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She looked down at her watch again. The art gallery just started so it wasn’t filled with anyone except parents yet, but Cecil promised he’d be there. Nic glanced through the window again and watched Maeve nervously bounce on her heels, barely distracted as Jenna said something to make her and Antonio laugh. Their art teacher, Dr. Yates, chuckled at whatever Jenna had said and gently ushered them to the places where their individual pieces were hanging. Maeve had been secretive about what she was putting on display. Nic spent all Summer trying to get her daughter to crack to no avail. Even Cecil had no idea. But she sighed heavily, looking back down at the watch. It was only ten minutes after five.
Just give him a little more time, she thought to herself.
“Hope I’m not too late,” came Cecil’s voice as he walked over from the parking lot. Her head lifted to look at him, eyes wide. He made it. His focus was on fixing the cufflink of his sleeve. At least he traded up his normal work suit for something more casual. “I didn’t realize traffic would be so horrible or I would’ve left work a lot sooner.” He looked up at her and his heart stopped.
Admittedly it had been a few months since they saw each other. He was busy with work and Nic busied herself with the bakery. They spoke over the phone a few times, mostly coordinating Maeve’s schedule, but seeing her in person was very different. He could already tell the stark difference between her a few months ago during their last face to face meeting and now. For one, she was letting her hair grow out just a little, and she seemed well-rested. She looked content, almost happy. And, fuck, she was wearing the same deep maroon dress she wore on their first date. It had been so long since she’d worn it he forgot how good she looked in it. It felt a little ridiculous that after 20 years she still managed to elicit this kind of response from him, but she did, and he briefly patted his clothes down to disguise checking for an erection. That would be humiliating.
“You’re fine.” She stood on the edge of the curb, waiting for him to approach. Her voice broke him from the spell and he walked up. “It’s just parents inside right now.” She scanned her eyes over him, brow furrowed. He was so tense. “Hey, if me being here is too awkward for you I can go home. We both know it’s you who Mae wants here more than anything.”
“No!’ His reply was quick, and it caught him off guard how fast it had left his mouth. Cecil cleared his throat. “No, it’s fine. Mae should have both of her parents here to support her.” He held out his arm to her. “Ready?”
Nic sucked in a breath. She got a small feeling in her heart that this was him trying. “We shouldn’t be the nervous ones,” she commented light-heartedly as she took his arm. A jolt ran through her fingers. The spark wasn’t gone. “It’s Mae’s night.”
He opened the door for them to enter, and a few cars pulled into the parking spaces. They stepped inside and took in the sight of at least a dozen students from Maeve’s art class in front of a handful of pieces they each painted. Each student was sectioned off with their work, small paper plaques underneath each canvas or frame. Several of the parents were understandably sticking close to their children, beaming with pride. A few pairs were having a look at the work of other students.
“She said we should peruse the other artwork before going to see her,” Nic informed him cheekily. They stepped to the side as people started to make their way in.
He looked at her amused, the corner of his mouth lifting. “Peruse? That’s a sophisticated word for her,” he joked.
“Our daughter is a sophisticated kid now,” she joked back. The hand holding his arm squeezed instinctively as they chuckled, and for a moment things almost felt normal again.
They took a stroll through the student gallery, admiring the talents of the art class. All of them were so talented, and they couldn’t miss the works of Antonio or Jenna. Antonio’s work was abstract, pulling inspiration from the likes of Van Gogh and Picasso, while Jenna’s was more landscapes and objects with a realist style. But both were great in their own ways, and Nic and Cecil made sure to tell them that. The gallery was filling up with people by the time they reached their daughter, and they stood back as Maeve was passionately telling a few attendees about her pieces. Cecil felt a swell of pride bubbling in his chest as she spoke, and Nic couldn’t stop smiling. Only once the people walked away to look at more works did Cecil and Nic approach their daughter. She beamed at the sight of her father, and Nic let go of Cecil to allow Maeve to hug him.
“Tell us about these paintings,” he urged, watching her face light up. She grabbed Nic’s hand and pulled her parents over to her section.
She had carefully picked which ones she wanted to showcase, and they were all ones her parents had never seen before. One was a beautiful portrait of the evening sky, a swirl of colors in the sunset as it blended into the dark night dotted with stairs. Another was of the tree in the backyard of their house, bird houses and squirrels snacking on nuts included. But the portrait that gave both Cecil and Nic pause was one of an ocean horizon with a setting sun, and a couple strolling on the beach, each holding the hand of a small child.
Nic’s eyes flashed to Maeve as she felt her chest tighten. “You remember that?”
“It’s the only memory I have from our trip to Spain,” Maeve said with a nod.
The Viltrumite glanced at Cecil who had yet to say anything. He was staring at the painting with glassy eyes. Nic cleared her throat and looked back at Maeve. “It’s beautiful, Mae flower. Right, Cecil?”
He didn’t respond; instead his fingers went to the earpiece in his ear. “What’s going on?” There was a pause as he listened to the reply before he addressed his family. “I’ll be right back.” Cecil walked off, speaking into the earpiece.
Nic looked back at Maeve whose face dropped. She took her daughter’s hand, squeezing it. “I’ll go after him.”
