Savannah sat in the third row of the auditorium, a wide grin on her face as Chloe glided across the stage, dancing on her toes to “Für Elise.” She’d been practicing the routine for months, forcing Savannah to watch as she stumbled over her own feet too many times. But tonight she was graceful and poised, and she beamed with pride. Savannah lifted her phone into the air as she recorded the event. The seat next to her was empty. She’d saved it for Edward in the event that he made it on time. She hadn’t spoken with him in days. It was obvious that he was still bitter about their last encounter.
She looked around the auditorium and then took a quick glance at the door. She searched for him and finally spotted him standing at the back of the auditorium, his tall frame leaning against the wall. She always thought that Edward was a handsome man with a wonderfully built physique, light brown skin, a nicely trimmed goatee and a Bahamian accent that drove women wild. His tie was loosened a bit, and he looked exhausted. It appeared that he’d made it there in the knick of time, just moments before Chloe’s performance. Their eyes connected and she smiled, gave a subtle wave. He nodded a hello. She pointed at the empty seat next to her, but he kept his eyes focused on the stage—pretended not to see the gesture. Edward could be stubborn. And so could she.
After the recital, she searched for him again, but he was nowhere in sight. She couldn’t believe that he would leave without saying goodbye to Chloe, or at least letting her know that he’d been there. A light breeze brushed across the palm trees as she and Chloe stepped out into the night air. Edward stood near the door, waiting for them outside. Savannah exhaled. She was glad he was still there. When Chloe spotted him, she rushed over to him.
“Daddy!”
He lifted her into his arms and kissed her cheek. “Hey, sweetheart.”
“Did you see? I didn’t make any mistakes.”
“You did good.”
“Hello, Edward.” Savannah gave him another warm smile.
“Savannah.” He was cold.
They walked toward Savannah’s car as Chloe filled his ears with everything that had gone on over the course of her day.
“Sweetie, why don’t you sit in the car and wait for Mommy? Let me have a word with Daddy,” Savannah said.
“Okay.”
Savannah unlocked the door, got inside, started the engine and turned on the air-conditioning. Chloe hopped into the backseat and snapped the seat belt around her booster seat. Savannah got out and shut the door behind her.
“About the other day—” she began.
“Don’t even worry about it. It’s okay,” he interrupted.
“Edward, I don’t know how to fix this.”
“What are your plans, Savannah? Are you moving to London or aren’t you?”
“I am.”
“Then what is there to fix?”
“I’m not trying to hurt you. I’m just trying to do something for me for a change.”
“Without regard for your daughter...or me,” Edward argued. “Doesn’t it concern you at all that she’ll be so far away from her father? You women are all the same. You want a man to step up to the plate and be a good father, but then you won’t let him.”
“Don’t try to make this about all women or send me on a guilt trip.”
“If you’re feeling guilty, then maybe it’s your own conscience.” He walked toward the rear of her car and beckoned for Chloe to let her window down. “Good night, sweetheart. I’ll see you this weekend.”
“Good night, Daddy.”
He walked past Savannah and headed for his car. “Good night, Savannah. Drive safe.”
She stood there. She’d been dismissed, and she didn’t like it one bit.
* * *
She drove home, her heart beating fast. Edward had a way of getting under her skin. She glanced into the backseat, gave Chloe a warm smile. Didn’t want her daughter to notice that she was uneasy or angry. She bought Chloe a Happy Meal from McDonald’s and headed home.
When she stepped into the house, it felt stuffy from the Florida heat. She walked across the shiny hardwood into the kitchen and opened a window to let in some fresh air. She loved the home. She and Edward had it built to their own specifications. The hardwood had to be raisin-colored, and the ceilings had to be yea high. Edward had been very specific about the dimensions of the backyard and the square footage of his man cave. Almost immediately after the divorce, his man cave had been transformed into her home office. She’d painted the walls a soft pink as a tribute to her heartache.
Chloe rushed upstairs to her room and Savannah pulled the last load of laundry from the dryer.
“Chloe!” Savannah called. “Chloe, come and get your sneakers off the stairs, please.”
The phone rang as she made it halfway upstairs. She headed back downstairs to the kitchen to grab her phone. “Chloe! Your shoes.”
“Mommy, can I have an ice cream, too?” Chloe stood in the doorway of the kitchen.
“Give me a minute,” she said and picked up the telephone receiver. “Hello.”
“Savannah,” the caller whimpered on the other end.
“Nyle?” Savannah dropped the basket of clothes onto the tile floor. “What’s wrong?”
“They put me out.”
“Who?”
“My landlord. Put me right out onto the street. I have nowhere to go.”
“What? Why would they do that?”
“I don’t know, Savannah. Times have been hard. I missed a couple of payments. All I know is that all of my stuff is out on the street, and I have nowhere to go.”
“What about Aunt Frances? Why don’t you go there?”
“We don’t get along very well. I’ve burnt my bridges with her. She won’t let me stay.”
“Maybe I can talk to her.”
“I don’t know, Savannah,” said Nyle. “When are you moving here?”
“I’m working on it.” Savannah sighed. “I need some time to wrap things up here.”
“I’ll be homeless by the time you get here.”
“Maybe you can just come here for a while. I’ll send you a ticket.” Savannah thought that was a perfect idea. It would resolve her problems with Edward, and at the same time give Nyle a place to go.
“I can’t. I have to live in London. It’s my home,” Nyle said. “It’s why your father and I...our marriage didn’t survive. He wanted me to live in the US.”
“He wanted you to live in the US because it’s where he was...where your child was.”
“I know you blame me for leaving you, sweetheart. But he wouldn’t allow me to take you.”
Nyle’s story suddenly sounded eerily familiar. Edward was giving her the same resistance that her father had given Nyle. Only Nyle was