And we were broken.
One year and forty-six days after that promise.
To be exact.
“Mama, Mama! Uncle Lex is here,” Andy yells throughout the hallway, his footsteps smacking hard against the floorboards.
I groan and throw the pillow over my head at the noise. Lex here on a Saturday? What the fu… Oh, shit! I burst out of bed so fast, certain I’ve just given myself a nosebleed, kicking my toe on the bedside table, the pain ricocheting up my leg. There’s no time to stop as I race out of the room.
Oh fuck, oh fuck, this is it… my life is over!
“Hey, sis,” Lex greets me.
He is dressed in his gym shorts and a Nike tank. I don’t know why I notice, but his hair is a goddamn mess.
I stop at my bedroom door.
“What are you doing here?” I ask in my most relaxed voice, which is so high-pitched I’m sure he will catch on to me.
“Just here to pick up Andy for the bike ride I promised him.”
Bullshit. This is the first I’ve heard of it.
“Uh, since when? I had no idea…”
“Why? Is it a problem?” I know he is peering through my door, fucking nosy piece of shit! Julian must have left, thank God, but now I’m going to annoy the fuck out of Lex for thinking he can outsmart me.
I walk toward the stairwell, resting my hand on the railing.
“No problem. I’d have gotten Andy ready if I’d known, that’s all. Hey, Andy!” I call out. He races toward me looking up with anticipation. “Can you go to my room and get your runners? You left them there last night.”
He races into my room and yells from within. “Mama, no shoes!”
I answer back giving him direction, and he emerges a moment later carrying them.
Lex looks frustrated, and secretly I’m jumping for joy and poking a stick at him. Nosy bastard.
“You ready, Andy?” he asks.
Andy nods, and they walk down the stairs ready to leave the house, but not before Lex pulls me aside.
“Adriana?” His eyes are doing that annoying hypnotizing thing that works on all women besides me. I’m his little sister. He has pulled this stunt several times knowing very well it’s a fruitless exercise.
“Yes, brother?” I bat my eyelashes.
He is pissed off, and I love pissing him off. Lex believes the world revolves around him, and his controlling nature is a force to be reckoned with. Intimidation may get him far in life but messing with his sister is a dead end.
“Forget it,” he responds, agitated.
Closing the front door behind him, I race to the living room. Julian is long gone, not a trace he was here. Did I imagine it? Surely, he had to have been here. I walk around looking for something, anything, but nothing. The blanket and pillow I had lent him were back inside the linen closet.
Frustrated and seriously thinking I’ve lost the plot, I head to the kitchen to make myself a much-needed coffee. Next to my machine, I notice my shopping list. Huh, that’s odd, I don’t keep this here. I go to return it to the fridge but notice handwriting on the to-do list section.
Midday, Beach Resort Hotel, room 349.
My mind takes a moment to click. Shit! It’s his room number.
My body reacts first in excitement, then prompts me to call my mom and ask if she can look after Andy. She is free until seven o’clock. Beggars can’t be choosers, right? I then text Lex and ask him to drop Andy off at Mom’s. Suddenly, I’m in my shower shaving every part of me. No time for a wax, knowing I’d regret shaving my lady garden two days later when I’m itching like a dog with fleas.