Lex and Lu(51)

Lex’s schedule was rather amazing. His season spanned August to May but over the summer, he’d played on the U. S. national team, which meant a lot of travel. He was gone often, which meant an amazing amount of coordination on the part of his attorney and her. They were becoming fast friends as they spoke to each other almost daily. The hardest part of the whole move was learning to share Nina. Nina embraced Lex’s presence in her life with her whole being. Never a reticent child, again more like Lex than Lu, Nina skipped over all the awkwardness and just enjoyed having another person to share her life with. Nina talked to Lex daily, even when he was traveling. Lu found herself listening to these conversations reluctantly. And over time, she realized that Nina shared different things with Lex than she shared with Lu. Lu often wondered where Nina had been storing these parts of her life over the last nine years. She couldn’t help but question her skills as a parent as she watched Nina blossom as she never had before. The newfound presence of her father helped soften the loss of her grandfather, whom she had been exceptionally close to. Nina took it all in stride, reminding Lu that she had a healthy dose of Lex’s easygoing genes. She handled it all. If she found it odd that her parents were never in the same room, she never mentioned it to Lu.

Lex’s schedule had made it easy to steal time with Pete. He had been in town when Pete arrived yesterday, but he had to leave today. It was the opening Lu had needed and why she had insisted that they all celebrate Thanksgiving as if they were back home. Hearing a commotion outside, she downed the rest of her wine, banking on some liquid courage. Pulling open the door before anyone could knock, she lit up at the sight of Pete.

Throwing herself into his arms, she hugged him close.

“It’s so good to see you,” she said, refusing to let go of him.

“You too, Lu,” he said, hugging her back. Letting go of each other, Lu led him into her apartment.

“How’s school? How’s your mom? We talk to her every week, but it’s so hard to know how she’s really doing.” She said it all in a rush.

“Slow down. All of a sudden, it’s like trying to keep up with Nina,” Pete teased.

“Sorry,” Lu said, embarrassed. “I don’t think I realized how much I missed you until you were right in front of me.”

“I miss you too. But, Lu, you look amazing,” he said, giving her a once-over. “London seems to be agreeing with you.”

Without meaning to bring up any heavy topics, she launched into an explanation she thought he deserved. “Pete, remember the day … Well I don’t have to explain that part, but the conversation we had before I went to confront Lex?” At his nod, she continued. “You were right. I feel so much freer now. It’s like for the last eight years the guilt of keeping everything from Lex had become this weight on my shoulders. Even though we don’t talk at all and he dictated this new life, I am so happy that he knows and that he can be a father to Nina. I feel like a different person.”

She smiled, and Pete almost had to catch his breath. She was beautiful. It wasn’t that she wasn’t beautiful before, but the inner glow that had always made Lu stand apart was back. He smiled. “Well, a guilt-free existence works for you.” He looked around. “Where’s Little Bit?” he asked.

“She should be back any moment.” Walking toward the kitchen, she called, “Can I get you a drink?”

“Absolutely,” he answered, following her.

“How’s your visit so far? What do you want? Scotch?”

“Good and yes.”

“How’s Lex?” she asked, then stopped herself. “Sorry, taboo subject. How’s school?” She reached up to grab a glass and got the bottle of Glenmorangie that she always had on hand for Pete.

“School’s good. Finish in May. Trying to find a place to be an intern.”

“I have the date on my calendar already,” she said.

“That means you and Lex will have to be in the same place,” he said in mock horror.

Lu chuckled. “I’m to that point, ya know. I can handle joking about it.”

He took a sip of his Scotch. Sobering, he said, “How’s Will?”

Lu smiled inwardly, but turned to him without a hint of a smile on her face. “She’s Will,” she said simply.

“Yeah. That I already know,” he responded with a grimace. “But how is she?”

Knowing suddenly how he felt, stuck between his brother and her sister, she said, “She’s Will and she’s OK. Probably wondering what if, but definitely not sharing that with me or anyone else.”