“Well, you should have thought of that before you took my things and sold them,” Lex said. God, Lex thought, did I just channel my father? Is this what happens? You just throw out phrases that were spoken at you as a child.
“This is a stupid punishment,” Nina cried.
“Excuse me? What did you say?” Lu said calmly.
Nina, sheepishly shook her head.
“You know how I feel about that word,” Lu said, even though it didn’t need to be said.
“Stupid, stupid, stupid,” Nina mumbled under her breath.
Lu jumped off of the couch and got right in Nina’s face. “You will go back into your room and you will not come out until I tell you to come out. When you do, you better have all of your money sorted. The money that needs to be paid back and the money that you are donating. If you even mumble, murmur, or look like you are mouthing that word, I’ll leave you here when I go home tomorrow. Do you understand?”
Nina couldn’t even look her mother in the eye. She merely nodded her head and slinked back to her room. Lu, who was now standing, kept her back to Lex as she propelled Nina toward her room with a look of absolute disappointment and anger. Lex watched it all, fascinated. He could tell that Lu was about to lose her shit, and although he wasn’t wringing his hands with glee, it helped him to see her flustered. No one spoke for a moment.
“Are you OK?” Lex asked her back, since she hadn’t turned around to look at him.
“Just go, Lex,” she said softly, reclaiming her sanity. “I’ll make sure she calls you while we’re gone.”
“Lu,” he said, as he stood up and walked toward her, placing his hands on her shoulders. “You OK?” he asked again.
She shrugged him off. “Please just leave. It’s been enough today.”
“Of course,” he said flippantly. “One question though.” When she didn’t interrupt him or balk, he said, “Would you have called me today if Mr. Seddon hadn’t contacted me?” The answer was important to him. He wasn’t sure why but he needed to know.
“I’d like to say yes, but the truth is, probably not.”
Without a backward glance, Lex made his way to the door and slammed it shut behind him.
28
Willa refilled the wine glasses and discarded the empty bottle.
“One down,” she informed them.
Lu swirled the wine in her glass. “Already?” she asked, looking around the table at both Sky and Willa.
“Yup. Don’t worry, we stocked up before you arrived,” Sky assured her.
“I’m definitely going to need it.”
“All right,” Willa said, “continue the story. You get the call from the headmaster and you show up to find Lex there already. You must have almost shit your pants.”
“That wasn’t what she was doing in her pants,” Sky said, winking at Willa.
“You are both disgusting. Do I really expose my nine-year-old daughter to you?” Lu said, with a slight smile on her face.
“Yes!” they both agreed.
“Apparently, Nina had been,” Lu paused, trying to get ahold of herself. “I’m just a little embarrassed for her,” she said, giggling. Sky and Willa exchanged glances. “She had stolen some of Lex’s stuff and sold it to her schoolmates,” Lu said in a rush. That part she actually found to be funny. The reason why sort of broke her heart. “She said they didn’t believe that she was Lex Pellitteri’s daughter, so she brought stuff in to prove it.”
Willa and Sky had identical reactions. They both sat back in their chairs, obviously touched. Then, Willa being Willa, she said, “That’s fucking brilliant. She could be the perfect criminal.”
Although Sky had thought the exact same thing, she could tell that it was really bothering Lu, so she chose the high road. This time. Reaching out, she grabbed Lu’s hand. “That must have been tough.”
Willa’s eyes widened. When Lu looked into the swirls of wine in her glass, Willa met Sky’s eyes and gave her a questioning look. Sky merely shrugged.
“How did Lex take it?” Willa asked.
“Actually, he did pretty well.” She met Willa’s gaze. “I don’t want you to think I’m being soft on him, OK?” she asked. At Willa’s nod, she continued. “He came over and admitted that he was having a hard time finding his way with Nina. I think it’s the first time Lex has had to work at a relationship with anyone. He doesn’t know how to be her father. And he feels bad trying to when they barely know each other.”
“Well, perhaps he should have thought of all of this before he forced you to move over there.” Willa’s anger over all things Pellitteri wrapped itself around her like a cloak.