't realize you would have a problem with it." I paused and swallowed my anger. "I simply wanted to give her a party with her friends."

"Her party is tomorrow with my family." He snapped.

I tried, I really did, but I just couldn't bite my tongue without biting it entirely off and swallowing. And frankly I like my tongue where it is, so I unleashed.

"A party with children her own age is quite different from an adult tea party. I'm sure she enjoys her time with your family; however, every kid should have a party with children their own age. I will clean up the mess tomorrow and you will never know it occurred." I pushed away from the sink and headed out of the kitchen.

Once I was in my room, I stripped out of the dress and hung it back up before jumping in the shower. After drying and dressing for bed, I sat waiting again for him to show up and fire me. But just as before, it never came.

The next morning a stream of nannies arrived to pick up Victoria's friends and I got Victoria dressed for her tea party day. Mrs. Ilene Bishop, Dr. Bishop's mother, arrived around ten in the morning to retrieve Victoria and take her over to her house. It was typically my day off, but while Victoria was gone I cleaned up the birthday mess. Miranda called while I was cleaning and then showed up to help.

"I can't believe you had a party." Miranda giggled. "I bet he was pissed off."

"Oh, he was mad, but that just pissed me off."

"What's strange is he was never around this much when I was living here, I don't know what's going on, but it's just weird." Miranda paused from mopping the floor for a moment, before she shook her head and continued her circular motions.

"I don't know, but someone needs to pull the glacier out of his ass." I tried to stifle my laughter, but I busted up until I had tears. Miranda was laughing herself to tears.

"Don't you mean exercise the demons?" She laughed out. I howled in laughter.

When we were finished I took Miranda out for a late lunch, early dinner, for helping me. She asked me about my writing and I asked her about wedding planning. After quite a few hours, Benji and Lucas joined us and we had a good time laughing and drank a few too many drinks.

Lucas dropped me off at the house and slightly staggering into the house, I prayed that Dr. Bishop was nowhere to be seen. I was beyond happy I didn't run into him between my walk from the front door and my stop in Victoria's room to make sure she was all tucked in. Then I hit my bed and fell asleep instantly.

Weeks went by and there had been no real interaction with Dr. Bishop. Victoria's was going through her typical weekly routine. However, the day of the first snow, in November, I decided homework could wait for a little bit.

I quickly bundled us up in coats and boots. Pulling her out into their back yard by her hand, I took her out to the center of the yard, which now looked like a winter wonderland. I leaned down and made a small snowball. I threw and hit her in the arm. Her shocked expression made me erupt into laughter.

"Hey," She yelled with a small smile. "What was that for?"

"Hmmm…just because I felt like it." I stuck my tongue out and made another snowball. She took off running.

"No, don't hit me again!" She laughed.

"You can run, but you can't hide." I shouted as I chased after her with the frozen lump in my hand.

She dodged behind a thick oak tree and I quickly rounded it to get her, but she surprised me by having her own frozen mush ball ready. She hit me right in the side of my face. I heard her gasp from hitting me in the face. I laughed loudly and smushed my snowball onto the top of her head.

"Ahh…that's cold!" She screeched and I laughed as she took off running and giggling.

We finished our snow fight and decided to make a snowman before we went back inside. Victoria had wanted to stay out longer, but her chattering teeth and the homework that was still waiting for her made the decision for us. We went back inside and I made warm tea and set out some crackers for her while she did her homework.

More weeks passed by and soon it was the week of Thanksgiving. Larissa was coming to pick up Victoria for the holiday. I had Thanksgiving and the day after for the holiday, so I decided I would go see my dad. Once Larissa had picked up Victoria, I would begin my journey to Tacoma.

The trip to Tacoma was longer than normal because of all of the traffic crowding the roads, but I still made decent time. When I pulled up to the house there was an unfamiliar car in the driveway. Grabbing my bag out of the cab of my truck, I headed to the front door and went in.

"Happy Thanksgiving," I shouted out.

"Sophia!" My father came around from the living room quickly. He pulled me into a large hug. It was a bit strange, because my dad wasn't the emotional type of guy.

"I'm so glad you could make it." He smiled widely as he let me go.

"I'm happy I got to come home too." I kissed his cheek. "I just want to throw my bag into my old room, okay?" I started for the stairs.

"Um…Sophia?" I turned and saw Carla was now standing next to my father. He was holding her hand.

"Yeah?" I stopped before I took the first step up.

"Umm…just throw your stuff up there and then we'll talk." He waved me off with a small nervous smile. My eyes flashed to Carla's face and she seemed a little upset. I quickly threw my bag on my old bed and went back downstairs.

"So..?" I stood behind the couch leaning on the back of it. My father looked up at me, still nervous. "What you want to talk about?" I smirked.

"Sophia, I, uh…" He rubbed his face and then just spit it out. "Carla is living with me now. I asked her a couple of months back and she just moved in a few weeks ago. I was going to tell –"

"That's great dad," I smiled and walked over to wrap him up in a hug. "I'm happy for you."

"Really?"

"Absolutely!"

