Twenty-seven
Technically, she hadn’t been fired. She’d quit. Sort of. She’d simply made a choice. You chose your fake fiancé over a job. Not cool, Lex. Not cool. But the thought of serving Carolyn and Emily had been just one more punch Lexi couldn’t brace for.
She’d had her Zoom call with Ethan and Brady this morning, ironing out a few details like wages, expectations, and scheduling. She’d texted Jackie and Becca to tell them tonight wouldn’t work and then turned her phone off. Because even though she hadn’t been fired and she actually had something to celebrate with this new opportunity at Side Tap, Lexi couldn’t shake the feeling that everything was about to come tumbling down around her. Which was saying something since she hadn’t risen up from the rubble of three years ago yet.
“I made some eggs,” Gwen said from the doorway.
Lexi continued staring at the ceiling of her childhood bedroom. It no longer had posters of Taylor Lautner or Nick Jonas, but the little pieces of popcorn ceiling that had ripped when she took them off were a reminder of her former self. Her hopeful anything can happen self.
“I spoke to the counselor while you were on the computer today,” Gwen said.
Lexi sat up in her bed, looked at her mom. “That was hours ago. Why didn’t you tell me?”
Gwen shrugged one shoulder. “You were mopey and I didn’t know what to say.”
Lexi laughed but there was no energy behind it. “It would be a good time to point out the irony. Also, I’m not mopey.” Lies. She was mopey and it was pissing her off.
“What happened?”
Lexi threw her legs over the side of the bed, contemplated getting up, having some eggs. It wasn’t often Gwen made them anything to eat.
“Nothing.”
“You were never a very good liar,” Gwen said.
Lexi stared after her when she walked away. A lot you know. You think I’m engaged. That a man like Will would marry me. A woman who can’t even hold a job as a fucking waitress. She might not have quit but it definitely wasn’t something she’d been good at. Lexi got up and found her mom in the kitchen. The eggs were in a bowl on the counter, dishes in the sink. A bag with the logo AURORA NURSERY caught her gaze.
“What’s this?” She was already opening the bag before her mom could respond. She looked back over her shoulder when she saw what was inside. “Tulip bulbs?”
Gwen scooped a small forkful of eggs off her plate, nodding. “Maisie dropped them off for me. She was in a rush; she’s doing an engagement shoot and wanted to beat the traffic.”
“Okay. Why?”
“Why what?”
Lexi’s laugh felt rough. “I feel like you’re being deliberately obtuse. Why the tulips, Mom?”
She finished chewing before setting her plate down. “I used to like gardening. Do you remember?”
Lexi nodded. She used to like gardening; Lexi used to like running. They used to be and do a lot of things.
“The therapist asked me to think about something I used to enjoy. Something from the past that really had nothing to do with your father. And I remembered I liked gardening. So I asked Maisie to pick me up some tulips. I’m going to plant them.”
“When?” Lexi’s heart was beating too fast. This was progress. This was reclaiming something and moving forward. Holy shit. This was hope.
“Now. Want to help?”
Lexi nodded, her throat uncomfortably tight.
“Do you want to eat first?” Gwen gestured to the eggs.
Lexi shook her head. “I got fired. From waitressing.” That was all she could say. How could she tell her mom, right now when Gwen was fully engaging in the moment, the reason why? That she’d been embarrassed to greet her pretend future mother-in-law who’d shown up with a woman who suited Will better than Lexi did? No.
“I’m sorry, honey. But you got the other job. You paid your tuition, right?”
They headed for the stairs. “Yes. To both. But it still sucks to be fired from a job I didn’t even like. One I couldn’t seem to get better at. It makes me feel like a failure.” Or like she didn’t deserve the things unfolding in her path. Side Tap. Will. Fuck. She really liked Will. And that was unexpected. Because she’d always promised herself she wouldn’t become her mother.
At the bottom of the stairs, Gwen touched Lexi’s arm, turned her so they were facing each other. “You’re the most resilient person I know, Alexandria. You’re not a failure.”
Lexi hugged her mom, smiled into her hair. “You say that now but I haven’t wrecked your flower beds yet.”
When Gwen laughed, the vise on Lexi’s heart loosened.
By the time the sun was setting in the sky, the cool air turning cold, Lexi and her mom had dirty hands and a front garden bed full of tulip bulbs.
“It’s going to look like a rainbow,” Lexi said.
Gwen sat back on her heels, surveying their work. It didn’t look like much, just a box of dark dirt, freshly watered. But they’d pulled all of the weeds, turned the dirt, smoothed it out, and planted in a literal rainbow shape. It was going to be amazing.
“It is. I can’t wait until spring.”
Lexi stared at Gwen, who’d started gathering up the tools and discarded bulb bags. It was the first time in a very, very long time she’d heard her mom say something about the future. That her mom had been anticipating something.
Before she could respond, a sleek and unfamiliar Mercedes pulled into their driveway. Will’s sisters exited the vehicle, Kyra opening the back passenger-side door.
Maddie smiled sheepishly. She was dressed in a pair of linen slacks and a dark-green cable-knit sweater. Her hair, the same color as Will’s, was pulled back from her elegant face in a twist.
