Contessa (91 page)

“
Well, if you need to talk, I
’
m here. And bored. And without Finn.
”

“
Yes, I know. I
’
m sorry I couldn
’
t be your back-up plan tonight.
”

“
I
’
m counting on you tomorrow,
”
she warns me.
“
Don
’
t pick anymore fights.
”

“
Not planning on it,
”
I assure her.
“
Thanks for being there for me, Camille.
”

“
It
’
s what friends do,
”
she says.
“
You
’
d do it for me.
”

“
Yeah, I would. I
’
ll call you tomorrow.
”

“
Okay. Good luck with Jon.
”

“
Thanks. Good night!
”

“
Livvy?
”
I hear my brother
’
s small voice through the door as soon as I get out of the shower. Wrapping my towel around myself, I open the door for him.

“
What
’
s up, Trey?
”

“
Mommy and Daddy aren
’
t up.
”

“
Well, it
’
s early still, kiddo. Did you need something?
”

“
I
’
m hungry,
”
he says.

“
Hungry, huh? Did Dad bring any groceries?
”

“
I don
’
t think so.
”

“
Alright. Why don
’
t we both get dressed and go down
to the restaurant for breakfast?
I bet they
’
ll have pancakes...
”

“
Okay,
”
he says with a smile, running back to the living room where his clothes are folded up neatly on a chair. When I finish putting on my jeans and shirt, I meet him on the couch to inspect him.

“
Your shirt
’
s on inside out, silly.
”
He looks down at it curiously and then starts to take it off.
“
I
’
ll get it.
”
I fix his clothes and reach into my bag for my hair brush.
“
Your hair is crazy, Trey! Did you not sleep well?
”

“
Not really,
”
he says.
“
I miss my robot.
”

“
Dad didn
’
t bring Charlie?
”
I never could understand how my brother could sleep comfortably with his half-plush-half-plastic toy robot, but truth be told, it was the only way he
could
sleep comfortably.

“
No, I forgot it. We were in a hurry.
”

“
I
’
m sorry, buddy. I
’
m sure he
’
s safe at home, missing you, too. You can both take a nap this afternoon.
”
I get up and write a note to my parents, letting them know where we are.

“
No! Daddy said we were going to a baseball game.
”

“
Oh, did he? Just the two of you?
”

“
I think so.
”

“
Well, that should be fun. In that case, we better get some food in that tummy. Let
’
s go.
”

All the way to the lobby, Trey tells me in detail what he wants for breakfast, which is pretty much everything his little mind can think of. After we
’
re seated, I tell him he can pick two things off of the breakfast menu. I can remember my parents making limits like that for me, too.

“
Who is Nate?
”
my brother asks after we
’
re served. I set my fork down quietly and put my hands in my lap.

“
You know who Nate is, Trey. He was Granna
’
s son.
”

“
But he died,
”
he informs me.

“
I know. Why do you ask?
”

“
Because you said you wanted him to be your Daddy. And if he
’
s dead, how can he?
”

I feel so terrible, knowing my brother not only heard the conversation, but still has lingering questions this morning.
“
Did Dad talk to you about what happened yesterday?
”

“
No. I was afraid to ask him. I was afraid he
’
d yell at me, too.
”

“
Oh, Trey, I am so sorry. Daddy
’
s not going to yell at you. Especially for something I did wrong.
”

“
What did you do?
”

“
Lots,
”
I tell him.
“
But there was no truth in what I told him yesterday. Do you understand what I mean?
”

“
You were lying?
”

I consider his question.
“
Well, not telling the truth typically is lying, but it wasn
’
t really that. I said that to Daddy just to hurt him.
”

“
Why would you want to hurt him?
”

“
I don
’
t know, buddy. Because I
’
m a complete ingrate.
”

“
What
’
s a ingrape?
”

“
Ingrate,
”
I correct him with a smile.
“
And it
’
s nothing. I didn
’
t mean what I said to Dad yesterday, about Nate. I should never have said it, and I don
’
t mean it at all. We have the best daddy in the world.
”

He stares at me, looking doubtful. I look beyond him to the restaurant entrance and see my dad. In his hands is Charlie the Robot. He catches my eye and begins to walk toward us.

“
You don
’
t believe me?
”
I ask him.

“
I guess,
”
he says.

“
Turn around, Trey.
”
He peeks over the back of his chair with Dad just a few feet away.

“
Charlie!
”
he exclaims, hopping out of his chair and grabbing the toy from my father.

“
Best dad ever,
”
I suggest to him.

“
Daddy, you
’
re the best dad ever!
”
he tells him. My dad smiles at him first, but then moves his warm gaze to meet mine.

“
Good morning, Contessa,
”
he says.
“
How did you sleep?
”

“
Okay, I guess.
”
I honestly slept so well I wasn
’
t sure I moved at all. I guess all of the crying wore me out completely.

“
Good.
”

“
You went home?
”

“
I snuck out as quietly as I could. But, yeah, Jackson over here missed his robot. I heard him calling out for him in the middle of the night.
”

“
Oh. Well, aren
’
t we going home this afternoon?
”

“
I don
’
t know. I thought we might stay another night.
”

“
Really? Oh, well, I told Camille I would hang out with her tonight, you know, if I
’
m not grounded,
”
I say cautiously.
“
But I
’
ll completely understand if I am.
”

“
We
’
re not going to ground you. I
’
m just glad we
’
re working through things. I appreciate the proactive way you approached
your mom and me
yesterday. I see there
’
s an adult in there, somewhere.
”

“
Thanks, Dad.
”
I roll my eyes, exaggerating the motion to make sure he sees it. He laughs.

“
If you promise me that Jon will not come within one block of the house, I bet I can convince Lexi to come stay with you tonight.

“
Not that I don
’
t think you could handle things alone,
”
he adds abruptly.
“
I just thought you might like some company.
”

“
I promise I won
’
t see Jon. And I would like to have Lexi over. Can Camille stay, too?
”

“
That
’
s fine. Just don
’
t give me any reason to be upset with you tomorrow.
”

“
I won
’
t Dad, I promise.
”
I draw an X over my heart for extra emphasis.
“
And if you want me to watch Trey tonight, too...
”

He nods his head.
“
We
’
ll play it by ear. We have a busy day planned. A ball game with me this afternoon, and Mom wanted to take him to get some new clothes this morning since he
’
s growing out of everything he has.
”

“
I can come pick him up after the game,
”
I suggest. I can tell by my dad
’
s expression that he likes the idea, but Trey
’
s lips have formed into a distinct pout.
“
Or whatever.
”

“
Can
’
t I stay with you, Daddy?
”

“
If you really want to, Jackson, but I heard the girls are going to make ice cream sundaes after they order pizza.
”

“
I want sundaes and pizza!
”

“
Well, Mom and I are having asparagus and shrimp.
”

“
I hate those.
”
Of course my father names my brother
’
s least favorite foods.

“
We can watch whatever movies you
’
d like, Trey,
”
I offer.
“
We can even watch Cars over and over again.
”

“
Can I stay with Livvy?
”
my brother finally asks after he considers his options carefully.

“
Of course,
”
Dad says smugly. He mouths a quiet thank you to me from across the table.

“
Trey, don
’
t sit so close to the television,
”
my cousin Lexi says from across the media room.
“
Come sit by me?
”
My brother doesn
’
t respond.

“
He likes to play with his cars while he watches Cars,
”
I tell her.

“
Oh, I see. Trey, scoot back a little please?
”
This time, he wriggles back a few inches.
“
Better.
”