Chapter 3
After I dropped NatashaHarwood off, Lillian waved goodbye as we turned to go our way. Natasha was all smiles as she waved back.
“She’s pretty” Lilliansaid when Natasha’s image escaped from sight.
“What?” I asked, casting a sideward glance to look at my little ten-year-old.
“She’s pretty” She said again apathetically.
“Oh, yes, she is. Well, she is supposed to be… in her line of work” I remarked.
“Do you stare at all models like that?” She asked without looking at me. I turned to look at her abruptly.
“What?” I asked like I did not hear what she had said.
“You said she is supposed to be pretty because of her work. And you spent the whole time staring at her more than you looked at the road. Do you look at every model like that?” She said, still not looking at me.
“Do I look at every model like how?” I almost choked from my own chuckle.
Lillian made a face that seemed like she was looking into nothingness… that face that says that you adore whatever it is you are staring at, at that point. And then she opened her mouth in a mockery of a gawk.
“I did not do that, Lillian” I chortled as I watched my little daughter tease me.
“You were looking at her like this” She demonstrated another much weirder face with her mouth still wide open. And just then, Snowflake barked, almost as if he is in agreement with her.
“I can’t believe you two are ganging up on me right now” I laughed while I drove, making sure that I didn’t keep my face off the road for too long. It was not that much of a long drive from where we dropped Natasha to our home and I can already see home from afar.
“Look… we are here already” I said, pointing at the windscreen at the large expanse of land that led to the house that once belonged to my father before he died… the house I grew up in.
“Grand ma is standing there… look” Lillian pointed at the figure of a woman whom I immediately recognized as my mother.
**
Lillian was having much more of a splendid time in Colorado than she had expected too have. Her grandmother had made sure of that. But she still wanted to go to see a dog race. I agreed to take her and my mother along. As the race progressed and came to a close, the women and Snowflake went out of sight to make Lillian’s hair. Surprisingly, I turned back and found none other than NatashaHarwood behind me. She had also come to see the race and we had met out of pure coincidence.
She was very happy to see me, but I was sure that I was the happier one. After she had said that she did not have enough time or the opportunity to say thank you to me the last time, she asked what she could do to make it up.
[How about you come over to visit Lillian and me for lunch? I am sure she would very much like that] I said. She nodded and said that it was a deal. Imagine my joy.
Immediately after Natasha left, I heard a bark behind me and I immediately recognized it to be Snowflake’s. I turned back and find Lillian and the dog walking up to me.
“Did you have a good time? Where’s grandma?” I asked, looking around for my mother. At her age, she still loved all the fun in the world, especially when it involves her granddaughter. They are almost inseparable when they are together. Although Lillian hated coming to Colorado to spend her holidays, she always felt better when she finally saw her grandmother. She spoils her too much.
“She’s talking with a friend… old people talk” Lillian said. She was standing right in front of me now and I took her hood down to look at her face very well. She was so beautiful; just like her mother. She had very striking resemblance.
“Are you too cold?” I asked.
“No, I’m good. Was that Natasha?” She asked, pointing in the direction that NatashaHarwood had walked towards.
“Uh, yes honey that was Natasha” was all I could say as I saw the look in my daughter’s eyes. I could not read it. And then she smiled.
“She’s pretty” She said before turning the opposite direction and gesturing for Snowflake to follow her.
Christ, my little daughter had grown so much. Or was I the one who is making my fascination with NatashaHarwood too obvious? “Come here, Lillian. What did I tell you about walking about on your own? You are not home you know?” I said, walking briskly to meet up with her. I am very protective when it comes to my little girl. She is my world right now and I cannot allow anything happen to her.
As I walked along the light inches of snow on the ground, I rubbed my gloves together and thoughts of tomorrow fill my head. I could see something in Natasha’s eyes. That same thing was there in Stacy’s eyes when I had the feeling that she was into me. I guess I now had a chance to test things with Natasha.