AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“It’s a pleasure to meet you,” Mom says and steps forward to kiss Lexi on the cheek. That surprises me. Mom takes time to warm up to strangers.
“We can’t wait to meet Luna,” she says. “She’s our first grandchild.”
“Yes,” Father says and takes Lexi’s hands into his. My father, like Declan, has a charm button that he is able to switch on and off. “We would love to meet the little princess.”
Mom leans forward as though to confide in Lexi. “As soon as we heard that we have a grandbaby, we commissioned a baby pool to be built. It’s almost done.”
Lexi’s eyes widen. “You’re having a pool built for Luna?”
“Yes of course,” my mother says. “If we can’t do it for our grandchild, who can we do it for?”
She turns to search for me. They all notice me then. The atmosphere changes. Grows cooler.
“Mother, Father,” I say. I hate that I’m a bit stiff but it’s always been that way between us. I never learned how to relax in front of them, though I’m a man now, with my own child.
“Welcome back, son,” my father says, just as formally.
We shake hands. He feels feeble but other than that and a little droop of his mouth, there are no visible effects of the stroke. I’m glad.
“Thank you.”
“You’ve done us proud,” he says.
I would have killed for those words when I was a kid. I’d longed for them, dreamed of them. That one day my dad would be proud of something I had done without comparing it to Declan. Maybe subconsciously that was one of the reasons why I had gone into the military. Something unique of my very own. Something that could not be compared to Declan.
But now I just feel okay. Nothing earth-shattering considering how long I’ve waited to hear those words. I suppose they’ve come a few years too late.
“How are you doing? I was told about the stroke,” I say.
My father waves a hand as if it was nothing. “I’m fine now. Doctors say there are no lasting effects.” Dad hates weakness and I’m not surprised that he’s diminishing the illness. He changes the topic back to the silver star but I know he just wants to stop talking about the stroke.
“Well done, again, son,” he says.
“Thank you,” I say and turn to Declan.
We man hug and then we all head to the buffet table. My mother takes Lexi’s hand to walk alongside her and my father. I hold her gaze and she nods. She’s fine. Satisfied, Declan, and I walk ahead.
“Would have been nice of you to tell me that they were coming,” I tell him.
“Yeah, except you’d have missed the ceremony,” Declan says.
I mull over what he has said. “Probably.”
“Hey, how are you doing now?” Declan says. “Have you had any more episodes?”
I grind to a halt and when Declan stops when he notices that I’ve stopped walking. “Episodes? Where the fuck did you get that from?” My tone is cold. I hate it when my personal business is public knowledge.
“Lexi told me when she was looking for you,” Declan says. “Hey, she meant well. She was worried sick.”
I’m upset but not at Declan. We grab our food and head to a table.
“Do you remember the days out on the boat?” Declan says as we eat.
“Yes, they were the best.”
On the days when my father took us out on his boat, I forgot that I was always second. I became more confident because, for one, I could handle a boat from a very young age. Out there in the water, I became one with nature. There was no competition for my parents’ attention. Being out on the boat was the one time when I was safe from comparison and criticism.
We reminisce about the past and laugh. To an onlooker, we’re the perfect family. From Lexi’s expression, I can see that she thinks the same. At the end of the meal, we agree that we’ll go to my parents’ home for the weekend. Or rather Lexi and mother agree, and I go along.
Lexi and I drive back to LA the same day. We would have spent a night, but Lexi is not comfortable leaving Luna with her Aunt Vanessa with the situation at home. Her mother is still around. It’s tense in the house and we would rather just forfeit spending a night to ensure that Luna sleeps at her own home. Helen, the nanny was with her all day and then Vanessa picked her up to send a few hours with her.
“It was nice to meet your parents,” Lexi tells me on the way home.
“They’re fine in small doses,” I tell her.
“Compared to my mom, they’re awesome,” Lexi says.
I’m glad that they got along so well, and they made her feel welcome. It’s hard to find something to dislike about Lexi though. She’s friendly and open. As we chat about my family, I remember that I wanted to speak to Lexi about private stuff being private.
