Page 31 of Rage's Solace
“You feeling better, Prissy?”
I nod, giving him my best smile. “Yesterday kind of sucked but last night and this morning more than made up for it.”
His face lights up at my genuine compliment. “I’m off for the rest of the day, so we can do whatever you like.”
Mia squeals, “Can we see a movie and go out for ice cream?”
Rage smothers back a smile. “We sure can. Did you have a movie in mind?”
“I’m dying to see Evolution of the Clone. It’s sci-fi and it’s really good. Everyone has been talking about it.”
Rage responds thoughtfully. “I’ve heard it’s a freaking thrill a minute. Do you want to call any of your friends? We can pick them up if they want to join the fun.”
Mia jumps for joy, causing Barley to come running over to see what all the excitement is about. Out comes her cellphone and she begins texting away. Rage wraps one arm around me and gently draws me closer. But instead of talking to me, he talks to Meli. “See, I did good, didn’t I?”
It takes my alcohol-addled brain a second to realize he’s subtly asking her if picking Mia and me was a good idea.
Meli gives him an indulgent smile. I don’t even know how to handle all the niceness inherent in this morning. It enables me to finally relax and let my guard down. It doesn’t even occur to me to feel guilty about drinking the wine Meli offered me or nibbling on cheese for breakfast. Apparently, breaking the rules occasionally is considered a virtue in Rage and Meli’s world.
Meli walks around to speak with Rage before he gets into the driver’s seat. Whatever they talk about has him frowning for a few moments and I had an awful thought that she is telling him what I’d just told her. She catches my eye and gives a curt shakeof her head, but when Rage isn’t looking, she mouths, ‘talk to him’ at me.
I start to relax and enjoy the wine buzz, when I giggle like a drunken co-ed Rage smiles indulgently at me. He’s the kind of guy that’s really handsome but a smile makes him twice as attractive.
***
We drive around picking up Siege’s daughter, Louisa, and Rider’s daughter, Amy. The three girls turn into chatterboxes in the back of Rage’s truck, all crammed on those little seats, grazing on things from the food bags. They’re all whispering about how lucky Mia is to have Meli for a grandma. They think that she’s Mia’s grandmother by virtue of the fact that we’re living with Rage and present like a couple. I let that roll around in my head for a moment, especially given what Meli said about Rage’s allergy. I don’t know how that works, can allergies be inherited? I do need to talk to Rage, but I also need to know if he is Mia’s father. I don’t want to spring one possible surprise on him and take it away with the other hand when DNA tests show he isn’t her father. Maybe that’s what I should do first? I need to see if I can get a DNA test done and then I can talk to him and tell him the whole truth.
I’m dragged out from my musings by the sound of giggling, Rage must have said something funny because all three girls are laughing so hard tears are running down their faces, and I feel like my heart is about to burst. My little girl needs this in her life. Feeling warm and happy, I find myself daydreaming about how nice it would be to have this kind of friendship and support in our lives full time and forever. When I glance over at Rage, he’ssneaking glances at me as well. This whole situation feels like what a true family should be.
Once we’re at the movie theater, we take the girls to the concession stand and buy them popcorn, chocolate, and soda pops. They’re excited and having the time of their lives, I guess in these days of streaming TV and twenty-four-hour movie channels, actual cinema trips are becoming a rarity.
When we settle down into our seats, I lean over and give him a quick kiss on the cheek. I’m just so happy to be spending time with him again. I rest my head on his shoulder as the preview starts playing. I can’t believe how everything goes off without a hitch. There is no arguing, bullying, or snarky comments. I realize on the way home that this is how life is supposed to be, just nice people spending relaxing time together.
Mia’s special day turns into a pajama party when the other two ask to stay over. Rage honestly doesn’t seem bothered having his house invaded by a bunch of tweens, nor does he seem to be aware that this is the most amazing social experience my daughter has ever had. When we were with Conrad, life was so restrictive. Once more I wonder if Conrad knew the truth about what his brother had done, I’d thought he was angry and resented being married to me, but maybe some of that resentment was from him having to clear up his brother’s mess and put his own plans on hold. It might explain why he started to go off the rails when Ashton was released from the psychiatric hospital.
The girls play in the yard with Mister Boots and the prospects, as the stern-faced brother looks on, I wonder if he’s been sent to check up on them or monitor that they’re doing their jobs correctly. Does prospecting work that way? Anotherprospect shows up after a couple of hours with a package that he takes inside. When I wander into the house to see what he’s doing I see him and Rage setting up a small white tent in front of the large screen TV in the living room. They throw in a blow-up mattress, bedding, toss cushions, large bowls of snacks and drape fairy lights around the entrance. I literally don’t know how Rage does it, but he makes everything look easy.
By this time, I’m just staring at them as they literally make the kind of magic that children really appreciate. God, I want this man to be Mia’s dad in the worst way possible, but looking at him with her, the thought comes to my mind that even if I was right all along and her father is Ashton, that Rage might still want us as a family.
Rage, still on his knees after finishing the lights jokes, “Prissy girl, don’t look so impressed. I didn’t make this up all on my own. Siege’s old lady does this for the kids. I just borrowed her idea.”
I kneel down in front of him and take his hands in mine. “This is still a really wonderful thing you’re doing, babe. Not many men really get kids, especially girls. You’re doing a bang-up job of making my daughter’s life better than it ever was before.”
His eyebrows fly up. “You have got to be shitting me. This is beginners keeping kids distracted activities.” Reaching into his bag, he pulls out two movies. Shaking one, he says, “Kids in SpaceorKid Spies? Which one do you think they’ll like the best?”
I fling my arms around his neck and give him a kiss, hopefully, one he won’t soon forget. “Thank you for taking us inand for being so nice to us. After everything we’ve been though we really needed you in our life.”
He eases up back onto the floor and rolls us over, putting me on top. Pulling the twist out of my hair and raking his fingers through it, he looks into my eyes and says, “Tell me more about how amazing I am. That shit never gets old,”
Suddenly, there is giggling from three little girls and Mia is holding out a glass jar. “You can’t last an hour without saying a bad word, Rage.”
He sighs, sits up and digs through his pockets to fetch a dollar. He drops it into the jar and asks, “How much do we have so far?”
Mia replies, “Thirty-one dollars. I’ve been counting each and every time you put money in the jar.”
Rage groans, “That much? I must be cursing way more than I thought.”
My daughter replies sagely, “That’s the way bad habits are. Try to think before you curse.”