22. Alex
22
Alex
Alex adjusted the rearview mirror for the fourth time, catching a glimpse of Lena in the back seat. She sat perfectly still, hands folded in her lap, the picture of nervous anticipation. She had carefully brushed her hair and slipped a headband on to keep it back from her face, and she wore a pale blue sundress they'd picked out together from the closet of clothes she'd brought with her. The blue matched her eyes—Jason's eyes—and Alex wondered if his mother would notice.
"You okay back there, Lena-bug?" he asked, keeping his tone light.
She nodded, though her small fingers twisted the fabric of her dress. "What if they don't like me?"
"That's not possible," he assured her. "They're going to love you. They already do, and they haven't even met you yet."
"How can they love me if they don't know me?" Her brow furrowed with honest confusion.
Alex considered his answer carefully. "Because you're a part of me, and they love me. And because you're a part of Jason—my brother, your uncle, and their son—and they loved him very much."
"The one who died?" Her voice was small.
"Yes." Alex nodded. She'd asked about the photo of him and Jason he had on his bedroom wall, and they'd talked about her longing for a sibling, and how sad it was that Jason had died before she got to meet him.
Then she brightened. "Will your dog be there?"
The abrupt change of subject made Alex grin. "Ralphy? You bet. He's really my mom's dog. Your grandma's dog."
He heard her whisper in the back seat, like she was tasting the words. "My grandma."
"He'll love you, too, Lena-bug."
She wiggled in her seat, excitement replacing nervousness. "What kind is he?"
"A golden retriever. He's getting old, but he still loves to play fetch."
As they rounded the final curve of the lakeside road that led to his parents' house, Alex felt his own stomach tighten with nerves. He hadn't visited in weeks, making excuses about being busy with work. He hadn't even told them about his mishap until today when he'd spoken to them on the phone, and that was only because he didn't want them to worry when he showed up with the boot on. The truth was more complicated. Things had been hard between them for a long time now. It was hard enough to lose Jason, but then he'd gone off the deep end, too. And even though he'd been clean for all these years—not counting Friday night, he reminded himself with a grimace—Alex still carried the burden of having dragged them through the gutter with him.
Today, however, he was showing up on their doorstep with something good that had come out of that tumultuous time. Something precious. Some one precious.
The Frampton home sat on a generous lot with a sloping lawn that led down to the lake. It was a two-story colonial, white with blue shutters, surrounded by mature maples that provided dappled shade. As Alex pulled into the circular driveway, the front door opened, and his parents stepped onto the porch.
Dwight Frampton was tall and lean, with the same sandy hair as Alex, though now it was streaked with silver. Roxanne had a trim figure and carefully styled blonde hair. They stood side by side, their expressions a mixture of curiosity and barely contained emotion.
"Here we go," Alex murmured, putting the truck in park.
By the time he'd helped Lena out of the back seat, Ralphy had bounded across the lawn to greet them, his tail wagging furiously. Lena's initial hesitation melted away as the golden retriever approached, more interested in making friends than maintaining any semblance of dignity.
"Is it okay if I pet him?" she asked, already reaching out.
"Absolutely," Alex assured her. "He loves kids."
As Lena knelt to ruffle Ralphy's fur, Alex looked up to see his parents approaching. His mother's steps faltered slightly at the sight of Lena, her hand rising to her throat.
"Mom, Dad," Alex said, his voice catching despite his best efforts. "I'd like you to meet Lena. My daughter."
Roxanne's eyes filled with tears, but she recovered quickly, kneeling down beside Lena and the dog. "Hello, Lena. I'm—I'm Roxanne, your grandma, and I'm so very happy to meet you."
Lena looked up, momentarily shy again. "Hello," she said quietly. "You have a nice dog."
"Thank you," Roxanne replied, her voice warm, stroking the dog's fur. "Ralphy loves you already, and he's a good judge of character."
Lena leaned in and draped her arms around the dog's neck. "Daddy said he'd love me."
From behind Roxanne, Dwight chuckled, then when Lena stood, he extended his hand to his granddaughter with formal politeness. "It's a pleasure to meet you, young lady."
Lena stood and shook his hand solemnly. "Thank you for having me at your house, um, Mr. Frampton."
