Rayne and Alex

Chapter 24

Alex - 2 Weeks Later

Okay, so I admit I probably look creepy staring at my girlfriend from across the room with a giant smile on my face, but I just can't help it. Today it's Christmas Eve and Rayne is spending the holiday with me and my family. We've already had dinner and right now Mom is showing her a few pictures we have hanging over the fireplace. The smile that appears on her face every time she sees another picture of me or Eli as a baby spreads a warmth in my heart I just can't put into words. Damn, I'm a pussy.

Eli, who's sitting next to me on the couch, speaks. "How have things been with you guys?"

I look at him. The kid's grown up a lot in the short span of a just a few weeks. He's gotten more muscular since he started working out with me, and now he doesn't look like a scrawny teenage boy anymore. If I'm being honest, it sucks to see him grow up.

"Great, actually," I tell him honestly.

"Why isn't she spending today with her mom?" He asks curiously.

I sigh, "She had to work. She wasn't supposed to stay late but then she called Rayne and told her the staff was having a party and she was going to stay for it."

Eli winces, "Ouch. Is Rayne okay?"

I purse my lips and shrug, "She says she's okay, but I don't know. I know if it were me I wouldn't be okay. But they are spending Christmas day together, so."

I'm surprised when Rayne hops up to me and sits on my lap. She wraps her arms around my neck and squeezes tightly.

"I love your mom," she declares in a loud whisper to me.

Eli laughs. "I think everyone loves Lily," he says.

Rayne nods, "I would be surprised if anyone didn't."

Rose calls out to Eli from the kitchen and he excuses himself to leave. I take his absence as a chance to move Rayne so she's straddling my lap. She laughs at my antics but lets me do as I please. When she's facing me, I kiss her nose and then speak.

"So, in what ways has my mother corrupted you?"

She rolls her eyes, "Oh, stop. Your mom is great. She's showing me all your baby pictures now. I'm excited to see more of little Alex."

I groan and press my forehead into Rayne's shoulder. "There are so many pictures," I mumble.

Rayne laughs and I take a moment to feel the vibration of it hum through her body. I don't think I'll ever stop wanting to make her laugh.

"Okay, kids!" Rose exclaims as she walks into the living room. Rayne quickly scrambles off of me and sits next to me on the couch. Jeff walks in behind her and gives me both a knowing smirk and a warning glance. He's pretty protective over Rayne for only meeting her a few times. The day after Christmas, Rayne, Eli, and I are visiting him at work for a bit, and I know he's excited for it. He's really happy that someone shares his interests in writing and directing.

Eli enters the room holding a tray of drinks and chips. Mom walks in behind him holding a photo album. She hands it to Rayne and tells her to open it. Mom takes a seat at Rayne's other side and everyone else grabs chairs and brings them over to look at all the pictures as well.

Rayne gets passed the first few pages, the first two years of my life, and then she pauses when she finds a few pictures of Rose and Jeff's daughter. Everyone notices her pause, and Eli is the first one to speak up.

"That's my sister," he says softly.

Rayne smiles sadly and looks at everyone in the room. When she speaks, her words are directed at Rose and Jeff, "Rayne, right?"

Mom sighs, seemingly happy that I told this Rayne about the Rayne I knew when I was little.

Rose makes a choked sound in the back of her throat. She nods and her eyes water. "Excuse me," she whispers. She gets up carefully and walks out of the room.

Jeff stares sadly after his wife. He looks at everyone and gives us a sad smiles. "I'm going to go talk to her."

We all nod and watch him leave. Rayne flips through a few more pictures silently as Mom explains them to her. When Rayne lands on the pictures we took when little Rayne went missing, Mom gets up with glassy eyes.

"Eli, can you help me in the kitchen for a moment? I just remembered I have some cookies baking," she says.

"Uh, yeah," Eli gives me a weird look as he follows my mom out.

Rayne points at the photo and looks up at me. Today her eyes are a strange blue, almost gray. Her eyes are usually between green and blue, but they seem to change a lot. Right now they're asking me what the picture is and why my mom and Eli left.

"That's the last day we had Rayne," I explain. I look at the picture and smile. "See that giraffe?" I point at a photo of Rayne sitting alone with her giraffe. She's hugging it close to her smiling face in a way where it looks like she's trying to pop its head off. "She used to carry that thing everywhere. She never left it anywhere. Even when one of its eyes popped out, she never let it go."

When I'm done explaining, I notice that Rayne is frozen next to me. I wrap an arm across her back and rest my hand on her hip. "You okay?" I ask.

Rayne clears her throat and shakes her head as if to clear it. "Yeah, I'm okay." She looks at me and smiles. "You miss her a lot." It's not a question.

I nod, "We were close as kids. I know it's crazy, but sometimes I just wonder if we'd still be as close today, you know?"

"I'm sure you would be," she says softly. She looks at the picture again, "I know this is going to sound weird but can I take this picture?"

I'm not sure why she would want the picture, but I let her take it. I know she'll give it back eventually. Whatever reason she has for taking it, I know it's valid.