Chapter Twenty-Four
Alexia
Flight Zone was a trampoline park. It may have been Marlowe’s idea to host her party there, but while she and her friends seemed to be having a great time jumping as high as they could get—it was Axel who was most in his element. The ninja warrior course was where he most wanted to be. As soon as Jed and I walked in, all he wanted to do was race. It wasn’t long before I found myself settled on a bench, the stopwatch on my phone open, counting the seconds it took for the two of them to make it from start to finish.
The night I first met the kids, Jenna had expressed her baby fever.
The night Jed told me he loved me, he promised we’d make babies one day.
I wasn’t quite ready for the two of us to create new life. I was content in our current season—the one we just began, without kidnappings or shootings but with kids’ birthday parties and family dinners. I was going to officially move in with him in a few days, and that was enough for now.
But it would have been a total lie to say watching my man play with his nine-year-old didn’t do a little something to my ovaries.
“I know you’re here because my daughter invited you.”
I jumped a little, startled to hear Nicole’s voice behind me. I turned to look back at her, intending to say hello, but she wasn’t done.
“Let me make myself perfectly clear—you will never, could never, replace me. This is my family. Enjoy your moment in the spotlight if you must, but it won’t last.”
“I’m sorry?” I asked, almost amused by the audacity of her comment. “Nicole, there’s not a single part of me that is trying to replace you. I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
She smiled snidely. “Please. You can’t walk in here on his arm and tell me you’re not trying to replace me. I get it. I took a trip down the aisle, and for the first time in years , Wrangler realized he couldn’t have me anymore. But know this—until I married Evan, he never brought a woman around our kids because it’s only ever been me. Whatever hold you think you have on him, you don't. Trust me.”
For a moment, I was speechless. It seemed impossible she wasn’t joking.
“Wow. Is that what you think?”
“Sweetie, it’s what I know . So don’t get attached to my kids. You’re a rebound, at best—and when he’s done with you, your heart might be broken, but I won’t have my kids disappointed, too.”
“A rebound? You two broke up, like, six years ago,” I replied, still a little stunned.
“I’m the mother of his children. Hard to beat that,” she said with a shrug.
“Okay,” I murmured under my breath as I stood to face her directly. “Here’s the thing, I don’t really have any interest in this conflict between us. If you are truly under the impression that Jed has been pining over you for years, you haven’t been very compassionate about it.
“And while I respect that you are, and will always be, Marlowe and Axel’s mother—I’m with Jed now, and I’m not going anywhere, which means we’re going to see each other from time to time. I’m not saying we should be friends, but I don’t want to be enemies.”
“I know you can’t possibly be talkin’ about me,” said Jed, surprising us both. He draped his arm around my shoulders, pulling me into his side as he continued, “Nicole, if I wanted you, I’d have you—turns out I don’t. You made that choice all too easy years ago. Funny how you keep remindin’ me. And so we’re clear, you might be disappointed you settled with Mister Mediocre over there, but that does not give you the right to talk down to my woman. I suggest you don’t try that again in the future."
I leaned into my man, pulling my bottom lip between my teeth to combat my smile. I couldn't help it.
This was us. I was his—and he was mine, all mine.
“Now, I can’t see how you could possibly forget, but today’s about Lowe, not you,” he continued. “How ‘bout we get on with the party?”
Nicole glared at Jed before she huffed out a sigh and turned her back on us. “Ax, come on. Girls, it’s time for presents,” she hollered.
I smiled up at Jed, he winked down at me, and we trailed after the kids into the party room.
My gift, the complete box-set of the Chronicles of Narnia by C.S. Lewis was a hit. When Marlowe crossed the room to hug me, I made sure to avoid looking in Nicole’s direction and chose to enjoy Lowe’s affection instead.
We stayed at the party for about another hour, then left knowing we’d get to see the kids again in less than twenty-four hours. It was late afternoon when we arrived back at the house, which meant we had a couple of hours before we were due at mami’s for dinner. I had a few ideas as to how we could spend that time, and I was getting ready to make my first suggestion when I was interrupted by a phone call.
We were still in the garage when I extracted my mobile from my purse and saw it was Bella calling. Thinking she might have something to tell me about tonight, I didn’t think twice before I answered.
“Hey, what’s up?”
“Lexi, it’s Alejo.”
I froze, the agony in her voice instantly filling me with terror.
“What? What do you mean?”
“Uh—Felix, he called. And—um…”
She was crying, and I still didn’t know why, but now I was crying, too.
“Bella! Spit it out!”
“He found him—he was—he was overdosing.”
“Wh—what?” I barely managed, suddenly unable to pull in a full breath.
“He called an ambulance. He’s on his way to the hospital now. I don’t—I don’t know anything else. We’re on our way.”
“Okay. Okay—me—me, too.”
I didn’t disconnect the call, but I couldn’t hold the phone up a second longer. My arm fell to my side, and then I was going down, too. Except, I didn’t make it to the floor—Jed’s arms catching me as I fell.
“Oh, my god,” I cried, grabbing a fistful of his shirt. “Oh, my god. Oh, my god.”
All at once, I was shoved into the darkness of my absolute worst nightmare.
“Lex—talk to me,” called Jed softly.
“Alejo. He’s—he’s—” I couldn’t say it. Just the thought that he could be dying was enough to break me. “Jed,” I breathed. “He can’t die. He can’t die.”
“ Shit ,” he muttered, his arms tightening around me. “Where we goin’, darlin’?”
“Hospital.”
It was Jed who got me up and into the passenger seat of his SUV. He ran inside to grab the keys, and then we were gone. We were at the hospital ten minutes later. While I managed to gain control of my breathing, there was no stopping my tears or calming the tremble in my hands. As we made our way inside, Jed laced his fingers between mine, and I held onto him as hard as I could.
