it? What? Did you grow a vagina on the walk over? I suppose next you’ll tell me you’re fine ? Don’t be a bitch, Steven—talk. What’s up?”
He rubs his hand down his face and stares at the pool for a minute. Deliberating. Then he turns toward us and leans forward, elbows on the table. “All right. It started about two weeks ago. For a couple days, Alexandra had been in a rotten mood. But I wasn’t worried—she just gets like that sometimes. And then I found something in the bathroom trash can . . . a pregnancy test.”
Sympathetic groans roll across the table like the wave at a football game. “She’s never gonna let you out of the house again.”
“You gotta space the kids out, Steven. If you have them too close together, one is bound to fall through the cracks.”
“Now it’s gonna be three against two—you’re screwed.”
Steven holds up his hand. “It was negative. Alexandra’s not pregnant.” He takes a swig from his beer. “But when I asked her about it, she went ballistic. Yelling at me about how I don’t understand her—how I shouldn’t worry about kids because I can have them until I’m seventy. And how men pretty much suck in general. Ever since then, she’s been unbearable. It’s like she’s just looking for any excuse to be pissed off at me.”
Matthew advises, “Maybe she needs a break. You know—a night out to feel more like a woman and less like a mom?”
Steven shakes his head. “Already thought of that. I set up an overnight in the Hamptons—had my dad lined up to take the kids and everything. She shot me down—wanted no part of it.Then she bitched me out for making plans without consulting her.”
Jack snorts, “Can’t say I’m surprised. No offense, dude, but Alexandra’s always been a cold fish.”
I don’t take exception to his comment because I can see why he’d think like that.
Steven’s voice takes on a soft, sad tone. Wistful. “But she’s not, though. That’s just a front she puts up. The real Alexandra is warm . . . and funny . . . and she’d go to ends of the earth for the people she loves. Up until two weeks ago, that included me. But lately . . . it doesn’t. And I don’t know why.”
I pinch the bridge of my nose and sigh. “You gotta fix this, Steven. You can’t do this to me—not now.”
He doesn’t take it well. “You? What the hell does this have to do with you , Drew?”
I point my finger at him accusingly. “You and Alexandra are my gold standard. You’re the only reason I’m not shitting my pants about marrying Kate next week. Because you’re my proof that marriage can actually work.”
Steven’s brow wrinkles. “Your parents have been married for forty years.”
I wave my hand. “They don’t count. They’re old—no one else will have them.”
Matthew asks, “What about me and Dee?”
“I give you another year—tops.”
Matthew just shrugs. Because he doesn’t give a damn what other people think—even me.
Now, Alexandra may be my sister—but Steven is more than a brother-in-law. He’s a friend—one of my best. Which makes placing loyalties a sticky situation. So if I have to take sides? I’m going with Mackenzie and Thomas. “And there’s no frigging wayI’m letting my niece and nephew grow up in a broken home. You gotta talk to her, Steven—work it out.”
He pushes his chair back—frustrated. “I’ve tried! Don’t you think I’ve tried? I’ve kissed her ass for the last two weeks. . . .”
I close my eyes and hold up my hand. “Please—easy on the mental pictures.”
“I’ve tried everything I can think of . . . but I’m not gonna try anymore. If she wants to work it out, when she wants to talk—she’s gonna have to come to me. I’m putting my foot down. I have some pride, you know.”
Looks as if I’ll be taking matters into my own hands. “I’ll have a sit-down with my sister when we get back—find out what the hell her deal is.”
Steven is vehement.
He rubs his hand down his face and stares at the pool for a minute. Deliberating. Then he turns toward us and leans forward, elbows on the table. “All right. It started about two weeks ago. For a couple days, Alexandra had been in a rotten mood. But I wasn’t worried—she just gets like that sometimes. And then I found something in the bathroom trash can . . . a pregnancy test.”
Sympathetic groans roll across the table like the wave at a football game. “She’s never gonna let you out of the house again.”
“You gotta space the kids out, Steven. If you have them too close together, one is bound to fall through the cracks.”
“Now it’s gonna be three against two—you’re screwed.”
Steven holds up his hand. “It was negative. Alexandra’s not pregnant.” He takes a swig from his beer. “But when I asked her about it, she went ballistic. Yelling at me about how I don’t understand her—how I shouldn’t worry about kids because I can have them until I’m seventy. And how men pretty much suck in general. Ever since then, she’s been unbearable. It’s like she’s just looking for any excuse to be pissed off at me.”
Matthew advises, “Maybe she needs a break. You know—a night out to feel more like a woman and less like a mom?”
Steven shakes his head. “Already thought of that. I set up an overnight in the Hamptons—had my dad lined up to take the kids and everything. She shot me down—wanted no part of it.Then she bitched me out for making plans without consulting her.”
Jack snorts, “Can’t say I’m surprised. No offense, dude, but Alexandra’s always been a cold fish.”
I don’t take exception to his comment because I can see why he’d think like that.
Steven’s voice takes on a soft, sad tone. Wistful. “But she’s not, though. That’s just a front she puts up. The real Alexandra is warm . . . and funny . . . and she’d go to ends of the earth for the people she loves. Up until two weeks ago, that included me. But lately . . . it doesn’t. And I don’t know why.”
I pinch the bridge of my nose and sigh. “You gotta fix this, Steven. You can’t do this to me—not now.”
He doesn’t take it well. “You? What the hell does this have to do with you , Drew?”
I point my finger at him accusingly. “You and Alexandra are my gold standard. You’re the only reason I’m not shitting my pants about marrying Kate next week. Because you’re my proof that marriage can actually work.”
Steven’s brow wrinkles. “Your parents have been married for forty years.”
I wave my hand. “They don’t count. They’re old—no one else will have them.”
Matthew asks, “What about me and Dee?”
“I give you another year—tops.”
Matthew just shrugs. Because he doesn’t give a damn what other people think—even me.
Now, Alexandra may be my sister—but Steven is more than a brother-in-law. He’s a friend—one of my best. Which makes placing loyalties a sticky situation. So if I have to take sides? I’m going with Mackenzie and Thomas. “And there’s no frigging wayI’m letting my niece and nephew grow up in a broken home. You gotta talk to her, Steven—work it out.”
He pushes his chair back—frustrated. “I’ve tried! Don’t you think I’ve tried? I’ve kissed her ass for the last two weeks. . . .”
I close my eyes and hold up my hand. “Please—easy on the mental pictures.”
“I’ve tried everything I can think of . . . but I’m not gonna try anymore. If she wants to work it out, when she wants to talk—she’s gonna have to come to me. I’m putting my foot down. I have some pride, you know.”
Looks as if I’ll be taking matters into my own hands. “I’ll have a sit-down with my sister when we get back—find out what the hell her deal is.”
Steven is vehement.
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