AllFreeNovel
Share Us
Chris made a face. “Ooh, Michael and Hannah sitting in a tree-”
Lucas snapped his fingers in front of Chris’s face. “Do you want lunch?”
Chris turned stricken eyes on Lucas. “I’m starving to death.”
“Then declare a truce and don’t touch each other for the rest of the day. Good behavior means you get fed.”
Both boys muttered, “Fine.”
“Bet they never used starvation as a method in any of those parenting magazines,” Addy said with a laugh.
“Hey, whatever it takes.”
After a day of remembering the past, Lucas felt like looking toward his future.
His future of a few more days… or a week… or maybe longer. Didn’t matter as long as it had Addy in it.
When had he started to crave her with a hunger like no other?
When she told him about that dirtbag who’d tried to hurt her? When she’d first kissed him? When she’d brought chilled ginger ale for his sick nephews? Or maybe it was her face framed in against that green umbrella?
He wasn’t sure. All he knew was life would seem far emptier without her in it. He had to make the days he had with her count.
But would that be enough?
The sun sank over the thick oaks spreading their branches over Carrolton as they polished off their gelatos and spumoni at Angelo Broccato’s Italian Ice Cream Parlor. Lazy fans whirled overhead and Charlotte’s head drooped like a wilted daisy very near her cup of frozen custard.
“Today was fun, Uncle Lucas,” Chris said, still working on the huge cone he’d demanded. “I like knowing stuff about my dad when he was little.”
“He was a lot like you,” Lucas commented, shoving the last bite of spumoni into his mouth. He’d waited too long to come home. Too long for some sugary piece of yesterday.
“Who am I like?” Michael asked, not bothering to look up. He’d long ago finished his cookie and cocoa.
“A little like me, and a little like your mother.”
“You and my mom were boyfriend and girlfriend for a long time,” Michael said lifting dark eyes up to gaze at him. It was a question, not a statement.
Addy frowned. “You dated Courtney? One of the kids said something like that, but I…” She didn’t finish her question and he understood why. It was a strange situation.
“I grew up with Courtney. She’s a bit younger than I am, but she was in my grade because she started school in another state. We were best of friends. She was the pea to my carrot,” Lucas said, not wanting to talk about Courtney and the past. It seemed so long ago… almost like a dream at times. “You’re a lot like her, Michael. You hold things in and think you can handle everything life throws at you on your own.”
“And you don’t?” Addy asked.
He tried not to squirm, but it happened anyway. The day had been light, full of laughter and excitement. They’d gone to City Park and played wifle ball and then gone on to the Mardi Gras museum downtown… even though there had been one in Kenner. And that was after they’d stuffed themselves on Deanie’s seafood in Bucktown a stone’s throw from Lake Ponchartrain. He didn’t want to trip back into the hurt of the past. “Sure. I’m a dude. We hold onto stuff, and in my case, I have things I’ve held on to for longer than I should have.”
“Like hating my dad?” Chris asked.
“I don’t-” Lucas snapped his mouth shut and shook his head. “I don’t hate your father. He’s my brother and brothers always love each other. That’s something you two should think about.”
“But Dad stole Mom from you. I hear things, and I know you left New Orleans because of them getting together.” Michael’s eyes glinted with something Lucas couldn’t define. Maybe he also knew Courtney getting pregnant with him also played a role.
“Is that why you left law school?” Addy asked softly.
“You know what? I don’t want to have this conversation right now,” he said, scooting back the old-fashioned iron parlor chair, dragging it across the floor, making them cringe at the sound. “Charlotte’s worn out, and I am, too.”
Three pairs of eyes stared at him, but they didn’t move.
“Do you hate us, too?” Michael asked, his eyes now fearless, almost accusing. Obviously the kid wanted to hear the truth.
