“I hate to leave you like this, but I have to go get my friend from the doctors.”
“Of course. Thank you.”
“You can call me anytime.”
“I know. Thank you. Oh, Aunt Alice. One more thing. Did Aunt Sable ever tell you anything about my dad?”
“Oh, we all knew your dad. Orlando. He was a studio musician. Handsome devil. He died before Sable knew she was pregnant.”
“What happened?”
“Fist fight at the airport, of all places. Other guy landed a hard punch the wrong way and your dad passed away.”
Xeni let out another painful sigh before she thanked her aunt.
“Dante loves you like his own, Xeni. That’s more than something.”
“I know. Go pick up your friend. I’ll talk to you when I get back.”
“Come on by and see me. It’s been a while since you’ve been over.” They’d seen each other during her aunt’s homegoing, but she was right. Xeni hadn’t been to Pasadena in ages.
“I promise I will.”
Xeni ended the call then sent her mom a text.
Hey mommy. Just checking in.
Everything’s going fine.
I’ll call you and Daddy tomorrow. XP
Okay. Thanks for texting
Love you, baby. XM
They needed to talk, but Xeni had a feeling she wouldn’t be able to do it over the phone. She needed time to process and gather her own thoughts. Her Aunt Alice was right about how precious life was and how little time they had to spend it together, but that realization didn’t make Xeni any less human.
She needed time to set some of the anger and the hurt aside. She felt like a pawn and a mistake. She thought back to the times she’d spent alone with Sable. The snide comments her aunt had made about her mother, how Xeni had chalked them up to Sable being the cool aunt with no man and no kids tying her down. So cool, there was no way her mom could understand her. How would have Xeni acted if she’d known the truth? Did it even matter now?
She sunk down in her chair, trying to force herself to cry. She needed the release, but the tears wouldn’t come. Eventually she gave up, accepting the numbness that had come back to smother her like a pillow in the face. She picked up her phone again and went to her text conversation with Mason. She hoped his kindness could stretch a bit further with her.
I don’t know if you’re already close but
could you grab some beer and some ice cream. I
need to drown my sorrows in booze and sugar.
The little response bubbles popped up before her phone went dim.
Was looking for the perfect gif response.
Nothing was good enough.
But the answer is yes, love.
Thanks, dear.
Xeni put her phone down, leaned over and pressed her forehead against the wood of the table. She could hear her mother, feel her slapping her shoulder, telling her to get her face off that dirty tabletop, but her mother wasn’t there to chide her. She closed her eyes and rolled her face back and forth, willing Mason to hurry up. She needed her husband.
