After my meeting with Agent Diaz, I drove to my house in Santa Veneta. I was surprised to see Alex’s car parked in the driveway. He didn’t tell me he was coming up this weekend. Although it had been a few days since we’d spoken.
I unlocked my front door and called out to him.
Alex appeared at the top of the stairs. “How was your meeting with Roberto?”
“How did you—”
“I saw him last night. He told me you two were meeting this morning.”
“It was fine,” I said. “What are you doing here? Why aren’t you in LA?”
“I crashed here last night,” he said as he jogged down the stairs. “I didn’t think you’d mind. I promised Maria I’d help her put together a bunk bed today.”
“A bunk bed? Please tell me she’s not planning on having MJ and Sofia sleep in the same room again. He’s sixteen.”
“I think the plan is for her and Sofia to share the bedroom and MJ to sleep on the couch in the living room. But who knows if she’ll even get custody again.”
“She will.” Janelle had told me as much. Maria had a job and an apartment and all her drug tests were clean. There was no reason for the judge to refuse her custody petition. I wasn’t happy about it, but I was resigned.
Alex pulled his car keys out of his jeans pocket. “What are you up to tonight?”
“I’m supposed to be dropping off MJ at the movie theater around seven. Other than that, I’ll be home with Sofia. I imagine we’ll be watching something with a princess in it. You’re welcome to join us if you’d like.” I knew Sofia was disappointed she hadn’t spent more time with Alex this summer.
“Hard pass on the princess movie but I need to talk to you. Is your mom still staying at your aunt’s house?”
“Yes, until I move back. But I could probably get her to babysit for a couple of hours if I asked. If she complains, I’ll just tell her I’m going on a date. Then she’ll be shoving me out the front door.”
Alex cracked a smile. “Where do you want to meet?”
“That depends. Are you going to take a swing at me again?”
“I didn’t—” Alex stopped himself. “I would never hit you, Grace.”
“You slammed my head into a wall.”
“It was an accident. I just didn’t want you to leave.”
“And what would you have done if I’d stayed?”
He didn’t answer me.
After a while I said, “I’d rather not have to worry about other people overhearing our conversation, so let’s just meet back here. I promise to be on best behavior if you will.”
He nodded.
“Okay. I’ll text you when Sofia goes to bed.”
Of course, tonight had to be one of those nights when Sofia refused to go to sleep. By the time I texted Alex, it was after ten and I was falling asleep myself.
Do you want to meet in the morning instead? I texted.
He texted back immediately: Can’t. Driving back tonight.
So I pulled on my sweatshirt and sneakers and drove to my house.
If I didn’t know it was my own house, I would’ve thought I was in the wrong place. The lights in the living room were dim, there was soft music playing, and a bottle of wine and two glasses sat out on the coffee table. I called out to Alex, who strolled out of my kitchen with a plate of cheese and crackers in his hand.
“What’s all this?” I asked.
“I would’ve cooked,” he said, “but I figured you’d already eaten.”
“I’m not talking about the food. I thought you needed to talk to me. I didn’t know this was a date.” If I had, I wouldn’t have come.
“It’s not,” he said. “I wanted to say goodbye.”
“Goodbye?”
“I’m going into Witness Protection, Grace. You know what that means.”
“But we still have two more weeks.”
“I know, but I won’t be around much. And I have a favor to ask. Please. It’s important.”