Page 92 of Awaiting
“I’m taking Bexley there this weekend. Well, Iwastaking her there this weekend, but he’s using it instead, and I don’t want her exposed to my family before we even go on a date.”
“You’re going on a date?” Alice asked, smiling up at her. “Really?”
“We’re going to talk. I’m hopeful,” Alex said, smiling.
“That’s great, Alex,” Alice told her, and Nora nodded along.
“I’m nervous,” she admitted, rocking Tor on her hip.
“Just be yourself,” Alice suggested. “She likes you already, or she wouldn’t be going.”
“I’m making some different plans, but I wanted to make sure. She likes strawberry everything, right?”
“Well, I don’t know about everything, but she likes strawberry-flavored gum, strawberry cheesecake, strawberry ice cream, and strawberry daiquiris sometimes, too, but she’s a mojito girl when we go out usually. I think she likes them in just about anything.”
“Okay. I think I can take it from here. Thanks,” Alex said and turned to walk out of the room.
“Um, Alex?”
“Yes?” she said, turning around.
“Are you taking my son with you wherever you’re going, or can I have him back?”
“Oh, shit.” Alex went to give Tor to Alice. “Shit; I saidshit,” she realized.
Alice laughed. Nora just watched her.
???
“Hey,” Alex greeted when she met Bexley in the back garden.
“Out for a walk?” Bexley asked.
“I was looking for you.”
“Is everything okay?” Bexley closed the laptop she’d had open.
“Everything’s great,” Alex told her. “Can I sit?” She motioned to the bench Bexley was sitting on.
“Sure.” Bexley slid over a bit.
Alex sat down next to her and said, “So, I can’t take you to Balmoral this weekend.”
“Oh,” Bexley uttered, sounding disappointed. “That’s okay.”
“My brother is going to be there, and I didn’t know.”
“Okay. We can just stay here. I have a lot of work to do anyway.”
Alex put her arm over the back of the bench and said, “I’d still like to take you somewhere.”
“You don’t have to, Alex. It’s fine. This place is a palace, right? We can–”
“I want to be alone with you, Bexley. Here, there are far too many interruptions,” Alex reasoned.
“You mean, like, screaming babies?” Bexley asked.
“And nosy Queens,” Alex added.