"Welcome to our humble abode." Charlie said inviting Luciana inside our home. She looked away from him and met my eyes and for a second I felt something weird in my chest. She had worn a long maxi dress and her hair looked shorter than the last time and only reached her chin. Today she had worn bold makeup with black lipstick and like every other times she looked ethereal to me. Ivy sat comfortably on her mother's hip and was eyeing the two strangers curiously with her beautiful heterochromatic eyes that I had failed to see the last time along with the hearing aid that adorned her ear.
"How are you doing today?" Luciana asked coming towards me.
"I'm doing great. How are you both?"
"We are also doing great. Right, Ivy?" She asked her daughter who shyly laid her head on her mother's chest.
"That's good to hear."
"You have a really beautiful house. The view is simply amazing." She said looking through the glass slide through door behind me which lead to the beach.
The house was the only thing in my life that I had spent so much money on and it took ages to make that money. It is a beach side private property and a part of me will always regret spending shitload of money on it while it could be used for something better but this was the only space that I felt like home and I was more at peace here than anywhere else. Charlie often says that it is sometimes okay to spent your hard earned money on a luxury that you really want and this house is my luxury.
"Thank you. It's my favourite place on the world."
"I will leave you guys to it. Just call me when the food is done." Charlie said before leaving.
"I will give you both a tour around the house and then you can get to cooking if that's okay with you."
"Sure." She said and I began showing her around.
"Do you also like the beach, Ivy?" I asked as we stood on the top floor bedroom balcony looking down to the sea. Ivy has been in fit of giggles every time wind blew at her face.
"Ivy. Ivy." She said pointing at herself making me laugh.
"Yes, you are Ivy and that is Aaron. Can you say 'Aaron'?" Luciana asked but by then Ivy was more interested in the switches of wheelchair than on my name.
"No. That's not for you to play, young lady." Luciana chided when Ivy tried to lean down towards the switches.
"How long has she been using hearing aids?"
"Ever since we learned that she has little trouble with hearing. But with this little guy's help she is all fine, aren't you cutie pie?" Luciana said tickling Ivy's belly releasing another set of adorable giggles from her.
After spending a couple more minutes in the balcony I showed them the remaining areas and later lead them to the kitchen.
"Play with your toys while Mamma cooks, okay Ivy?" Luciana said while placing Ivy down on the floor and gave her few of her toys. The kitchen and the living room were connected so while she cooked she can also keep an eye on her daughter. I remained with them to see if Luciana could really manage both cooking and looking after Ivy at the same time without much troubles because if not our arrangement would fail and then there would no point of appointing her.
Ivy was in her own world and didn't seem to make much fuss. She has been talking gibberish to her toys and didn't cry even once. Luciana had busied herself in cooking a full course meal and looked up once in a while to check on Ivy but she seemed to be cooking well from what I could see. I had explained my diet plan with her and she was told to cook according to that.
