Chapter Twenty-Two
Mindy
A week later
"Hey… sis," Alexis says.
My sister stands at the door with a hesitant smile on her face, shifting from one foot to the other. I can tell she’s nervous. So am I. We spoke on the phone a few times over the last week and I decided to give her a chance. She’s been trying so hard and I felt like she deserves a shot.
"Hey, Lex." I give her a warm smile, stepping aside to let her enter. As I look her over, I almost can’t believe how good she looks. Her hair is shorter than before, her skin is glowing, and her eyes are clear. She almost seems like her old self, the one I remember from before the accident that took Emily from us.
She moves in, and without warning, she pulls me into a hug. "Thanks for letting me come here, Mindy," she whispers against my ear. "You don’t know how much this means to me."
I return the hug, feeling slightly awkward. "This is a big step, Lex," I reply, biting my lip. "For both of us."
Alexis breaks the hug and looks me over. "You look Amazing, Mindy. And to think that you’re a mother now is crazy."
"You too, sis." I smile at her. "And yeah, time flies. Sharon is six now."
"Speaking of Sharon, I hope she has a sweet tooth." She winks at me and pulls out a big box of gourmet chocolate from her bag.
I hold up a finger. "Not before lunch.
Alexis smiles and follows me into our little apartment, looking around curiously. She hangs her jacket on the coat hook, and I step away to take a peek into Sharon’s room. Sure enough, there’s a small lump under the cover on her bed.
"Sharon, Auntie Alexis is here to see us," I say, shaking the blanket gently. I hear a muffled sound from under the covers. "Come on out, sweetheart," I coo. "Alexis would love to meet you."
The lump moves, and I feel tiny legs kicking. I slowly pull back the bedsheet and lean in close to Sharon’s ear.
"Hey baby," I whisper. "Guess what? I think your auntie has brought some chocolate with her. Want to come check it out?"
Sharon immediately recoils and pulls the blanket over her head, hiding from me.
"Okay, sweetie," I tell her gently. "You can come out when you’re ready, alright?"
I head back to the living room, leaving Sharon’s door slightly ajar. Maybe if she can hear us talk, it’ll coax her to come out and meet her aunt.
"No luck," I sigh, slumping down on the sofa, next to my sister. "She won’t come out of her room."
"Give her time," Alexis says, "right now, I’m just a stranger to her."
I shake my head. "It’s more than just that, Lex."
"What do you mean?" Alexis frowns.
"She has selective mutism."
Alexis gives me a confused look. "Selective mutism?"
"It’s an anxiety disorder that affects kids," I explain. "She only talks to people of her choice. In her case, it’s me, her nanny, and her teacher."
My sister furrows her brow. "What about other students at her school?"
I shake my head.
"Oh, Mindy." Her expression changes to sympathetic.
"It’s okay," I wave. "Most kids grow out of it as they enter adolescence. All I care about is that she’s a healthy and happy child."
Alexis shifts in her seat and I can see a question burning in her eyes. "And what about her dad? I mean… sorry, Mindy, but I don’t even know if it’s Maurice or Maron."
I feel a surge of annoyance, but I guess I can’t blame her. I could barely keep up with my life back then, let alone my sister who was battling her own problems at the time. "It’s Maron… if you have to know."
She instinctively lowers her gaze and reaches out to take my hand. "Shit… I’m sorry, Mindy. I heard what happened to Maron. The press was all over it. So, I guess you’re in this alone, huh?"
I nod, and to my surprise, I’m blinking away tears. "I’m doing the best I can with what I’ve got."
My sister squeezes my hand, her eyes filled with empathy. "I know you are, Mindy. And I bet you’re an amazing mother. Sharon is lucky to have you."
"You haven’t even met her," I smile, hoping it will make my urge to cry go away. "She’s the sweetest little angel, and…," I swallow hard, "…she looks so much like her father."
As if on cue, we hear the soft creak of Sharon’s bedroom door opening. I turn to see her little face peeking out, her eyes scanning the living room. As soon as she sees us looking at her, she pulls her head back.
I give Alexis a reassuring smile and stand up. "Hey, baby. Want to come say hi to your auntie?" I walk over to Sharon’s room and gently guide her out, my hand resting comfortingly on her back. She clings to me like a lifeline, her small fingers gripping my shirt.
Alexis stands up and gives her niece a warm smile. "Hey there, Sharon. It’s so wonderful to finally meet you!"
Sharon doesn’t respond. Her eyes are fixed firmly on the ground as she follows me into the living room. She presses herself closer to me as if trying to disappear into my side.
Alexis crouches down to Sharon’s level. "Your mommy told me so much about you, Sharon and I’m so happy you’re here. And I see you even brought your bunny with you! Can I see it?"
Sharon remains silent, but her grip on her beloved stuffed animal tightens. She begins to fidget, her free hand tugging at the hem of her shirt.
"It’s okay, baby," I murmur, stroking her hair. "Alexis just wants to say hello."
Alexis tries again, her voice gentle and friendly. "I love your T-shirt, Sharon. Are those stars on them? They’re very pretty."
Sharon nods once, almost imperceptibly, but keeps her face downcast.
"You know, when I was little, I had a bunny just like yours," Alexis continues, undeterred by Sharon’s silence. "His name was Mr. Jumpy, and he was always with me, wherever I went."
Sharon raises her eyes just a fraction, peeking at Alexis through her lashes. But as soon as my sister meets her gaze, her eyes dart away, and she shrinks back against me.
"Sharon just takes a while to warm up to new people," I explain, rubbing soothing circles on Sharon’s back. "Right, baby?"
Sharon nods slightly.
Alexis straightens. "That’s okay. We’ve got all the time in the world to get to know each other. Don’t we, Sharon?"
Sharon doesn’t respond, but her grip on my shirt loosens just a fraction. I feel a surge of gratitude for Alexis’s patience and understanding.
"How about we all sit down, and I make us some hot chocolate?" I suggest, trying to diffuse the tension. "Would you like some, baby?"
Sharon hesitates for a moment, then nods once, her head still bowed. I guide her over to the couch, settling her onto it. Alexis takes a seat on the armchair, making sure to give Sharon space.
A few minutes later, as I return from the kitchen with three mugs of hot chocolate, I pause to take in the scene before me. Alexis is still speaking to Sharon, her voice warm and gentle. Sharon sits quietly on the couch, her gaze occasionally flickering toward her aunt. There’s still some tension in her small frame, but it’s less pronounced than before. I never would have expected this, but my sister is doing a surprisingly good job at helping Sharon feel at ease. Watching the two of them share the same space, I can’t help but think that maybe, just maybe, we’re taking the first steps toward healing.
Maybe one day… we might actually function as a family again.