The next day Sarah had a marvelous time with Leann shopping. She insisted she needed a one piece, even though Leann kept telling her she should show her beautiful figure off.
"You have the perfect body for a bikini." Leann shook her head when Sarah tried on the black one piece.
"I'm a little too full breasted."
"No man would ever tell you that." Leann laughed.
Sarah blushed.
Then they picked up some shorts and tops. Afterwards it was lunchtime and they dined at a beautiful outside café.
"I need to pick up a few things for Mike too, since he's starting a new school and you can help me. You know what most of the kids here wear and he wants to fit in, of course."
"That will be so much fun." Leann cried out as she sipped her cherry limeade and relaxed.
"I'm so glad Mitch has a sister. You make me feel so welcome." Sarah explained.
"And I'm enjoying being with you, Sarah. I so love the relationship you have with Mike. You must come from a loving family." Leann affirmed.
"Well not always. I think I was the rebel of my family. My father didn't understand my not wanting him to pick out my husband, but I saw what it did for my sister. She was so miserable. I wish I could have helped her, but she was always one to do things his way. I refused. I left home and except for Maria, I had little contact with most of my family." Sarah explained.
"You poor thing. Well, I don't blame you at all. When my father was alive, he was very adamant about who I should marry and be seen with. However, I rebelled too, much to his displeasure. Jerry and I are in love and we couldn't be happier."
"Your father didn't approve of him?" Sarah asked.
"No, father died before Jerry and I got together. But like your folks, he wanted me to marry a blue-blooded snob. I refused too. So you see I can sympathize with you. Jerry is moving up in his company, but he's not a stocks and bond kind of guy if you know what I mean. I love it. He loves his work, and he's very good at it. He's an engineer. An electrical engineer. He's very good at what he does, and he's had several promotions with the company. But most of all, he's a happy man, satisfied. And…he loves me and treats me like a Queen." Leann chuckled.
"Then you have something wonderful that many never find."
"Don't you have a boyfriend?"
"No, when my sister died, I was engaged to a man my father picked out. However, when I decided to take Mike and raise him, as my sister would have wanted, he wanted no part of that. So Mike and I moved out of my father's home and I've dated a few, but there is no one I'm serious with."
"Well…I hope you find someone here." Leann said.
"If God wants it to happen, then it will." Sarah smiled.
"Oh…you're religious too. I like that." Leann nodded.
"I'm not Catholic, like my father wanted and insisted on. I am a Christian. Nondenominational."
"Great, so am I. You'll have to check out the church Jerry and I go to."
"I'd love to..." Sarah admitted. "And I'd like very much for Mike to go to church here too."
"Wonderful." Leann smiled. "You and I are going to be great friends."
"When will Mitch and Claire be married, do you know?"
"I'm not sure they have ever set a date. Their schedules are so full all the time with work. Why?"
"Because the closer that time comes, the more I must think of going home."
"You will not. I won't have you going home. There will be no more talk of that. You must stay with us. Mike needs you. Who am I kidding, I need you."
Sarah laughed.
"But I don't want him dependent on me alone, as he will never accept Mitch's life clinging to me." Sarah's face puckered in a frown. "I know that losing his mother was traumatic, and I will give him time to get used to the idea of her being in heaven, but when the time comes. I must leave."
"He'll adjust. Don't you worry? You aren't leaving. I've got so many things planned in my head. You are like the sister I never had. I won't let you leave me in this sea of dominating men." Leann laughed.
Sarah had to smile. How could anyone refuse Leann, she was so charming.
"Can I ask you something personal?" Leann looked at her over their salad.
"Sure…what?"
"Do you find my brother attractive?"
Sarah blushed. "Yes, very why?"
"You are so good for him…"
"Oh…no…it would never work. He has Claire, and then there's my sister. Kind of a reminder, don't you think?"
"So? Claire is practically history and your sister is dead."
"But we do not live in a fairy tale world. He comes from a different world than I do. He is happy with that world."
"I'm not so sure that's true anymore."
"What do you mean?" Sarah asked.
"Since you and Mike have been in his life, it's like a new world for him. And he likes it. He's so happy to have a child. Don't you see that?"
"Oh yes. I can see he already loves Mike." Sarah smiled.
"But you are part of Mike's world. He knows that, accepts that and I really think he likes you."
"We are friends yes." Sarah smiled. "But friends only. I can see where this is going. You do not wish for your brother to marry Claire?"
"No…I don't. I can't stand the woman. I am sure somewhere there's a man who thinks only of making money and business deals. and would make a marvelous husband for her. Just not my brother. She takes away from him."
"Perhaps things will change. Maybe when Mike becomes part of her life, she will change. Her biological clock will begin ticking."
"I honestly don't believe she has a biological clock." Leann sighed heavily.
"Perhaps if I left, she might open up to Mike…"
"No…I won't have that. You are staying, no matter what happens. I am already sure that you and I have a relationship growing between us. We have so much in common. I won't let you even think of going home."
Sarah smiled and shook her head. "What a charisma you have Leann. A person cannot say no to you."
"That's right!" Leann laughed.
That afternoon they went to a store that sold children's clothes, Leann helped Sarah pick out several outfits for Mike, a new swimming trunk, and some flip flops for the pool. It was so much fun having someone to talk to.
