This Too Shall Pass Page 15

  Riki fell into her own routine and loved school. She whined every Friday when Alexis told her she didn’t have school the next day. She was so excited about school, writing her name, learning her numbers, and even music class. Riki loved music and had even taught Alexis a couple notes. That was all fine and dandy. It was her Christmas list that scared the hell out of Alexis. It wasn’t even Halloween yet and Riki was making a Christmas list. With a piano!

  “Maybe I can play a flute, too. Mr. Wills plays a flute, but I want Santa to bring me a piano. Maybe when I’m six I’ll play the flute. Does that sound good, Lexis?” Riki questioned, while she waited on her plate of chicken fingers and fries.

  Alexis hid the sarcasm while sitting her plate in front of her. “I don’t know. A piano is pretty big. Where would we put it?”

  “Come here, I will show you.”

  “You can show me after supper. Tell me about school. What did you do today?”

  Kinley flat handed her highchair tray, letting Alexis know she wanted food, too. “Eat, eat,” she called.

  “I’m coming. It’s hot. Hang on.”

  “Ot, ot,” Kinley nodded as she tried to repeat the same words. She was so smart. She almost had it.

  “We had music today. Tomorrow is art day,” Riki explained. Alexis sat the bottle of ranch dressing in front of her, cutting her off when she asked for it. Alexis was already ahead of her.

  “Art is fun,” Alexis said with her own plate. She sat beside Kinley and tried to get her to eat a green bean. Kinley shook her head and chose the chicken fingers instead.

  “I like art, but I like music better. Maybe I should send Santa my letter early. He might need to get some help. Pianos are big and heavy, right?”

  “Yes, eat your beans.” Riki didn’t eat her green beans either. She dipped her chicken finger in ranch and ate that instead.

  Alexis found the note from her teacher later that evening. Great, parent teacher conferences already. How was this supposed to work? Alexis wasn’t really the parent, but she wanted to be there, too. The thought of going and not telling Cory crossed her mind, but only briefly. That’s something he would do, not her. She sat on the toilet while the girls played in the tub and texted him.

  Alexis—Riki has parent teacher conferences next Tuesday at six.

  Of course Cory didn’t text right back. He never did. That would be like handing over power or something. Stupid is what it was. Immature and stupid.

  Alexis ignored the buzzing text from her phone an hour later. She laid between Riki and Kinley with a new library book, another one of Riki’s favorite things at school. She heard the buzz again, ignored that too, and continued with the story.

  “Kinley can stay with me,” Riki decided with her hand on Alexis’s belly and her eyes on sleeping Kinley.

  Alexis glanced at her small hand placed on her ginormous belly and moved it to the side. “We better put her in her bed, she might roll out,” Alexis explained, pushing her hand in to feel the kick.

  Riki gasped and formed an O with her lips. “Do it again. She’s by the wall, she won’t fall. I won’t let her.”

  Alexis moved the baby around, trying to get it to kick again. “But she’s like a little fish. She might flop over top of you.”

  “Do you think we’re going to get a boy or a girl baby?” Riki questioned.

  “Hmm, I’m not sure. What do you want?”

  “A girl. Boys are too mean, except daddy.”

  As much as she wanted to spew something hateful about her dad, she didn’t.” What about a name? We need to pick out a name. The baby will be here before we know it.”

  “When?”

  “Not long after Christmas. January comes after Christmas and then February. The baby is coming in February.”

  “I like Paisley.”

  “Paisley? Where did you get that name? I love that name.”

  “You remember that movie with the magic horse? Paisley was the only one that liked him.”

  “Oh yeah, I love that movie, and I love that name. It’s at the top of my list. Now go to sleep. You have school tomorrow.”

  “Wait, I want to feel the baby move again.”

  “I think he’s sleeping.”

  “Not he. She!”

  “Sorry, she, but it might be a he.”

  “Don’t get it if it is.”

  Alexis laughed and moved over top of her, stopping to kiss her head on her way to the floor. “We have to take him home.”

  “Where’s the baby going to sleep?”

  “I’ll put it in my room for a while, like we did when Kinley was born, remember?”

  “Yeah, in that little bed.”

