My Life In Pieces (Book #1)

Chapter 29

New Years was two days away so I knew it was about to be a party weekend. I was less than thrilled by that fact. It had been a long week. Outwardly, I seemed as fine as I could be. I spent most of the day hanging out with my cousins or Jensen. Laura and Jensen liked to hang out at the mall so it was easy to keep them busy and less likely to engage in meaningful conversation. Not that they would have asked me about anything deeper than the weather right now. Everyone was walking around me on eggshells like I was the one in the padded room and not Ari. Winter Break was already almost over and Ari was still gone.

Last week Christmas came and a Christmas miracle happened; Elyse came. I was sitting at the table with dad eating breakfast on Christmas Eve Day when a cab dropped her off. I literally ran into her arms. I was dying to fill her in on what was happening with Ari.

We were up well into the night talking by the fireside. She braided my hair like Jordan used to and told me about her life at her new job at some fancy accounting firm.
When she was done with my hair I started playing with hers. I was in the middle of braiding her hair when she said something surprising.

"So I was wondering what your summer plans were?"
"Nothing much yet."
"Well I was hoping maybe you would like to spend some of it with me?"
I shrieked.
"Yes, of course!" I hugged her from behind with enough force to knock her over.
"I thought you would like that. Dad has already approved. It would be on top of the 2 weeks the judge granted Jordan."

Elated and ecstatic barely began to cover how I felt. The idea of getting to go home kept me up all night.
That and Christmas was the next day.
Elyse had brought gifts from her, Jordan and Patrick.

We all went over to enjoy an Aunt Claire feast for lunch. All of them freaked out when they saw Elyse. We spent the next few hours catching up, playing games, and eating way too much pie. It reminded me of the days when I was really little. Before Mom became just my egg donor and Dad became Tim the evil villain.

I looked over at Tim then. He was in the middle of telling a story very animatedly. Uncle Jim and Aunt Claire were laughing and soaking it all up. It hit me then that these were brothers wanting to raise their kids together. I knew I wanted to do that with Elyse one day. Even though I hated being away from Dallas, I was starting to understand why he moved me up here. He was just trying to be a good dad.

Elyse came and sat next to me. She threw an arm around my shoulder and said, "How are you doing kiddo?"
I shrugged, "I'm pretty good."
Her left eyebrow cocked slightly. "How are you doing for real Alex? I mean without Jordan, Patrick, or me. Just you and Dad? I knew you were pretty anxious when I was here for your birthday."
I shrugged even harder while trying to formulate a response. "Okay I guess. I mean I feel like I miss home but here is starting to feel like home too and that's a little weird."
"How are things with Ari?"
"Now that is a fun question. I have no idea. He's been more or less in a sleep coma the last week and a half. We've barely talked. I don't even know what to say to him right now."
"What's going on there?"
I shook my head because I didn't quite know what to say. I couldn't explain this depressive episode he was in. I had spent so much time worrying about him but I also just had no clue where to even start.

I just did my best to change the subject.

Elyse went home two days later.

New Year's Eve came and I was ready to party at my cousin's house. I wore a backless white dress that sparkled all over. The sleeves were lace and I felt like a snow angel in it.
I had borrowed Aunt Claire's silver heels for this one.

I hated that I had to put a coat over it. In Texas, Elyse said it was fifty degrees. It was snowing here. I longed for year round heat.

I wondered if Elle would be there tonight. She had been AWOL for most of the break too at her dad's. I was ready to have her home. I saw what looked like an angel standing outside my cousins' when I walked up their driveway.