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In the quiet that followed she thought she’d avoided the question she feared the most, until Liv spoke again. “Can we call Alex?”
The lump returned tenfold in size. Alice tried to say no, but the word didn’t come out. She sucked air in through her nose before she tried again. “We’ll see. Honey, are you okay? Did the fight scare you?”
“No.” It sounded like she was already distracted by something else. “I was worried about Dad and Alex, but they’re okay. So it was kind of cool.”
“Olivia. Fights are not cool.”
“I know…”
“No, no I know. No exceptions.”
“Mom, I know.”
“Okay. Now tell your Uncle Kevin it’s time for bed.”
“But the game isn’t over,” Liv insisted.
“It is for you. Unless you don’t want to call your dad tomorrow.”
Liv sighed, showing painful signs of the teenager she would soon become, which terrified Alice to the core. The unstoppable wave of time making her baby get older every day was in motion, and she couldn’t do anything to stop it.
“Love you,” Alice said.
“Love you too.”
“Love you more.”
“Mooom.”
“Kiss your uncle good night for me.”
“Okay. Night.” Liv hung up.
Alice turned to go back into the restaurant and face the music but almost smacked into Ricki.
Alex’s sister looked just as grumpy and fearsome as she had in the booth, but she uncrossed her arms and tried to put on an impassive face. When that failed, she shrugged at her own attempt and finally spoke up. “I love my brother.”
“I love my brother too.” Alice wanted to say she loved Ricki’s brother, because she did love Alex. But if she couldn’t trust him, that love was meaningless.
“So you understand anyone who might hurt my brother isn’t my favorite person in the world, right?”
Alice thought about everyone who questioned her sanity for leaving Liv with Kevin after what had happened. She thought about all the nasty comments people had made, calling him crazy, and the hairs on the back of her neck stood up. “Yes. I understand.”
“And you get I just want him to be happy?”
“I do.”
“So here’s the thing. Here’s what we came here to tell you, and I figure maybe if I say it, you’ll buy it, because I clearly don’t like you, and I honestly kind of want to punch you in the ovaries for hurting him, got it?”
“Um…”
“Alex would never have let that story slip. I know you thought he might be behind it, but you’re looking at the wrong person. All any of us has heard since he met you in February is Alice this and Alice that, and I have never seen Alex this excited about anyone. That was Olivia on the phone, I’m guessing?”
Hearing her daughter’s name out of Ricki’s mouth set Alice on edge. “Why?”
“He’s told us all about her. I think the only chick he talks about more than you is her. I never figured him for a dad type, but you should hear the way he talks about her. Man.” Ricki shrugged again. “I guess my point is, he…loves you. He loves you. And he loves that kid. And he wouldn’t do anything to fuck that up.” Alex’s sister stared at her, then recrossed her arms.
“I’m not sure what to say,” Alice admitted.