She ran after Cecil, but he was already outside. She stood by the door, watching as he spoke into the earpiece. It was obviously a heated conversation, and she frowned. Work so often got in the way. She didn’t care about it when it was just the two of them, but once Maeve was born Cecil promised to do everything he could to be there. He kept to that promise until the Guardians were murdered. She lingered for a few minutes, watching him and waiting for him to come inside to tell her he was going into work. The door opened and Cecil walked in.
“Sorry about that,” he told her, rubbing his forehead. “There’s an emergency, but when isn’t there one?”
“You’re not leaving?” she asked, brows furrowed. Shouldn’t he be heading straight to Maeve and telling her he has to go?
“No.” He shoved his hands into his pockets. “I told Maeve I would be here for this and I meant it.” His eyes watched her body language, and he could tell she was doubtful. Why wouldn’t she be? He had missed so much already. “Nic,” she shivered, hearing him say her name, “this is me trying.”
She nodded. “Okay.”
“I, um… I also called that counselor’s office,” he informed her. Her eyes widened, hope swelling in her heart. “The first session is next week. If– If that works for you.”
“It works for me,” she replied. “Does it work for you?”
“I made sure it does,” he said seriously. He wasn’t going to fuck it up this time.
“What changed your mind?” she asked quietly.
He was silent, and she took a step closer in anticipation of his answer. Finally, Cecil spoke. It was no use hiding the truth. “I realized I was taking my anger at Nolan out on you.”
“So you’re not angry with me anymore?” Her question was tentative, but she was unsure of the answer.
“I’m still upset,” he admitted, “but you’re not Nolan. You’re my wife, and I should have understood your reasons.” He sighed. “We can talk about this another day. C’mon; let’s go be there for our girl.”
Nic nodded, giving him a small smile. “It’s Mae’s moment.”
They made their way back to Maeve’s section. As they walked, a chill ran through Nic when she felt Cecil put a hand on the small of her back. His touch was everything, and it reminded her of all the dates they went on, all the times he attended a boring as hell steak dinner with politicians just to get a bigger budget. He was always subtle about his affection in public, so every touch meant something.
Maeve’s face lit up when she saw her parents walk up. “Dad, you’re still here?”
“Of course,” Cecil told her, “I’m not leaving here for the world. Donald can handle it tonight.”
“Seriously?!” She was practically vibrating. If she wasn’t careful she might start floating. Maeve pulled her father into a hug. “Awesome! I can’t wait to introduce you to Dr. Yates. He’s been wanting to meet you.”
Cecil and Nic couldn’t help but stick close to Maeve for the rest of the gallery. Dr. Yates made his way over eventually, checking in with all of his students and their parents. He was eager to meet Maeve’s father, someone he hadn’t met in her two years at the school. And Cecil was more than happy to meet the man who helped Maeve elevate her skills.
The event all too soon, and people began to trickle out just before 7:30. And not long after did the parents begin to file out with their children, each student buzzing with excitement. The children chatted away while Dr. Yates cleaned up and thanked the parents for their attendance.
“This meant the world to Mae, you know that, right?” Nic mentioned quietly to Cecil as they watched their daughter talk excitedly with her classmates.
“After last year, I couldn’t keep letting her down. Either of you, really,” he replied.
“Can I go with Jenna, Antonio and some of the kids from art?” Maeve asked as she ran over to her parents. “We were going to go out to dinner. I still have birthday money, plus my allowance. Can I? Please?” She looked between her parents.
Nic glanced at Cecil from the corner of her eye but nodded. “Sure, sunshine. Just remember to be home by ten.”
“And if you’re even a minute late I’ll mobilize the whole GDA to look for your ass,” Cecil warned.
“Okay, love you both! Bye!” Maeve shouted, running back to her friends. “They said yes! Caesar’s Buffet is a go!”
“I mean it!” he called after her then shook his head with a chuckle.
His wife giggled. “Would you really?”
“I’d send the fucking Guardians of the Globe if she skips curfew,” he replied, and Nic couldn’t tell if he was serious or not. But nonetheless she laughed.
“Our daughter wouldn’t do that.” She shook her head. “So I guess you’re heading back to the GDA then?”
“Nope. I took the night off and I’m going to make the most of it.” He felt his face heat up, and Nic noticed the blush coming over his cheeks. It was hard to miss. He was almost embarrassed to be so nervous about asking his own wife a question he’s already asked her a hundred times. “Do you— It’s late so I figured you’d want to— Goddamnit,” he stumbled, clearing his throat. “Want to get dinner?”
She blinked. All that for dinner? A smile formed on her lips. He was trying. “Dinner sounds great. Where were you thinking?”
Cecil held out his hand. He knew it wasn’t a steep step from the curb to the pavement, but it was a force of habit. He didn’t even fully realize he was doing it until Nic slipped her hand into his without a second thought. A breath stopped in his throat as her fingers brushed against his palm, and he squeezed her hand as she stepped down.
“I was thinking Madame De Fleur. You love their escargot,” he said, heart racing as she didn’t pull her hand away.
“I do.” she hummed, pulling him in the direction of his car. “It tastes just like Mulga balls from back home.”
Cecil chuckled. “You say that every time.”