Page 41 of The History in Us

Levi led the way down to the street and his car. City parking was difficult at best, and finding street space in the evening on a weekend nearly impossible. Securing AJ in his car seat, Levi stepped back to open my door and paused.

“This is awkward, isn’t it? Going on a date with a kid?”

I gave him my best smile. “I don’t feel awkward,” I lied, knowing it wasn’t AJ that had me feeling nervous and giddy. We drove to an area central to Lincoln Park. Levi took out the stroller and we walked a few blocks until we stood before a delicatessen.

“Lucky 13?” I asked as I stared at the name.

“Best place for corned beef sandwiches and Matzo ball soup.” Levi reached around the stroller to open the door, and I entered to find a subway-tiled diner and a sitting counter complete with red, vinyl-covered seats. I smiled deeply at the place. It was perfect. While I would have preferred the counter seats, with AJ we needed a table that could host a highchair.

“So Penelope Duncan is your roommate?” Levi inquired as we perused the menu. I was afraid to ask my next question.

“How do you know Penelope?” While Penelope had assured me she hadn’t slept with Levi, she also hadn’t gone into details of her family’s history with the Walkers. I knew almost everything about Penelope, but I seemed to be missing a few facts.

“Her father was friends with my dad.” His eyes shifted quickly down to the menu.

“You haven’t really mentioned your family. I remember your father died.” His chocolate eyes looked up at me and his mouth curled at the memory, but his eyes shuttered quickly with my next question. “I don’t remember the rest of your family.”

“I have two brothers. Caleb and Trent.” He paused a moment. “Had. I had two brothers.”

My brow pinched, willing him to explain. The waitress picked this moment to request our orders, and following Levi’s lead, I ordered a corned beef sandwich on rye and the Matzo ball soup. I waited while she took our menus and then stared at him, encouraging him to continue.

“Caleb runs a water-sport shop in Traverse City. My brother Trent died. Don’t you remember?”

I didn’t and shook my head. “When did it happen?”

Levi was thoughtful a moment, his head tilting to the side. “I guess you would have still been a little kid. I was fourteen.” Levi sighed, swiping a hand over his head. “Seems like a lifetime ago.”

“So Trent Walker? Should I know that name?” The name did ring an ancient bell, but I couldn’t place how I had heard of his brother before.

“He dated your aunt.”

My head pulled back in surprise. “Aunt Pam?” My dad’s sister, Pam, had married a horror novelist, named Jacob Vincent. They lived between New York and Michigan with their three children.

“No, Tricia.”

“Oh.” I nodded like I understood, but I didn’t, and I waited again, giving him time to tell me this tale.

“Your aunt dated my brother for years. I was still in middle school when it started. She was always nice to me. Said she knew I’d make something of myself someday, if I could get around the Walker name.” Levi exhaled. “Anyway, they broke up before she met your uncle Leon.” His eyes shifted to the silverware, where he flipped his fork back and forth over the napkin. My uncle Leon had been a bit of a hell raiser and had grown up in Chicago before he came to Elk Rapids. He says my aunt caught him stealing and he fell in love with her instantly. She says the only thing he stole was her heart.

“Trent killed himself.”

“Because of Tricia?” I blurted without thinking. The concept was horrific and romantic in a sick sort of way.

“Something like that. He did…something…that involved the police and he ran.” The lazy flipping of his fork had turned to a rapid tapping of the item on the Formica table top. I reached across the space and placed my hand over his to stop the aggressive movement.

“You don’t have to tell me if you don’t want to.”

Taking a deep breath, he spoke. “It’s just been a long time. I don’t like to think of Elk Rapids.”

“Is that why you didn’t recognize me at first?”

He snorted softly. “I didn’t recognize you at first because I didn’t want to believe you could be sitting in front of me, of all places in a history class in Chicago.” The teasing gleam to his eyes slowly returned.

“Seems our history is intertwined a bit more than I thought.” Levi slowly nodded, taking his lower lip between his teeth and distracting me. Our food arrived. Steaming bowls of soup tickled my nose and my mouth watered at the size of the corned beef sandwich, but before I ate, I had one more question. “Is that bad?”

Levi’s eyes shot to mine as he lifted his spoon, ready to devour our meal. “No, I just don’t like to talk about Elk Rapids.”

“Do you ever go home?”