Chapter 12
T ilting my review mirror down I checked my hair again. Sitting in my red pickup truck outside of Monica’s house felt different this time. I felt like I was sixteen again, picking her up for our first ever date. I’d been nervous then too. Imagining what her parents would be like, do, or say. I’d grown up with two miserable excuses for parents. Constantly cheating on one another, fighting, using each other as punching bags. Using their only child as a punching bag, I’d been nervous as hell to walk into that house then. But her parents had been nothing but welcoming and understanding. They’d ended up saving me in a way.
They gave me the first normalcy I’d ever had. The first stability. I felt like I’d thrown it all back in their face after I’d gone down my own drug-addled path and left Monica and Lacey. But they’d welcomed me back with open arms when I’d gotten my shit together.
I was nervous as hell and her parents weren’t even there this time to greet me. We were grown adults. We’d spoken to the girls about everything. They were surprisingly okay with it all. Lexi was more nervous than Lacey, understandably. I was pretty sure she felt like I was going to try to replace Paul in some way.
That was never my intention and never would be. His memory would stay alive in all of us. I rubbed at my healing tattoo absentmindedly before opening my truck door and climbing down. The memorial piece I'd gotten for Paul was an amazing work of art. Lucas had voiced his idea to his tattooist, Marcus, and he’d brought the vision to life. Nick and I had gotten them together last week while Lucas talked and joked around visiting with us in the shop.
I pressed the doorbell and stuck my free hand in my jean pocket nervously. I’d tried to keep it casual but looked nicer than I usually did. I preferred my sweatpants and casual t-shirts. The jeans and tight fighting polo were not my usual attire.
The door swung open and my daughter stood smirking at me.
She looked so much like me sometimes it was breathtaking.
“Hey, beautiful.” I said, stepping in and giving her a hug. She scoffed, pushing me away.
“Mom’s still finishing getting ready.” She led me into the living room where Lexi was sitting with a movie paused. She smiled at me hesitantly. Crouching down in front of her, I handed her a small bundle of wildflowers I’d bought at the flower shop in town.
“Here you go, beautiful. Thanks for letting me take your mom out.” I grinned at her.
She smiled more openly and her eyes lit up at the bouquet.
“Thanks, Trevor!” she exclaimed.
“You’re welcome. I want you to know, both of you, that I’m not stepping in to replace anyone. That’s never going to be my intention. I loved your dad too. He was like a brother to me.” my voice grew tight, as I stared into Lexi’s eyes, willing her to believe me.
She nodded, red hair falling into her face, but not before I saw some tears in her eyes.
I sighed and stood, turning and presenting another small wildflower bouquet to my oldest.
“Dad!” she exclaimed, rolling her eyes. But she took it and smiled all the same.
“Almost out of solitary confinement?” I asked her, crossing my arms, fumbling with the much larger bouquet I’d bought their mother.
“Just a few more days.” Lacey returned, smiling up at me.
“Your mother was too easy on you. She talked me down from a month long grounding, you know.” I said, staring at her.
“I know.” her voice was meek, and she looked at her bare feet.
“We just love you, Lacey. We want the best for you. Don’t screw it up like I did. You know I’ve been there. You know what it did.”
She nodded, still avoiding eye contact.
“You’re not still texting that Jackson kid anymore are you-”
“Trevor!”
I spun around, staring at Monica as she came down the stairs. All conversation with my oldest was forgotten at that moment. Wearing sandal flats and a flowy, summer dress, Monica looked stunning. She’d put on some light make-up and left her brown hair down around her shoulders. Her eyes were sparkling behind her glasses.
“Damn, you look hot.” I blurted out.
“EW!” Both girls exclaimed behind us as Monica threw her head back and laughed.
I blushed. Fucking blushed for God’s sakes . Thrusting the huge bouquet of wildflowers out toward Monica, I just smirked at her.
“These are beautiful. Thank you, Trev.” she said softly. Her eyes took in the scene, seeing the girls’ smaller bouquets.
“What do you say we go in the kitchen and I get some vases for our flowers?” she said, “You all can put them in your rooms.”
Both girls followed her and I followed them, enjoying watching them together, their unity.
The usual spats took place, Lexi wanting the purple vase that her older sister did. I watched my oldest’s face turn red. Her anger far surpassed what the situation called for. I was worried about her. She reminded me so much of myself at that age. If it hadn’t been for Monica, I’d have gone off the deep end far sooner than I had.
“Lacey,” I said, softly, but sternly, As I cut off what was sure to be some scathing remark.
She sighed heavily.
“Fine, take the purple vase.” she plopped her own bouquet in a blue one and stalked up the stairs to her bedroom, slamming the door.
Monica cringed as I watched her and shook her head, meeting my eyes.
The doorbell rang again and Lexi went to answer it, carrying her flowers.
“I don’t know what’s gotten into her. She’s acting out so much more lately.” she said.
We heard Lexi greeting Becks, Lucas, and Nat before the younger girls’ footsteps thundered up the stairs to Lexi’s room.
Lucas and Becks walked into the kitchen.
“Thank you guys for coming over to watch the girls. I really didn’t want to leave Lexi alone with Lacey while she’s grounded and acting out so much.”
Becks shook her head.
“It's not a problem.” said Lucas, grabbing my hand to pull me in for a quick, chest-bump kind of hug. “You know we love spending time with those girls.”
“Plus it gets you two out on a date.” Becks teased, grinning.
“Yes it does. And, we need to go. Our reservations are in twenty minutes at Mellandro’s.” I said, looking at the time on my phone.
“Mellandro’s?” said Monica. “Trevor, that’s too much. I’d have been fine with a burger-”
“Shut up and let the man spoil you, woman!” exclaimed Becks.
Monica glared at her best friend as Lucas laughed.
“Shoo, you two. Get out of here. There’s no curfew. GO!” Becks started corralling us to the front door.
“Don’t do anything I wouldn’t do, kids.” said Lucas, laughing at his wife’s antics.
“Call me if you need anything. Seriously, Becks. Lacey is being horrible.” said Monica as we stood on the front porch.
“We’ll be fine! GO!” Becks said, swinging the door closed.
“Well then.” I said, grabbing Monica’s hand and leading her to the passenger side of the truck. “That’s that.”
I opened the door and, before she could protest, grabbed her and lifted her up so she didn’t have to worry about her dress.
She looked at me with huge eyes.
“Trevor, I’m too heavy for you to be doing that.” she blushed, turning and buckling up.
“The hell.” I replied. “I’ve carried grown men out of burning buildings, woman. I can toss you around any time you want.”
She looked at me, her eyes slightly darker now, as she took me in.
“You have filled out quite a bit since we were in our twenties.” she spoke, her voice slightly huskier.
“You have no idea.” I smirked, shutting the door.