A CHOICE

Chapter 4

Kate spent the next five days doing pretty much the same thing. She would get up and get Alexis up and into the tub. Then Kate would let her choose what to wear. After that, she would spend the entire day with her.

The only thing that did change was what she did to keep Alexis busy. One day, they were in the pool for an hour. Then she spent it playing a game with her. She spent the next day reading to her and trying to get her to talk to her.

The following day, they were with Mikhail's wife and little girl. Inessa was the wife's name, and Alina was the baby's. Inessa enjoyed the day because her husband was gone all day. What she didn't understand was why Alexis didn't talk.

At Kate's direction, Inessa began talking in Russian. She meant to get Alexis to talk. It didn't work.

Inessa offered her hope. "Keep at it, Kate. She will give in." Her English wasn't the greatest, but Inessa was trying her best.

Their meals were all at the Restaurant since no food had been delivered to their home yet.

Rick left early and came back late in the day. When he did, Alexis was already in bed. The man looked absolutely exhausted, and he apologized for being absent. "I'm sorry if you're left alone with Alexis. It's just that there's so much to do still."

"It's okay, really," Kate told him. She wasn't put out in the least. "It'll get better when the resort is open. I understand."

"I hope Alexis does. I'm her father, and I should be doing something. It makes me feel like I'm letting her down." Rick felt terrible about it.

"She knows you're her father. That will never change. She hasn't said anything about missing you," Kate said, trying to ease his guilt. "Sorry. She wouldn't say anything. I'm trying to get her to talk. I've tried everything I know."

"Probably nothing I haven't," Rick said with a sigh. "I've been at this longer than you. I'm kind of hoping that since you're a woman, that will change things. Give it some time; she'll come around eventually." At least he hoped so.

"In two days, this place will be busy. The day before will be a busy day as well. We'll be bringing in staff to start training them. Some will stay over in Glow as intended. Housekeepers will set up all the rooms. Maintenance will start training in what to expect that will require repairs. It's going to be nuts." Rick laughed a little.

"Then, when we open, all our boats will work around the clock, as will our seaplane. In one day, we'll go from zero to three-quarters occupancy."

"Would it be all right if I watch? I would like to see that." Kate was curious.

Rick shrugged. "Do as you please. But I suggest you stay in Glow and out of the way as much as possible."

"We'll try to stay out of the way." Kate included Alexis in that.

~oo0oo~

It was the first day of business, and Kate and Alexis were just outside Glow, watching it all happen. A boat came in with the first guests. The staff greeted them at the dock, and the guests were each given a lei greeting with real flowers, like in Hawaii.

They entered Glow to check in, and the boat left to get the next group. While that boat was gone, another arrived. They got the same treatment the first group received.

Then they watched as a seaplane landed and made its way up to the deck. Four people got out. It looked like two couples and their bags. So far, not a single child.

That all changed with the next boatload. Alexis pulled on Kate's shorts. "You see children, don't you? Two of them look your age, maybe someone to play with later."

They ate their lunch in their own kitchen since groceries had finally been delivered. Then, they went back to watching everyone come in.

It was boat after boat. At the end of it all, Rick wasn't kidding when he said they would be three-quarters full. There were people everywhere. None of them stayed in their rooms.

Kate and Alexis watched as guests rented Jet Skies and sailboats. She watched as a few of them headed for the spa area. A pair was on the tennis court, and the kids were in the Kids Club. The place was really busy.

It was late, and Alexis was in bed. Kate decided to stay up, waiting for Rick. He finally came home. Kate thought he looked exhausted. "Hi, you weren't kidding when you said this place would be busy."

Rick smiled tiredly. "You noticed, did you? I saw you and Alexis watching as the boats came in.

"We had our first complaint," he mentioned. "We have Jet skis, sailboats, even canoes. The complaint was we didn't have enough of them. They were all rented out."

Kate didn't like that in the least. "You can't please everyone."

"But that's just it. We need to please everyone. When our guests leave, we want them talking about this place and coming back," Rick explained. "We solved the problem by offering a beach volleyball game."

Kate missed seeing that today. "The volleyball court is at the end, right? I forgot about it."

"I have good news for you. You can take tomorrow off. I will handle everything Alexis. Enjoy your day off." Rick leaned in and kissed her cheek. Then, he got up and headed for his room downstairs.

That left Kate in shock. He kissed her. Yes, it was a peck on the cheek, but it was still a kiss. Rick kissed her! Now she needed to figure out what it meant. Was it just a kiss or was it a kiss?

~oo0oo~

When Kate woke up the next morning, she saw Alexis was still asleep. So she padded into the bathroom to shower. When she came out, Alexis was gone. Kate didn't know how she felt about that. She had spent so much time with Alexis that she didn't know what to do.

She dressed and went upstairs to their living area. She still didn't see Rick or Alexis. There was just one place to go. Along the way, she saw the guests walking everywhere. Some were going the same way she was.

