This Too Shall Pass (15 page)

“You thought what, Lex?”

“I thought you took them because of Mitch.”

“Took them?”

“Yes, like to Chicago or something. I had all these crazy thoughts going through my mind, like Ellen being here to help you. You wouldn’t do that, would you?”

“No, but I am taking them there in November for four days.”

“No you’re not.”

Cory looked down at his watch. “I’ve got to go. I have a dentist appointment. We’ll discuss it later.”

Alexis walked backward away from him. “There’s nothing to talk about. I’m going after the girls.”

“No you’re not. Ellen is leaving tomorrow. Let her keep them today. You’re supposed to be at work.”

Alexis once again closed the distance between them in four quick strides. Geesh, she was touchy. “Why is it you think you’re calling the shots here? Who the hell do you think you are?”

Cory flared right back, angry expression, and a stiff back. “What’s the matter, Alexis, your boyfriend not take care of you last night?”

Alexis didn’t even think about it. She didn’t have time to think about it. Her hand did the thinking for her. A loud crack permeated with the sting of her open hand. “Fuck you. He took care of me. He took care of me way better than you ever did.”

Cory grabbed both her arms and shoved her against his truck, rough, but not too rough. The firm grip to both her arms and his body against hers kept her from moving. “Back off, Alexis. Go back to your little boyfriend and stay the fuck out of my face.”

She didn’t think that one through either. She couldn’t slap him again due to the hold he had on her arms. Cory dropped his hands from her, took a step back, and wiped spit from his eye with a white hanky. “You back off. You stay the fuck away from me, and don’t you ever think you’re telling me where and what you’re doing with my daughter.”

The only response Cory had was the evil glower on his face, the angry vein in his neck, and the quick eye movement to the right. Alexis jerked her head to the direction of his eyes and stormed off.

“Good afternoon, Mrs Beasley,” she calm, cool and collectedly replied. Sure she’d never felt so much anger in her life, Alexis jerked the gearshift into drive and smashed the gas. Loud shrieks from the tires were heard as she peeled out of the parking lot, followed by blue lights and one quick sound of a siren. Great.

Alexis laughed. There was nothing more to do but laugh. It was comical. This was her life now. Full of drama. “Hey, Bradley,” she greeted with a warm smile, just like old friends meeting for coffee.

“What the hell are you doing, Alexis? What if a kid would have been riding by on a bike? What if you ran over Mrs Beasley?”

“I wasn’t going to run over Mrs Beasley, and I looked both ways before I pulled out.”

The town cop removed his hat and ran his hand over his crew cut in frustration. “You’re not allowed to burn rubber any more than you’re allowed to make U-turns. Where are you going so fast?”

Alexis looked around him when Cory drove by, nice and slow, wearing a smirk. Her middle finger went stiff right at him.

“Oh my God. You’re possessed. You can’t do that either,” Bradley ordered while covering the obscene gesture with his hand.

“I wasn’t in a hurry to go anywhere. I was pissed off.”

“Obviously. I’m writing you a ticket for reckless operation.”

“No, come on, Bradley. I’m sorry. I won’t let it happen again. I swear. Don’t give me a ticket.”

“I’m not giving you a ticket. I’m giving you a lesson. License and registration please.”

“Bradley, seriously? We’re pals. We’ve known each other since the ice-age. Come on.”

“License and registration, Alexis. I have a half a notion to call your dad. What’s gotten into you?”

An audible deep breath released when she handed over the information. “I’m sure Mrs Beasley’s already beat you to it.”

Alexis was one-hundred percent right. She hadn’t even made it home before her mother was calling. She answered with an eye roll and an attitude. “Don’t, Mom.”

“Don’t what, Alexis Rosaline McKinley?”

“And there goes the middle name.”

“What are you thinking child? You slapped him? You spit in his face? Reckless driving? In town? Your father is going to give you the dickens.”

“Do you know how old I am?” Alexis questioned with a pointed thumb to her chest while she drove the county road toward her house.

