Chapter Eighteen: Conversation Over Books
Tia's POV
A day off for me always consisted of the same thing. I ran errands with Olivia, which included a trip to the general store, the post office, and then back home. She and I would then make dinner together. It may seem mundane to most, but it was a relaxing routine for me. For the next two days, I would probably take her to see Grandfather. The only time she really got to see him outside of holidays was when I took multiple days off.
"Pick out three books, Olivia." I told her, packing her suitcase, "We're leaving for the weekend."
"Okay!" She hopped off the bed and ran out.
"I meant it, Olivia, three!" I called after her, before sighing, "She's going to bring back more than three." I then rearranged the clothing I had packed to fit however many books she decided to bring. It wouldn't be too many more I shouldn't think, it's not like she could carry that many herself. Unless she convinced someone to carry them for her, which is exactly what she did. She came in fifteen minutes later with Vinny behind her, she had five books in her hand and he had ten.
"I said three." I reiterated.
"And I multiplied that by five." She replied setting her books on the bed. A linguist and a scientist have a kid, there was no possible outcome of that kid not being highly intelligent.
"You're not bringing fifteen books." I crossed my arms.
"What about ten?" She asked.
"Pick five." I instructed, "That's the highest I'll go."
"Okay." She agreed, and then proceed to choose five:
The Secret Garden
A Little Princess
Pollyanna
Peter Pan
Anne of Green Gables
I then put the books in the suitcase. As she proceed to sit down, I spoke up, "No, you're putting the rest of those away; you carted them here you can take them back."
"I can't carry all of them."
"Then make more than one trip." I responded, "Now go, we have to get you packed so we can get you ready for bed."
"Alright." She agreed, setting The Wind in the Willows on the bed before picking up a few before heading out the door.
"Why didn't you tell me?" Vinny asked after she left.
"At first, I was angry and then life got in the way." She responded softly.
"You should have told me."
I bit back the urge to tell him that he should have told me about the deal he had made, but it would have been out of spite and anger, which didn't do anything, especially when I know he didn't take the money he was offered for the job. If I could forgive my Grandfather for making the deal in the first place, I could forgive Vinny for agreeing to it before anything really happened between us. Should I have reached out sooner? Yes, but the past can be changed.
"I should have," I nodded, "but I can't change that, so we're left with what's in front of us. You have a daughter, she's five, and now you know she exists. It's up to you what you do with that information from there."
After a few moments, he asked, "Does she know?"
"She knows about you," I replied, "but she doesn't believe it. She thinks the trip to Atlantis is just a story. Isn't that what everyone was told? There was nothing there except for rocks and fish. After I told her, she ended up asking Mole and Grandfather about and they told her the version of events that had been agreed upon to tell the public."