Dwight offered his wife a hand and helped her stand. "You can call me Grandpa, if you'd like."
"And I'm Grandma," Roxanne added, touching Lena's shoulder. "We've been waiting to meet you for a very long time."
Lena looked up at Alex, confusion evident in her expression. "But they didn't know about me until today."
Alex winced slightly at her honesty, but Roxanne laughed, a genuine sound of amusement that broke the tension. "We may not have known about you, but we have been waiting for your daddy to give us a grandchild for a very long time," she admitted. "And now that we've met you, we know that you're the one we've been waiting for. We're so happy you're here."
Dwight clapped Alex on the shoulder. "Let's head inside. Lunch is almost ready."
As they made their way toward the house, Ralphy trotting alongside Lena, Alex felt something inside him begin to unwind—a knot of tension he'd carried for so long he'd forgotten it was there.
Inside, the house had changed little over the years. The same comfortable furniture, the same family photos lining the walls, the same faint scent of his mother's lemon potpourri. Lena looked around with undisguised curiosity, taking everything in.
"Would you like a tour, sugar?" Roxanne asked.
Lena nodded eagerly, and Alex watched as his mother took his daughter's hand and led her deeper into the house. Their voices drifted back—Lena asking questions, Roxanne answering with growing warmth.
"That went better than expected," Dwight observed, gesturing for Alex to follow him into the kitchen. "Your mother skipped church this morning to clean the house and make cookies. She's roasted a chicken and baked potatoes, too, enough to feed an army. She'll be sending you two home with more leftovers than you can possibly eat in a month."
"I should have told you sooner," Alex said, guilt tightening his throat. "I should have told you the moment I found out." He'd called them that morning, while waiting for Lena to wake up. It hadn't been an easy conversation, but Alex wouldn't just show up on their doorstep with her unannounced. It didn't take long, though, for surprise to turn to anticipation, and now, he could see in his father's eyes how happy they were to have the chance to get to know their new grandchild.
Dwight shrugged, a gesture so like Alex's own. "You had a lot to figure out." He filled a couple of glasses with iced tea and handed Alex one.
Alex took a long drink, using the moment to collect his thoughts. "I didn't know how to tell you. And honestly, I wasn't sure Melissa would let me be part of Lena's life long-term. I didn't want to get your hopes up."
"And now?"
"Now..." Alex shook his head. "I don't know. Melissa's letting Lena stay with me for a few days, which is a big step." How did he explain the situation he found himself in? "But she's got a new boyfriend who's taking them to his Greek island to live." He shook his head. "Lena doesn't want to go and I think Melissa is hoping if she spends a little time in my Hicksville bachelor pad that Lena will realize how good she's got it with her mom. This Daniel guy can certainly provide her with a lifestyle I never could, even in my wildest dreams."
Dwight's expression darkened. "Can he provide her with a father who loves her? Grandparents? A close-knit community that would embrace her as one of their own?"
"Melissa doesn't even talk to her parents, so Lena's never met them."
From the dining room came the sound of female laughter. Alex peered through the doorway to see Roxanne showing Lena the collection of framed school photos arranged on the sideboard.
"And this one is Alex when he lost his two front teeth," his mother was saying. "He had this adorable whistle when he tried to say anything with an 's' in it."
"Like Mississippi?" Lena giggled, her earlier shyness completely gone. She pointed to another photo. "Is that Jason?"
Roxanne's hand trembled slightly as she picked up the frame. "Yes, that's Jason, Alex's brother. Your uncle."
Lena studied the photograph with intense focus. "He looks like Daddy. And me."
"He does," Roxanne said, her voice thick with emotion. "You have his eyes, exactly the same blue. And his smile."
Alex felt his father's hand on his shoulder, a steady anchor against the sweeping tide of emotion. "She already belongs here, son."
Alex nodded, unable to speak.
Lunch was a surprisingly relaxed affair. Dwight grilled burgers and hot dogs on the patio with a mountain of side dishes Roxanne had prepared. Lena ate with the enthusiastic appetite of childhood, declaring the potato salad "the best thing ever."
After the meal, they moved to the backyard, where Lena and Ralphy chased each other across the grass. Alex sat with his parents on the shaded patio, feeling a peace he hadn't experienced in years.
