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William looks up at me. “When are you due?”
I’m startled and my head snaps back. He laughs.
“Mila, you are the only woman I’ve ever met who actually glows during pregnancy. You look radiant, my dear.”
I shake my head and chuckle a little.
“I just found out myself,” I tell him. “I haven’t even had a chance to tell Pax yet.”
William smiles. “Your secret is safe with me. But I’m thrilled. Congratulations. Your little family is a source of great joy for me.”
My heart warms to bursting. “Thank you.”
“Hey guys,” Pax greets us as he creeps into the kitchen. He moves slowly, carefully, and I know he’s hurting. He’s trying hard not to show it, but the man was hit by a car. Obviously, he’s in pain.
Zu trails behind him.
“Grandpa!” she shrieks, and she launches herself at William. He smiles and hugs her tight, his hand in her curls.
“Zuzu-Bean,” he murmurs. “Guess what I have for you?”
“Is it candy?” she asks, her eyes wide.
He nods. “Like always. But not until after dinner.”
She nods happily, agreeing. “Thank you, papa.”
Pax reaches out his arm and snakes it around William’s shoulders, hugging him lightly.
“Good to see you, old man,” he guffaws. William grins. Pax is the only one on the planet who jokes around with him in such an irreverent way, and William loves every minute of it.
“It’s good to see you, son,” he answers. “You hanging in there?”
“Hell, yeah,” Pax answers. “It takes more than some SUV to take me down.”
I shake my head and grab the bowl of vegetables. “If you guys can bring the rolls, dinner is ready.”
William picks up the basket, and everyone follows me to the dining room, a room we rarely use except for when William is here. We normally gather around the kitchen table.
“Sit at the head,” William instructs Pax. “This is your home.”
Pax takes his normal seat, but he does tell William, “This is your home, too.”
William smiles, and again, he seems so sad. Pax and I exchange a look, but we don’t say anything. I’m not sure what to say. Perhaps William is just bothered by the accident and what ‘could’ve been.’ Lord knows, I am.
We chit-chat over dinner, about small things. Alexander Holdings, Zuzu’s swimming lessons, my photography. Zuzu babbles happily, and William has seconds. He never takes his suit jacket off, but then again, I don’t think I’ve ever seen him without it.
After dinner, he helps me clean up while Pax takes Zu upstairs.
He dries a couple of pots, then turns to me.
“Thank you for making my grandson so happy, young lady.”
I’m startled by this, and I smile. “It’s my pleasure. Really.”
“The way you stuck by him when he was… well, let’s just say when he was less than pleasant.”
I have to laugh at that. When Pax’s memories of what he had endured that night with his mother when she was murdered had re-emerged a few years ago, he has certainly been “less than pleasant.” He had disappeared into a dark abyss and I never thought he’d come out.