Carla entered the room with a tray of snacks and drinks. Once she set the tray down I walked over and hugged her. Pulling back I asked her

"So, think you can get him to marry you too?" I winked at her and she blushed.

"Rick, I told you she wouldn't be mad at you."

The day went really great. We ended up with a houseful of guests. Carla's nieces and nephews; sister and brother-in-law; as well as an older woman everyone thought of as a grandmother all gathered at my father's house for dinner. It was a great time listening to stories of my father when he was a young man in Tacoma. It had been a long time since my father's house had felt so full and warm.

For a quick moment my mind wandered to my mother and my last Thanksgiving with her. It had only been the three of us and we had eaten around her bed in the living room. She didn't eat much, but she smiled most of that day.

"Soph?" My father's voice pulled me from my memories.

"Yeah, I gave him a small smile.

He wrapped one arm around my shoulders. "I miss her too." I let one tear escape at his whispered words.

"Am I that obvious?" While wiping away the lone tear, he squeezed me tighter.

"I just know how to read that face."

I placed a quick kiss on his cheek.

It was ridiculously early the next morning when my cell phone pulled me from my much needed rest. Thanksgiving had gone on into the late hours of the night and I dreamt of my mother.

"Hello?" I croaked.

"Sophia its Ella, I'm so sorry to call you, but Larissa went into labor this morning and we are all at the hospital. Mrs. Bedford asked me to call you and to see if you could come back earlier today." I groaned. "I'm so sorry Sophia."

"No, no, it's fine. I'll leave soon. Give me about two hours, okay? I'll call you if I run even later behind."

"Okay." Amber hung up and I took my zombie like ass to the shower.

After saying quick goodbyes to Carla and my dad, I jumped into my truck and headed back to Seattle. Once I was in the city limits I called Amber to find out exactly where I should go. She gave me the directions, where to park and what floor to come to.

Victoria came skipping down the hallway and jumped into my arms.

"Sophia!"

"Hey you!" I squeezed her. "I hear you are getting another cousin." I smiled at her as she nodded excitedly. I felt a tug on my jeans and looked down into the sweet round face of Ryan. Ryan had Larissa's blonde hair, but had Max's round face and hazel eyes. "Hey there little man." I ruffled his curly blonde locks.

"Up too," He held out his arms out to me.

I laughed, moved Victoria to my left hip and scooped Ryan up onto my right hip. Both of them yawned at the same time.

"Hey Sophia, you got your hands full." Amber appeared out of a room with a large smile.

"Just a little." I smiled. "So, I'm gonna take Victoria back to the house so she can take a nap, you want me to take Ryan?"

"Oh, you don't have to do that. I'm going to take him home right after the baby gets here. Larissa and Max want him here," she ran her hand through his hair, "Though it seems his nap has already started." She giggled and I tilted my head to see Ryan fast asleep.

I bit my lip so I didn't laugh and wake him.

"Here, I'll take him." As Amber stepped forward I felt the all too familiar tension fill the hallway and I could feel the gaze he seemed to always hold on me. Amber took Ryan into her arms, holding him against her chest. He never woke.

"Okay, well keep me posted and if you need anything give me a call okay?" She nodded and smiled, not wanting to wake Ryan. I turned and saw Dr. Bishop standing at the nurse's station in his scrubs and white coat. His eyes felt like they were going to burn a whole through my body. I shook off the weird warming feeling spreading through my body.

"I'm just going to take her back to the house." He nodded without a word and I quickly walked down the hall.

Once I rounded the corner toward the elevators, I could hear Victoria's breathing even out. Taking a quick look, she was asleep. I buckled her into my truck and headed to the house. Wouldn't he freak out if he knew she was in my old truck?

I got Victoria home and into bed. She napped for about three hours and woke up very hungry. I made some sandwiches. As we finished eating I got a text from Amber telling me that Maxwell John Bishop had been born. After eating I told her to get bundled up because we were going Christmas shopping.

Walking through downtown Seattle can be chaos, but throw in the holiday crowd and the fact it was the day after Thanksgiving, Black Friday, and you have sheer madness. I'm not sure what I had been thinking.

There were Salvation Army Santa's on the corners ringing bells, shop windows in full decoration for the holiday, and streets were strung with garlands and wreaths. One look down to Victoria's face and the awestruck look she had as we walked the streets. It was all I needed to see to know what I had been thinking by doing this.

We visited a couple of shops and I bought a few things for my father, Carla, and Miranda. There was no way I was going to purchase Victoria's gift with her here, besides what do you get the little girl who has everything?

After the holiday things got back to a regular schedule; however, her afternoon lessons had changed. Her horseback riding with Claire was over until next March and since Roberto went back to Spain to visit family until the New Year she didn't have Spanish either.

Given the free time we had and the proximity of Christmas I decided we needed to make Christmas cookies. I had purchased all the ingredients the week before and bought some
Christmas shaped cookie cutters; Christmas tree, stocking, ornament, Santa, and candy cane shapes. So when Friday after school had finally come, I pulled everything out and called Victoria down from her room.