"She's wonderful, Alex," Roxanne said, watching Lena with undisguised adoration. "Absolutely wonderful."
"I had nothing to do with that," Alex admitted. "Melissa raised her all these years."
"But she has your heart," his mother insisted. "I can see it in the way she looks at the world—curious, open. Just like you were."
Dwight leaned forward in his chair. "You said Melissa is planning to leave the country with Lena."
"I was going to ask you about that," Roxanne interjected. Lena mentioned something about going to Greece soon."
Dwight frowned. "And when will you see her again?"
The question punctured Alex's bubble of contentment. "I need to talk to a lawyer tomorrow. Find out what my options are."
"Good," Dwight nodded. "You'll need someone with experience in family law. I can make a couple calls first thing in the morning." Dwight practiced tax law, but he had connections among his peers.
"In the meantime," Roxanne said, "what does Lena need? School supplies? She'll be starting third grade this fall, won't she?"
Alex shook his head. "As it stands, I only have her for a few days, Mom. A week at the most. They're planning on leaving next week, unless I can figure out how to get a judge to put a hold on that."
Roxanne pressed a hand to her chest. "She can't take her away already. We've just met her!"
Dwight reached over and took his wife's hand. "We'll figure this out," he said, speaking to himself as much to the them. "Together."
The simple declaration— together —nearly undid him. For years after Jason's death, Alex had felt isolated in his grief, convinced that his parents blamed him on some level for not saving their firstborn. He'd pushed them away, drowning his guilt in alcohol and meaningless relationships. Now, with three simple words, his father had drawn him back into the fold.
A ball rolled to a stop at Alex's feet, followed moments later by an out-of-breath Lena. "Daddy, throw it for Ralphy," she urged. "He wants to play fetch."
Alex picked up the tennis ball, worn smooth from countless retrieval games. "Like this?" he asked, tossing it gently across the yard. Ralphy bounded after it, ears flapping.
"No, Daddy," Lena giggled. "You have to throw it farther!" She demonstrated with an exaggerated arm movement that sent her nearly off-balance.
Alex chuckled, standing to join her on the lawn. "Let me show you the proper technique."
For the next half hour, they played with Ralphy, the dog's enthusiasm never flagging despite his gray muzzle. Alex's ankle was killing him, but he didn't care. He hobbled around the best he could, letting Lena chase down wildly-thrown balls, but he was secretly glad Ralphy wasn't as energetic as he'd been as a puppy. When Lena flopped down on the grass, declaring herself "too tired to throw anymore," Roxanne appeared with a tray of lemonade and cookies.
"Perfect timing, Grandma," Lena said, the name slipping out naturally now. "I'm starving again."
"Growing children are always hungry," Roxanne replied, clearly delighted with her new role. "And grandmothers are always ready to feed them."
As they settled at the patio table with their treats, Alex excused himself to make a phone call, leaving his daughter in the adoring care of her grandparents. He headed inside and down the hall to his old room, but when he got there, he could hear Lena's giggle and his parents' animated conversation, and he realized he wanted to be right back out there. He didn't want to miss any of his time with Lena, not if there was even the remotest possibility that she'd be gone in a week.
Instead of calling, he texted: Juno, I have so much to tell you. Lena came home with me last night and we've just had lunch with my parents, who are now in love with their granddaughter. Lena and I are going to have a picnic on my parents' dock tonight. If you can stand the mosquitos, we'd love to have you join us.
While playing with Ralphy, he and Lena had concocted the plan to hang out with Juno. Lena hadn't been quite ready to leave Ralphy behind for the day, and she'd suggested the picnic idea. When Alex had asked his parents if they could borrow the dock, they'd happily given him the go-ahead.
Alex has just turned around and was heading back through the house when Juno's reply came through: Wow. That IS a lot. Can't wait to hear all about it. I'd love to have a picnic with you two. Can I bring anything?
Nope. Mom has more food here than we know what to do with. Just bring yourself. I'll pick you up at 6 at your place.
When he opened the slider, he heard Lena ask, "Can I come back and play with Ralphy again?"
"Absolutely," Roxanne said. "Any time. And maybe next time, we can bake cookies together. Do you like baking?"
