Party of Two

by Tey Holden

  Alex shivered. She had goose bumps all over and almost felt in a trance. Blair noticed and thought to change the mood. “Getting back on the subject, I don’t want you to spend your money on me.”

  “And just what money will I be spending on you?”

  “It’s not so much what you will spend, as what you are not going to earn if you don’t work because you are taking care of Megan and Pete. You’d be depleting your savings.”

  “It’s my decision. I want to do it.” Alex got up from the sofa and began to pace. “Last night you were giving me all the money you had. You even left a signed blank check for me to write in whatever amount I needed. A blank check! Who does that? I could have cleaned you out! And now you are not accepting my help. Why? Is there some kind of double standard, I am not aware of? Because I’m not going to take that!”

  Blair stared at her, while Alex paced up and down and raised her hands in the air as she vented, much like Karen did, but without the cursing. All of a sudden, Alex stopped. “I’m sorry. I just have this need to get inside that stubborn head of yours, and make you see that I really want to be here for you and to help, and that as strange as it may sound to you, money does not really matter to me.”

  Blair chuckled. “You could have cleaned me out?”

  Alex smiled. “Yes, as your attorney, I must advise you that you should never sign a blank check. I guess you did it because you knew I wouldn’t.”

  “I think, Ms. Alexandra that you are a box full of surprises, and that I’m going to have to be on my toes to keep up with you. I can also tell that nothing will dissuade you from your quest to help me. And as things are, I also think I need all the help I can get.”

  Alex grinned and bit her lip. Blair smiled like an idiot. Lord have mercy on this poor doctor!

  “Does that mean that the stubborn one will allow, for once, that someone help her?”

  “From one stubborn one to another, I must say that I really can’t think of anyone else I would rather surrender.” Blair stopped talking to gather her thoughts. “With all that’s happened, I’ll admit that I haven’t been thinking very clearly. If you really would like to help me through this crappy situation, I accept your help. I trust you. I suppose that whatever happens between us during this time will make us or break us. I will let fate decide.”

  “You are worried about our relationship?”

  “Yes, I wish things had been different, more relaxed. I would have liked time to court you, if you want to call it that. I just didn’t plan or expect all this drama.”

  “Blair sometimes you just have to go with the flow. Life is unpredictable.” Alex took immediate charge. “Pete is sleeping and is not going anywhere. There’s no need to take a three-year-old baby out in his jammies in the middle of the night. And that’s that! And what were you planning to do? Make him ride your bike?”

  Blair looked at her and said nothing. She really had forgotten that fact, which was more evidence to her that she was not thinking clear and that it was better to let Alex take over. “You are going straight to the shower and bed. Pete is in the smaller bedroom. You can sleep wherever you want. I’m going to bed. Good night.” As she walked to her bedroom, she realized that she was now acting like M’Addy ordering people around. She didn’t close the door of her bedroom. She laid in bed smiling and thinking how much of her moms she had in her. Her eyes remained focused on the bedroom door.

  Blair remained seated in the living room somewhat perplexed. She remembered thinking that this must be one of those situations when people say, ‘and she didn’t know what struck her!’ She thought and liked the fact that Alex was a force to be reckoned with and that she sometimes really didn’t know how to handle this firecracker of a woman. She grinned, thinking that she would be lucky never to find herself on the other side of the courtroom with Alex as the opposing counsel.

  Blair showered and, after looking in on Pete, she took the vacant midsize bedroom. She also left her door open. She couldn’t get her mind off the woman that had turned her life upside down. She was slowly dozing off when she saw Alex tippy-toeing into her room.

  Alex pulled the blanket and tucked her in. She leaned forward and kissed her and then sat on the bed looking at her. She then pulled the covers and got in bed with her. Blair’s heart was about to come out of her chest. But instinctively, as if it was an everyday thing, she scooted over. Alex accommodated on her side and draped her arm over Blair’s abdomen. “I don’t think this is a good idea, Alex.”

  “Then don’t get any! Go to sleep.”

  Blair chuckled and turned her back to Alex. “Good night, boss.” She got no response but liked it when Alex tightened her arm around her stomach.

  ***

  Two weeks later, Megan looked much better physically and emotionally. They enjoyed telling Megan about how well Pete was doing, and Megan was glad to hear that her little boy was happy, well cared for, and loved.

  “I think Pete has a crush on Alex. He’s always talking about her.” Megan commented.

  “Yeah, I agree.” Blair added, glad that her competition was a three-year old.

  “Alex, I think you’ve bewitched the entire family,” Megan joked.

  “I think Pete is the one with the better chances,” Blair said making Alex chuckled. I’m not too sure about that! “For one, he spends more time with her than I do—.”

  “Maybe, but—.”

  Blair smiled knowing that Alex caught her cold on almost saying something she didn’t want to say. “But what?”

  Alex smiled, but wouldn’t talk. “Nothing.”

  Megan chuckled. “Private comment.” She smiled and changed the subject. “What’s this thing with the horsies? Pete seems to be obsessed with some horses. It’s all he talks about.”

