Lexie paused her playful attack and took a closer look at my face, then pointed. “Are those wrinkles I see at both corners of your eyes, old boy?” Her tone was a mix of concern and teasing.
“No. That can't be,” I denied, though I hadn’t been able to look at my reflection in the mirror for a while. In my estimation, I had more pressing concerns than my appearance.
“Kevin, I know what I’m saying. Have you been sleeping well?”
I scratched my head slowly. “Not really,” I confessed, propping Noah on my knee.
“Is it the situation with Chloe? Should I tell Mom?”
I admired how Lexie could slip into the role of the adult, acting like she was decades older than she actually was. Sometimes,I wondered what it would have been like if she were the older sibling—I’d certainly have had a mother hen for a sister.
“Chloe is refusing to reason with me, but that’s not even the crux of the matter.” I heaved a deep, sad sigh.
“So, what is it?”
“I still haven’t spoken to Licia about any of this.”
“What? Since that day? Why? What's wrong with you, Kevin? Don't you ever learn? Do you want her to shut you out of her life again?” She went ballistic on me, leaving me scrambling to figure out which of her questions to answer first.
At this point, Lexie should have just been my older sister. It might have been better. I was clueless when it came to women and how to navigate troubled waters with them.
“I want to talk to her. I really do, but what do I tell her? That I loved her like my life depended on it and wished more than anything to be with her, but that I’m still negotiating with Chloe on how best to take care of our son? Make it make sense to me.” I was at my wit's end.
“All this time you've been silent, has it solved anything? No, it hasn't. Let's break things down, shall we?”
“Licia was blindsided by the news that you have a son. You haven’t even explained to her how that happened, and yet you’re more concerned about getting Chloe on the same page with you? Something that we don’t know when—or if—it’s going to happen.”
“So, what do you suggest I do?”
“If you can’t figure it out, then at least let me push you into action. Go talk to Licia. Explain the circumstances around Noah’s birth. Don’t leave her to assume things. Clear the air. Then, you can tell her that you’re trying to work things out with Chloe.”
“What if she doesn’t believe me?” I asked sadly, because there was a real chance it would all be for nothing.
“We can't predict her reaction, but at least you tried. No one can fault you for that.”
I nodded slowly, taking in her words. “Okay, Lexie. I will go tomorrow morning.”
“Why tomorrow? Whatever happened to today? It’s barely noon. There’s still plenty of time. You’ve let two months slip by. We can’t waste another day. Hand Noah over and go prepare yourself for the task.”
It was definitely a task.
“Fineeee. Tell Jackson to get the Mulliner Bacalar ready. I’ll be down in about half an hour.”
“That’s the spirit.”
Why was she smiling so much?
“Thanks for today, Ms. Brown.”
“Anytime.” She grinned, gloating.
I handed Noah over to her, and they exited the room together, leaving me to collect my thoughts.
I insisted on driving myself to the hospital to see Licia. Jackson stayed back, engaging in a chess challenge with my dad’s chauffeur. My agenda was simple: talk to Licia, make her understand, apologize for what happened, and hopefully leave feeling relieved.
It seemed like everything was going to go according to plan, but nothing prepared me for what I was about to witness.
As I parked in the hospital's parking lot and was about to step into the outpatient unit, I saw Licia holding hands and smiling sweetly at some guy as they strolled toward the glass door.
