Chapter 15: Heartfelt Bonds
I was unsure of what to think of her message. Should I reply at all; or wait it out until we finally met face to face and our anxiety levels would be at their worst? My shaky hands reached for the temples of my head and rubbed rhythmically. As I opened my eyes once more, hoping to remember something interesting to counter the message with, a picture on a magazine caught my sight. I slid off the numerous other tabloids to reveal something I had not expected.
“What the…” I muttered in shock.
The cover of the tabloid read in bold, red letters: “Steamy New Relationship builds with Actor Colin Farrell and Super Model Stephanie Luminous!” accompanied by a clear cut picture of Stephanie holding hands with another man down a beach.
I pulled out my phone and replied back: “Yeah, we do.” and furiously closed it. How could she have been cheating on me? Then again, Tabloids really loved to tear people apart and this could’ve just been photo shop work. But the picture did not look at all touched up! I was beginning to give myself a headache and I knew I needed to calm down.
“Alright, it doesn’t matter getting worked up about it here and ruining the fun for everyone else. Let’s get to the apartment, and then worry about Stephanie.” I contemplated.
Three hours passed after my questionable discovery of Stephanie’s infidelity and the pilot announced that we were arriving in just a couple of minutes. We were to remain seated and buckled until told we were told to do otherwise. I noticed Lea was in a deep sleep while Amber resumed her anxious and fidgety body language. Peeking out of my window, I saw just how close we were to touching the pavement and no sooner did I think this; a brief rattle came about the plane, along with a small yelp from Amber’s part. I looked back to see if everything was still alright.
“Sorry.” She said, chuckling.
I smiled reassuringly and turned back around. The rattling had subsided as a female attendant walked passed us and began to open the same door we had come in from. After a brief turning of the wheel on the door, it slowly hissed open, revealing the still-bright day. Amber was the first up as she rushed out of the airplane with little to no pigment left on her skin. Toby and I carried the bags as each attendant pulled them from a compartment underneath the floor. Lea held my one free hand as we both walked out of the plane. I quickly scanned my surrounding and found Amber already entering the limousine I hired exclusively for today. Toby laughed once more as he ran to get seated and I waved Mr. Lachio goodbye as both Lea and I also made our way to our next destination.
The driver opened the trunk allowing me and Toby to release the small load from our arms. We all hurriedly packed into the car and moved around the seats until we all sat comfortably next to one another.
The ride lasted a mere fifteen minutes until we began to slow down on the entrance of a very tall building decorated with numerous white pillars and a giant glass doorway.
“This place is beautiful!” Amber exclaimed. Even Lea was captivated by the skyscraper’s impressive height and style.
The group exited the limousine with a gleam in their eyes. I myself was just as excited to finally be able to relax from all the problems back in California, but my thoughts were cut short when the dilemma with Stephanie arose once more from my mind. I sighed desperately as we all made our way up the long set of marble stairs. The bellboys caught up with us, our bags in their hands as we continued into a gold and silver elevator. I remembered that our room was on the 45th floor as we began to slowly rise. Amber must’ve taken notice of my distinct change in mood.
“Is something wrong?” She asked, fear and worry enshrouding her eyes.
I put on my best fake smile and simply replied with an “I’m alright.”
She smiled back and resumed counting the floors as we passed them by.
Finally after an excruciating minute of waiting, we all filed out of the cramped elevator. My fingers fiddled with the edge of the security card needed to open the Condo’s entrance. I slid the card inside, waited a moment for access, and turned the knob. The bellboys dropped our bags on the ground and closed the door on their way out.
“Pick any room you guys want.” I said calmly.
I looked down at Lea, who was still close by my side. My arms must’ve already gotten used to her weight as it was becoming easier to lift her up. I led her to a hallway just outside the living room, which connected to another room covered by a white door.
“This one’s yours, little girl.” I softly spoke as I turned the knob.
All the necessary arrangements had been made; another changing table had been brought in, along with a diaper pale, toys of almost any variety, and a generous supply of diapers had already been stocked up just for her.
She slowly moved her head from one corner of the room to the other, but suddenly stopped as she took notice of the mass of stuffed animals to her right. I allowed her some play time as I went back to check on Amber and Toby, who were already becoming well-adapted to their new rooms.
“This is… amazing Marshall… I-it’s-I mean-jus-”
“It’s no problem.” I interrupted the babbling brunette. “Please, for me… Don’t worry about anything from now on. Just… relax.” I added looking straight into her eyes. I felt my own words deem false since I, ironically enough, was probably stressing out more than anyone there.
The young woman’s reply was just a placid stare and just as I was about to open my mouth once more, she leaned in and gave me a peck on the cheek.
“Thank you.” She added softly.
Amber’s shoulders swayed lightly as I heard a multitude of rushing footsteps approach the two of us. I turned around to see Toby in the act of tackling me to the ground.
“This place is insane Marsh!” He hollered as I began to suffocate under his immense size.
“Glad you like it Toby…” I gasped. With one arm, he lifted himself off the floor and with the other he flung me back to my feet. I slowly turned my neck and to Amber’s obvious shock, produced multiple cracking sounds.
“Yeah, dying is not the way I pictured relaxing in New York, Toby…” I joked.
He chuckled apologetically and resumed straightening out his new room.
