Chapter Fifty-Four
Blake
S taring at the chessboard, I do my best to focus on the game rather than the excitement of knowing my brother, and his family, are on their way. It’s a wasted effort considering I’m meeting my niece for the first time.
Grady’s gotten better about staying more connected over the last month and a half. Which is ironic considering he’s busier now, and probably running off less sleep, than he ever expected. But I appreciate the effort, even if the conversations are always about Stella rather than him.
I know it’s easier for him to focus on her, and I need to just appreciate him trying at all.
When I glance up at Adrian kneeling on the other side of the coffee table, he’s smirking in a smug, annoying way.
We’ve been playing a couple games a week for the last month, since we were too lazy to do anything on New Year’s Day, and I asked him to teach me.
Not only did I underestimate how difficult chess is to learn, but also how fucking good Adrian is.
It requires a lot of skill and forward-thinking that I’ve realized I might not have much of.
And a fuck ton of patience, which I knew I didn’t.
Adrian mentioned once that it makes him happy when I play a game with him. It was all I needed to be convinced to read up on the rules. For whatever reason, it seems to relax him.
I’m not nearly as worthy of an opponent for Adrian as my dad. They played a game that lasted six hours over the course of two days a couple weekends ago.
Mine and Adrian’s games never go over an hour and a half, and I’ve only beaten him once… but I think he let me win.
Right now, it’s not the best distraction, except I don’t want to leave and accidentally miss a second with Stella.
As I’m hovering over my rook, already certain Adrian’s going to win within a few more moves, the front door starts to open.
I don’t know who’s out of their seats first, but my mom and I are there before Grady and Arielle take their first step inside.
“Oh, you’re here!” my mom coos as she wraps my brother in a hug.
His girlfriend, Arielle, is standing awkwardly to the side, rocking Stella in her arms. She’s a few inches taller than me, with dark brown hair and eyes that I’ve always thought were kind of cold.
She’s nice but never friendly . It’s like she’s stuck in this state of politeness.
I’m practically chomping at the bit looking at Stella, and wanting nothing more than to grab her, and snuggle her, and smell her.
Yeah, maybe that’s weird, but Grady and Arielle asked everyone to kindly not kiss her—and I respect that—so it’s the next best thing.
Adrian walks up behind me and places his hand on the small of my back. Looking up at him, I offer him a small smile before turning back to Arielle.
She’s looking at me now as my mom continues to fawn over my brother. Closing the small distance between us, Arielle walks over and tilts her upper body to show off the most precious baby I’ve ever seen.
“Auntie Blake,” Arielle starts. It doesn’t come out naturally at all , although I appreciate the effort at this moment. “This is your niece, Stella.”
“Hi, Stella,” I breathe out, and run my finger down her arm until she closes her small hand around it. Looking up at Arielle, I tell her through watery eyes, “She’s perfect.”
Arielle’s smile is soft and proud when she looks back down at the bundle in her arms. “She is. Do you want to hold her?”
“ Yes ,” I answer instantly. Reaching out, Arielle gently sets Stella in my arms and takes a step back. Looking down at her, I take in her light eyes that are likely to darken, considering both of her parents have shades of brown. “I love her,” I blurt out.
Arielle and Adrian chuckle, but as my mom and Grady walk over, he says, “ Good , I’d hope so.”
Looking up, I catch my mom greeting Arielle. She looks surprised to be put before the baby. I know my mom’s trying in her own ways too.
“Hi, Grady.” I smile at my brother and hold Stella a little closer.
Noticing the gesture, he rolls his eyes and teases, “I’m not going to snatch her from you, weirdo.” I laugh, continuing to gaze down at her. “Since this one”—I catch Grady gesturing at me from the corner of my eye—“isn’t kind enough to do the honors, it’s nice to officially meet you.”
“Hey, it is nice.” They shake hands before Adrian turns to introduce himself to Arielle. “Arielle, right? It’s nice to meet you as well.”
