AllFreeNovel
Share Us
Then immediately felt torn again for trying to impress them.
“Just for the record, neither did I. I’ll see you when you get here, park by the fountain. If you still can’t find your way, call me back and I’ll jump on my bike and come find you,” Colin disconnected the call, texted her the code as a reminder before he went back towards the lounge to check on Olivia, who was still sleeping. Noticing she’d moved at some point, her blanket slipping slightly off her torso. He pulled it back on her, careful not to disturb her.
He ran his fingers down her soft cheek, watching her eyelids flutter slightly, wondering what she could be dreaming about. If she found peace and solace inside her head when she was unconscious. He hoped so.
Colin grabbed Olivia's pills and a bottle of water from the kitchen counter, quietly placing them on the table in front of her so they could be handy when she woke up. He walked to the glass double front doors and opened them. Walking out to the stairs and seeing the sun setting into brilliant shades of blues, pinks, and lavenders, throwing the property’s lights on. Illuminating all the various landscaping, the fountain, and the home magnificently in the dusky atmosphere of the evening.
A minute later, he heard Vanessa's car pull up. The engine was knocking, immediately causing his mood to turn sour. It seemed that when Olivia wouldn’t be irritating him, her sister would be stepping in to substitute in some way, shape, or form.
God, that irks, Colin thought. He just wanted everyone to behave. And not drive a car that sounded like it was going to blow up.
He walked down the stairs to meet her, as she exited her dark blue vehicle, raising his hand in hello. She was so busy staring at the house that she couldn’t even speak at first.
“H-hey Colin. This is a nice…” she said, her head craning back to take in the architecture. She snapped out of it and bent down, grabbing Alison from the car and putting her briefly on the ground so she could reach back in to grab their overnight bag.
“Thank you,” he chuckled, amused. His irritated mood dissipated quickly with the compliment. He didn’t bother to correct the fact she didn’t finish her sentence.
He smiled wider as he watched Allison's slight form toddle back a few steps, her own head craning this way and that way to look all around her.
She was holding a worn pink bunny in her hand, one of the floppy ears dragging on the ground, looking like it’s seen much better days. She suddenly spotted him in her perusal and rushed towards him, saying “up, up” while making little grabby hands and grunts. He bent down and picked her up easily, placing her in one arm and reaching out to grab the bag from Vanessa.
The little girl smiled into his face before speaking.
“Is this your castle?” she whispered excitedly, grinning at him. She placed her hands on his cheeks and stared into his eyes with her green almond ones. His heart tugged at how dull her eyes looked.
Poor little nina shouldn’t be having to go through this at all, he thought, planning to take time to say extra hail Mary’s for her throughout the day and at night with his mother’s rosary.
“Yes,” he whispered back. “Your aunt’s inside. Would you like to go see her now?” grinning at her just as stupidly. He turned with her in his arm and jerked his head to Vanessa, who was busy feeling the top of her hood. He rolled his eyes, not sure what she thought that feeling the top of her hood was going to do to fix her predicament.
"You have to lift up the hood and look inside of it silly," he shook his head, already resigned to fixing it. She glanced up and walked to him with a slightly embarrassed look on her face. She bumped her shoulder against him lightly in jest, and he bumped her back, causing her to grin at him.
“You know I’m going to look this place up on Zillow as soon as we get settled in, right?” Vanessa teased, not even trying to hide being nosy and making Colin laugh the hardest he’s laughed in weeks. “What’s the taxes on this thing?”
“Vanessa, I’d think something was wrong with you if you didn’t. You nosy woman,” he ribbed back, as he escorted them into the home and dropped the bag on the floor.
Allison spun in a circle so hard trying to look at everything that she tripped on her bunny’s ear and slipped, falling onto her behind. She got up rather quickly and suddenly called, “Tee-Tee! Where are you?” her adorable strawberry blond curls whipped around as she turned.
Colin winced at her high-pitched voice. He ushered them around the foyer table with the roses and into the lounge across the way from the massive kitchen. On the couch, Olivia was stirring, finally waking up.
“Ally! Hi baby! I missed you!” Olivia crooned, sounding groggy.
With his help she gingerly pushed herself up to an incline as Allison first ran towards her, then stopped, tiptoeing as she got closer to her aunt. She finally made it to her, and her green eyes stared into Olivia’s as she leaned in, careful not to touch Olivia’s arm. The little girl wrung her fingers in front of her small body, unsure of herself.
“Auntie Ollie, are you ok? Does your arm hurt a lot?” she whispered in her little voice, trying to snuggle but careful not to touch Olivia’s arm.
Vanessa had settled onto the opposite couch after leaning in to give Olivia a kiss on her forehead. Colin motioned for her to grab the matching Hermes blanket for herself as he turned the television onto the app store. The mason made chunky stone fireplace was gently roaring, and he made sure the iron gate to it was nice and secure. Safety was always his top priority.
He paused, looking at Olivia contemplatively for a second before reaching onto the couch behind him and grabbing a thick throw pillow. He walked to her and leaned her forward slightly, placing the pillow behind her back and helping her to settle more comfortably. She smiled her thanks at him, not able to talk as Allison had one hand around her jaw another around her neck and was shoving her face into her neck.
He chuckled in amusement. “Please help yourself to something to drink,” he said to Vanessa, resuming flicking through the apps.
Olivia helped Allison settle against her in a way that was more comfortable before replying to her.
“Only a little sweet pea. It’s better because you’re here now,” she smiled, leaning down to give her cheek a kiss as she giggled at her niece. Colin’s heart swelled just a little watching them.
“So, how’d it go? Okay?” Vanessa asked, pulling out her phone and snapping a quick picture. His phone dinged a second later. She’d sent him the picture of Olivia and Allison. Smiling his thanks, he quickly saved the picture to an album he mischievously titled 'Ollie'.
He resumed scrolling through the apps on the television he never watched unless he had the news on.
