Page 118 of Before We Break

She gives him a small smile that must’ve taken all her strength to muster. “Thanks, Auggie. You give the best hugs.”

He squeezes himself into the open spot between her and Clio. “I do? Better than Cici?”

“Even better than Cici. Sorry, Mom.”

“If I had to lose to someone, at least it’s my best guy.”

I sink onto the couch next to Clio. “I thought I was your best guy.”

“Nope. Sorry. That title belongs to Auggie.”

Just then, Lexi’s phone vibrates on the coffee table, and Hayden’s name appears on the screen. Her face goes stark white as she watches it ring.

Clio picks it up and places it in Lexi’s hand. “You can do this.”

She walks to the other side of the room. With a fortifying breath, she answers the call. “Hello?” She paces the length of the living room and back. “It’s fine. No. I’m ok. Promise. Could you come over? Ok. Yeah. I’ll see you soon.”

She stops pacing and hangs up the call, her hand falling limply at her side as she closes her eyes and tilts her head to the ceiling.

Auggie yawns and rubs at his eyes.

“It’s getting late,” Clio says. “Why don’t you take him to my room?”

I lift him into my arms and carry him down the hallway to Clio’s bedroom, laying him down on the left side of the bed.

“Why is my Lexi sad?” Auggie asks as I tuck the blankets around him.

“I’ll explain when you’re older.”

“You always say that,” he whines. “I wanna be older now.”

I ruffle his hair. “Trust me, you don’t want to be a grown-up yet, bud. Take your time.”

Ten minutes later, a knock sounds at the front door. Clio’s too busy keeping Lexi calm, so I answer it instead.

Hayden’s standing on the other side with a coffee cup in his hand. “Hi. Uh… is Lexi home?”

“She is.”

He tries to look past me into the apartment, but I’m standing in his way.

“Oh, for fuck’s sake, Noah. Let him in,” Clio says. “Ignore him. Come in.”

I move out of the way to let him pass, and my eyes don’t stray from his back as he trails into the living room and holds out the coffee cup. “I brought your favorite.”

Lexi covers her face and sobs into her hands. I think she says something like, “I can’t even drink it,” but the words are hard to make out.

“I’m sorry,” Hayden says, frantically kneeling at her feet. “What did I do? I know it’s late, but it’s decaf. I thought…”

Clio rests her hand on his shoulder. “You did a good thing. Lex, sweetie. I love that you’re already worried about things like that, but you can have it. It won’t hurt.”

She looks up at her mom, red-faced and bleary-eyed. “Really?”

“I promise.”

“What’s going on?” Hayden asks. “I feel like I’m missing something.”

Lexi and Clio exchange a look, and Clio gives her a reassuring nod.