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I brace myself for Vanessa’s anger. My sister was born an old soul. We probably both were or maybe it was our mother’s irresponsible nature that forced us to grow up quickly. Whatever it was, I know the last thing Vanessa would want, is to be painted as irresponsible.
She cocks her head and her honey-blonde curls fall to the side of her cheeks. To my surprise, she grins. “I’ve always wanted to be wild. What sort of issues do I have that I can’t take care of my sweet child?”
I shrug. “We didn’t get that far.”
She grows solemn. “He deserves to know.”
I expected that. Vanessa is big on fairness and the right thing to do. Even if it hurts like hell. Like when our mother last came home. Vanesa had been in college and I had been bartending. Mom had been a dirty and sick thing desperate for somewhere to stay.
I had long hardened my heart to her and had been ready to escort her to a homeless shelter. As the oldest, I had borne the brunt of our mother’s alcoholism. I had ridden the yoyo of false promises. Promises to change and then she would start drinking again a week later.
We had let her in and took care of her until she added weight and a healthy glow came to her face. It didn’t take long before she reverted to her old ways. She started bringing men home and before long her breath reeked of alcohol though she denied it.
Then she took off and Vanessa had been heartbroken. I fought the pain and shoved it to the back of my mind. I had needed to concentrate on what mattered. Like making sure my sister finished nursing school.
“Deserves?” I say to Vanessa. “No one deserves anything in this life, except children. The rest of us have to work for it, even Ace. Donating sperm makes you a father, not a daddy.”
“Lexi, I know you’re a better person than this. I know you’ll do the right thing,” Vanessa says.
“I’ll do the right thing by her,” I say and gesture at Luna. “That’s who matters. I don’t owe Ace anything.” I inhale deeply. “You’ve changed your tune. When you spoke to Declan, you were not so sweet.”
She shrugs. “That was then, this is now. I’m older and wiser.”
“So am I.”
“Do you ever wonder who our father was?” Vanessa says.
“Many times,” I tell her. “I don’t know why Mom kept it a secret. Sometimes I think he might have been a married man.” That’s the only reason I can think of for the secrecy.
What I know is that he and our mother were never married. This wondering about our past is exactly what I don’t want for Luna. I want her to know her family. Look at Vanessa and me. We’re in our mid-twenties and we’re still talking about the dad we never knew.
Chapter 4
Ace
The temptation to drive off is big but then I remember how I left Lexi the last time and I stay put. I tap the dashboard with my finger and stare at the house. What is she doing in there? Has she forgotten that I’m outside? Five minutes later and I’m tired of waiting. I get out of the car and walk up to the front door.
I knock and it’s minutes later before the door swings open. Lexi smiles and holds the door open.
“Sorry I took so long. Come on in.”
The interior is a little dark. I follow her into the living room, and she invites me to sit down.
“I won’t be a moment,” she says.
What am I doing here? Clearly, this is not going to be a repeat of the last time. I pick up a magazine and idly thumb through it while trying to come up with a polite way to leave. Frustration wells up in my chest. I stare down at the magazine that I’m holding. Love overcomes everything, Keila and George’s story. I stare at the smiling couple and their happy smiling faces irritate me. Love overcomes everything indeed. Where do they get such sentiments from? The writers of magazines do not live in the real world. Love has never overcome everything. Survival instincts do.
I snap the magazine shut. I look around the room and wonder what the fuck am doing here. I tap my foot with impatience. Lexi is hot and I want to get into her panties but she’s not worth this trouble. I can get another woman.
She returns to the living room holding the hand of a cute little girl. A woman follows behind and just by looking at her, I know that she’s Lexi’s sister. She has the same gorgeous oval face framed by wavy locks. They look like twins.
“Ace, meet my sister Vanessa,” Lexi says.
I stand and smile at her. “It’s nice to meet you.”
