Chapter 17
Lincoln
It was the night. Dinner at my parents’ house so everyone could meet Sophie and Lou. I invited Walt as well. It seemed wrong not to include him, and I knew it would make Sophie feel more comfortable. Ma was flustered, trying to appear like the perfect host, but she was mostly getting in Dad’s way.
“Woman, pour yourself a glass of wine and sit down. You’re running around like a chicken with its head cut off while I’m trying to get dinner ready.
” I saw my mother rearing up to fight, but Dad pinned her with a look, and she took a seat at the kitchen island while I went and poured her that glass.
My sister, Quinn, walked in right after, a tinfoil-covered tray in her arms.
“Made my lemon bars. You said Sophie has a sweet tooth, right?”
“Woo, whipping out the big guns, I see. Why are you guys so stressed about meeting this chick?” our brother, Mason, added. I had missed him following Quinn in.
“Hush, now. We’re just excited because we’ve heard so much about them! And it’s not like either of you are dating anyone. I want grandbabies!” Mom yelled, and we all rolled our eyes. The same old story.
“C’mon, Abby, they have time. Plus, it sounds like Linc has his hands full with Miss Eloise anyway. Excited to meet her.”
“Thanks, Dad. She’s a great kid,” I told him.
“Aww! Look at how proud he is. Like a papa bear!” Quinn cooed.
The doorbell rang, and there was a moment of silence where we all froze, except for Mom. Hopping up, she was out of the room before any of us had recovered. I got up to follow her, but Dad stopped me.
“Give her a minute. She’s been looking forward to this. You get to see them all the time.” I wasn’t sure what I was worried about. My family was the best. We bickered and got on each other’s nerves, but love and support lived between us, no matter what.
Sophie and Lou, though… What we were building felt precious and fragile.
As the night progressed, watching as Lou got comfortable around my family erased any unease I felt.
It was amazing to see how easily they folded her into every conversation and decision, making sure she was heard and her opinion was respected.
We were all a bit worked up after what Lou shared earlier about being “too loud.”
Dinner and dessert were finished, and the party had retreated into the living room.
“I get it now,” Mason commented. I was hovering on the outskirts of the room, watching the high-stakes game of UNO taking place between my parents, Walt, Quinn, and Lou.
“They’re good people,” Mason continued. “She’s a great kid, and I can’t imagine anyone trying to shush or ignore her. You scowling anytime something shitty is mentioned won’t help, though.” Ironic, coming from the cop with a perma-frown, but I couldn’t argue with him on that point.
“Keep showing her it’s okay to be a kid, to have fun. You got this, bro, and we got your back. Want me to look into the ex?” he added, a glimmer of excitement in his eyes. Mason followed the rules, but he couldn’t stand bad people who got away with things at the expense of good ones.
“Nah. I know enough for now. If he starts acting up, though, you’ll be the first one I call.
” My gut soured at the idea of Max getting anywhere near my girls.
The more time I spent with Sophie and Lou, the more it only cemented in my mind what an utter fool the man was.
He had no idea of the gift he had discarded so casually, what he had thrown away.
“Darn it, Wally! If you reverse on me one more time, I’m gonna quit!” Dad yelled, and I snorted at the nickname.
“Well, Gary, seems like it’s quitting time for you,” Walt replied, throwing down a card as if he had just gotten a royal flush. Dad groaned as Lou giggled, Mom whispering something in her ear.
“UNO!” Mom yelled, tossing her card in the air dramatically as she did an over-the-top celebration dance.
“Abby, really?”
“What? I’m not cutting Lou any slack. If she’s gonna take my crown, she has to do it for real! And I bet you next time we play, she will. Right, Lou?”
“Yeah! Can we play again next time?” she asked hopefully.
“Whenever you want. We’d love to have you over. These guys are boring and too grown up to play games anymore,” Mom whispered to Lou, who leaned into her tiredly with a sweet one-sided hug. Mom’s eyes got huge as she gently wrapped her arms around Lou, pressing a soft kiss to her head.
“Yes, I think game nights with Mimi are in order. As long as that’s alright with you, Sophie?” Mom asked, looking a little embarrassed.
“Of course. She would love that. I would love that,” she told them sweetly. I couldn’t help the sense of satisfaction settling within me at seeing everyone I cared about mixing together so effortlessly.
