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She smiles at something Nixon says and I can’t deny the jealousy that bubbles up. Not because I think the text is anything but innocent. It’s just a reflex. I want her to only smile at me like that. No other man deserves her smiles.
But I’m trying my best not to be a possessive asshole, so I say nothing.
I would be worried if I wasn’t a hundred percent sure that Harry is crazy about his wife. We have that in common. So, I allow the relationship, figuring if there's one thing I can use to show my love, it's trust.
I trust her. And that's that.
And she trusts me too, which is why she now works less than she used to, spending more time with Mimi. I can't lie. I like the arrangement too. I always saw myself as a modern man, but there's nothing like coming home to my well-rested woman and daughter, happily finishing a puzzle on my carpet.
It's the fucking world.
Now I only really refer passion projects to Ava or jobs where her particular gift of gab is required.
I've noticed a few of the agents also like to go to her for help or tips on how to land clients. Ever since she bagged Nixon, she's become something of a guru in the office.
“Oooh, she’s up again,” I say, and Ava looks up, her eyes glowing with love and excitement directed to our daughter. Mimi walks up to the podium and waits for the cue.
“Spell Eudeamonic,” the judge says.
Mimi pauses and purses her lips, a sure sign that she doesn’t know this word.
I know the outcome before she even starts spelling. “E-W-“
A buzzer goes off. “Oh, no. That’s incorrect. I’m sorry.”
“That’s okay," Mimi responds with a smile, and I clap because my daughter is as gracious a loser as she is a winner.
“So proud of you, sweetie!” I yell from my seat and she smiles cutely.
I can feel Ava rolling her eyes as she says wryly, “I’m sure she knows. You mentioned it like ten times during the last round.”
“Yeah, well, I’ll tell her again.” To be honest, I don't give a damn if Mimi wins or loses. I love seeing her like this, in her element and seeming to genuinely enjoy herself.
A child's happiness is something every parent should prioritize.
Speaking of parents...
Mimi seems to have worked a certain magic on mine. I finally told them of Mimi's existence and they just about freaked out. But not in a bad way. They seemed overly excited and delighted to meet her.
I tentatively agreed to a meeting, warning them to be on their best behavior. But the warning wasn't really necessary because it seemed like, from the second they saw her, they fell in love. They've doted on her, Mom trying to buy her every dress under the sun, and Dad practically begging every week to take her out and teach her how to golf.
And Mom is surprisingly fond of Ava too. They sometimes have secret talks that Ava refuses to tell me about, and once, I walked in on Ava advising my mother on how to deal with an issue with my father. The two women are stark opposites, so I’m not sure how they get along. It’s a little like being in the twilight zone, but I’ve come to accept the strange relationship for what it is.
Mimi walks back to her seat and the other last competitor is called to the stand. Mimi whispers something to her as they pass each other and the girl nods. She goes to the front and is asked to spell the same word.
“E-U-D-A-E-M-O-N-I-C. Eudaemonic,” she spells it perfectly.
“That is correct!”
Ava and I share a knowing look as we clap for the girl. It doesn’t take a genius to figure out what happened, and I'm so proud I could burst.
The spelling bee concludes fairly quickly, with the girl taking first place and Mimi taking second. They hold hands as they skip off the stage with their medals, but Mimi drops the girl's hand when she sees us.
"Daddy!" she cries out and runs to me with arms wide open. I sweep her up, holding her to my chest.
"You did amazing," I give her a resounding kiss on her cheek.
"I was second place," she says.