Kate found the person she needed. "Hey, Dad."

"Hi, Katie. Just you? Where's Alexis?" Jim was accustomed to seeing them together.

"Rick gave me that day off. So, no Alexis today." Kate sat down. "I don't know what to do."

"You have the day off and don't know what to do?" Jim didn't believe her. "Go swimming, go play a game, go for a walk, offer to play tennis with someone. Go play beach volleyball." He rolled his eyes. "Don't know what to do. Or do you not know what to do without Alexis?"

"I know what to do without Alexis," Kate said defensively. Then she sighed and fessed up. "I don't know what to do without Alexis. I'm such a mess." Kate couldn't believe it. How had she gone from being a single girl in college to needing an eight-year-old? "GOD! What am I going to do, Dad?" Kate needed his help.

"I don't know what I would do, but if I were you, I would go find Rick and Alexis and join them in what they're doing. So get off her your ass and go find them." Jim gave her a little push.

Kate was conflicted. "I don't know." Then she made up her mind. "Okay, I'll do it. But where do I look?"

Jim thought about it and suggested, "I would start with the Kids Club, then find a beach."

"Thanks, Dad." Kate got up and kissed his cheek. She finally had a direction.

~oo0oo~

She found them on the beach in front of Glow. There were playing what looked like checkers but with really big pieces. "Hi." She instantly got a smile out of Alexis. "Checkers?"

"Don't knock 'til you try it. The big pieces make it a challenge. Though they aren't so heavy that Alexis can't move them." Rick watched as it was Alexis' move.

"I think she cheats," Rick whispered to Kate. But he didn't whisper soft enough, and Alexis shook her head.

"May I…join you?" Kate asked hesitantly, hoping for the best.

"You want to join us?" Rick asked her. "But it's your day off. I arranged it with Mikhail so he would handle anything that came up, and I could do this today."

"The truth is I don't know what to do with myself. It may have been only a short time, but I don't know what to do if it doesn't involve Alexis. I'm so pathetic," Kate admitted to him.

"What do you think, Alexis, do we let her join us?" Rick asked, even if he already knew the answer. Watching her nod so enthusiastically and smile wide told him Kate was in.

"Looks like you're in, Kate. You can take over my position," he offered. "I'm losing."

"I think I'll pass. I'll watch Alexis cremate you," Kate teased him and watched him scowl at her.

~oo0oo~

Next came a canoe which got them returning to their rooms so they could change into swimsuits. Kate found a suit for Alexis to wear while she chose a one piece for herself. Rick came out wearing a swimsuit and a t-shirt. They all had flip-flops.

Kate got in first, followed by Alexis and then Rick. Only Kate and Rick had paddles.

"This is nice," Kate commented.

"I'm happy you're here, or I would be doing all the paddling," Rick said.

Kate just grinned.

~oo0oo~

Since they returned the canoe and they still had on their swimsuits, they used the pool at the Glow. They had to share it with guests which turned out to be fine.

They retreated to the Restaurant for lunch. "This is so good," Kate mentioned while she ate.

"I'll be sure to tell the chef that," Rick offered.

"So what's next?" Kate asked while eating. Rick just shrugged, which told Kate he didn't have an idea yet.

"What do you suggest," Rick queried.

Kate was ready for him. "I want to go jogging. Up one beach and down the other. I'll take it easy on you."

"You mean, take it easy on Alexis," Rick countered.

"No, I mean, take it easy on you. Alexis can keep up. You can keep up, right?" Kate looked for some support from Alexis and instantly got it when she beamed at her and nodded.

Kate grinned at Rick. She was looking forward to taking him down.

Rick played it up for all he was worth. "My own daughter. Oh, the pain!" He waited to see if there was any reaction from her. There wasn't. "I see this now. You. Are. On." Rick wasn't willing to back down.

~oo0oo~

It meant they had to go home again and change into something worthy for a run. Kate made sure Alexis was ready. "We're going to crush him, aren't we," Kate asked her while she checked Alexis' shoelaces.

"Let's go. We'll show him how it's done." Kate took Alexis down to the starting line outside their back door.

"Up the beach and down the beach on the far side. We meet at the edge of Glow," Rick told them.

Kate was thinking all the way around and end were they started. Then she looked at Alexis and was worried she wouldn't make it. "Deal. No cheating and no walking it."

Rick looked stunned. To think that she thought he would cheat. That really hurt him.

"On your mark, get set… Go." Rick yelled and took off. Kate laughed, thinking it was a long race not a sprint. So she and Alexis started jogging nice and slow.

~oo0oo~

Now while Kate had counted on Alexis being young and able to keep up, she hadn't allowed for her little legs. Alexis was doing fine in not slowing down, but she wasn't very fast. In the end, Rick won, and he rubbed it in.