“Oh, yes. Old enough to know better. Old enough to keep your life private and out of town,” Lola chastised with an elevated voice through the phone.

“I have to go, mom. I’ll take my ass chewing later, maybe with a side order of dad gnawing at my other ear.” Alexis hung up. Alexis hung up on her mother. She was going crazy. She hadn’t done that since high-school. It was Cory Baker. He was making her crazy.

The thought of fighting Cory’s text message an hour later didn’t even cross her mind. Alexis was trying like hell to burn off some anxious energy with a push mower when she felt the vibration in her back pocket.

Cory—I want to keep the girls one more night. Ellen leaves tomorrow.

Alexis—Fine. I’ll pick them up from Sam’s tomorrow.

Alexis mowed grass that didn’t need mowed, fuming, but mostly at herself. Her life had gone from comfortable and content to anger, angst, resentment, and hate. The part that aggravated her most was the fact that she knew it. She spent many years, knowing it while she kept to herself, and away from stupid men.

Once she was finished mowing the yard that didn’t need mowed, Alexis showered, and did what she knew she had to do. She drove over to her parents’ and apologized.

Walt was rocking on the porch, smoking a pipe when Alexis climbed the steps. “Hey, Sputter Bug. Heard you had a rough day.”

Alexis sat beside him and patted his knee. “You could say that. Thought you were going to throw that thing away.”

“Nah, a man needs his pipe after a good meal. You should go get a plate. I’m sure it’s still hot.”

“I’m not hungry, I’ll get something later.”

“You know this is all going to pass, don’t you? You’re just making it hard on yourself by holding on to this anger,” Walt assured her with two puffs of blue smoke.

“I know this, Dad. I know I need to let it go, but God, he makes me so mad,” Alexis groaned through a clenched jaw, beating her head off the back of the wooden rocker.

“That’s because you’re letting him do it.”

“No, that’s because he’s a fu—fu—an idiot. He thinks I’m just going to let him pack up Kinley and take her clear to Chicago for Thanksgiving.”

Walt rocked his chair and puffed his pipe again. Calm as a snail crossing the sidewalk. “You don’t want him to?”

“No, are you serious. Kinley is our family, not theirs. They’ve never even seen her. Why would that be okay? Don’t you dare take his side on this.”

“Maybe they want to see her now.”

Alexis sat up and placed her elbows on her knees and stared at him like he had two heads. Were all men this audacious? “I doubt that. His sister is getting married that weekend.”

“And you don’t think he deserves to go to his sister’s wedding with his daughters?”

“Oh, my God, Dad. I can’t believe you. You are taking his side. How can you think it would be okay for him to take her all the way to Chicago without me?”

“I’m not taking sides, but I am a father, and I always try to look at from both pairs of shoes. It wouldn’t be fair to Cory if I only walked in yours. Go with him. You loved it there?” Walt suggested.

“Unbelievable, it’s no wonder I’m losing my mind. I’m going to take my ass chewing from Mom. Yours sucks.”

Walt stopped her by straightening his knee. “It’s called respect for a reason, Alexis. It’s about respect, not attention.”

“Dad, I wasn’t...Never mind.” Alexis stepped over her dad’s leg, cursing the guilty conscious for making her come there. Did he really think she deliberately lashed out at Cory in the middle of town for attention? She wasn’t very respectful to Mrs. Beasley.

“I fixed you a plate. Do you want to eat it here or take it home,” Lola questioned.

“I’ll take it home. Thank you. Go ahead, let me have it so I can go home and wallow in self-pity for the rest of the night.”

“You’ve had enough for one day. Tough times don’t last, tough people do. It’s salmon patties,” Lola explained with a smile and outreached arms.

Alexis sighed and took a deep breath, plopping to the barstool. “Cory wants to take the girls to Chicago for Thanksgiving.”

“I heard you telling your father. For his sister’s wedding, right?” Lola turned and continued to clean up the night’s meal while she engaged in conversation.

