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Half an hour later, Syd’s walking in with a couple pizzas and a grocery bag full of stuff. I inhale the scent of pizza. Mmm. She puts the pizza on the island and takes out juice boxes from the bag. I’m gazing at Lexi to see her reaction to Sydney, whom she hasn’t met yet, but she doesn’t even look over.
“It’s going to take time, Addie,” Syd says from behind me.
“I know, but I don’t know how much time we’ll have with her.” I sigh. “Her aunt is supposed to come into town in a few days. I hear she’s a pretentious bitch.”
Syd’s eyebrows rise, and I raise my hands in the air. “Hey, Damon’s words, not mine. I guess she’s a model in Los Angeles or something like that.” I shrug. “When she learned about what happened, she was more concerned with missing some photoshoot than her sister getting murdered and her niece who she’s about to inherit,” I whisper.
“Well, that stinks for Lexi,” Syd says, sticking out her bottom lip. It does. At least Amy wanted me, even though I was a surprise.
Syd grabs the bag and walks over to Lexi. I follow. She crouches down beside her and says, “Hi, Lexi, I’m Syd.”
She looks down at Syd. Her expression stays neutral though. Syd smiles at her and pulls out crayons and a coloring book. “Do you like to color?” Now why didn’t I think of coloring books? Geez, I used to love to color.
Lexi’s eyes widen as she slowly nods. Syd places the Barbie coloring book on the coffee table. “I do, too. Do you want to come down here and color with me?” My pulse picks up as I wait to see what Lexi does.
Come on, sweet girl.
Syd doesn’t wait for Lexi’s response. Instead she opens the coloring book and flattens out a page, places the crayons on the table, and begins to color a page. Lexi focuses on Sydney as her fingers twitch against her pants.
After a few seconds pass, Lexi pushes her little body to the edge of the couch. I see Sydney look at her out of the corner of her eyes and a faint smile shows, but she continues to color. Lexi’s feet are on the ground, but she’s still leaning against the couch. Seconds feels like hours, waiting to see if she’ll join. I can sense that she wants to.
Sydney rips out a page and places it to her side, right in front of Lexi, spreading out the crayons next to it. The small step Lexi needs to make to the table is one of the largest steps she’ll ever take.
When Lexi steps forward and sits on the floor, grabbing a crayon, excitement bubbles up inside me that makes me want to jump and scream. I put my hand on my heart as a tear escapes and rolls down my cheek. I watch in awe as she colors her picture. Syd looks back with a huge smile, and I mouth, “Thank you.”
It’s so quiet I can hear the cars outside, but the feeling of triumph is almost deafening. While they continue to color, I pull out some plates and load them with pizza. I hear Syd say, “That is beautiful, Lexi.”
I glance their direction to watch Lexi’s reaction. She looks over at Syd with a small smile and then returns to coloring. “I’ll be right back,” she tells Lexi.
“Her eyes remind me of yours when I first met you. Mesmerizing, but full of pain.” She leans her head on my shoulder while I pour two glasses of wine. Syd turns and looks at me, surprised.
“What’s that look for?” I ask as I furrow my brows.
“Wine?” she responds, directing her gaze to the two glasses.
“It’s just a glass,” I say incredulously, holding up her glass to her. “We’re not getting drunk.”
“Fine. Just one.” She twists her lips, taking the glass from me.
We grab the plates and a juice box for Lexi and sit down around the coffee table. When I put down the pizza and drink in front of Lexi, she looks up and flashes me a smile. That little gesture warms my heart.
Lexi alternates between eating and coloring while we talk about the funny things kids do in Syd’s class. They’re working on doing the musical, Annie. We’re laughing at the things kids come up with these days. I’m so glad Syd came over. I needed this. My attention goes to Lexi as I sit back against the couch and watch her little fingers hold the crayon and color. She’s very precise with coloring in the lines. I’m impressed. I’ve never been an ‘in the line’ type of girl.
Syd stands up, grabbing the wine glasses and plates, humming “Tomorrow” by Alicia Morton. I giggle, thinking I’m surprised she doesn’t hate that song by now.
Standing to stretch my legs, I start to walk to the kitchen to join Sydney, but I’m halted by the sound of the most pure, angelic voice singing along with Sydney’s humming. Lexi’s voice is so soft, the noise from the traffic almost drowns her out. Almost.
Syd’s wide eyes meet mine as she stops humming. I gesture with my hands for her to keep going. She continues to hum and comes to stand by my side as we watch Lexi in amazement as she sings and colors, not even aware of us.
Her voice is hypnotic. It’s like listening to the ocean waves, it’s so beautiful and pure; you never want to stop listening. I can’t believe that voice is coming out of a five-year-old’s mouth. Syd gets to the end of the song, and we wait to see what Lexi does. She looks up with a smile, her eyes sparkling with life. Life she’s been hiding inside that little body of hers for the last three days. I smile and try to push back the tears that want to escape. I don’t want her to think I’m upset.
I shuffle to her, picking her up, and embrace her in my arms. “Lexi, you have a beautiful voice.” Her arms wrap tight around my neck.
“Thank you.” Her sweet response shocks me. I shake both of us, feeling an overwhelming sense of pride rush through me.
That’s my girl. I knew you could do it.
“Lexi, do you like the movie Annie?” Syd asks from behind me. I pull back so I can see Lexi’s face. It beams when she nods her head. “What’s your favorite song from the movie?”
