Page 76 of Turning Back

I look over at the bedroom. There’s a lot going on in there. But right now, I’m distracted by this woman and her baby. The surprise I planned is not even in the top ten things on my mind. Plus, Rochelle has kicked off her shoes and is pressing her socked toes into my thigh. I look over at her with… well, a look.

She smiles and shakes her head at me. As if to say, Sorry, you horny man. I have a tired baby and you have half a dozen workers in our house.

Our house. Is this our house?

“Jesus Christ,” Rochelle says. “What are you thinking so hard about? You have smoke coming out your ears.”

Adley laughs and slaps my face with her little fist.

“I know a lot about you,” I say.

“Do you?” Rochelle says. And when I look at her, her face has gone serious.

“I think so,” I say.

“Aside from where I like to shop—and I’d just like to say I spent a fortune on brand-new clothes down on the mall this afternoon, so your assessment is no longer valid—what do you know?”

“I know you like holidays. You even put up an Easter tree one year and decorated with pastel pictures you cut out of vintage magazines.”

“Yeah.” She sighs. “I’d forgotten about that.”

“And I know you’re kind. You don’t like to argue. And you will avoid a fight at all costs.”

“Does that make me meek?” she asks.

“Meek?” I laugh. “No. It makes you sweet.”

“Aww. Elias has a soft side.”

I shrug. “I’m glad you’re back.”

“Holy shit, you’re like—serious right now, aren’t you?”

I nod and look at Adley. “Yeah,” I say. “I am. I didn’t realize how much I missed you until this week.”

“Do you love me, Elias?”

“Yes,” I say. “I love you, Rochelle. Probably not the same way that Quin loves you, but in my Bricman way, I do.”

“Loved me, you mean. You heard what he said the other night. Doesn’t even know me.”

“Well, he knows all the things about you that I do. So you have to internalize it in a different context. He doesn’t trust you because you hurt him when you left.”

“But I didn’t hurt you, did I?”

I shake my head and lean back into the cushions. Adley leans over towards Rochelle and I hand her back. She crawls her way up her mom’s chest and rests her head on her breast, closing her eyes as Rochelle pets her hair and kisses her cheek.

“Nah,” I say. “I wasn’t hurt. I was… a little relieved. Secretly happy.”

“God.” Rochelle huffs. “Way to make a girl feel special.”

I’m not sure if that’s a real scoff or just a fake one. Probably something in between.

“I knew you liked Quin better,” I say. “And Chella… well. Chella was a whole bunch of new fun, you know?”

“Is that what Quin thought of her? A whole bunch of fun?”

“No. He was mad at first. Smith and I kinda tricked him into it just to get his mind off you.”