The dinner had gone off without a hitch, and Lou was asleep before we even left the driveway.
I drove my girls home since they came in Walt’s car, and his house was in the other direction.
I had gotten a booster seat for Lou early on, wanting to take precautions if she ever needed to ride in my truck.
The idea of hurting her in any way brought me to my knees.
Anything to protect her, to provide security or safety, was worth it.
After that, time seemed to move fast, but I guessed that happened when you were happy.
In the weeks since, we had settled into a comfortable routine—one that included Walt, as well as my parents and siblings.
My little sister took on the title of Aunt like it was a championship belt she was fighting to keep.
As Lou became more comfortable with my family, they began offering to babysit left and right, each one eager for more time with her.
Lou was soaking up the attention, finally beginning to trust us and really letting loose.
Sophie was starting to lean on me more as well, opening up and sharing parts of herself that were once kept secret.
There was no doubt about it; I had it bad for her.
When we first met, I had been captivated by her.
There was something about her I knew I wanted to experience.
Now, though, it was so much more than that.
She was in my blood, as vital as the air I breathed.
It wasn’t just sex, either, although that was phenomenal.
I craved everything about Sophie. Enjoyed learning about all her quirks and moods.
I loved how she was oblivious in the morning, walking around in a fog until she finished at least one cup of coffee.
How she was infinitely patient with Lou, but heaven forbid I showed up a few minutes late with lunch.
Hangry Sophie was no joke. Then again, hangry Lou was even worse.
Most meltdowns could be averted by a meal or some quiet time.
Lou was amazing; smart, energetic, and so kind.
How could Max willingly miss out on this?
We had developed our own routine, just the two of us.
Since I worked in shifts—twenty-four hours on, forty-eight hours off—I usually had a few days free during the school week.
On those days, when Sophie was working, I had started to pick Lou up from school.
We would spend the afternoon together, I would help her with homework, and then we would make dinner so it was ready by the time Sophie got in.
It may have seemed simple, but they were some of my most precious memories, and I had no intention of missing anything that came next.
Lou always surprised me, asking me to help her with spelling one second, and the next, writing a get well card for her teacher.
She told me about her days with surprising detail.
I knew all her friends’ names and what the latest playground drama was.
It was one of my days off, and with Lou at school and Sophie at work, I was stopping by my parents’ house to help them move some furniture around.
“Of course we were invited, but you never want to go to those things. Usually, I give the tickets to Quinn to auction off,” I heard Ma scolding my dad as I let myself into the house.
“So Quinn has the tickets?” he replied.
“What tickets?” I asked, joining my parents in the living room and pressing a quick kiss to my mom’s cheek before dropping down in a chair.
“When Wally and I had dinner the other night, he mentioned some charity event this month that they all had to go to. We thought it might make it easier on the girls if we were there as well,” Dad offered.
I understood what he was talking about. Max had been playing nice and hadn’t asked them to go to anything since the last event ended with Lou in tears and Sophie being ready to go scorched earth on his ass.
“Wally, eh?” I asked instead, pleased to know the two men were getting along.
“You wanna go to this thing or not?” Dad snapped at me, and I shut up.
He was right; I hated the idea of them having to go to some fancy event where Lou was made to be quiet, to feel small.
Where Sophie was pushed to the background or required to smile and pose.
I knew it was hurting Walt, too—he had mentioned it before.
I wasn’t totally surprised to know he had gone to my parents for help.
“Oh, that’s a great idea! I still have the tickets, but let me just give Kelly a call.
I think they offered me a table last year.
I’ll get one so we all can go! Gar, text Quinn and Mason.
” Mom jumped up with purpose. I knew whoever this Kelly woman was, she didn’t stand a chance against a determined Judge Lennox.
“Thank you,” I told him once Mom had left the room.
“Didn’t do it for you. Did it for them. I don’t trust her ex or his mother. From what Walt’s told me…Well, that girl needs all the backup she can get.” Leaning forward, his brow furrowed, then he questioned me.
“Did you hear what that woman said to Little Lou last time? Told her she looked unkempt, made her cry. Who does that to a baby? Someone you’re supposed to treat as your own kid?” There was anger in his voice, mixed with pure disbelief.