“You think I should let him, too?” Alexis took the lid off the food and picked off a piece of Salmon.

Lola handed her a fork. “I think it’s more about Kinley than Cory.”

“What do you mean?” Alexis questioned while stabbing a potato.

“You don’t want your baby going that far away from you.”

“Exactly. That’s all it is. It’s not about anything else.”

“I’m calling your bluff. Do you want tea?”

“Yes, what bluff?”

“Are you afraid he won’t take care of her?”

“No, not at all. Cory’s a great father, but what if she got sick or something? This is good,” Alexis said while taking another bite of the salmon.

“You’re afraid he wouldn’t take care of her if she got sick?”

“You’re trying to twist this around. I know what you’re doing.”

Lola pulled up a stool and sat in front of her. “Would you take her to Chicago if, say Paige was getting married?”

“Of course I would, but that’s different. I love Paige. He doesn’t even talk to his sister,” Alexis said around the food in her mouth. That was like comparing apples to pizza.

“So, because he doesn’t talk to her much, he doesn’t love her as much as you love Paige, and he shouldn’t want to be there?”

“I’m not saying that. He can go. I just don’t want him to take Riki and Kinley. Riki I have no say in, but I do Kinley.”

“Like you said, you’re a big girl. I’m sure you’ll make the right decision. In the meantime, how about no more public displays of rage?” Lola patted Alexis on the hand and presumed her evening chores. Why did her parents always have to do that? How did they do that? She wasn’t thinking about it before she came there. She hadn’t even come there to talk about that. She only wanted to get the lecture over with. Reverse psychology, that’s what it was.

Alexis didn’t feel any better after she left there, worse if anything. Now she was really thinking about the whole stupid Chicago thing. By nine o’clock she was beat, ready to give up on her eventful day. The last time she was in bed by nine was ages ago. Nonetheless, she’d had enough and just wanted to wake to a new day. Rolling to her side in a curled little ball, she ignored the kicking baby and closed her eyes. Tomorrow would be a better day.

****

Sam woke her at five-thirty the next morning. Alexis was instantly alarmed. Why would Sam be calling her this time of day? Something was wrong.

“What’s up, Sam?”

“I’m sick, Lex. Can you see if Mom and Dad can keep the girls today?”

“I’ll stay home with them. What’s wrong?”

“Oh my God, I think I’m dying. I have that stupid stomach bug that’s been going around. I’m going to lay down. I’ll talk to you later.”

“Do you need anything?” Alexis offered in a stretch mixed with a yawn.

“No, I’ll be fine.”

Alexis rubbed her eyes, debating on whether to call or text Cory. She sat up and dialed his number. The sound in his voice expressed the same alarm she’d had.

“What’s wrong, Lex?” Cory questioned. He was so confusing. The way he said her name with concern assured her that he still cared.

“Sam’s sick. She can’t keep the kids. Bring them to me. I’ll stay home with them.”

“Fine, whatever. I’ll see you around seven.”

“Yeah, see ya,” Alexis said to her blinking phone. Okay, maybe he didn’t care. With another yawn, she dropped back to the bed and closed her eyes. The next thing that woke her was Cory, standing in her bedroom with Kinley.

“Alexis!” he called. Alexis squeezed her eyes shut. She wasn’t ready to wake up. What was that? Who was that? “Alexis!” And there it was again. With raised eyebrows, she fought to focus on the blurred man standing in her room. He smelled good. Maybe this was a good dream. Kinley’s squeal was the eye opener, the moment Alexis realized she was sprawled out in the middle of the bed, giving him the perfect view of her scarcely covered ass.

“What the hell?” she chastised while clawing at covers to cover herself. Kinley leaped into her arms and Riki came running in behind her.

“Tomorrow’s school day, Lexis. Did you wash my stuff?”

“Yes, sweetie. It’s all hanging up.”

“I’m going to pick out my clothes.” And she was off.

Cory anxiously shuffled from foot to foot. “I yelled from downstairs. The diaper bag is on the couch. You got those receipts?”