Releasing Me (18 page)

He moved behind me and pulled my hair off my neck then kissed me below my ear lobe.
“
You, my beautifully grounded lady, are the exception. Maybe if we shipped Alexis off to India for a few months she might trade in her makeup and heels for yoga pants and incense.
”

“
Hmm, sounds like the perfect Christmas gift. Maybe we could tell her it’s a special spa retreat.
”

“
My mother would go—
”
Stopping mid-sentence, he bit his upper lip and looked at my reflection in the mirror with pain in his eyes.

Turning toward him, I caressed my palm over his cheek.
“
Yes, your mother would have gone with her and she would have loved it.
”

He nodded and blinked back the watery emotions that started to form in his eyes.

“
Occasionally, I’d try to call my mom and dad after they died. I’d want to tell them something Sage did or said, and then I’d hear the recording that said their number was no longer in service. I felt guilty for forgetting something as significant as my parents being dead. Then I realized that it was in those absentminded moments that I was at peace. Their deaths weren’t haunting me and I’d found a sense of normalcy in my life again.
”

“
How do you do that?
”
he asked with a furrowed brow.

“
Find a sense of normalcy?
”

“
No. How do you give me more of yourself than I deserve?
”

I laughed.
“
Believe me, I don’t try. It just happens. Maybe you’re my true north.
”

*

Mac offered to let us take her car, but Quinn had already made other arrangements. A familiar black Bentley pulled up in their driveway right on time.

Eddie got out, dressed in his usual black suit attire, and opened the back door for me while Quinn got in on the other side.

“
Miss Brecken.
“

“
Eddie, nice to see you. Did you have a pleasant holiday?
”

“
Yes. Thank you for asking.
”

As soon as he closed the door, I turned to Quinn.
“
Okay, it’s been almost a year and a half since I first met Eddie in Milwaukee. The weekend of Richard and Gwen’s anniversary party he told me he lived in Chicago and worked for you, and when you’re not in town he follows your instructions. What exactly does that mean?
”

“
Hmm, wouldn’t you like to know?
”

“
Let me guess. He drives around your Chicago mistresses or wait, maybe he takes care of your wife and kids or wait—
”

“
Or
… he takes my nephew and niece to school every day and picks them up. And maybe when he’s not doing that, he drives my sister to all her pampering appointments. And when he’s not doing that, maybe he provides airport transportation to my Chicago based business clients.
”

He reached over and squeezed my leg while shaking his head.

“
Maybe … but my scenarios had more fictional flair.
”
I laced my fingers with his.

“
I don’t need any more flair. I have enough sitting right here next to me.
”
He chuckled.

As we pulled up to their house, my nerves got the best of me. Quinn squeezed my hand as he leaned over to kiss me.

“
It’ll be fine. I love you and they do too.
”

A nervous smile was all I had to give before Eddie opened my door. Quinn grabbed my hand again as we walked to the door. He didn’t bother knocking before he opened it.

The moment we walked in, six year old Ellen charged at Quinn. He released my hand and easily scooped her up in his arms.

“
Quinn!
”
she squealed.

“
How’s my favorite niece?
”

“
Good.
”
She smiled while tilting her chin to her chest and rolling her eyes up to give me a shy gaze.

“
Do you remember Addy?
”
he asked as her arms squeezed around his neck.

She nodded.

“
Hi, Ellen. Did you have a fun Thanksgiving?
”
I asked.

Still staring at me with alien awe, she continued to nod without verbal response.

“
Where’s your brother?
”
Quinn asked as he set her down and took my coat.

“
Kitchen,
”
she softly replied before turning and running.

“
Hey, man,
”
Mitch called as he came down the stairs.

They shared a hand shake. Then, without hesitation, Mitch gave me a big hug.
“
It’s about time Quinn got his head out of his ass and got back the best thing that’s ever happened to him.
”

Pulling back, I wasted no time correcting him.
“
He didn’t get me back. I went to New York for him, and he did not exactly welcome me with open arms. So,
actually
, he still has his head up his ass.
”
I smiled.

Quinn grabbed my arm and pulled me into him.
“
Thanks, baby. You know it really hurts getting thrown under the bus like that.
”

“
Yeah, well, it hurt getting thrown out of your condo on my ass.
”

“
What?
”
Mitch asked in surprise.

Nine year old Ethan bolted down the stairs.
“
Hey, Uncle Quinn.
”

“
Hey, buddy. Thanks for saving me. Let’s go find your mom.
”
Quinn followed Ethan to the kitchen.

“
Don’t think you two are done with your little story,
”
Mitch chided as I followed Quinn and Ethan.

“
I’d better let Quinn tell you the rest. I’m sure he’ll put a much more creative spin on it.
”

“
I heard that,
”
Quinn hollered.

Alexis was in the kitchen. Doing what, I wasn’t sure. She was dressed for dinner with the Queen and had an apron on that looked brand new. She had numerous containers on the counter filled with food, but they looked like carryout containers from a restaurant. There weren’t any pots or pans on the stove, and the oven was shut off. Then I caught sight of the light on in the microwave.

After she gave Quinn a big hug and asked Mitch to open a bottle of wine, she plastered on her beauty queen smile and acknowledged my presence.

“
Addy,
”
was all she said before she removed the container from the microwave and exchanged it with the next one on the counter.