Kate gave it to him. "Yeah, yeah, you won. I need a drink." She meant water, not alcohol. That would come later.

"So what should we do next?" Kate asked Alexis, trying to catch her so she would talk. However, she merely shrugged her shoulders.

Kate looked over at Rick. "Do we have any board games?"

He nodded. "Several, but they're all back at home."

Undeterred by the distance, with Alexis in tow, Kate and eventually Rick was headed home to search for a game they all could play.

~oo0oo~

They made it home, and Kate and Alexis settled down while Rick went in search of a game. "Am I still pretty?" Kate asked, and that got her to nod again while beaming. She adored Kate. "You could tell me, Alexis, you did it before." But she just shook her head.

"Sweetie, I know you can talk; please talk to me." But all that did was to get Alexis to shake her head. Kate was interrupted when Rick came back with a game they could play.

Kate raised her eyebrows at his choice. "Chutes and Ladders?"

Rick immediately defended his choice. "It's a classic, and it's a game Alexis can play."

"Classic is a word for it," Kate told him.

~oo0oo~

Kate made dinner given that her mother had taught her how to cook. That was followed by having Kate read to Alexis with Rick on the other side. Alexis got to hold the book and listened when Kate started it, and Rick finished it.

It was a dream come true for Alexis. She even got Kate and Rick put her to bed, and she had kisses from both of them.

"Want something to drink?" Rick inquired.

Kate nodded. "Sure, vodka please."

He poured a glass of vodka for Kate and a glass of Scotch for himself. He handed Kate her glass, went out onto the deck, and sat down. She followed him.

"Is this what you expected when you said yes?" Rick asked.

"Pretty much, except it looks so much better. You should be proud of what you have created. This place is amazing." Kate was quite impressed.

"Thank you. It took an entire year just to create and put it on paper. Another two to build it. Mikhail is the one most behind it. He provided most of the money. At least in the beginning. As my books sold more and more, then I could contribute more and more.

"Mikhail put a lot of trust in me. I don't want to let him down," Rick admitted and took a sip of his whiskey.

"Well, it doesn't look like it. You need to try to do some writing," Kate told him.

Rick shrugged. "Yeah, when I can find the time. Right now, we plan to trade off days to help out our manager. Eventually, we'll leave most everything to him, but this early, we're both learning."

"There must be a lot of decisions that need making," Kate commented.

"There are, trust me. I'm sorry there isn't much for Jim to do yet." Rick looked over at her. "He's got to be bored, just sitting around doing nothing."

"I can't think of anything, but I'm sure there will be something. Someone will miss their flight because the boat breaks down and delays them, so they'll sue. Someone will believe they were shorted something. A room perhaps, I don't know. I'm sure Dad will be busy at some point. Unfortunately," Kate said and drank the last of her vodka.

"The unknown is why I brought him. Refill?" Rick asked.

"Please." Kate handed him her glass and waited. She thought while she waited. She questioned just why she needed to join them. Why she got so close to Alexis so soon? She even questioned why Rick kissed her. Okay, it wasn't a kiss, but it was.

Rick was back and handed Kate her glass. "Here you go."

"Thanks." She had questions but chickened out of asking them. Maybe it was just too soon.

They ended up sitting in silence, just enjoying the company.

~oo0oo~

They finally decided to go to bed. "Good night, Kate." Rick kissed her cheek again and retreated to his bedroom.

Kate stood there and touched her fingers to where he kissed her. She retreated to her bedroom, saw Alexis in bed, and watched the little girl sleep.

Kate pulled herself out of it and withdrew to the bathroom, where she washed up, changed into her night clothes and put the used clothes in a hamper. She walked in and sat on the bed, looking at Alexis.

She decided she cared, cared enough about what happened to the little girl. She wanted her to speak to her. It wasn't natural for her to remain silent. Maybe things would change when the time came for her to teach her. Alexis was going to have to talk to her to answer the questions.

Kate went to bed, convinced that she was going to get her to talk.

~oo0oo~

Kate found it was business as usual come morning. Rick was gone, leaving her to take care of Alexis, which was just fine with her.

She got her up and into the tub. She helped her dry off and had her choose her clothes for the day. After Kate put her hair in a ponytail, they left the house.

She had a destination in mind, and since Alexis wouldn't talk, she couldn't ask where they were going. But she wanted to, oh how she wanted to.

They went walking and ended up at Kate's dad. "Hi, Dad, are you up to some company?"

Jim smiled. "Katie, and you brought Alexis! Come in, come in." He gave getting her to talk a try. "And how are you, little Miss Alexis?" Alexis eventually just shrugged.

"Well, I don't have any food or anything to drink, so if you want something you just ask, okay?" Jim left her and sat with his daughter. "If that doesn't get her I don't know what will," Jim whispered to Kate.

Kate took his hand and squeezed it. "Thanks, Dad."