AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“What did I miss?!” Nolan slides into the living room at 8:59 on Friday night, his socked feet skidding across the hardwood floor.
I laugh quietly as he tosses himself onto the cozy modern leather sectional that replaced the grandma-style couch of old.
Right after Nolan and I got married a year and a half ago, my husband gave me free rein to upgrade our home decor into the 21st century.
We got a new couch, carpet and entertainment system. We replaced the wallpaper and got rid of the floral window drapes. But we kept the crown molding, the antique piano and some sacred Brighton family mementos to preserve the nostalgic vibe. Our house is way more stylish now, but it also feels welcoming and lived-in. It feels like home.
“Relax, babe. The show hasn’t started yet.” I pass him the popcorn bowl.
This week’s episode of A Maiden Fond of Mischief is about to begin. Last week ended on a cliffhanger, leaving the fans to wonder if Charlotte would choose to go off to the city in search of her runaway sister or if she would stay on the farm and marry the man she loves. I’ve been sitting on this secret for the four months since we wrapped up filming and keeping this quiet hasn’t been easy. Nolan and his siblings have been absolutely pestering me to get all the spoilers.
“Are the girls asleep?” I ask, throwing my legs across his lap and wiggling my achy feet.
Nolan sets the popcorn on the coffee table, wipes his fingers on a napkin and dutifully takes my sole into his hand. “Stella’s out like a light, but Farah had a bit of a hard time,” he says, a worried look on his face as he gives me a much-needed foot massage.
I squeeze his shoulder. “Give her time. Being placed in a new home can be hard for kids, especially the first time. All we can do is do our very best to make her feel safe and loved until she can go back home.”
He sighs heavily. “I guess you’re right.”
When Nolan and I recently decided to become foster parents for the first time, I reached out to my old case worker, Shirley-Marie. She was so helpful in getting Farah temporarily placed with us. Thalia and the Wangs have been supportive, too, helping us navigate this daunting responsibility. As for Nolan and me, we just feel privileged to provide a home for this sweet 11-year-old girl as her mother recovers from surgery.
It’s a big task, keeping our household running smoothly. But together we get it done. Teamwork makes the dream work is the philosophy we ascribe to in our relationship. In every sense imaginable.
We truly are committed to our family. That’s why it was so important that I legally adopt Stella after Nolan and I got married. We haven’t heard a peep out of Lilian in the past two years or so.
Even still, adoption just felt like an extra layer of protection for our family, making us bulletproof. Stella feels more secure, knowing that I’m not going anywhere, knowing that every time I step out the door, I’ll be in a hurry to get back home.
Our little corner of the world is my most favorite place to be.
The show’s opening credits begin and the television steals our rapt attention. We watch as Charlotte makes the difficult decision to leave her lover behind and go find her missing sister. It’s an emotional goodbye and even though this plot twist is no surprise to me, I still find myself with a tear in my eye. Nolan doesn’t look away from the screen. He doesn’t even blink until my character is riding out of town in the back of a horse drawn carriage.
My husband picks up the remote, pauses the show and turns to me, his eyes narrowed with suspicion. “So Charlotte left the farm?”
I nod. “She did.”
“So what does that mean for you?”
Smiling, I rub a hand over my watermelon-sized baby bump. “It means that I’m taking the next season off from the show.”
He blinks. “You are? Is this for real?”
“Yes.”
Nolan looks alarmed. “Jesus, Inez. Is this what you want to do? You’re at the height of your career. I understand if—”
I cut him off with a kiss. “It’s what I want to do. It’s just temporary. I’ll go back to acting eventually. But right now—with the baby coming and Stella growing so fast and Thalia struggling to settle in—I want to focus on our home for a while.”
My talent agent has assured me that the phone is still ringing off the hook with roles for me. Even if my character never returns to A Maiden Fond of Mischief, there will be other opportunities waiting for me.
“Besides, filming this past season was interesting while trying to conceal my growing baby bump. If I have to hear the director asking me to hold a laundry basket in front of my belly one more time, I swear, I’m going to throw my shoe at him.” We both laugh.
Nolan’s arms are around me and his lips are pressed against my forehead. “God, I love you so much. I’m so lucky to have you. Our family has made me the happiest man in the world.” He peppers my face with kisses as he whispers words of appreciation to me.
When Nolan gets this way, it’s hard to believe just how closed-off he used to be years ago, how he couldn’t express his feelings and would choose to communicate by writing out his emotions on my skin.
But the man I’m married to today freely and generously gives me all the validation and connection that I’ve always needed. That’s why I feel so safe with him, that’s why I’m willing to make sacrifices. Because he makes each sacrifice worth it.
I ease out of his embrace and catch sight of my own face on the paused television screen. “Gosh—it’s still so weird seeing myself on TV,” I laugh.
