Victorious (13 page)

“We’re a wreck,” she says.
 

“You’re not going to be my teacher anymore?” Logan asks mournfully. “They said you were coming back.”

I squeeze Nat’s shoulder as I help her out of her coat.
 

“Logan, honey,” Aileen says, “let Natalie take her coat off before you start asking questions.”

Natalie sits on the love seat and pats the cushion next to her, inviting Logan to join her. “So here’s the deal… You know that my husband, Flynn, is famous.”

“He’s in movies that Mom says I’m not old enough to see.”

“That’s right.”

“So he’s like SpongeBob, only for adults, right?”

Natalie fights a losing battle with laughter. “Exactly,” she says, glancing at me, the laughter making her eyes dance with joy. “Because I’m married to him now, there’s a lot of interest in both of us that would be a huge distraction for all my students.”

“What’s a distriction?”

“A
distraction
is when things happen that take our attention off our schoolwork.”

“Like video games?”

“That’s a great example.”

Watching her patience with the little boy, I can’t wait to see her with our kids. She’s going to be an amazing mother.
 

“I’m afraid of coming back and then having to leave again when the distractions prove to be too much. I’d never want to put you guys through that, so I’ve decided not to come back, as much as I’d love to. But, I’m going to give you all my address so we can write to each other, and I’ll Skype with you and your mom and Maddie. Okay?”

“I guess,” he says, though he’s clearly crushed. Who could blame him? I felt the same way when Natalie left me, and that was only for a day.

“I’m so sorry about all this, buddy.”

“I know.”

“Hey, Logan,” I say, anxious to end this conversation for Nat’s sake, “do you and Maddie want to go play in the snow?”

His eyes light up as his sister lets out a squeal. “Can we, Mom?”

“You don’t want to do that,” Aileen says.

“If I didn’t, I wouldn’t have asked. I’d love to take them to the park, if it’s all right with you.”

“Sure, they’d love that. They’ve been asking to go out all morning, and I just…” Her eyes fill. “I couldn’t.”

“No problem. I’ve gotcha covered. Why don’t you come, too, Nat, and we’ll let Aileen get some sleep?”

“I don’t have boots.”

“What size are you?” Aileen asks.

“Seven.”

“I’m a seven and a half. Use mine.”

“Okay, then, I’m in!”

While I help get the kids bundled up, Natalie walks Aileen to her bedroom and tucks her in for a nap. She comes out of Aileen’s room with tears in her eyes and the boots in hand. “Hard to see her this way,” she whispers.

“I know.” I kiss her forehead and let her pass me in the hallway. The kids’ rooms are cluttered with toys, the beds are unmade, and dirty clothes are on the floor. While the kids pull on their snow pants, I withdraw my phone from my pocket and fire off a text to Addie.
 

We’re at Aileen’s, and she needs some help. Can you please check into an agency here that does nurses/nannies/housekeepers? Get one of each if you would.

Got it. On it.

You truly are the best.

I know!
 

I love her cheeky reply, and I love her, too. I’d be lost without her. Nothing I ever ask her to do is too much for her, and she’s endlessly efficient and organized. I make it well worth her time and effort, but the truth is I’d pay her twice as much to keep her.

I stash my phone and go to help Natalie with the kids. On the way out the door, Logan produces a plastic sled from the front closet. We clomp down the stairs in a noisy group, Natalie and I with our ski masks covering our faces. The kids think they’re hilarious, which I suppose is better than scary.

On the sidewalk, I load the kids onto the sled and pull them behind me down the snow-covered sidewalk, extending my free arm to my wife. We’ve left Fluff sleeping in a ball on Aileen’s sofa. At the park, we spend more than an hour making a snowman, having a snowball fight and making snow angels. When the kids begin showing signs of tiring, we load them back up and set out for home, stopping on the way for pizza and hot chocolate.

The startled restaurant staff immediately recognize us, but I ask them not to make a thing of it in front of the kids. Thankfully, they respect my wishes. I’ll ask Addie to send them a signed photo to show my appreciation.
 

We return to the apartment with two tired, well-fed kids who had a great time.
 

“Thanks for this,” Natalie says as we follow them up the stairs.

“It was fun.” And it was. Life’s simple pleasures tend to get lost in the sea of celebrity madness that surrounds me. I like that Natalie and her friends have helped to remind me of what’s really important.

“Guys,” I say to the kids, who are preparing to barge into the apartment. “Your mom is probably sleeping, so let’s be really quiet, okay?”

“Okay, Mr. Flynn,” Maddie says solemnly.
 

We help them out of their snow clothes and boots outside the door. “One other thing I want you to do for me.”

“What?” Logan asks.

“I want you to go in your rooms and pick up all your toys and put them away. Then you need to make your beds and gather up your dirty clothes. Can you do that?”

“If we hafta,” Logan says glumly.

“Let’s see who can get their rooms picked up the fastest.” The contest sparks some interest in them, and they scurry into their rooms.

“You’re going to be an awesome father,” Natalie says.

“Funny, I was thinking the same about you earlier.” I kiss her nose. “An awesome mom.”

“That’s going to be fun,” she says, smiling at me.

“I can’t wait.”

“Really?”