  “Blair was working last weekend, and she said it was okay for me to take him to Altee to meet my moms. He really liked it over there. He sat on a pony and we walked him around.”

  “Oh, my God! Alex, you took him home to your moms? I don’t know how I can ever pay you back for helping us through this?”

  “No payback is needed. It’s been my pleasure, Megan. Pete is a delightful little boy and my moms loved him so much, that I’m now wondering if I should hurry up and have one of my own.”

  Blair looked at her surprised. Megan chuckled and looked at a very startled Blair. She knew that Blair hoped to have children someday. If things worked out with Alex, this was all too perfect for her sister. “Really, Alex? You would like to have children?” Megan asked.

  “Yes, and more than one. I was an only child and always wanted a sibling. I mean, M’Addy, one of my moms, has a daughter but she’s much older than I am, and we didn’t grow up together. So, I would like to have two, or maybe even three.”

  “Wow!” Megan chuckled while Blair seemed to be happily shocked by the revelation.

  After they left Megan’s, Blair asked Alex what was she going to say, but didn’t, when they were talking to Megan.

  “You are just not going to let that one go, right?”

  Blair got close to her and smiled. “No. I want to know all that goes on in that mind as it relates to me. And you were the one who said you’d always tell me your feelings.”

  “True, but I said feelings, not thoughts! There is what is called ‘private thoughts,’ you know? I’m sure that you have a few you don’t want to share either.”

  Blair smiled. She certainly had some thoughts she was not ready to share just yet. “God! I forget I’m dealing with a lawyer. I’m going to have to be more comprehensive and specific in the use of terms.”

  Alex laughed. “Okay, in the spirit of disclosure, I was going to say that my feelings for Pete are not the same as my feelings for you.”

  She really hadn’t expected Alex to come clean so quickly. “Can we be more specific about those feelings?”

  Alex smiled. “Nice try on your specificity request, Dr. Reilley, but I don’t think I’m ready for a full disclosure yet.”

  Blai
r pretended to be mortified with her reply. “How come you always win? Even when I think I’ve caught you on something, you always manage to top me.”

  “Maybe you underestimate me, and I always manage to surprise you.”

  “That’s putting it mildly. You have no idea what you do to me!”

  The green eyes sparkled. She got closer and grinned, and when she was an inch away from a very smiling Blair she spoke again in a husky whisper-like voice. “Maybe I do. And maybe those are the thoughts I’m not ready to share yet.”

  Blair turned very pale and immediately decided that a change of subject was necessary. “By the way, thanks for everything. Megan is right, I don’t know if I can ever repay all you’ve done for us.”

  “There’s no repaying to do. I also don’t loan to family or friends.” Blair smiled because those were the words she had used with Alex a few weeks earlier. Alex was killing her in every way possible. The woman was like a machine gun shooting bullets straight to her heart. “And although, I still don’t quite know in which category you fall, you owe nothing.”

  Blair smiled at her new ‘limbo’ like placement. It was definitely better than being placed in the ‘friend’ category. Maybe she was moving towards the other category.

  Alex continued talking, like Addy, she never seemed to stop. Blair, who was more of a quiet person, loved the chitchat. “However, at some point in time, I may find a way for you to pay back your ‘believed’ debt.”

  “It will be my pleasure to pay,” Blair commented with a smile on her face. Alex looked at her in a mischievous way. “Oh God! I didn’t mean it that way!” Blair quickly tried to correct any possible misinterpretation.

  Alex chuckled. “Come on, doc. You don’t have to be politically correct all the time. Plus, pleasure may be involved.” Alex said in a playful tone. Blair smiled speechless. “But for now, we still need to decide what we are going to do next. Megan will be out of the hospital in a week.”

  Blair liked the use of the ‘we’ terminology.

  ***

  During the weeks that followed, Megan was transferred to a nearby recovery center where she received all the therapy and care she needed for her rehabilitation. Blair and Alex went to see her almost every day, sometimes with Pete, other times without him.

  During those weeks, they fell into a routine. In the morning, Blair dropped Pete off at his preschool, Alex picked him up at noon and took him to lunch and then they went to her flat. He loved spending time with Alex. She took him to the ice cream parlor some afternoons and always planned something fun with him.

  After her shift was over, Blair would come to the flat, had dinner with them and take Peter home with her. When Blair was off, they’d go to the park, or to the playground, or any place to enjoy a good time. If Blair had to work a long shift, or overnight, they’d both stay with Alex at her flat. Pete even began to call the room he slept in at Alex’s flat, his room. One of those quiet nights, after Pete had gone to sleep, they were cuddled on the sofa watching TV.

  Blair kissed her on the head. “Thank you.”

  Alex turned to face her. “For what?”

  Blair smoothed Alex’s long hair with her hand and took a deep breath. “For helping me through this, for being here with me. I don’t know what I would have done without you.”

  “Taking care of Pete is easy. He is adorable and well behaved. It’s not a big deal.”

