Monday dawned bright and sunny. As I was quickly finding every day in Miami tended to, although Ike and Arthur, eyes twinkling had teased me that I might enjoy hurricane season. Those choices seemed rather extreme, but I chose not to dwell on them. Today was the day. The day that Ben Diamond would meet his daughter in her full power, and then see just how badly he'd judged her. I smiled as Ike and I got ready.
Breakfast was a happy affair, Lauren excited because her room would begin it's renovations while we were gone, and she was coming with Ike and I to pick up the accent pieces and to help us pick out the nursery furniture. She would wait with Ike nearby in the hospital while I met with Ben, close enough for Ike to be able to rush to my side, but far enough to keep him out of Ben's crosshairs when I stoked his irritation to hair-raising degrees.
Dressed and happy, we piled into Ike's convertible and headed out to do a little shopping before I was due at the meeting with Klein. First we went to a department store, since Lauren's room was first on the list to complete, mine and Ike's I had deemed less important for now. I wanted the salesman to have time to search for the items I requested before we got started, so it could come together with more ease. While Ike indulged Lauren's decor additions, my eye caught the jewelry counter and I was drawn toward it with another pressing need.
I smiled as Ike and Lauren debated color schemes from my vantage point, asking the saleslady behind the glass display cases for something I'd thought about when I asked Ike about Molly's jewelry. She showed me several options, and I shot another glance to where Ike was in serious conversation with his daughter about throw pillows. Taking in the slender young woman who was family, I chose the option I found most fitting and agreed to the few additional pieces the woman showed me. Asking her to wrap them up carefully, boxed, gift wrapped and put in a sturdy shopping bag, I smiled as I paid.
"She's a lucky girl," the woman offered, her nod toward where my future stood, comparing two bedding sets. "Her parents clearly spoil her." I returned her smile with a nod.
"She deserves every single thing we give her." I rejoined them and nodded as they showed me what Lauren had picked so far. "That looks lovely." The colors she chose were elegant and understated, and she beamed at me, a very Ike-like dimple peeking at me. "Let's see what else we can find."
I helped her choose a larger jewelry box, even though she told me she didn't have nearly enough to fill it. Ike's eyes met mine and his smile grew at the reminder that he wanted me to go through Molly's things to give to Lauren, adding to her bounty, as it were. "I'm sure you'll collect more, Lo, you're growing up now."
I bit my lip and we finished with plenty of time to get back to the hospital. Once Ike and the helper from the store loaded up the boot of the car, and part of the backseat, we were off. I smiled as I told Ike we might have to make a trip back home to drop things off before we went out for the rest of our shopping trip. His grin grew and I knew I wanted our life to be filled with this easy happiness that we were experiencing.
As he pulled into the hospital lot, the cloud of one last less than enjoyable chore descended over me. My father. A man who should be adding to my joy was a blight on it, and until I had that issue well in hand, the cloud would hover and threaten every ounce of excitement Ike and our family could hope to have.
Ike took Lauren off to the cafeteria, telling me he'd grab me something to drink for when I rejoined them, and I went to the front desk to ask for my father's room number. Once given it, I stepped onto the elevator and was taken to the appropriate floor. I had a little time before Klein was due, so taking a deep breath, I walked through the doorway with my head held high.
Ben's back was raised, his hand holding a newspaper as he idly read through the pages as though he had not a care in the world. I took a moment to study him before he took note of whom had entered his room.
"Be a dear and-" his eyes met mine and he stopped. "Elizabeth." Lips naturally inclined to smirk will smirk, I suppose, no matter the situation one is placed in. "To what do I owe the pleasure of a visit from my erstwhile daughter in her current condition." Eyes landing on my very obvious state and my mouth curved in a smile of my own.
"Father." I tilted my head in the same slighted greeting. "You look well, considering." He did. For a man who had been shot at, if not shot into, and then having fallen through a glass ceiling, he looked no worse for the wear. Pity. "May I?" I gestured to a chair near his bed and he gave a small nod of assent. "I've been on my feet for most of the morning, shopping." His eyes widened subtly. "I'm helping Lauren redecorate her room. The whims of teenagers." My smile grew as his smirk started to fade. "Didn't you know?" I raised an eyebrow, feigning surprise. "I thought you knew every move I made, or that Ike made." Holding up my left hand I showed him my ring. "I'd tell you the date, but well, there's going to be two. And with the divorce being fast tracked-" I shrugged. C'est la vie. "Aren't you going to congratulate me, Father? Isn't this what you wanted? Me and Isaac Evans joined in Holy matrimony with the added bonus of a baby on the way?"
I watched as he chewed on the many words that I knew he wanted to spit at me, but an authoritative knock came to the doorframe and I smiled as I looked up. "Mr. Diamond," Mr. Klein offered a reptilian smile that looked as predatory as my father's could look, gracing his rodent-like face. "And Miss Diamond." His smile grew, and I could swear his eyes were twinkling with glee.
"Mr. Klein," I stood up and moved away from my father's bedside, feeling that distance from the source of an explosion I felt may be coming would be a smart move. "To what do we owe the pleasure of a visit from the State's Attorney's office?" My smile was easy, I knew what was coming, after all. And I watched, as the dawning realization flickered across my father's face and suddenly, while Klein told him exactly what brought him to call and what fate my father could expect, he looked like he might need the hospital bed he was occupying.
Ben's eyes, flashing finally to me, where I'd moved closer to the door held more contempt than I'd ever seen him show. More hatred, more anger, more rage. And my smile grew as spittal formed on the corners of his mouth and his words finally came to flow as freely as a gusher. The things he called me, the curses he issued, the threats all did nothing to make my smile drop. As he finally stopped to catch his breath, I offered one final parting shot to the man who I should have felt something more than the indifference I felt for him.
"Oh and Ben?" His eyes narrowed as I dropped the title he'd so happily crowed about when I came home. "I do hope that the public defender's office has able minds, since you have slightly more than a poverty level of wealth. Sy made certain of that." Turning on my heels, I left, with my head still high and my back straight, even as he unloaded another folly of rage at me and my Pop-Pop.
