“Happy Thanksgiving, Alec.”
“You, too, Olivia. And thank you. For everything.”
Alec hung up his phone and tossed it aside. “Hey girls. How’s the puzzle going?” He scooted forward on the cushion, resting his elbows on his knees to see what they were working on.
“If you want to help us, you have to follow the rules, Uncle Alec,” Maya said. She was the oldest, ten years old, and extremely bossy. Alec loved that about her, even if her younger sister Sophia did not. Maya knew what she wanted and wasn’t afraid to ask for it.
“Okay. Tell me the rules.”
“The main thing right now is that we can’t start on the middle yet because the edges aren’t done,” Sophia said, sounding weary. “It’s taking forever.”
Maya rolled her eyes. “It’s just the way it works. This needs to happen first. Then we can worry about everything else.”
Alec couldn’t ignore the parallel between the puzzle and his own life. If this, then that. If that other thing, then an entirely different thing. And in the middle of all of it was Brooklyn. “I need to make another phone call, but I’ll come back and help you both in a little bit, okay?”
“Hopefully we’ll have the edges done by then,” Sophia said.
Alec strolled to the other side of the house, into the guest room where he was staying. He plopped down on the bed, stretched out, and put his head on the pillow, then called Brooklyn.
“Please tell me you aren’t calling from the airport,” she said when she answered.
A smile immediately bloomed on his face. The sound of her voice never failed to make him feel some glimmer of happiness. “Nope. I made it safe and sound. We ate right after I got to the house. Otherwise, I would have called to let you know.”
“No worries. I had to take a nap on the couch after we ate. Major food coma.”
“Are you still at your mom’s?”
“I am, but I’m leaving soon. My mom loves you, by the way.” For the millions of times Alec had heard that, he’d never thought of it as a compliment. Now it was like one of the best things he’d ever heard. “And you’re all Dallas has been talking about all day. He’s in love with you, too.”
“And how do you feel about me, Brooklyn?”
“I think you already know the answer to that question. But we agreed we weren’t going to make professions until these last few issues are sorted. Like whether or not I’m pregnant.”
It didn’t make this any easier for Alec. If anything, keeping quiet was making him more conflicted. “How are you feeling?”
“Fine. I mean, I’ve read so many pregnancy books that I probably know too much. I keep asking myself whether I’m tired or whether my nipples are sore. I’m overthinking everything and making myself a little crazy in the process.”
“And? Are you tired?”
“A little. But maybe that’s work.”
“I feel like you’re avoiding the question of whether you think you might be pregnant.”
Several moments of quiet played out over the line, but he knew Brooklyn was still there. He could hear her breathing. “I’m afraid, Alec. I’m afraid to get my hopes up. But I’m afraid to be pessimistic, too.”
“I’m feeling the exact same way, if that makes you feel any better.”
“I guess it’s good to know that I’m not alone.”
“I know we said we wouldn’t make promises to each other, but I have to say one thing. You will never be truly alone, Brooklyn. No matter what happens to us, or between us, I will always be here for you.” He heard the wobble in his voice, and it got a little worse with each new word, but he had to keep going. He had to get this much out. “You can always call me. You can always show up at my door. Always.”
“Alec, that’s so sweet. I know things aren’t always easy between us, but you will always be my friend. No matter what.”
“That means a lot to me.”It means everything.
“Uncle Alec, we need you!” Sophia called from the other room.
“Brook, I have to go. My nieces are calling for me.”