  “Then Kinley can sleep with me and the baby can have the crib.”

  “We’ll see. Night, love.” Alexis scooped Kinley up and carried her to her own bed. After her own bath was when she finally decided to see what Cory had to say. Alexis climbed into her bed, feeling exhausted. February couldn’t come fast enough.

  Cory—How long does it last?

  Cory—Hello?

  Cory—You’re so mature.

  Alexis snorted and shook her head with an eye roll. Dick head.

  Alexis—Sorry I wasn’t at your beck and call. Story time took precedence over you. It’s only fifteen minutes. You don’t have to come. I can do it.

  Cory—I’ll come. I’ll meet you there at six.

  “Of course you will,” Alexis said to the empty room. No reply was needed. The pillow beneath her head felt like a cloud, working like a sleeping pill. Her eyes closed and she dozed off to the news, sound asleep in a matter of minutes. One thing about being pregnant, she slept, but it was sort of a double standard. She was always tired. Always.

  ****

  Alexis stood on the school-house steps, switching off, raising one swollen ankle, and then the other while she waited for Cory. Riki played Kinley’s new favorite game, ‘Ring around the Rosie’ over and over. The thought of sitting on the steps crossed her mind, but then the thought of getting up overpowered it. She’d need a crane to pull her up. Cory didn’t need to see that.

  Two minutes before their turn to sit down with Mrs. Rogers, Cory pulled in, driving his shiny black truck. The bastard went home and showered. A black and gray button-up shirt, new jeans that fit well, and the smell. Oh that smell...

  Cory scooped Kinley up and walked right past Alexis, Riki in hand. “You’re late,” she said from behind a whisper.

  “No, I’m right on time. How are you Kinley?”

  Alexis followed behind, waddling more like it. They weren’t late at all. Mrs. Rogers still had the previous parents’ at her desk. That left Alexis alone in the hall with him. Great.

  “Dad, put Kinley down. I want to show you our new game,” Riki coaxed while hopping up and down.

  “No, we’re inside. We have to be quiet,” Cory countered.

  “Please, it’s so cute. She falls on her butt, too.”

  “You can show me later. It’s almost our turn.”

  Judy Andon walked out with her husband John and their son Blake. Alexis smiled and tried like hell not to roll her eyes. The obvious elbow to Jake’s ribs, her stomach, and then Cory was a gossip, giveaway. Alexis was sure she’d been a topic of conversation between them.

  “Jake, Judy,” Alexis nodded in greeting. Kill them with kindness, that’s what her dad would have said. Whatever. Jake and Judy could go to hell. They didn’t know anything about her and it was none of their business.

  “Hello, Riki. Why don’t you show your mom and dad your art work,” Mrs. Rogers suggested with an arm wave to the corner.

  “Okay!” Riki excitedly exclaimed. She talked a mile a minute without even correcting the mom comment. She showed them her painting of her family. The stick people with colored clothes and big hair represented Cory, Alexis, and three little girls. The mom held the new baby and the two girls stood between the mom and dad. Alexis and Cory did exchange a glance that time. A guilty one. Once she’d shared her cubby hole,
her shelf for her library books, and the reading circle Mrs. Rogers led them to her desk. Riki kept Kinley in the reading circle and showed her pictures of farm animals. Kinley loved farm animals. Alexis looked back to her mooing more than once.

  “Have a seat. I don’t know what to say about Riki. She’s such a little helper, so smart, and always so well behaved. Whatever you’re doing, keep on doing it. I have zero concerns with her right now. She’s eager to learn and catches on quickly. She talks nonstop about her little sister and her new baby coming. When are you due?” Mrs. Rogers smiled.

  “February,” Alexis replied. She knew she was only being friendly, but she’d purposely withheld that information from Cory.

  “Riki is sure she’s getting another sister. I hope you get a boy. Dad’s need their boys.” Mrs. Rogers smiled at Alexis and then Cory.

  Alexis bit her tongue. She wanted to spit it out, shove it right in Cory’s face. He’s not the dad, we don’t live together, and we don’t want boys. She didn’t. She sucked it up and smiled. Mrs. Rogers showed them Riki’s papers next, how well she wrote her name, and her adding skills, bragging about how smart she was. Both Alexis and Cory boasted. They knew she was smart.

