Page 28 of It Happened In Paris

“Hate to interrupt, but that surprise I mentioned has arrived. Follow me?” Richard consulted something on his phone.

“Oh. Okay,” I said, reaching for Paris and picking her up.

“What is it?” She excitedly asked as we followed him back to the common room where the patients were already seated, and waiting for whatever this surprise was.

Paris dashed ahead to secure a seat right in the middle, front and center between the children. Like the other adults, we hung back and hugged the walls. I stood by the door while Richard positioned himself a few yards away from me, arms folded, grumpy face, and seemingly unapproachable.

Next to me, Keaton, always the charmer, struck up a conversation with the mother of another patient.

Behind me, outside the room, the nurses gathered at their station. They whispered and shared gossip—but I caught every word.

“Wait until I tell my best friend that I met two famous men on shift today—Richard and Keaton are H-O-T.” It was easy to make out Nurse Kimmie’s New Jersey-type of accent.

Another nurse chimed in, “Right? A billionaire bachelor and a reality TV heartthrob in one day? Nothing this exciting has happened in this department in ages.”

“Danica, the new night nurse, told me that Richard overheard her worrying about how she’d pay for her mother’s cancer meds. Guess who covered it?” Kimmie continued. “In a fantasy world, I’d choose Richard and his money any day. Since he arrived, he’s done nothing but go out of his way for everyone here. Look at how happy he’s making these kids.”

One of the nurses mused, “Money comes and goes, though, and both men are handsome. But Keaton—he’s just swoon-worthy.”

“Well, if you ask me, that Vivian doesn’t understand just how much Richard would do for her. You can see in his eyes how much he cares. Why can’t I find one guy who looks at me that way?” Kimmie vented.

I realized then just how scrutinized we were. All I wanted was for my daughter to thrive with as little drama as possible. The two men in my life drew too much attention.

“And in your fantasy, which one would you marry and which would you F-U-C-K?” one nurse blurted out.

My mouth dropped in shock that someone would even ask such a question.

Without hesitation, they all answered in unison, laughing, “Both—to marry and to F-U-C-K.”

I turned bright red, hoping neither man had overheard, when suddenly music began filling the hall, as if a live chorus were approaching.

Next thing we knew, actors and actresses from the Lion King burst into the room like Broadway performers. Dressed in elaborate costumes complete with makeup, they resembled the wild animals they portrayed perfectly.

The children cheered, and Paris—sitting centrally—gasped with her hands on her cheeks, her eyes huge and her little legs swinging excitedly beneath the chair as she watched the impromptu performance. As the characters sang and twirled, they even encouraged her and some kids to dance along. I took photos and videos to remember it all by.

Tears welled in my eyes as I edged closer to Richard and whispered, “This is remarkable. Did you really bring Broadway performers up here to Albany?”

He offered a mysterious smile. “I pulled some strings. Buchanans have long been patrons of the arts. Listen, if you’re good here, I’m heading to the suite for a while—I have some work to catch up on.”

“Oh, sure. That’s fine. Keaton will keep me company.” I nodded.

“Okay, enjoy the show. Text me later if you need anything or if you want me to come back to give you two a break tonight.” With that, he left me, as he headed toward Paris. After whispering something in her ear and sharing a brief hug, heslipped out the door. An uneasy feeling stirred inside of me, as if I ached at the thought of him leaving, so I followed after him.

“Richard?” I called, but he didn’t stop. Was this the real him—had the illusion of keeping a little girl happy worn thin? His life suddenly tied down by a child too demanding? The last thing I needed was another mood-swinging man like Adrien, but I never imagined Richard could be like him. I got close enough and tugged at his sleeve. “Richard? Is everything okay? You seem off.”

He halted in the hallway and clipped, “I’m fine.”

Our eyes met in a smoldering, heated dance—until I noticed movement out of the corner of my vision. The nurses at their station, all curious spectators close enough to overhear.

Not wanting to fan the flames of gossip, I broke the silence. “We can discuss this later.”

He noticed them too. “No. Let’s talk right now.” He motioned to follow and led me to a nearby storage closet, clicking the door shut behind us for privacy.

“Vivian, I liked being needed and being here for you. But now with Keaton—and since I’m only afriend...maybe you don’t need me around.” A wry smirk surfaced, confirming that my words had clearly wounded him.

“Maybe I don’tneedyou around?” I shrugged a shoulder to my ear and rested my back against the door. “What if I enjoy having you here? Besides, Paris adores you—if you haven’t noticed. You have been completely unexpected, Richard. And after all we’ve been through so far, I would definitely consider you a true friend. Which, by the way, there’s nothing wrong with being friends—it’s a compliment to both of us. But if you stay, who knows? Perhaps we do have a second chance at something more. So stay if you want to. And also because Iwantyou to.”

“You do?” A slow smile spread across his face.

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