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Annie had a list of reasons to disapprove of her father’s new relationship.
1) This has got to be some sort of sugar baby thing
2) Armand is taking advantage of her father’s vulnerable state
3) Her New Yorker Dad was suddenly flying between America and Dubai on a near monthly basis
4) Armand had only been with her father six months and they were living together
But over time the list became shorter and shorter. Turns out Armand was a multimillionaire (maybe billionaire…she wasn't really able to nail down exactly how much money he had). And turns out her father was suddenly asymptomatic for his Parkinson’s. Apparently Armand had business in Dubai that he had to deal with, so they split their time. She still didn’t like how fast their relationship was moving though.
But suddenly her well thought out perspective and criticism sounded childish. She just didn’t like the guy. She thought he was kind of creepy with his sharp canines and odd manner of speaking. She would sometimes catch him looking at her father like a meal. Like he was ready to pounce and devour him whole.
On the other side of the daughters of Daniel was Mary. She had gotten over the ‘oh my god dad! He’s young enough to be your grandson’ reaction within the first three months of knowing Armand. She had instead moved onto ‘Dad can you please tell him that it is not appropriate to hand wads of cash to a six year old for his birthday?’ or telling her kid ‘please do not call him Grandpa Armand. Because it makes Mommy grossed out that’s why’.
This, they glanced at each other, might just be a tad too far though.
Armand had heard that Noah, Mary’s son, wanted a pony. More than anything. Armand, being Armand, saw that as a challenge. So here they all were. Mary, Annie, and their father all standing out on the front lawn wrapped up in coats while Armand led the pony around with Noah on its back.
“I want to make it very clear to you girls that I had nothing to do with this.” Sure, Mary thought. You might have not bought the damn thing at auction. But you certainly didn't stop him when he told you about it.
“Uh huh.” Annie said. Deadpan. At least they wouldn't have to house it. When Armand had brought them all out he assured them it would be under the care of a trainer at a local boarding facility.
Mary shook her head. What kid actually gets a pony for Christmas. She turned back to Armand and Noah. Armand was showing him how to brush out its mane and tail.
“When I was little, I rode many many horses.”
“Really? Your parents let you?”
“Of course horses are a way of life. They were tools for my family.”
There he went again. Some vague illusion to a life so different than the one he lived now. Annie didn’t know exactly why she didn’t like him. He was easy to like. Once you fell into conversation with him you suddenly found yourself revealing so much more to him than he was revealing to you.
There was one thing to love about Armand though. When he was around, their dad was fully present. He wasn’t off in his own head or typing rapid fire emails setting up interviews and consulting his publisher. The moment he so much as glanced at his phone Armand would shoot him a glare. “Beloved…” became a reminder. Stay right here. With us. This is what Annie and Mary had craved for years. They always knew their father loved him. He came by whenever he could. He would ask about the little things. For once though, they had all of him.
Once Noah had moved on from the pony, and it was loaded up into the groom’s trailer, Armand ushered them all inside again. The women had never seen him so alive since they had known him. He bounced from spot to spot around the house. Oohing and aahing at the littlest things. The model train that ran under Annie’s tree delighted him. He reached beyond it to grab the rest of the gifts.
“I thought we agreed on no gifts between us.” Their father said as Armand dropped a few packages on his lap. Armand didn’t look as he responded, dropping more packages at Noah’s feet and between Mary and Annie.
“You said ‘no gifts’ I simply nodded, Daniel. Besides,” Armand gave their father puppy eyes, “I won't be able to give any more big gifts between now and Eid.”
“No big gifts, huh? So are we calling houses, cars, and plane tickets little now.”
“Those are different.”
The girls waited on Armand to sit, curled up next to their father looking pleased with himself, before ripping into their gifts. Tickets to shows, jewelry, perfume. Things that were so specific Mary swore he must have read her mind. Annie had a different opinion, did he snoop on her computer? She still wasn’t sure where his money came from, maybe he was one of those up and coming tech moguls.
Between the breathless ‘thank yous’ Mary stole a glance over to their father and Armand. They were wrapped up in eachother. She hadn’t seen her father this content ever. He rested his head against Armand’s shoulder, his whole body relaxed. His right hand linked with Armand’s, drawing circles with his thumb on Armand’s wrist. Maybe this relationship wasn’t so awful after all.
When they were packing up to leave hours and hours later, Armand kept offering more and more dates for family time. He seemed fascinated with the idea of a family. Desperate to carve out memories.
When Armand finally pulled the car out of the driveway, Annie turned to Mary.
“They make an odd couple.”
“You say that every time we see them.” Mary said back, lifting up Noah who had long since fallen asleep on the couch.
“I mean just odd this time. I’m not using it for a stand in.”
“I think they’re good for eachother.”
“I just worry.” Annie wasn’t talking about their father’s money this time. She was thinking of a funeral. Armand would outlive their father by decades. Annie had already watched her sister lose the love of her life, she didn’t know if she could watch Armand go through the same.
Mary was doing the same. Picturing them all, in less than fifteen years considering a Parkinson’s prognosis, in black. Armand laying roses on the coffin before it went underground. She didn’t think it was fair. She finally got her father, and soon she would have to say goodbye again. She allowed her sister to follow her up the stairs to tuck Noah in.
“That’s the future, let’s just focus on right now. Annie, just let yourself be happy right now.”