  Cory was the one to retrieve the girls, seeing the next set of parents pacing the hall. Alexis exchanged goodbyes, and led the way back to the parking lot.

  “February what?” Cory questioned from behind. Alexis snorted and kept walking.

  “Jump in, Riki,” she coaxed while taking Kinley from Cory’s arms.

  “I thought maybe we would go get pizza for supper.”

  “Yeah!” Riki called with outstretched arms. Kinley did the exact same thing, sounding out the word perfectly, just like her big sister.

  “We have roast in the crockpot,” Alexis retorted while buckling Kinley into her seat.

  “Come on, Lex. We should celebrate how smart our daughter is. Let’s go eat pizza.”

  Wait…He was inviting her? What the hell? Alexis turned to him with both eyebrows curved to the bridge of her nose. Narrowed eyes showed him her distaste for his suggestion, but seeing the look on Riki’s face stopped it. “You can go celebrate with daddy. I’ll celebrate with you when you get home.”

  Cory touched her hand with his and tilted his head. “Lex,” he said in soft tone. A soft tone that pissed her off.

  Alexis did her best to keep it together in front of the kids. Was he for real? He totally just walked past her minutes before, didn’t hold the door, and completely ignored her. He was asking her to go eat pizza? Whip lash! “Go ahead and take Riki, spend some one on one with her. Riki loves playing games. Me, not so much,” she explained in the nicest sarcastic tone she could assemble. Alexis kissed Riki on the head, smacked her on the butt, and told her how proud of her she was before getting in her car and closing the door. A laugh escaped her lips once she was alone. What the hell was that all about?

  Whatever it was, it was forgotten the very next day. Avoiding each other seemed like the best way. The only way to avoid confrontation.

  Of course it was inevitable when the next one would happen. Cory was becoming weirder and weirder. One minute he was being nice and the next he was a dick. Being nice was his plan the following month for Halloween. He wanted to walk around with Alexis, Bernie, Travis and Sam. He wanted to see Kinley for her first trick or treating. Cory was taking them home right after and Alexis was getting them the next day for the farm festivities.

  Alexis was the one who avoided him. She walked with Bernie and Sam and Cory strolled behind with Travis, pushing Kinley in the stroller. The evening was beyond cool, it was downright cold. Alexis wanted to call it a night before they had even made it through town. Kinley was done, too, tired of riding and probably cold herself. Alexis tried to keep walking and not pay attention to her cries to get out, but the motherly instinct wouldn’t let her. She turned around and removed her from her stroller. That took long enough for Travis to catch up with Sam and Bernie, leaving her and Cory alone.

  “I wish I was going to the farm with them tomorrow,” he confessed.

  Alexis refrained from telling him he made his choice. “Yeah, well I doubt we’ll stay long. It’s too cold.”

  “Yeah, it is cold. Do you have firewood?”

  “What?”

  “Firewood? Are you set for the cold weather?”

  Alexis shifted Kinley from the huge bulge in her stomach and grunted. Cory reached over and took Kinley from her arms, handing over the stroller instead. Alexis tossed a blanket over her head and tucked the edges around her, trying to rid the cold. “I’m fine, Cory. I’ve lived in that house a long time. My dad’s already taken care of that.”

  “Of course he has,” he muttered.

  “I would ask what you mean by that, but I don’t give a shit.”

  “I didn’t mean anything by it. Everyone knows you’re a daddy’s girl.”

  “Whatever. If my dad telling Jimmy Brooks to bring me wood makes me a daddy’s girl, then so be it. I paid for it.”

  “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean it that way. I just feel like I am the one that should take care of that sort of thing.”

  “I’m not your problem. You don’t need to worry about me.” Alexis tried to pick up her speed and catch up with the rest of the group, but Cory kept talking.

  “I saw Mitch with someone else.”

  “Yeah?”

  “I know you’re not seeing him, Lex.”

  “You don’t know Jack. Shut up. We’re not having this conversation.”

  “Are you carrying my kid?”

