Chapter 24 Liz #2
Liz knew this was true; Preston didn’t need or want anything too deep.
He could coast indefinitely with a woman who tolerated his obsessive sports viewing and constant phone habits, attended the requisite work events and made polite small talk with his coworkers, and matched his unruffled disposition with an even-keeled, undemanding personality of her own.
It was a perfectly pleasant life that Preston offered, full of consistency and stability.
Liz nodded.
“I want to be with someone who understands me, who’s passionate about me, who loves me in the way I want to be loved. Maybe I’ll never find that. Maybe I won’t meet that guy. Maybe I’ll never choose someone who chooses me back. But I have to start choosing myself.”
Preston swallowed hard. “How is this going to work?”
“I don’t know yet,” Liz said. She hadn’t thought about the logistics and was suddenly overwhelmed by them.
She’d need to find her own place, one that was big enough to fit her and Charlie.
She and Preston would have to figure out some sort of schedule.
She’d need to map out childcare for when she went back to work editing Noora’s film, which had started filming.
“Obviously, stay here as long as you like,” Preston said. “We’re a team even if we’re not boyfriend and girlfriend.”
“Thank you,” Liz said. “Seriously, Preston. I know you mean it and—thank you.”
Preston nodded, forlorn. “Whenever any celebrity couple splits up, they always say they’re going to stay on good terms for the sake of the kids, and then it immediately gets nasty and they’re ripping each other apart in the press,” he said.
Liz looked him in the eye. “I promise never to rip you apart in the press.”
“I promise to always say nice things about you to TMZ,” Preston said.
“These sound like vows. But instead of wedding vows…unwedding vows.”
Preston stood up and faced Liz, who rose to her feet as well. They regarded each other as if they were standing at an altar.
“I solemnly swear to be the best ex-boyfriend I can be, in sickness and in health,” Preston said.
“I solemnly swear to be the best ex-girlfriend I can be, in sickness and in health,” Liz said.
“I vow to coparent well with you.”
“I vow to always put our family first.”
“I vow that things will always be cool between us,” Preston said.
“I vow to always want the best for you,” Liz said.
“I promise I’ll always be here for you. I’ll always be your friend.”
“I promise if I come across a cute girl who loves baseball and intermittent fasting and Buckingham Palace, I’ll send her your way,” Liz said. They grinned at each other.
“Best unwedding vows ever,” Preston said.
Liz held her arms out and they hugged, the puppy between them. As they embraced, Charlie woke up and started to cry, but not with the high-pitched frenzy of a smoke alarm like usual. It was just the annoyed mewing of a tiny human demanding attention.
“Should we go introduce him to his new pet?” Liz asked.
“You think I’m keeping this bad idea on my own?”
“Now it seems like a bad idea, once you’re the one who has to take care of it?”
“Obviously,” Preston joked.
“You know what?” Liz said, looking at the furry little ears standing at attention and the black button nose. “I think you should keep it…Him? Her?”
“Him. We’re a boy family, aren’t we?” Preston said, lifting up the corgi and giving him an affectionate glance. They looked like they belonged together, like there was no other owner in the world that would be as perfect for this royal-endorsed breed of pup than Preston Lancaster.
“You definitely should keep him,” Liz said.
“I think I might. If the boss agrees,” Preston said, motioning with his thumb towards Charlie’s room. The baby’s cries were growing more persistent, so Liz and Preston exchanged a wordless look and walked into their son’s room.
Liz picked up Charlie, who for the first time quieted instantly and settled into her, resting his little head against her chest. Liz felt tears of relief spring to her eyes.
“Well, buddy,” Preston said, addressing Charlie. “The bad news is, your parents split up. The good news is, you got a puppy.” He picked up the dog to meet the baby. Charlie remained indifferent, but unopposed. The puppy wiggled in Preston’s hands and stretched out to lick Charlie on the cheek.
“It’s official!” Preston proclaimed. “Did you see that?”
Liz smiled and thought that their breakup had outshined many of their so-called happy times together as a couple.
Her phone rang in her pocket and she ignored it.
She wanted to stay present in this moment and experience all of it fully so she could file away the details for future reference: the flood of warmth she’d felt at having her baby nestle against her; the soft, spectral light in the nursery; the quiet white noise of the sound machine; the kindhearted ex-boyfriend and the absurdly cute puppy beside her.
“Do you want me to get that for you?” Preston asked, pointing to Liz’s phone.
“It’s okay,” Liz said, shaking her head. But when the phone rang again, Preston reached into her pocket and fished it out for her. He held it up so Liz could see the display: Victoria.
“I’ll call her back,” Liz said.
Liz was about to ask Preston to text Victoria to tell her that, but a message came through from Victoria first: Ace had a heart attack. We’re in the ICU.
Liz stared at the words on her phone.
“What happened? What’s wrong?” Preston asked.
Liz couldn’t manage to speak. Something cried out. It was only after a few seconds that she realized the strangled, inhuman noise had come out of her own mouth and not from an animal howling its despair into the pale, pockmarked face of the moon.