Total pages in book: 79
Estimated words: 75589 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 378(@200wpm)___ 302(@250wpm)___ 252(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 75589 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 378(@200wpm)___ 302(@250wpm)___ 252(@300wpm)
“Through the years, I learned to keep my distance. You could call me the running man as it pertains to Dr. Charles Everhart—” I slam the diary shut.
Luxxie, maybe your parents’ relationship wasn’t some old-school sitcom complete with heart-to-hearts and lessons learned. Open the fucking diary.
Squaring my shoulders, I read how I called Uncle Red Dad at my fifth birthday party because my father was nowhere to be found when it was time to cut the cake. Every page I suffer through, assessing it as if my body has a lie detector built inside of it.
One day he asked her, and she noted it all down: Why didn’t you choose me, Gina, huh? We went on your first date, for goodness’ sake. If Jonah blew you off on your very first date, what does that tell you?
Momma’s musings have brought me to the brink of laughter, tears, and reminiscing on a time long ago. Now, the coiling in my abdomen and the constricting of my jaw muscles begin to lessen. It appears Gina and Charles were skirting the line for a while. Maybe he was a calming shoulder when Dad was too busy, trying to save the world. Funny, they both worked for different companies with the same mission—saving hearts.
Except, Charles always made it a habit to draw near Momma. Heck, he was the first person to make me believe that having freckles wasn’t such a bad thing.
“Lux, my stomach’s going mad.” Alba steps into the sitting room, patting her belly. “I am so hungry.”
“All right,” I reply.
I wedge the diary behind a stack of pillows. The thought occurs to me that Mom and Uncle Red must have crossed the line. I remember a few places that Mom and I frequented. My veins surge with fire. Maybe one day, I will take Victor up on that offer to fight. I suppose he will show me a few boxing stances, and I can beat at a punching bag until all my aggression leaves.
“What the fuck? I’ve never been aggressive,” I mutter while grabbing my leather jacket off the coat rack by the front door. Vic and I haven’t done any target practice since Graham and Alba’s arrival. So that might be the reason I am restless.
As Alba steps out with the keys to Graham’s Land Rover, she tosses them to me. “You drive.”
I clasp them in my hands and shoot them back over. “But I don't know how.”
“You don't?”
“I'm from New York. I have a ninety-year-old great auntie who never got behind the wheel.”
Alba sighs and gets into the driver’s side. “Well, just so you know.” She slams a foot onto the gas, and our backs press against the seats. “I'm an arsehole when I haven't had food.”
“Thanks for the warning. I’ll pray angels give us traveling grace. Speaking of angels, amaryllis is associated with the angel of prosperity. The lotus symbolizes spirituality, however.”
“Ooh, prosperity, I like that. Oh,” she pauses from chatting to look me over, “this is wedding talk, isn’t it? I’d much prefer an update on your mom and Charles.”
“Could be engagement-planning talk, though? How does that sound?” I cork a brow as we coast down the street.
“Lux, I thought I broke the news to you—”
“That you’re not big on parties.”
“Nope. I’m an outdoorsy—”
“Sunflowers for a rustic theme. Or dried echinops have a silverish effect. I also remember blue’s your favorite color, so I’m leaning toward the echinops.”
“Sheesh, you’re a miniature version of Vic. Anyhow, if you can change the subject, I can too. That picture of Charles, your mom, and you at your fifth birthday is what I last saw, right?”
“Yes. So, echinops and shades of blue, it is?”
“How much further have you gone? Did she sleep with that delectable man yet?”
“Alba!”
She chuckles and hits the corner so fast that we imitate old black-and-white films where the actors exaggerate their movements.
I knead the back of my neck. “Something in the back of my mind screams that they must’ve crossed the line somehow. How would I recall the place I just last saw Charles Everhart? The lab Vic and I crossed paths with him was in the Bronx. Uncle Red and my father were Upper-East Side type of guys. Dad had a reason to be in Harlem when I grew up. He sacrificed and moved there so my mom could be close to her parents. Charles was by no means a snob, but my mind can’t be playing tricks on me if I remembered that place.”
“Our brains work in mysterious ways, Lux. Shielding us from traumas and recalling fond memories at just a single inhale of something sweet. Speaking of, you had Cinderella for a mother. Gina made cookies and cakes. On occasion, she was just nice enough to offer Mr. Sexy a few sweets.”
“You're just as bad as my friend, Aliyah.” I allow my head to drop back against the leather headrest. “Reading Mom’s diary reminded me of more places she and I went to see him. I believe there’s a high probability that they snuck around once I was a little older.”