“Hi. Sorry to just drop by,” Maddie said as Kyra rounded the back of the car, her arms full of plastic garment bags.
“We’re not, really. Will said he couldn’t reach you but you needed dresses so we raided our closets and brought them to you. Is this a bad time?”
Gwen, a trowel in one hand, dirt on her cheek, all but beamed at them. “It absolutely is not. I’m Gwen Danby, Lexi’s mom.”
“Oh, it’s wonderful to meet you,” Kyra said, both sisters walking down the little path beside the driveway.
“Yes, so nice to meet you. You were gardening. What did you plant?”
“Tulips,” Gwen replied.
“Love tulips. Perfect timing to get them in,” Maddie said.
Kyra tilted her head toward Maddie. “She loves gardening but never has the time. Me, I like fake flowers because it seems cruel to buy or plant something I’m bound to kill.”
Lexi couldn’t process the moment. Will’s sisters were standing in her driveway with what were likely designer dresses, chatting about tulips and gardening.
“You should start with a succulent,” Gwen said, gathering up the rest of their things. “They’re easy to care for.”
Maddie laughed and picked up one of the shovels, pitching in like she wasn’t dressed for an elegant dinner party. “Don’t encourage her. She’s really bad at it. Good at other things but really, painfully bad at gardening.”
The three of them laughed and Lexi stared on, feeling like an observer.
“You girls are going to try on dresses?” Gwen asked as they walked toward the open garage to put the stuff away.
Lexi forced herself to follow behind. It was one thing to let Will in. But his family? It was easy to ignore his mother and father because, really, they didn’t like her all that much. But Kyra and Maddie? They were lovely. Funny, smart, driven, and successful. The kind of women Jackie and Becca would hang out with. And you.
“If Lexi is up for it,” Kyra said, looking at her over the armload of dresses.
Gwen’s smile pulled Lexi out of her low-grade panic over forming extra attachments. “How fun. You should text Maisie. That’s her best friend. She should be here, too. If she’s done working.”
Maddie took some of the dresses from her sister. “My wife, Rachel, wanted to come but she’s a bit under the weather.”
Lexi looked her way. “I’m sorry. Is she okay?”
She didn’t understand the soft smile that ghosted Maddie’s lips. “She is. She’ll be fine. How’d you enjoy the treat basket the other night?”
Warmth immediately flooded Lexi’s face and a whole bunch of other areas, too. The other three women laughed and she couldn’t help but join in.
They moved and talked around her and within half an hour, Lexi was cleaned up and standing in her bedroom with Will’s sisters treating her like she’d always been around, sharing their thoughts on dresses and tidbits about their day. They told her about their grandfather’s announcement while her mom served them wine Maisie had left the other night.
Kyra glanced at her phone. “Will wanted assurance that you’re okay.”
Little fingers of guilt gripped her heart. He cared about her. He’d been clear about that and the truth was, she cared about him. She could do that and still not fall all the way, right? Weren’t there varying degrees of falling? She picked up her phone, turned it back on, and checked her messages.
Lexi
Your sisters are awesome
Will
They have their moments
…
Are you okay? Are we?
Lexi
We are. I got fired. Oddly enough, it wasn’t for spilling soup on anyone
Will
I’m sorry. What can I do?
Lexi
I’m surrounded by women who are making me laugh, my mom is happy, and I’m about to try on some of the most beautiful dresses I’ve ever seen. I’m okay.
Will
Okay. Text me later?
Lexi
I will
Lexi blinked away the tears she didn’t want to fall. Throw yourself into the moment. Maddie and Kyra were debating colors while Gwen went to answer the door. Apparently, Maisie was there.
Kyra stepped closer. “You okay?”
She set her phone down. “I am. Your brother is pretty great.”
Maddie moved toward them. “We think so.”
“He was worried about you. Is this too much? We know your mom doesn’t know the truth but the rest of it…” Kyra paused like she was stuck on the words.
“He cares about you, Lexi,” Maddie said. “There’s nothing fake about that. Which means we care about you too.” Maddie spoke with so much sincerity Lexi’s heart squeezed painfully.
“I’m a fired waitress, a part-time, mature student just shy of a degree. I live with my mother and we’re barely staying afloat.” They needed to see her as she really was. Will was seeing her through rose-colored glasses. They needed to see the truth so they could have the whole picture.
“You’re a woman who makes my brother laugh and smile,” Maddie said as Maisie’s and Gwen’s voices came from the hallway.
“When he talks about you, his eyes actually light up.”
Her heart ballooned to near bursting.
“What someone does isn’t nearly as important as who they are,” Maddie said quietly as Maisie and Gwen joined them.
“Oh my God. Those dresses are amazing. I’m Maisie, Lexi’s bestie, but I’ll totally trade her in for whichever one of you is willing to give me one of those dresses.”
All of them laughed. As Maisie and Kyra took point, deciding which ones would look best on Lexi, Maddie chatted with Gwen, even going down the hall to see her miniatures. Lexi took it all in. The moment, the women, the feelings. Things had changed in a heartbeat. And not just in a bad way. Hours ago, she’d felt alone and unsure. Defeated. And now?
Now she felt like anything was possible.