I decided to see just what little Lea was now doing, so both Amber and I walked back to check up on her. We both turned the short hall and opened the door to see Lea drawing on numerous papers scattered all around the room. A happy squeal erupted from her as she took notice of my and Amber’s faces peaking out of the entrance.
“Wow, looks like you’re out of paper.” Amber noted. “I’ll try to sort this mess out.”
I walked up to the smiling toddler and picked her up. Almost immediately, the odor of her clearly-used diaper permeated my nostrils. I chuckled at Lea’s seeming obliviousness toward her own smell.
“And I’ll clean this one up.” I said as the child’s back was gently placed on the changing table. Something that was really sparking my curiosity was Lea’s constant growth in vocabulary. The first day we ever met, the most noise she produced was maybe a giggle or two. Now, her laughter was distinct among others and from time to time, she would babble to me or the toys in her possession. Her talking abilities were still low for someone her age, but just knowing that she was improving day by day, and relinquishing her former title of being “mute” made me smile. I tickled her wildly, laughing along with every one of little Lea’s squeals.
The changing process lasted much longer and messier than I had hoped. As I finally threw away the last used wipe, I pulled out a baby diaper and unfolded it. Lea giggled as the soft material made contact with her skin. The powder container flickered in my mind just as I was about to tape the sides, so I grabbed it from its spot and briefly applied the necessary amount to her diaper area. With each tape falling comfortably on the Sesame cover, I lifted her back in to my arms and rocked her gently.
” ‘Night, sleepyhead.” I whispered to Lea as she began to nod off. I felt Amber tap me on the shoulder as I continued rocking.
“I think you should give her the bottle now Marshall.” She said. Her precise timing on when the medicine should be given impressed me, but I decided not to say anything. I nodded and she headed back to the kitchen to prepare it once more. I sat myself on Lea’s pink bed as Amber came back around and handed me the warm bottle. After a short fussing, the little girl obliged and commenced suckling on the nipple rhythmically. With the bottle now empty, I handed it back to Amber and continued rocking Lea back and forth. I knew the sensation of being rocked truly relaxed her since every so often she would inch her body closer to me.
The room was silent as I slowly stood back up and lifted her off of me to tuck her into her own bed; but just as her padded bottom touched the sheets, a timid crying arose from the child. The crying evolved into full-blown wailing as my arms lowered her even more. I was puzzled at the possibility that she may have become too attached to me. To end her cries, I immediately lifted her back up. The pacifier was still in the diaper bag and I was unsure as to how to take the item out while still supporting Lea with both of my arms. Fortunately, Amber came running back once she heard the crying and asked if anything was wrong.
“Uh, could you pull out Lea’s pacifier for me? It’s in her bag.” I whispered with a nod toward the diaper bag.
Amber quickly unzipped the pocket and plucked the paci into the little girl’s mouth. The stress on Lea’s faced consequentially from my last actions quickly dissipated as she continued suckling on the silicone nipple. I gently patted her hair, subconsciously apologizing for giving the child such a fright and making her think I was going to leave her. After a couple of minutes, she was back to sleeping peacefully.
“I don’t see a care in the world on her face.” I told Amber, who was standing along side with me.
“She’s happy now.”
Another silence came over the room.
“Thanks for coming when you came.” I replied, turning to her.
“It’s no problem.” She said, smiling warmly.
The incident that had just occurred replayed in my head as I wondered how to put it out in words. “Has Lea ever… become too attached to you?” I asked hesitantly.
“What do you mean?” Amber intrigued quizzically.
“Well, that was kind of the reason why she got so upset. I noticed she was dozing off so I decided to put her in her bed, but all of a sudden she started crying more and more when I tried to let go of her. And… well that’s when you came in.” I explained nervously.
Amber thought for a moment before finally opening her mouth.
“Huh, yeah she’s never done that to me. Even as an infant, she would rarely cry for anything other than her bottle.” She said, scratching her head.
Amber bit her thumb as she slowly took a number of steps around me and my little girl.
“My mom always used to say that boys would become attached to their mothers at a young age while girls would become really connected with their fathers. That happened a lot in my family; and I can bet this is happening here as well.” She explained, nodding.
“The workers in the orphanage were hardly, if at all, men. So, Lea never really had a father-like influence in her life.” She released a small smile as Lea squirmed quietly in my arms.
“Looks like you’re filling in those shoes now, Marshall.” Amber added. “Don’t worry about it though; everyone craves a little attention once in a while.” She smiled once more. “You’re a great father, Marshall Soel; don’t forget it.”
“I really appreciate that.” I uttered quietly.
Amber made her way out of the room and closed the door behind her. I continued rocking my child back and forth. She was dreaming; I could tell. Her eyes were moving rapidly behind her eyelids and every so often, she would start suckling on her pacifier again. She was so beautiful. I brushed away an individual curl of hair from her face and continued rocking. After a certain amount of time, I myself was beginning to feel sleepy. I snapped my eyes back open and lifted myself off of Lea’s bed. I shook my head as another growing pain began to emerge. Stephanie’s possible betrayal in our relationship was already taking a toll on my brain.
“What the hell’s going on…” I thought to myself.
I knew whatever was happening between me and Stephanie had to be resolved soon because there was no way I was going to stress myself over this for so long. Today was going to be solely for Lea, but tomorrow I would have to confront and resolve this problem once and for all.