White Chocolate Moments by Lori Wick Page B

Arcineh had the old Quinn back. She was fun and bright and looked happy. Jordan, one of the guys along, seemed quite taken with her. And Arcineh could see why. She'd bleached her hair since the last time they'd seen each other, and it looked good. In Arcineh's opinion, her makeup was too dramatic, but somehow it suited her. Quinn even thanked Arcineh as they climbed the steps back to the house.
    "It was fun:' Arcineh said. "I'm glad you came:'
    "Jordan is sure cute:'
    "Yes, and he couldn't take his eyes off you:'
    "Does he have a girlfriend?"
    "No. Did he ask for your number?"
    "He started to and then remembered that I would be here:' "Did he invite you for the day after Christmas?"
    "He did:"
    The girls were at the door now, but Quinn stopped Arcineh with a hand to her sleeve.
    "Are you all right with that?"
    "Sure," Arcineh said, wanting to add that Quinn would have to remember what she expected, but she left that alone.
    The two slipped inside and found everyone in the family room. They joined them and talked about their evening. Arcineh didn't miss
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    the fact that her grandfather looked extremely pleased. She was glad for him but still wished there was a way to make him understand.
    "What time today?" Sam asked of Arcineh concerning her dance performance.
    "Two o'clock at the studio, and then we'll go to the community center"
    "All right. Make sure Geneva doesn't schedule anything big for you next week. I want you to go with me to Paris:'
    "Why?" Arcineh asked, her voice telling him she thought she was in trouble again.
    "It's almost April, and I've not seen much of you since Christmas. I want you to go:'
    "You could stay home more she muttered, and got the look. Arcineh lowered her eyes, knowing she'd been out of line.
    "Plan on the trip:' Sam was done being kind. "I thought you'd appreciate a bit of notice, but evidently not:'
    "Why am I going exactly? More languages?"
    "I hadn't thought of that:' Sam said, hiding his hurt that she didn't want to go. "But it's a fine idea. I'll make the arrangements:'
    Arcineh didn't reply. She was just rebellious enough not to admit that she'd enjoyed learning Italian and was still working on it in her mind. She didn't think leaving next week would be that much of an issue, but something inside of her didn't feel like going.
    Sam didn't check with her again. Her performance went well that afternoon, but she felt a bit off-step and was glad she was in the back row.
    And then on Tuesday, just as he'd said they would, they flew to Paris. Arcineh sat in a hotel room for three days with a French teacher who was nowhere near as congenial as Sarafina had been,
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    but she did learn some French and found she liked it almost as much as Italian.
    Sam was even busier than he had been in Rome, but he made up for it at the end of their trip by allowing Arcineh to shop. She did her level best to buy everything Paris had to offer, and Sam teased her all the way home about not taking her again, saying he just couldn't afford it.
    Arcineh took the teasing in stride and enjoyed the attention when she arrived back at school and every girl she knew had something to say about her new clothes. When Sam got home that evening, Arcineh actually remembered to thank him for the trip and the shopping.
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    Chapter Eight
    "Are you busy?" Arcineh asked of Sam on Mother's Day 1995. "No, why?"
    "Can we go to the cemetery?"
    Not in the three years since Isabella's death had Arcineh requested such a thing. The years had somehow flown by. Arcineh was halfway to her fifteenth birthday, and Sam could not have said where the time had gone. For a moment he looked into eyes that reminded him so much of his son that he ached to see them.
    "Grandpa?" Arcineh questioned softly, not calling him Sam this time.
    "Yes," he said simply, drawing his mind back. "Right now?"
    "I just need to grab a jacket:' Arcineh began to turn away and then stopped. "And can we make a stop on the way home?"
    "Where?"
    "I want to get flowers for