~*~
However, on the other hand, Mike and Claire were giving Mitch a headache. He could mentally see them butting heads, over everything they did.
When Mitch indulged Mike in ice cream, Claire declined and stared at them both as they enjoyed a Sunday together.
"Don't you like ice-cream?" Mike asked, amazed at her refusal of such a food.
"I can't afford to like it, it's fattening. It isn't good for you."
Mike shrugged. "It's delicious. But Auntie says I run so much it doesn't matter."
"Then enjoy it!" Claire snapped and shot Mitch an exasperated look.
As they finished, Mike wiped his mouth. "What do you like to do?"
Mitch saw this as encouragement, but again Claire disappointed them both
"Do?"
"Si…would you like to go to the movies, play cards, play outside, have a picnic."
Claire frowned, and took a deep breath. "None of those things. Picnics invite ants. Cards are boring, movies maybe some, playing outside, not much. I love the Opera, skiing, boating, things like that, when I'm on vacation that is."
"Do you have a boat?" Mike asked.
"Of course not, but your father does…"
"Oh…that sounds nice. Do you fish from the boat?"
"I do!" Mitch chimed in with a big smile.
"Fish. Like for food?" Claire asked.
"Si…."
"No. Never. I wouldn't hold one of those slimy things in my hand for anything."
"Swim?" Mike's eyes rounded on her.
"Only in a pool. I don't like fish touching me in the ocean or lakes. Nor do I want to put my feet on rocks and mud."
Mike scrunched up his nose. "Then what do you do on a boat?
"I sunbathe for one thing…"
"What is that?"
"I get a tan." Claire was exasperated with his questions.
"Oh…I have a tan…" Mike said happily showing the skin on his arms to her.
"Yes….I can see that." Claire looked away.
"Do you ski?"
"Some, but I'd rather sit in the lodge by the fire and have a drink." Claire explained. "It's always so cold…"
Mike still didn't understand. "How do you stay so skinny when you do not do anything…?"
"I exercise. I go to the gym four times a week, I run every morning."
"Where do you run to?"
"Where? Nowhere, I just run."
"Do you believe in God and heaven?"
Mike was asking some very interesting questions. Questions he'd never ask Claire himself.
"God, heaven? Well…there is no heaven…." She began.
"Claire…?" Mitch frowned at her.
"Well, he should know the truth. There is no heaven Mike." Claire repeated.
"Of course there is. My Mommy went to heaven." Mike cried suddenly.
"Your mother died, Mike, yes…but…"
"I think we should move on now." Mitch got Claire's attention.
For the life of him, he never knew Claire believed this way. He was as disappointed in her as Mike was now. And to say such a thing to a child.
Mitch looked sympathetic toward Mike. "Women are hard to understand, sometimes."
"What do you and Sarah do when you are home…?" Claire asked raising a brow.
"We play cards, we play games, and we watch Disney movies together. We go to church, and sometimes we swing together. Sometimes she lets me help her cook. We sing songs together."
"Swing?"
"Yes, when I was little she would push me, but now that I am bigger I do not need pushing, so she sits in the swing next to me and we see who can go the highest. I have beaten her a couple of times, but she would get so scared for me…."
"Do you go places together?" Claire asked.
"Of course, she goes to my school to see my work, or sing or play soccer. I like soccer, I do not play well, but I like it. We had just started karate together. We always go to church together."
"And do you ever have friends you play with?" Claire thought she might trip him up on this question.
"Oh Si. Sometimes she lets us bake cookies when they come over. Or reads us a story like about this captain, Ahab with the wooden leg. When we have the money, we go bowling and skating together with my friends. I spend the night with some of them every now and then and as long as I keep my chores done and my grades good in school. But I am only in kindergarten and it is easy so far." Mike explained.
"When you marry my father, will we do these things together?" Mike asked.
Claire glanced at Mike and saw him smile. "Well…I don't know. Perhaps some of them, when we aren't working."
"Working is very important to you?" He asked.
"Yes…of course. Isn't it to your Aunt?"
"Si, but if I am sick, she takes off and stays with me."
"How can she afford to do that?"
"I do not know, but she does."
"Perhaps it's because you do not have a regular babysitter."
"No, just me and her."
"Well, when we marry our home will be different and you will have many things to entertain you, I'm sure." Claire said.
"Oh…then you do not want to play with me?" Mike asked his face seriously considering her.
"There's a time to play…and a time not to." Claire answered.
"Si…I understand." From there it went downhill all the way, Mitch noticed. Mike took her hand, but there was something about the way he did it, that sent a signal to Mitch. Like a new fear had entered his life. This disturbed him. Deep down, he had expected this reaction from both of them. Claire finding no joy in being with Mike and Mike finding no love coming from her.
Until today, he had hoped that Mike would bring out the mother in her, but there was no mother in Claire. She was unmoved by the routine Sarah had kept up with him. Plain and simple she was a businesswoman, and had no desire to be mother of the year.
However, the cincher for Mike was when she said there was no heaven. He could see in Mike's face all sorts of disappointments. And it upset him.
What's more, it upset Mitch. She made no attempt to like anything about their day together. It was as if she was sending him a private message that she merely tolerated the boy because he was kin to him.
He thought about that.
From the moment he had heard he had a son, he'd been thrilled. And ever since, he realized how important it was to have a family of his own. However, it was easy to see, Claire wanted no part of it.