Lena's eyes got big and round. "Make cookies? How do you do that? We just buy them."
"I made these," Roxanne said, holding one of her chocolate chip oatmeal cookies up.
"Wow," Lena exclaimed. "I want to learn how to make cookies."
"Well, then we will add that to our list." Roxanne explained to Alex as he rejoined them that Lena had started a list of things she wanted to do with her grandparents while she was here. The list included painting pictures, planting flowers, looking at photo albums, filling the birdfeeders around the yard, going for ice cream at the ice cream shop, and now, making cookies from scratch.
An idea popped into Alex's head. "You up for adding a sleepover to that list, Mom? Me and Lena, both?"
"Yes, yes, yes!" cried an ecstatic Lena. "I had my first sleepover with Daddy last night and we had so much fun."
His mother was nodding emphatically. "You can have a sleepover here any time you like."
"Tonight?" Lena turned beseeching eyes on Alex. "Please, please?"
Alex shrugged and looked at his mother.
"Tonight would be perfect," she said on a happy sigh, and Alex couldn't remember the last time he'd seen his mother looking so pleased. "Lena, would you like to sleep in your daddy's room with him, on the sofa in the living room, or—" Her voice caught for a moment, but she swallowed and went on. "Or would you like to sleep in your Uncle Jason's room?"
"Can Ralphy sleep with me?"
"Of course."
"Then Uncle Jason's room, please. Ralphy and I can have our own sleepover since I don't have my stuffies." Lena suddenly looked concerned, and Alex squeezed her shoulder.
"I'm going to go pick up Juno in a little bit. I'll swing by the apartment and grab some for you, along with your pajamas. You just tell me what you want."
Lena's eyes lit up. "I will make you a list. I like lists."
While Lena headed inside to help Roxanne get the bedrooms ready for them, Dwight turned to Alex. "Son, I want you to know we're proud of you. Stepping up like this for Lena—it's the right thing."
"I'm terrified I'll mess it up," Alex admitted. "I don't know the first thing about being a father."
"None of us do, at first," Dwight said, his expression serious. "We learn as we go. But you've got good instincts, and you've got us to help."
His parents' show of support meant the world to him, and hopefully, after this evening with Juno, he could count on her support, too. He had no doubt that Ward and Penny and the rest of his circle of friends would rally around him, but out of everyone in Autumn Lake, his parents and Juno were the top three people that he wanted on his team.
Dwight and Alex moved inside out of the heat and watched some television while Roxanne and Lena decided now was the perfect time to try their hands at making a batch of cookies. "We're making sugar cookies with sprinkles Daddy!" Lena declared as Roxanne strapped her into a smock apron and doubled the strings around her tiny waist. "Can you believe it?"
An hour later, as Alex was preparing to leave to pick up Juno, his mother and daughter were sitting together in a hammock outside, one they'd made his father drag out of the garage. They'd had a hammock hanging on the porch his whole childhood, but it had been a long time since he'd seen it set up, and it made him happy to see the two of them out there, reading books together. As he watched, his mother's eyes drifted closed, and he thought she must be exhausted trying to keep up with the ball of energy that was Lena, but then he realized that she was just sighing in utter contentment when she put her arms around the child and squeezed her so hard it made Lena giggle.
They'd all missed out on so much. But no more. Maybe they couldn't go back and undo things or start over, but they could start here and now. Today was the first day of their brand new start.
"Hey Mom," he called out the kitchen window. "I'm picking up Juno now and we'll swing by for overnight stuff." He glanced down at the piece of paper in his hand. In her crooked handwriting, his daughter had listed the names of her stuffed animals, not their descriptions, but he'd video chat from his apartment if he had to, and they'd sort it out.
"Sounds good," Roxanne called back, not even lifting her head to look at him. "Lena and I will have your picnic basket ready and waiting."
"Ready and waiting for you love birds," Lena chirped, then broke into a shriek of giggles at her goofy taunt.
"Bye, you goons," he called out, and turned to go just as two arms shot up out of the hammock and waved him off.
Alex climbed in The Beast and shot a text off to Juno to let her know he was on his way. Then he reached over and switched on the radio, pulling up his favorite rock station. He cranked it up, loud, feeling more excited about his future than he had in a very long time.