Chapter 81: Elevator Ride

Dorian dropped his hand before she could struggle through the explanation. "I get it. No problem." He looked at the boy without pushing any further. "Nice to meet you, Ethan."

Ethan gave the smallest nod. Dorian turned toward the girl.

"Millie?"

Millie was staring at him with enormous eyes. Dorian gave her a small smile. Her eyes somehow got wider.

"Please, have a seat," he said, gesturing toward the living room. "I’ll go get her."

Diana nodded and guided Ethan toward the sofa. Millie, however, remained distracted by everything around her.

Dorian walked toward the elevator and pressed the button. The soft chime sounded. Behind him, Millie gasped. Dorian looked over his shoulder.

She was staring at the elevator doors as though he had just opened a portal to another dimension. Her expression made him smile.

The doors slid open. Millie took one unconscious step forward. Diana noticed.

"Millie."

The girl stopped immediately. Dorian turned fully toward Millie.

"Would you like to go get her with me, Millie?"

Millie nodded so enthusiastically that Dorian just had to laugh.

"I wouldn’t want her to bother you," Diana said quickly.

"It’s no bother." Dorian stepped aside and gestured toward the elevator. "Come on, Millie."

That was all the encouragement she needed. Millie hurried toward him, practically vibrating with excitement.

Dorian held out a hand to guide her into the elevator, making sure she stepped in safely before pressing the button for the third floor.

The doors slid shut. Millie stared at everything.

The buttons.

The lights.

The small display showing the floors as they moved upward. She was practically bouncing on the balls of her feet.

Dorian smiled to himself. There was something about her that reminded him of Naomi. That same childlike excitement over ordinary things. The ability to make something simple feel like an event.

Naomi did that too. She could walk into a room and somehow make it louder without raising her voice.

Soon, the elevator opened onto the third floor. Millie stepped out beside him, then turned to stare back at the elevator.

Dorian started walking toward Naomi’s room before noticing she hadn’t followed. He looked back.

Millie pointed toward the elevator and whispered, "Again..."

"When we get Naomi, you can go up and down as much as you want, uhn?"

Millie’s face immediately brightened. She nodded again and hurried to catch up with him. They walked down the hallway together until Dorian reached Naomi’s door.

He knocked. "Naomi, you dressed? You have a guest."

"Yes, open."

Dorian pushed the door open. Naomi turned around.

"Oh my goodness! Millie!!!"

Millie squealed and ran straight toward her. "Aunt Naomi!"

Naomi caught her, scooping her up into her arms. Then both of them started laughing. Dorian leaned against the doorframe and watched. Naomi spun around with Millie clinging to her, both of them giggling loudly enough to fill the room.

It was ridiculous and oddly sweet.

"What are you doing here?" Naomi asked when she finally stopped spinning.

Millie shrugged, still holding tightly around her neck. "Mummy says you missed church."

Naomi made a face. "Yes, I did. But that’s no reason." She laughed and kissed her cheek. "Anyways, I am glad you are here."

Dorian watched as she settled Millie comfortably onto her hip as if she had been carrying the girl around every day of her life.

Millie immediately relaxed against her. Naomi with children. He had never really thought about it before.

Now that he was seeing it, he understood why it looked so natural.

She was warm and playful. Naomi walked toward him with Millie still perched on her hip. "Is Aunt Diana downstairs?"

Dorian nodded. "With Ethan."

"Okay." Naomi adjusted Millie on her hip, then looked at Dorian. "Is this okay?"

Dorian looked genuinely confused. "Is what okay?"

"I mean them being here."

"Naomi, your family can visit you."

she was still getting used to the fact that she didn’t have to ask permission for every little thing inside this house. She smiled and gave a small nod. "Okay." She turned toward the hallway with Millie still happily wrapped around her.

Naturally, Millie immediately pointed toward the elevator.

"Again."

"Fine. Elevator it is."

Dorian watched them disappear down the hall before stepping fully into Naomi’s room. He glanced around. His clothes from the night before were still where Naomi had neatly folded them, along with his shoes. He picked everything up and headed to the fifth floor.

Meanwhile, Naomi reached the ground floor with Millie still giggling beside her. The doors opened, and Millie immediately looked back at them as though mentally planning her next ride.

Naomi stepped into the living room. "Aunt Diana."

Diana stood. Naomi moved toward her and gave her a quick hug before turning to Ethan. Ethan was usually reserved, especially around people he didn’t know well, but with Naomi he stepped forward and hugged her without hesitation.

She rubbed his back once before letting him go. "Aunt Diana? What’s going on? Surely this isn’t because I missed church?"

"I was worried, that’s all." Diana continued, "I thought something must have happened."

"What could happen?" Naomi gestured toward herself. "I’m fine. I was busy this morning and I couldn’t make it early enough."

"Is he good to you?"

It wasn’t an odd question coming from Diana. Not with the kind of man she had married. Richard had taught all of them enough about how ugly a marriage could become behind closed doors.

"He is a good man."

"I don’t have to worry so much then, I guess."

Naomi smiled. "No. You really don’t."

Diana looked toward Millie. "She wouldn’t stop asking why you weren’t in church."

Naomi gasped dramatically and turned toward her niece. "Oh, so this was you?"

Millie smiled. "Yes."

Naomi pulled her close. "Yes, I missed you too, my darling!" She kissed all over Millie’s face until the girl squealed and laughed, trying unsuccessfully to escape.

"Aunt Naomi!"

"You asked for me. Now you have me."

Millie giggled even harder. Naomi finally released her and turned toward Ethan.

"And you." She reached over and ruffled a hand through his hair. "I miss you too."