  Alexis snorted. Now he cared. Five months later? Screw that. “That’s yet to be determined. I’m going to go. I’ll be after the girls around noon.”

  “Lex?” Cory questioned in a soft tone. Alexis’s head was spinning in circles. What the hell was this? She didn’t respond to the way he said her name. She kissed Kinley on the head and skipped ahead to tell Riki goodbye. The thought of all the candy going home with Cory and not her brought a malicious smile to her face. He could fight with how much Riki ate and she hoped she left every single piece of it there.

  The next conflict came in November, her birthday weekend. It was Alexis’s weekend with the girls and she was sick. Riki was a huge help, taking care of her sister, but it wasn’t enough. Alexis seemed to be getting worse by the minute and she knew she needed to call Cory. She couldn’t even hold her head up she was so sick, there was nothing left in her stomach, and she was fevered. One minute she had sweat beading on her skin, and the next she was shivering from being cold, freezing with chattering teeth.

  “Riki, how about you call daddy and tell him to come and get you two?” Alexis suggested with closed eyes.

  “I can take care of Kinley.”

  “I know you can, baby, and you’re doing an awesome job, but you can’t cook. I would feel better if you went to daddy’s for the night. I’ll come and get you tomorrow. Go get the phone.”

  Riki ran off to fetch the cordless phone and Kinley ran after her, calling her name. “Kiki.” Alexis sort of smiled, but not really. She was too sick to care about Kinley being cute.

  “I can dial the number, okay, Lexis?”

  “Yes, you can do it.” Of course she could. Alexis couldn’t even lift one finger.

  “Daddy, Lexis wants you to come and get me and Kinley, she’s too sick. Yes. Uh-uh. She throwed up a whole bunch. I don’t know. Hang on. Lexis, my dad wants to know if you have a fever.”

  Alexis breathed a deep breath, reminding herself that Riki couldn’t repeat the words she wanted to say. “Yes, is he coming or not? I can call Aunt Sam.”

  “Are you coming? We can go to Aunt Sam’s,” Riki relayed and then handed her the phone. “He wants to talk to you.”

  Ugh! Why couldn’t he do one thing without being difficult? She would have went right over and picked them up had the tables been turned. Not Cory, No, he had to make it about him. Always. “Can you come and get them or not?”

  “Yes, I’ll be right over
. What’s wrong?”

  “I’m sick. I’ll see you in a little bit.” Alexis hit the end button. If she wanted a doctor she would go to the clinic, and it sure as hell wouldn’t be him.

  “Is he coming?” Riki questioned.

  “Yes, can you run upstairs and pack Kinley some jammies, and diapers? Close the gate behind you.”

  “Okay, and I’ll pack mine, too. Can I take my library book?”

  “Yes, just watch Kinley doesn’t get it.”

  Alexis closed her eyes, squeezing the bridge of her nose, trying to ease the thumping right behind her eyes. Kinley waited at the gate, calling up the stairs for Riki. The next time Alexis opened her eyes. Riki was sitting on the floor with a notebook and crayons, explaining to Kinley what each letter in her name was. A smile formed on her lips when Riki apologized for not knowing how to spell her name, and then her eyes closed again.

  “Alexis?” the husky voice, followed by the scent of Cory filled the room. Thank God.

  “I’ll see you girls tomorrow,” she said, unable to get up and see them off the proper way. She’d kiss them double tomorrow. Her eyes closed again, happy for the opportunity to rest without worrying about Riki and Kinley.

  “How long have you been sick?” Cory questioned while placing the back of his hand on her forehead. She flinched and pulled away.

  “Since yesterday. Go away. I just want to suffer in private.”

  “You’re burning up, Lex. I think you should go to the doctor.”

  Alexis sat up, ready to light into him full force. That didn’t work so well. An instant sickness twirled in her stomach and she felt weak and faint. She didn’t even try to snap at him as she’d initially planned. Too busy trying to talk herself out of being sick again, she waited, hesitating with her hand covering her mouth. Epic fail. Alexis opened her mouth to beg him to take the girls and leave and jumped up. Jesus, where the hell was this coming from? There couldn’t have been anything left in her stomach. Of course Cory followed.