Offering her hand, she gives him a small smile and nods. “You too.” Turning toward my mom, she asks, “Is it okay if I get settled?”
Looking up, I notice the uncomfortableness Arielle is trying her best to hide. She looks like she’s in pain. I’m about to open my mouth when my mom does.
“Oh, of course, mija ,” my mom walks over and tentatively sets an arm on Arielle’s back. “Is everything okay? Was the drive fine?”
Truthfully, Arielle may not be my mom’s ideal future daughter-in-law, however the suspicious look she’s giving my brother tells me she’d beat him with a chancla if he hurt the mother of his child in any way.
She looks around embarrassed and Grady steps up to her side, laying a kiss on her temple. Quietly, though loud enough Adrian and I can hear, she admits, “I have a clogged duct, and it hurts .”
A tear slips down Arielle’s cheek and it’s the most vulnerable I’ve ever seen her.
“Oh, that’s the worst. Maybe worse than childbirth itself.” Arielle nods and chuckles, seemingly grateful to have an experienced mother around. Her family is from Manhattan, but I’m not sure how close she is with them. “I’ll tell Tim to pick up some cabbage on the way home and we’ll get you all fixed up.”
“ Cabbage ?” Grady asks incredulously.
“Si, tonto,” she answers, not turning to look at him, keeping her attention on the one in pain. “I’m sure you could use other things or a warm cloth, but my mom always told me boiled cabbage. Tim should be headed home soon. Why don’t you lay down for a little and I’ll get you some tea?”
“Yeah, okay,” Arielle agrees and looks around, her eyes settling on Stella. “We stopped so she could eat about an hour ago. She should be okay… but I can take her if you want…”
There’s a mix of guilt and relief in Arielle’s tone. Like she should take her daughter even if maybe she just needs a break herself.
“I don’t mind holding her while you rest,” I insist.
“You go lay down and I’ll get you if Stella needs anything,” Grady promises next.
She looks around and I wonder if accepting help is as hard on Arielle as it is me. “A nap sounds nice,” she admits.
“Of course it does,” my mom laughs and wraps an arm around her shoulder. Guiding her down the hallway toward Grady’s room, my mom talks quietly to Arielle, asking what else she needs and if she’s experiencing any other pain since giving birth. The three of us watch until they turn the corner into the room and gently shut the door.
“I love that woman,” Grady says after a second.
Confused, Adrian asks, “Your girlfriend ?”
I can’t help but snort at the innocent question. To Adrian, that should just be a given, except I know my brother.
“Uh, I meant my mom,” Grady answers, embarrassed, as we both laugh. After a second, he adds, “And yeah, of course also my girlfrie—er, Arielle.”
Squinting, I assess him for a minute. Maybe he doesn’t want to call the mother of his child something so adolescent, but again… I know my brother.
When he sees me staring, he looks away and walks toward the coffee table. “Dad’s back into chess now that Adrian’s around I see,” he teases and picks up one of my rooks.
“Hey,” I step forward, trying not to jostle Stella, “Don’t touch that! We’re almost done with that game.”
He looks up surprised. “ You? You are playing chess?”
“Yes, dick, I am,” I huff.
“Don’t cuss in front of my child,” he lectures, mostly with amusement.
“Oh, fuck off,” I tell him and walk backward so he can’t reach his daughter.
“Blake Carmen Miller,” my mom’s voice calls from the hallway. “Do not cuss at your brother, and especially not in front of a child.”
Mouthing the words, I tell my brother, “ Fuck you .”
He laughs and plops down in the armchair. “I want to watch Blake get her butt kicked.”
Adrian laughs and takes his place on the other side of the coffee table. “It’ll be a quick game, don’t worry.”
Scowling, I gently sit on the edge of the couch and flip them both off. But Adrian wasn’t wrong, and he did in fact beat me within five more moves.