Chapter Thirty-Nine
Elijah
Bailey was still bouncing around the house, singing the song from Cinderella, her favorite princess. Besides an overrated aquarium, the beach which couldn’t compare to Molokai’s, a few old car shows, and plenty of golf, there wasn’t much to do in Miami to entertain a three-year-old little girl and a twenty-eight-year-old woman. Taylor was right, Miami was everything she’d said: old men in golf pants, and it was funny to me I hadn’t noticed it before then. So, we made the three-hour drive to Orlando and spent our three days at Disney World, a place that Bailey said she wanted to go to every year for her birthday, and two more times just because. It was crowded, over-priced, and so many people in one place just made for too many options for rudeness, but it made her happy, so it made me happy too. We’d make the trip any time she wanted to go; I was certain of that. I’d find a way to travel to the moon if she told me she wanted to visit.
“I’ll get it,” Bailey screeched, her song interrupted by a knock at the door.
I followed behind her, helping her to open the heavy wooden door to find Xander on the other side. “Holy,” I exclaimed, stopping myself from finishing my surprised greeting due to small ears listening.
“I wasn’t sure if I had the right place,” he smirked, looking down at Bailey. “Who’s this pretty lady?”
“I’m Bailey, the princess,” she announced, bouncing away from the door and down the hall as her song continued.
I pushed open the screen door, letting Xander inside. “I thought it was time I visited you,” he said, looking past me with a wild smile on his face. “What a sight for sore eyes,” he gasped. I turned to see Taylor standing behind me, the same wild smile smeared on her face as Xander’s.
“What are you doing here, in town?” she asked playfully.
His cheeks burnt red and he shook his head. “I just wanted to see you guys, check on things,” he explained, stretching his neck to look down the empty hall. “So, that’s the little girl?” he questioned.
“Yup,” I said proudly.
“You guys look like a regular little family,” he chuckled. “I’m happy for you, all of ya,” he added.
“I was just finishing up breakfast. You hungry?” I asked Xander, who still had a smile smeared across his face.
“I’m always hungry,” he joked, following me into the kitchen. He paused to hug Taylor, squeezing her tight and whispering something in her ear I couldn’t hear.
“What are ya makin?” he asked, taking an empty seat at the table.
“A mess,” Taylor teased, slipping into the seat beside him.
I rolled my eyes at them as they laughed. “Bailey, breakfast is ready!” I called into the other room.
Bailey bounced into the kitchen wearing her pink princess gown, glass slippers, and tiara. “You really dressed for breakfast, huh?” I chuckled, amused by her fun spirt. Having her in the house really brightened up the place, and my life. Xander smiled, scooting the seat out for Bailey to sit as he stood, and bowed in front of her. She seemed pleased, as if that was what she expected of him, to treat her as if she were royalty. He did, after all, call her a pretty princess. He had no idea what doors he unlocked with that simple statement.
I put a platter in the center of the table filled with two large stacks of pancakes, one stack with chocolate chips and one without. The pancakes were surrounded by a pound of crispy bacon, just like Taylor liked, so crispy it would burn if it stayed on the griddle for another five seconds. Bailey didn’t mind it, although she did giggle when it crunched between her teeth. “Bacon isn’t supposed to crumble,” she told me one morning, causing Taylor to break out into laughter.
“I didn’t mean to intrude,” Xander said, sliding back into his seat between the girls.
“No way, I’m so glad you’re here. I’ve been thinking about you, but just couldn’t find the time to make it back up that mountain,” I excused.
Xander rolled his eyes and looked over at Taylor with a grin. “Couldn’t find the time. Yeah, more like was too much of a sissy boy to make the trip again,” he teased. I was grateful for his new choice of words with Bailey at the table taking in everything he said. She was like a sponge, soaking it all in, and I didn’t need her going back to her mother’s saying daddy’s a pussy. The last two months had been going really well, and I didn’t want anything to ruin it.
“I’ve been busy,” I claimed, placing the bowl of fried potatoes on the table and taking my seat.
Bailey didn’t waste any time grabbing a chocolate chip pancake from the pile and two slices of bacon. “I don’t want any potatoes. I like Taylor’s potatoes, but not yours daddy,” she said so sweetly. Wow.
“Okay,” I gasped, trying to express the pain her words inflicted upon me. She just giggled, not interested in how I felt. She was a strong little girl, doing what she wanted, and saying what was on her mind, just like her daddy.
“You have a good time in Miami?” Xander asked.
I started to ask him how he knew but realized that was stupid. He knew everything, always had, always would. I never had to worry; Xander was always watching my back, somehow.
“It was good. Sold the house,” I explained.
“And, Isaac?” he questioned.
“He and Maddie are doing great, still madly in love,” I chuckled.
“Looks like they aren’t the only ones,” he pointed out, looking across the table at me and Taylor.
Bailey made a howling noise, excited that Xander was teasing us. “You’re in love,” she laughed.
Taylor told him all about the trip to Disney World, with Bailey interjecting every other word to tell her own side of things. Xander’s eyes were wide and filled with love. It was obvious he enjoyed the two girls fawning for his attention.
After breakfast, Xander pulled me aside. “Let’s go hang out on the porch,” he smiled, guiding me to the front door.
I worried he had something bad to tell me, possibly bad news about one of our brothers. I took a seat in the wicker chair outside the door, and Xander took the one across from me. His eyes were serious, staring into mine as if they were searching for something. I grew nervous about what he was ready to say.
“I’m proud of you,” he smiled, sending relief flowing through me.
“Thanks,” I sighed, grateful that he’d taken the time to listen to me on the mountain side.
“Staying was the right thing to do. I knew you’d make the right decision, never doubted you a second,” he beamed.
“I doubted myself, plenty,” I admitted.
“What changed your mind: Taylor or Bailey?” he asked.
“I would’ve stayed for either,” I grinned.
“That’s what I thought. Taylor’s a good girl. Tommy would be proud to have you in the family.” His mention of Tommy choked me up. I’d thought about him over the last few months, wondering what he’d think. I kept telling myself he’d be happy, but it was good to hear from Xander.
“So, now it’s your turn,” I joked, shrugging off the emotion building in my throat.
“My turn?” he looked surprised.
“Yeah. You need to find a woman and settle down now, maybe start your own family,” I stated.
“Oh no. Not me. I’ll never settle down,” he insisted.
I laughed, leaning back in my chair and staring at my old buddy. “That’s what I said just a few short months ago. I’m thankful every day that I was dead wrong.”