They all laughed causing Finn to look a bit crestfallen.
“I’m not your forever nanny but I am your daddy’s nurse and I’ll be around to help out until your new nanny comes. Maybe we can be friends. How would you like that?”
He nodded, then impulsively grabbed Ella’s hand and tugged on it as he tried to pull her along behind him, “I’m going to show her my room, come on Ella, follow me.”
“Why don’t we do that later?” Faye said.
“Nooo! Please, I want to show her something,” he said.
“Okay but make it quick.”
He flashed his toothless grin that melted everyone’s heart every-single-time.
Finn chose the spiral staircase over the elevator, and they practically jogged to the second floor. They made their way to the end of the corridor, turned right and then entered a room that could best be described as every kid’s fantasy.
King sized bed with a colorful canopy and sheer multicolored panels draped around the perimeter, making it seem like a secret meeting place…sparking one’s imagination. A playhouse the size of most children’s bedrooms sat in the far west corner, next to a ten-foot bay window complete with the requisite cushioned window seat.
If she didn’t know better, she would have sworn she had stepped into a toy store; there were shelves and toy boxes filled to the brim. An oil portrait of a beautiful young woman, holding Finn as a toddler, was unquestionably Finn’s mother. Ella couldn’t stop herself from staring.
“That’s my mom,” he said, matter of factly.
“I gathered. She’s very beautiful. She’s the one who looks like a princess,” Ella said.
They both stood side-by-side continuing to study the painting together. “I’m afraid I’m going to forget her,” he said his bottom lip quivering.
“You’ll never forget her because she is always with you. She lives right here,” she said touching his bony chest, “in your heart Finn; you will never lose that.”
“I can’t remember her voice, and grandma and dad won’t let me watch any of the videos we have of her,” he said.
“Maybe it’s too hard for them right now. But when the time is right for them they will. I think your dad knows what’s best.”
“I guess.”
Changing the subject Ella said, “Anything else you want to show me?”
Running toward a display case he said excitedly,“This!”
Ella’s eyes widened at the exhibition of model boats and airplanes. “Wow Finn, that is some collection you have,” she said.
“I love boats and planes. This one is my favorite,” he said opening the glass doors and reaching for a sailboat. He handed it to Ella, who studied the exquisite craftmanship. It was quite beautifully detailed.
“It’s wonderful, Finn,” she said.
“I’m not really allowed to play with them being as they’re so expensive and breakable, but if I’m real careful I can hold them,” he said proudly. “My dad has a big boat. Maybe we can take you sometime when he is all better.”
“I’d love that.” Looking at his collection she spied one and pulled it down from the shelf. “Now this one looks like a fancy yacht. And this one looks like a Viking vessel.”
“Yep. Okay, let’s go,” he said, tearing ahead out of the room only to turn back and say, “Sorry.”
“No need to apologize, you’re excited that your dads’ home I get it,” Ella said, carefully placing the novelties back in the case. “Race you to the stairs!” She and Finn raced to the staircase.
His cheeks were flushed and he crowed, “I won!”
“You rascal, you left me in a cloud of dust.”
She was already half in love with this little person. Why couldn’t he have been an obnoxious brat. It sure would have made things easier on her heart strings.
When they made it back to the den Faye and Kyle were in deep conversation but stopped abruptly when they spied Ella and Finn.