Georgia On My Mind

19

ROME POV

I always hated being in an office.

Working in Europe was a dream.  I would be at work a few days a week then did graphic design from home to make up the rest of my hours. Every weekend was spent wandering the city for hours, taking photos and enjoying all the sights. All I needed was an internet connection so I could easily take the underground train from London to Paris for a long weekend once in awhile, too.

Traveling was my hobby but photography was my passion.

Dad warned me I would need to be in the office a few hours a week but could do most of my graphic design work in my apartment.  It was a compromise of sorts.  He knew I wanted to spend more time on photography and that I worked well alone.

I had offered to do contract work for different architecture and outdoor magazines, covering spreads they wanted to write, but wasn't sure taking one would be a good choice. That would mean leaving again...

At the same time, just one partial day of meetings had my brain ready to explode.

Dad's business partner, Dustin, was a good guy and great businessman.  He was glad to have me around for the creative side of things, especially after I helped with a few projects over the last year and a half. Drake was a new addition but handled more admin work as well as seeking out new clients.

When I dug into the bag Georgia packed for me mid morning and saw the note she sent, my heart ached to see her.

Being close so much the last week was more beneficial than I realized.  Georgia has a calming but playful energy.  I missed the kids, too, and enjoyed texts Mariah sent with photos showing Archer while he crawled with Scout.

Every shot also had my girl in the background.

Wait. Was she my girl?

The conversation overnight was still playing in my head.  I got some reassurance from her but nothing concrete.

Her sweet note made me less uneasy about where things stood. My actions have been inconsistent at best, so as much as I wanted to barrel ahead being careful felt more appropriate.

By the time we got home I was mentally and physically exhausted.  The marketing company has four interns plus a secretary and accountant.  Everyone was nice, but my brain needed a break from constant interruptions and needy clients. Georgia seemed to understand, and even Scout was ready for a nap while we watched the movie.  I woke up at one point and saw everyone else sleeping - even Georgia.

I had to find a way to talk to her again.

Dad and I chatted about work while we got dinner grilled. Archer was a handful and I was relieved when Georgia and Scout joined us.  My little sister loved playing with our baby brother, especially now that he was mobile.  I was concerned it would be frustrating for her, but all I saw was amusement and love each time she headed him off and dragged his body away from whatever "danger" was nearby. The grassy area of the yard was over 20 feet from the edge of the pool, on the other side of an outdoor kitchen, so he was not in imminent danger, but that was never the point.

The point was she loved him and wanted him safe.

Dinner was wonderful and I handled dishes while Dad headed down to work out and Georgia played with the kids.  I heard her playing guitar and recognized the song instantly.

I had looked up the lyrics after she performed it the other day.

"Do you remember how we felt, sitting by the water... you put your arm around me for the first time.  You made a rebel of a careless man's careful daughter.  You are the best thing.. That's ever been mine."

Georgia's voice was thick with emotion while she sang.  I felt myself move closer to watch, breath held as I heard it in a new light.

This... this means more.  For both of us.

My sister requested a few more songs either by showing us toys or scrolling Georgia's Spotify.  It was adorable to watch her scrunch her nose then hem and haw while she decided.

We never said No.  We just looked up chords and ran with whatever Scout chose. No one cared if it was a bit off or we struggled in certain places. The goal was just to give it a shot and enjoy a casual jam session.

Dad joined us after about an hour and took the guitar for a turn, playing some 80's power ballads like "Every Rose has its Thorns." 

Georgia raised her phone flashlight and swayed as she sang along.

I felt lighter, even though we hadn't spoken. Maybe nothing needed to be said. Maybe I'm making this more complicated than it needs to be and should just relax into our new dynamic.

Okay, to be fair, that's exactly what I always did so this should not be a surprise.

Dad handled Scout's bedtime and Georgia got Archer changed while I prepared a bottle.

"Can I feed him?" I asked, peeking into the dim nursery as she stood him up, now in cozy pajamas.

Georgia smiled at me while passing Archer my way, "Of course.  I need to grab all his gear from downstairs so I'll be right back..."

I grabbed her hand before she left, willing her to stay.  "Can we talk once he's down?  I just... I need to know how you feel, Georgia..."

Her eyes met mine, a long moment frozen between us before she leaned closer and whispered, "You are the best thing that's ever been mine, Rome."

I was stunned.

She was laying herself bare before me.

Before I could move, Georgia slipped from the room and I let out a long breath. 

I'm hers... I know I am.  I love her and want to make sure she knows that but everything has happened so fast.

I was able be patient and keep giving us a chance, wasn't I? It's why I came home, even though I never anticipated our Nanny being the woman of my dreams.

All I have to do is keep moving toward what I had always wanted.