Alex covered his face with his hand. “Mom…”
“Samantha has always worked traditional jobs. She went to school, received a top-notch education, clawed her way to the top of the corporate world, and had a family.” Clarissa held a mug, and she sipped from it before she continued. “I didn’t do things like she did, and the career that I have… well… I want you to know that I think you two make a lovely couple, and that as long as you take care of each other, you have mysupport.”
“Mom,” Alex said from behind his hand, like she was embarrassing him. “Please?”
“I’m not saying anything aboutthat,honey,” Clarissa assured him. “I just wanted to tell Laurence that even though Samantha is stern and sees the world through a very traditional lens, I don’t, and you two have my blessing. My brother ended up marrying a younger man he accidentally knocked up, you know, and now they have five kids together, and they’re more in love thanever.”
“Mom.”
“I’ll stop.” She reached forward and ruffled Alex’s hair, then set her sights on Laurence. “Thank you for being brave enough to come to talk to us, and thank you for looking after my boy. If you need anything, give me acall.”
“Thanks, Mom.” Alex took his hand from his face, and Laurence saw that, despite his embarrassment, his mood had improved. “I love you. Can you make sure that S-Mom knows that I love her, too, and that I’m not just sayingthat?”
“Mmhm. Will do, buckaroo.” Clarissa sipped at her drink again—coffee, by the smell of it. “Can I organize your babyshower?”
“I’m not even a month pregnant yet,” Alex saidflatly.
“I mean, it’ll be when you’re more heavily pregnant.” There was playful mischief in her eyes—a familiar look that hit Laurence right in the gut. “And we can go shopping! All the tiny clothes are so cute. I still have some of your old clothes. Are you going to be living with Laurence and setting up a nursery in his house?Or—”
“We’re leaving,” Alex said. He stepped down from the stoop onto the stone path and pulled Laurence with him. “I love you, Mom. I love you, too, S-Mom, if you’re listening through the door. I’ll see you both soon, okay? Textme.”
“Bye bye, baby.” Clarissa curled her fingers in a wave. The look of mischief lingered on her face, but she hid it behind her coffee. “I’ll be back in touch soon. Love you, andcongratulations.”
It wasn’t until they were on the sidewalk and well down the street that Alex expelled an audible breath and looked up at Laurence, exhausted. “Well… welcome to the family. That didn’t go as terribly as I’d thought itmight.”
“It didn’t go terribly at all,” Laurenceagreed.
They’d done the right thing, engaged in a difficult conversation, and come out of it with their relationship—and their future—still intact. No secrets would come to light at the worst time, no family ties would be ruined by lies, and no one on the outside would cause them pain by using the truth like aweapon.
They werefree.
Laurence opened the car door for Alex and made sure he was seated before he closed it again. Across the street, a squirrel chased another up atree.
Everything was going to be fine, because they’d taken steps to ensure that nothing could touch them. All that was left now was to find their new normal—and they’d do that at their own pace, fumbling their own way through blunders that were uniquely theirown.
Against all odds, everything was going to beokay.
32
Alex
Two monthsafter the harrowing morning meeting at his parents’ house, at just short of three in the afternoon, Alex stretched across Laurence’s couch and tried to convince his eyelids to open. He should have already arrived at the studio and started work, but he couldn’t stop napping. First trimester fatigue, according to his obstetrician, was common, and was likely to go away by the secondtrimester.
That didn’t stop it fromsucking.
To keep himself awake, Alex rolled onto his side and took his phone from his back pocket. Laurence was at work, Matthew was at a friend’s place, and he’d slept the day away in total quiet. It was stunning how silent a house could be—Alex was used to the noise of an apartment building, where it seemed like someone was always moving furniture, wearing concrete shoes, or hosting all-day, all-night raves. And while he enjoyed not listening to his neighbors live their lives in high definition, if he wanted to stay awake, he needed sound to engage hismind.
So he calledGage.
Alex lifted a leg into the air and rotated his ankle, moving his foot back and forth while he listened to the phone ring. At three, Gage shouldn’t have been working. More than likely, he was spending time with Bo. At a trip to the doctor—out of Alex’s pocket—Bo had been diagnosed with asthma. As far as Alex knew, Bo hadn’t been taking well to his treatment, likely because he caused such a fuss putting on his nebulizer. At such a young age, he wasn’t ready to use an inhaler independently. Alex figured Bo’s progress was plateaued because he was so fussy about taking his medicine, but, despite how long it was taking to get him back to normal, Alex was glad that Gage had answers. Everything was going to beokay.
So Alex was mildly surprised when Gage answered the phone breathlessly. “Alex!”
“Well, that wasn’t the reaction I was expecting, but I’ll take it.” Alex grinned. “What’s up? How is everything going? I’m trying my hardest not to fall asleep over here, so I thought I’d see what’s going on withyou.”
“I was just going to call you.” It sounded like Gage was out somewhere—wind rushed into the phone, like he was driving with the window down. “Where are you rightnow?”
“At Laurence’s house.” Alex wrinkled his nose. “Where I’ve been staying pretty much full-time for the last two months. Did I forget an appointment? Why would I be somewhereelse?”