“To see you round with our baby?” The thought of it does weird things to my heart and stomach. “I. Can’t. Wait.”

She wraps her arm around my neck and kisses me. “Love you,” she whispers.

“Love you, too.”

“I’m going to clean up the kitchen.”

“I’ll check on the kids and then take on the living room.”

“This is way,
way
above and beyond the call of husbandly duty.”

I lean in close so my lips are touching her ear. “You can reward me later.”

I leave her with that thought and go to pick up the toys, pillows, blankets and newspapers that are strewn about Aileen’s living room.

While I tend to the mountain of dirty dishes in Aileen’s sink, I think about how great Flynn was with Logan and Maddie. From pulling them on a sled to supervising the building of a snowman, to engaging in a snowball fight, he was incredible with them, and they loved every minute of the attention he showered them with.

I’m not sure what the deal is with their dad, just that he’s not in the picture.

When I finish in the kitchen, I go to find Flynn, who’s stretched out on the floor of Logan’s room with both kids pinning him down.

“Natalie, help! I’ve been taken hostage!”

The kids giggle madly as he tries to tickle his way out of the bind they have him in.
 

Aileen joins me at the doorway, smiling at the sound of her children’s laughter. “That’s a very nice thing to hear.”

“We had the best time,” I tell her.

“Apparently, they did, too.” She takes a closer look at Logan’s room. “Did you
clean
his room?”

“Nope, he did.”

“How did you pull off that particular miracle?”

“Flynn gets all the credit. He made it a brother-sister race to see who could clean their rooms the fastest.”

“Wow. He’s good.”

“I think so, too. Are you feeling better?”

“So much better. I can’t thank you enough for this today.”

“Believe me when I say it was our pleasure. We had a blast playing in the snow with the kids.”

“Logan, go easy,” Aileen says. “God forbid we damage that priceless face.”

“That’s right,” Flynn says. “It’s insured for millions.”

I roll my eyes and share a laugh with Aileen. As we prepare to head out a short time later, Flynn lets her know help is on the way.

“You’ve already done more than enough,” she says in protest, referring to the half-million dollars he donated to the fundraiser for their family at school.

He puts his hands on her shoulders and kisses her forehead. “Let us help. There’s no need for you to try to do this alone. You have friends who care, and if we lived here full time, we could come by every day and check on you guys. But since we don’t, this is the next best thing, okay?”

“Are you ever able to say no to him?” she asks me.

“Rarely,” I reply with a saucy wink that makes them both laugh.

“Thank you,” she says, gesturing to the spotless apartment and the two kids on the sofa, quietly watching a movie. “I’ll never forget this, and neither will they.”

“We had a great time.” I hug her, and the feel of her sharp bones under my hands unsettles me as I lean down to gather up Fluff. “Call you tomorrow, okay?”

“I’ll be here.”

“Bye, guys,” I say to the kids.

“What do you say to Flynn and Natalie?”

“Thank you!”

“You’re welcome. We’ll see you soon.”

Flynn has summoned an Uber car that is waiting for us outside Aileen’s building. He holds the door for me and follows me inside.

After a long period of silence, I reach for his hand. “I’m worried about her.”

“Me, too.”

“Her bones… She’s…”

“I know, sweetheart. I felt them, too. My dad has a friend who’s a big-time surgeon here. I’m going to ask him to get a name for us. I want the top breast cancer doctor in the city for her.”

I lean my head on his shoulder. “I’m scared for her. For all of them.”

“We’ll do everything we can for them.”

“Thank you for making my friends your friends.”

“Aileen and the kids are easy to like. I’ve enjoyed getting to know them.”

Flynn asks the driver to take us into the garage to avoid the photographers still staked out in front of the building. The driver makes all the usual noise about the Bugatti, but while he’s friendly, Flynn doesn’t offer photos.
 

In the elevator, he says, “I feel like steak tonight. I need some protein to build up my strength.” He waggles his brows, reminding me of our plans for the evening. As if I could forget. All afternoon with the kids, I’ve been thinking about how this night might unfold.
 

But after seeing Aileen in such poor condition, I’m not sure if I can get my head straight to concentrate on him.

“Nat?”

“Hmm?”

“You okay?”

“Sure.” I force a smile for his benefit, but he’s not buying it.

“Tell me what’s wrong.”

The elevator opens into the foyer, and he takes my coat, hanging it next to his in the closet.

“Nothing’s wrong. I’m just worried about Aileen.”

Flynn withdraws his phone from his pocket and places a call. “Hey, Dad, what’s up?” He glances at me. “We’re good. In New York for a couple of days but heading back your way tomorrow. You can tell Mom to go forth with her party planning. We have to go to London for the BAFTAs next weekend, so the weekend after that?” He looks to me for confirmation.

We’re going to London next weekend? I want to squeal with excitement. I’ve always wanted to go there.

“Nat? Is that okay?”

I nod in agreement. Stella is excited to throw a party to celebrate our wedding, and since I already adore my new mother-in-law, whatever she wants is fine with me. This will be their big show, as I don’t have many people to invite.

“So listen, Natalie has a friend here in New York who has breast cancer. She doesn’t seem to be doing so well, and I wondered if you would ask your friend Jared about a recommendation of someone who could see her. I want the top doctor in the city.”