Open Door Marriage (38 page)

“
Man, stick to your day job,
”
Dallas shot back at the man
’
s lame attempt at basketball humor, which caused everyone but the good doctor to laugh.

“
What are you going to name him?
”
the nurse asked.

“
We talked about a lot of things, but it
’
s time to put a lock on something. Paul after my father and Michael after yours?
”
he asked, looking down at Alicia.

“
That
’
s a good compromise,
”
she conceded, and he leaned in with a towel to dab the sweat that peppered her forehead.

Baby number two came soon after, but she wasn
’
t as ticked off by the process as her brother had been. She calmly looked up at the nurse and yawned as if totally bored by all the commotion.

“
Oh, yes,
”
the blonde said.
“
This one
’
s going to be quite the character.
”

Alicia looked up at Dallas and he smiled.

Though her voice was filled with exhaustion, she said,
“
India Anna Marie Alexander.
”

“
Three names?
”
he croaked.
“
Why not just Anna Marie?
”

“
You know why.
”

“
I
’
m still going to take you. I always keep my promises, baby.
”
He kissed her forehead. Amid romantic sighs from the females in the room, the nurse extracted their son and placed him in Alicia
’
s arms, then placed India in Dallas
’
hands.

He crooned a lullaby to his daughter.
“
Daddy
’
s going to buy you a diamond ring
...”

“
Dallas, you are not spoiling them like that,
”
Alicia wearily said.

“
Okay, I won
’
t,
”
he said, giving her a sheepish smile and that famous lift of his left eyebrow.

“
We are
not
spoiling them.
”

“
I said okay,
”
he whined. But no one, judging by the smiles in the room, believed him one bit.

Chapter 4
2

Monday, September 30 - 7:23 p.m.

Six weeks had passed and Alicia had never felt so complete in her life.
She
’
d just laid the babies down for a nap and this would
’
ve been the perfect time for her to catch a quickie herself.
But all she could do was stand over their bassinets and stare. She
’
d probably stay right there until they woke up again since her greatest pleasure was being with them.

It was hard to believe that she had created these two human beings.
She and Dallas. There was no way that life could get any better.

Then, the doorbell rang and she frowned, checking to make sure that the sound hadn
’
t awakened her babies. When she saw that they didn
’
t even stir, she rushed from the room, taking the baby monitor with her.
And she dashed to the door before whoever was outside rang the bell again.

She swung the door open, and then stood there with surprise.

“
Hi, Auntie,
”
Tori said softly.

“
Hi.
”
That was her automatic response, but inside all kinds of wheels were turning.
She and Dallas hadn
’
t heard a word from Tori since he
’
d left her at the altar, though Alicia suspected that she
’
d returned to Chicago to her dysfunctional parents.
She hadn
’
t reached out to any of them, not even her James.
That was a crew of crazies that Alicia didn
’
t need in her life and around her babies.

“
May I come in?
”

Alicia couldn
’
t believe that she
’
d been so rude.
It was just that she was trying to figure this out.
What did Tori want?

When Alicia closed the door behind her, the two stood awkwardly in the massive foyer before Alicia led Tori to the living room.
But as Tori sat on the love seat and Alicia, on the couch, the awkwardness remained.
They sat, stiffly facing each other.

“
So,
”
Tori began and then, she stopped, looked around the grand living room filled with
photos of
the
Alexander
’
s
. The place was still nicely decorated, but it felt more . . . homey
.
“
This is really nice.
”

“
Thanks.
”

Then there was more silence until they spoke together.

“
Auntie.
”

“
Tori.
”

They chuckled and both of them sat back.

“
You look good, Auntie.
”

“
You do, too.
Where are you living now?
Did you move back to Chicago.?
”

“
I did.
Doing my residency here.
I thought that would be best,
”
she said, and lowered her head.

Alicia inhaled.
Tori was still in love with Dallas.
Of course
—
it had only been three months.
She needed time
...
and distance.

“
Glad to hear you didn
’
t abandon school.
”
She paused again, struggling to find words.
“
So, what
’
re you doing in Dallas?
”

Tori
’
s eyes were glassy when she looked up.
“
I came to see you.
”
She
hesitated
.
“
There is so much I want to say, so much I want to apologize for.
”
She sighed.
“
I wanted to win this one, Auntie. Even though I knew that you were better for Dallas, I wanted him.
”

Alicia nodded.
“
You were in love and
...
”

“
No!
”

The strength behind her exclamation surprised Alicia.

