Chapter 16

As I approached the trio, Sandy, backpack and all, lept up onto me. I gave her a quick kiss and settled her on my left hip. Hugging me tightly, she set her head onto my left breast and hummed into my chest, "I love you, Jim."

After placing a kiss to her crown, I affirmed I loved her too.

"Glad you could join us," kidded Claire just as the Bell Captain appeared in front of us. Thankfully, not the night one who had given us all the trouble the night before when we arrived.

"Sir, the Town Car is waiting outside for your party."

I felt I should give him a tip, but unless I was going to give him the parcel I was already holding, I was out of options. But in the world order I seemed to be living in, Claire took care of that.

"Hi Clive," she said to the Bell Captain then promptly gave him a kiss on the cheek. "Thanks. Nice to see you again."

That exchange continued a bit more with a quick hand holding and Clive saying, "Thanks, Claire. I hear you're married.

"Congratulations."

Just as I thought things couldn't get weirder, they did. Clive looked at me and tilted his hat and repeated, "Congratulations, Sir."

That wasn't the weird part. It's what he said after that. "Hi there Susan," startled me just a little ... perhaps a little more than just a little. Oh, then he stepped over to Susan and SHE gave him a kiss too.

Then I was really weirded out when Sandy said, "Clive?

"Don't I get a kiss too?"

"Sure thing Sandy," and it was a lip kiss he gave her and she freely gave to him. After all, she'd turned her face toward him and lifted her chin, expecting it. Then as I replayed his kiss to Susan, it wasn't a kiss to the cheek, like he'd given Claire. No hers was a lip kiss too. Freely given and received.

All I could come up with was, 'Interesting.'. Although I was sure I was going to find out one way or another just who this Clive was and how he knew 'MY' girls. Well, you know what I mean. Right, they weren't possessions but one way or the other we four were tied together.

Clive, did a little bow then said, "Have a great day. See you all later."

With that exchange over, we walked through the lobby and over to the doors. Although it was perhaps 30 steps it seemed to last an hour. Claire moved over to Susan and the giggling started. I wasn't privy to their conversation and I was distracted. Sandy sighed into my chest then raised up telling me, "Isn't Clive dreamy."

Now what do you say to a ten year old in response to her calling someone, 'Dreamy.'. Especially when you can see it in her unfocused eyes.

Sometimes when life throws you a curve, you just duck. That's what I did or tried to do. I ducked the question. I gave her a kiss on her forehead and smiled. When that smile of mine received a kiss of hers, I almost ran into the doorway. It caught me off guard.

It wasn't a cursory kiss, just perhaps a light peck. That was a kiss that was pure affection. It was brief but none the less was one with meaning. Again, as her cheek nestled into my breast she affirmed, "I love you Jim."

I responded in the only way possible. I affectionately brought my right hand up to softly caress her cheek and with another kiss to the top of her head said, "I love you too Peanut."

Luckily then we were going through the lobby doors and thankfully neither Sandy nor I did any bouncing off the frame. Sometimes life can be kind and that I was thankful for. Plus, the Town Car was right by the entrance and our driver, now in similarly dressed attire as our first one, was holding the limo's door open.

Somehow, when I'm moving, I really don't like to be facing backwards. Trains, planes, automobiles, it's all the same for me. Well, you don't get much opportunity to sit facing the rear of the plane much anymore, although some have one set of bulkhead seats like that. But they are the exception rather than the rule.

So, anyway, Sandy being the precocious little Minx she was, dashed in first and plopped herself down in the rear seat. Polite gentleman that I often pretend to be, I let Claire and Susan get the next dibs. Now they were continuing their giggle fest about the 'Dreamy' Clive, or whatever their current subject was, and sat together in the forward seat. Yes, that's the one I didn't want as they were facing rear.

Those sitting in the forward seat face rear and those in the rear seat face forward. Hope you've got that right. Sometimes little things get extremely confusing.

Actually, Sandy and I didn't need the whole rear seat. Right, Sandy as guessed, climbed up onto my lap and kept up her snuggle. I'd wondered why she wasn't all jumpy and skipping around and why she wanted to snuggle.