The emergency room was busy, and I didn’t know where to go. I looked for mami or Bella, but it was Felix I spotted first. I started in his direction but then stopped when I heard her voice.
“Wrangler? Alexia, what are you doing here?”
As soon as I caught her eye, Jenna hurried toward us.
“What’s going on?”
“My brother. He was overdosing. They brought him here.”
“Oh. Shit. Okay. It’s a little nuts. That one doesn’t ring a bell, but I’ll find him. I’ll figure out what’s going on. What’s his name?”
“Alejandro.”
“Okay. Stay here.”
She gave my shoulder a squeeze, and then she was gone. When I looked back at Felix, he was headed our way.
“Hey,” he muttered cautiously.
“What happened?” I demanded to know.
“Alexia!”
I turned toward the entrance, letting go of Jed as Bella rushed toward me. I folded her into my arms, making room for mami when she reached us, and we all cried together as if the fear we felt when we first heard the news had reared its ugly head again. I wanted to believe it was all going to be okay—that Alejo would be okay—but I didn’t dare speak the words aloud. I couldn’t make those kinds of promises. Much as I wanted to, when it came to Alejandro, I knew better.
“Lex,” murmured Jed, beckoning my attention. He ran a hand over my hair and gently squeezed the back of my neck. I sniffled as I looked back at him. “Jenna,” he told me.
With a gasp, I let go of my family and turned in search of my friend. She hugged a tablet against her chest, and she wore a forced smile when she looked at me. I held my breath, afraid of what she might say.
“He’s breathing.”
“He’s okay?” asked mami.
Jenna shook her head and replied honestly, “ That I can’t say. He’s alive, and he’s being treated, but he’s not out of the woods yet.”
“Can we see him?” I asked.
“They’re still working on him. It’ll be another few minutes. If you head to the waiting room, I’ll come get you as soon as I can.”
I nodded, even though waiting was the last thing I wanted to do. I glanced at Felix, still wishing to know what happened, but Ellie was clinging to his leg, looking just as scared as I felt. I couldn’t demand answers now. It appeared waiting was the only option any of us had.
It was getting late. In another thirty minutes, visiting hours would be over. Alejandro had been moved into his own room. He hadn’t woken up yet, but he’d been admitted into the psychiatric ward. As soon as he opened his eyes, he’d be on suicide watch. None of us thought the overdose was on purpose—but none of us were Alejo.
Felix took Bella and Ellie home around eight, so Ellie could go to sleep in a real bed. An hour later, mami was the next to go. She didn’t want to, but she knew she couldn’t stay all night. She planned on showing up to the first mass early the next morning before returning to Alejandro’s side. I planned on staying until they kicked me out.
“I’m gonna go do a lap. You want anything?” asked Jed as he stood.
“No. Thank you.”
He leaned down and pressed a kiss into my hair before he left to stretch his legs, and I watched him go—more in the love with him then than I was that morning. I told him hours ago he didn’t have to stay, but he didn’t listen, and I was really glad he hadn’t.
For the first time since we arrived, I was alone with my other half. I’d been battling my emotions all afternoon, feeling just as scared as I was angry. I wanted him to wake up, so I could give him a piece of my mind. Not sure if I’d get my chance that night, I decided on a practice round.
With a sigh, I propped myself up on my forearms against the side of his bed. “I’m so mad at you, it almost makes my skin crawl,” I said. “But I love you so much, I’ve already forgiven you.”
“You mean that?” he mumbled in return.
I gasped as I stood to my feet, reaching for his nearest hand. “Alejo?”
“Where am I?” he asked, blinking his eyes open.
“At the hospital,” I muttered, my tears starting up again. “You overdosed.”
His hand flinched in mine as he knit his eyebrows together, and he looked away from me in response.
“Alejo—look at me.” It took him a few seconds, but when he lifted his gaze to find mine, I told him, “This was it. This was the last time, do you hear me? No more drugs. I mean it. You can’t do this to me again,” I demanded, my tears falling faster now.
I had hours to think of what I would say in this very moment. Still, it was harder to get out than I imagined.
“I know how selfish that sounds—but the thing is, your life is not your own. Neither is mine. You’re not you without me, and I’m not me—” I choked on the knot in my throat, but willed myself to finish, “I'm not me without you. So…”
I had to stop again to keep myself from sobbing. It didn’t help at all that as Alejandro stared at me, his own eyes began to overflow with silent tears.
When I managed to get ahold of myself, I continued, “So you can’t leave me. No matter what happens, no matter how mad at you I am, I cannot live without you. So you can’t die. You have to get better, Alejo. Promise me. Promise—”
When he began to weep, I gave up and let myself do the same. I sat on the edge of the bed and pulled him into my arms, and we held each other until we were all cried out.
“I don’t want to die,” he whispered against my shoulder.
I squeezed my eyes closed, tightening my hand around the nape of his neck, caught off guard by how much I needed to hear him say that.
“I know. I know, mellizo ,” I assured him.
“I’ll go to rehab. Wherever you want me to go, I’ll do it. I’m sorry. I’m so sorry for everything.”
His arms constricted around me tighter than I thought possible for someone in his condition. For a while, we both let his apology wrap itself around us as we held on to one another. When he seemed to lose his burst of strength, his arms going slack, I gave him one more squeeze before I let him go.
I wiped away the snot and the tears which had collected on my upper lip, then kissed the side of his head as I murmured, “I forgive you. Always.”
He nodded weakly, wiping at his nose as he muttered, “I love you.”
“Yeah, well, I love you more.” I wiped my own cheeks dry then reached for my phone. After unlocking the screen, I handed it to him and insisted, “Here. Call mami. I’m sure she’d love to hear your voice.”