Tori continued,
“
I mean, yes, I did love him, but not the way you do.
And he certainly didn
’
t love me the way he loves you.
”
Her chuckle was filled with bitterness.
“
I
’
ve never had that kind of love.
”
The tears that had welled in her eyes streamed down her face.
“
I
’
ve never really had love,
”
she cried.
“
Not even from you.
”

Alicia
’
s heart cracked and she jumped up and joined her niece on the love seat.
“
That
’
s not true, Tori.
”
She pulled her head to her shoulder and held her.
“
I have always loved you.
Loved you like you were my own daughter.
”

“
Then why didn
’
t keep me?
Why didn
’
t you raise me?
”

Alicia
’
s lips trembled as she thought back to those heartbreaking days.
In the beginning, it had been so beautiful.
She had a baby girl, even at the detriment of her marriage.
But it didn
’
t matter.
She loved Tori beyond anything that she ever thought possible.
And the little girl had loved her back the same way.

Until the day
James found out he had a daughter. He was angry at Alicia for keeping the secret. And even more pissed at
Bernice
for never telling him. They
’
d had a horrible fight, and he
’
d left. The one time he
’
d had any balls in that marriage. Bernice had decided that the best way to get him back, was to get their daughter back.

James had been so mad at Alicia, that he had gone along with Bernice
’
s demand to return Tori. And at age five, Tori was ripped from her arms and returned to her parents.

“
I didn
’
t raise you,
”
Alicia
finally
began,
“
because you deserved your mother
and
your father.
”

Tori sniffed and raised her head.
Looking into Alicia
’
s eyes, she said,
“
But you never told me about the court battle.
”

Alicia reared back a little, surprised that Tori knew about that now.
Bernice had threatened her at the time, telling her that if she
’
d told Tori about how she
’
d fought to keep her, Alicia would never see Tori again.

That didn
’
t concern Alicia. Nothing that Bernice ever said did.
But without James in her corner, she didn
’
t want to take that chance. Besides,
she
wanted to give Tori the best chance with Bernice and James.
All kinds of strikes were against her already having a mother like Bernice. Alicia didn
’
t see how it would help to complicate the situation even more for the young girl.

“
Who told you about that?
”
Alicia asked.

“
Dad.
Last week.
He said that you did try to keep me.
That you even took it to court, but the judge said that you had to give me back.
”

Alicia nodded.

A small smile curved Tori
’
s lips.
“
I thought Dad was lying.
I thought he was just trying to make me feel better about everything that
’
s happened.
”

“
He was telling the truth.
And did he tell you that I didn
’
t give you back?
”

Tori frowned and shook her head.

“
You were at home with a friend of mine while I was in court and the judge told me that I had two hours to turn you over.
I told your parents that I would bring you to their apartment, but I didn
’
t have any intention of doing that. I went home, got you, and went straight to the bus station.
”

“
You were going to take me away?
”

Alicia nodded.
“
And through the years, you don
’
t know how many times I wished that I
’
d gotten on the bus.
Every time I saw you with Bernice, every time I watched her destroying the joy that had filled your heart when you were with me.
”
She shook her head.
“
But I didn
’
t get on the bus because I didn
’
t think that it was fair to you.
You were only five years old; what kind of life would you have had?
No real family.
No ties.
Looking over your shoulder all the time.
I would
’
ve had to teach you to lie about who you were.
I didn
’
t want you to grow up that way. I didn
’
t want you to grow up, figure it out, and then end up hating me f
or
taking you away from your parents.
”

“
That would
’
ve never happened.
Especially not with the way Bernice is.
”

“
But you wouldn
’
t have known that.
You wouldn
’
t have known her and you would
’
ve had this picture in your head of a perfect mother, baking brownies all the time and playing games with you all day.
”
She grinned.
“
And maybe a mother who even let you have ice cream for breakfast.
”

Tori laughed.
“
I remember that. I always wanted ice cream for breakfast and you always said no.
”

“
See what I mean?
You would
’
ve wanted a mother who said yes.
”
Then, Alicia
’
s smile faded.
“
Seriously though, I wish I could
’
ve kept you, but the one thing that you have to know is that I loved you with every bit of my heart.
You were the reason why I knew that I could love.
With the way I grew up, with the man I married, I was just never sure.
But I held onto the love I had for you.
Even when you started getting distant at twelve, I loved you.
”

Tori lowered her gaze.
“
That
’
s when Bernice told me that she
’
d given you to me at birth because she was dying. And that after five years, you didn
’
t want me anymore and made them take me back since she hadn
’
t died.
”

Alicia could only shake her head. She should
’
ve been angry, but nothing Bernice did surprised her.
“
Your mother is a trip.
”
She patted Tori
’
s thigh.
“
No, baby. That
’
s not what happened. I never wanted to let you go.
”

“
Thank you,
”
Tori whispered.

“
For what?
”

“
For telling me that.
For all of that.
For loving me and wanting me.
”