What the hell?

“
Hello, Alexis. Is there … anything I can help you with?
”
I asked, dumbfounded by what I was witnessing.

“
I’m good, unless you want to grab some baby carrots from the refrigerator. The best restaurants in Chicago don’t have much that’s considered vegan, so I hope Quinn told you to eat before you came. There’s dip in the fridge too, but I think it’s a sour cream dip.
”

Quinn had already followed Mitch and the kids into the dining room, so he missed that little zinger.

“
So, when did you get all this stuff?
”
I asked as I looked at the containers of meat and creamy side dishes.

“
Last night after Quinn called and said you’d be coming. I had Mitch run and pick it up from that new French restaurant by his office. We did the same thing for his parents when they came for Thanksgiving: picked everything up the night before and popped it in the microwave the next day. I transferred everything to nice serving dishes for Thanksgiving, but I figured since Quinn’s my brother and you’re a vegan we could just serve them in the carryout containers.
”

Deep breath
…
I am peaceful, I am strong.

“
That’s fine, however, I’m not sure what my being a vegan has to do with it.
”

“
Oh you know what I mean. Your kind just aren’t … oh what’s the word I’m looking for?
”

“
Pretentious?
”

“
No.
”

“
Ostentatious?
”

“
No.
”

“
Vulgar, showy, stuck-up?
”

“
No, no, no. Hygienic. That’s the word I was looking for,
”
she declared as she removed the final dish from the microwave.

“
Hygienic? Do you even know what that means?
”
I questioned in disbelief.

She waved her hand in the air.
“
You know, clean … well kept. Time to eat! Mitch, Quinn, come help carry the food into the dining room.
”

When the men made their way back to the kitchen Quinn raised a suspicious eyebrow at me.

“
Is everything okay?
”
he mouthed as he grabbed two of the containers.

Biting my upper lip,
and tongue
, I nodded with big eyes that said otherwise. His forehead wrinkled in concern.

Alexis removed her apron, tossed it on the counter, and strutted into the dining room.
“
Don’t forget your carrots, Addy,
”
she called out.

Deep breath
…
I am peaceful, I am strong.

After everyone was seated, Mitch gave the blessing. Then, as if we were at a late night office meeting, everyone started passing around the take-out containers. I set a handful of carrots on my plate, which surprisingly was an actual dinner plate.

“
Is that all you’re having?
”
Quinn whispered.

“
Yes, because apparently you forgot to mention that I was supposed to eat before I came,
”
I whispered between gritted teeth and a fake smile.

He furrowed his brow in confusion.
“
Alexis, why didn’t you order anything for Addy?
”

“
I tried but they didn’t have any vegan dishes.
”
She shrugged her shoulders and continued to eat.

“
Then you should have ordered from someplace else,
”
he returned in a firm voice.

“
Alexis, when I asked you about it, you said you had something for Addy,
”
Mitch added.

“
Hello? Are you all blind? What do you think she’s eating?
”

“
Mommy said you don’t eat meat because you like to get all the attention,
”
Ellen happily chimed in.

Quinn’s whole body went rigid.
“
Ellen, Ethan, how would you two like to eat downstairs in front of the TV?
”

“
But we’re not allowed to eat downstairs,
”
Ethan protested.

Mitch got the hint and made his move.
“
Today is a special exception. Daddy will help carry your plates. Let’s go.
”

Everyone waited in silence until the kids were downstairs.

“
I don’t need a lecture,
”
Alexis announced breaking the silence.

“
If Mother were here—
”

Alexis cut him off.
“
Well she’s not! Thanks to Addy, we will never see her again.
”

“
Dammit, Alexis!
”
Quinn’s hand slammed the table.
“
Addy didn’t kill Mother. She didn’t give her cancer, she didn’t do anything wrong. She only did what Mother wanted her to do. So if you’re going to be upset with someone, then be upset with Mother for not telling us. But Addy is off limits!
”

“
Don’t you dare talk to me that way. You’re nothing but a pathetic, drunken loser, just like Dad was. You fuck everything that moves and you have absolutely no respect for anyone but yourself. You two deserve each other. I’m sure it’ll be a race to see if she can stab you in the back again before your stick your dick in someone else.
”

I stood and reached for Quinn’s hand.
“
Let’s go.
”

He didn’t need any convincing. Without another word he was going to get our coats.

“
Going home to braid your armpit hair?
”
Alexis sneered as I turned to leave.

My ego dragged me backward until I was standing next to the chair she sat in.
“
Wouldn’t you like to know?
”
I grabbed a container of food and dumped it down the front of her white dress.

Her arms flailed to the side as she gasped in horror.

Then I repeated with another container of something that had a nice red wine sauce.
“
It’s pretty pathetic that you spend time thinking about my armpits, because I guarantee you when I leave here I will no longer be thinking about that unsightly mustache on
your
lip. Better watch that, before long people will think you’re a
vegan
with poor hygiene skills.
”

Her hand instinctively covered her lip.
“
You bitch!
”
she yelled as she stood up.
“
Do you have any idea how much this dress cost? Or how much money I spent on all this food?
”

“
Oh my God, the food, really? I guarantee you the French chef who made this last night would shit his pants at the thought of you serving it a day later out of the microwave.
”