  “It’s not just your helping out with Pete. You’ve also helped me analyze things and given me some perspective when my mind has gone wild. I’m usually pretty calm with regards to things concerning others, but when things affect me personally, it’s different. I felt overwhelmed at a certain point. You give me an inner peace that is hard to describe.”

  Alex smiled not knowing what to say. “Well, doing things with you and for you feels pretty natural.”

  “I feel the same about you. I will have to disagree with you on something, though. Helping us out in this whole debacle is a big deal. You’ve given up your time, stopped looking for a job and instead concentrated on helping us. That is a big deal, to me.”

  “Well, I don’t mind it. I like spending time with you and Pete. We feel like a family sometimes.”

  “Yes, you are right. I like it. It feels right.” Blair said.

  Alex smiled looking into the blue eyes. The thought that they were behaving like a family was not new to either one of them. They had both noticed the ease in their interactions and the way they dealt with Pete, and most of all that Pete was happy.

  Sometimes, when Blair had to work over the weekend, Pete stayed with Alex. On more than one occasion, she had taken him home with her to visit the moms. It had been a long time since there had been a child at her family home, and the moms were thrilled with the little one. They took him for pony rides, to the carnival and even got him a tricycle. Although the initial thought had been for a bicycle, they had not been able to convince Karen. She thought that he would be much safer on three wheels rather than on two. She insisted that he was too young for a bicycle and reminded them that the child’s mother was in the hospital and there was no need to look for more trouble. Addy and Alex thought that something was better than nothing and since Pete was just as happy with the tricycle, they did not press the issue. They also thought that on this occasion, Karen’s safety concerns were well founded.

  Seeing the fun, her moms were having with Pete, made Alex wondered what it would it be like when they had a grandchild of their own. Her thoughts then went to Blair, would she want to have children? She thought Blair would make an excellent parent.

  ***

  After Megan was released from the convalescence facility she came home. She didn’t accept Alex’s offer to move in with her. She thought that it was too much of an imposition and inconvenience, even though Alex assured her that it wasn’t. The alternate plan was that Alex would pick up Pete at the preschool, bring him home and stay to watch him and make dinner for all of them.

  Blair made arrangements at work so that she could be home by six in the evening. By the time she came home, Alex had dinner ready. After dinner, the two of them would clean up the kitchen and then Alex would drive back to her place.

  Blair was in charge of breakfast and of taking Pete to his preschool in the mornings, and when she couldn’t because of work, either Pat or Alex would sleep over to take care of the morning’s duties. Whoever prepared breakfast also prepared lunch for Megan. Alex also took care of any housekeeping, and everything was working out well. When Alex stayed overnight, she slept in Blair’s room and Blair slept downstairs on the sofa. The townhouse was small and there was no guest bedroom. Sometimes, after her long shifts, Blair fell asleep on the sofa when watching TV after dinner.

  “She works hard.” Megan commented.

  “I know. I don’t know how she does it. She is very driven.”

  “She’s the best, Alex.” Megan always found a way to say something positive about Blair. She liked Alex and thought she was perfect for her sister.

  Alex knew that Megan was doing all that was possible to bring them together. “Go to sleep, Megan. I’ll look out for our favorite doc.”

  Megan smiled and headed up to her room, but before she went upstairs she turned. “Thanks for everything. You are the best also.”

  “Don’t mention it, and you are welcome.”

  As soon as Megan went up the stairs, Alex moved closer to Blair. Megan had not closed her door totally and saw when Alex combed a lock of Blair’s hair very gently. Sis, I think you’ve got her!

  ***

  Blair opened her eyes. “Oh man, did I fall asleep? I’m sorry.”

  “Nothing to be sorry about. It’s late and you are tired.” Alex traced Blair’s nose with her finger. “Time to sleep.”

  “You are staying, right? If it’s late, I don't want you going home alone, and I’m too sleepy to take you. Stay, please.”

  “I can’t stay every night.”

  “You don’t stay every night. Go on upstai
rs, I’ll stay here in the sofa.”

  “See that’s another thing I don’t like when I stay. You end up on the sofa and you need your rest. Come with me, I’ll sleep on my side of the bed.”

  “It never happens. You always cuddle. Go on. I’ll stay here. I’d rather sleep here than worry about you getting home so late. Go!” Alex went up to the bedroom. Blair would sleep knowing that Alex was safe under her roof.

  Later that night, Blair woke up when she saw light in the kitchen. When she walked over to see what was going on, she found Alex, bent over and with a painful face.

  “What’s wrong? Are you in pain?” She immediately stroked her back.

  “Menstrual cramps.”

  “Come on. Let me help you up. But first let me get you an aspirin. Here, take it.” Alex did as Blair instructed. “Now let me help you upstairs.” Blair put her arm around her waist and Alex did the same around Blair’s. Once upstairs, she curled on the bed, while Blair looked for something in the linen closet. Blair came into the room and closed the door behind her. “I have the heating pad. I know something that works. Can I try it on you?”

  In pain, Alex nodded. “You are the doctor.”

  “Actually, it’s something my mom used to do for me. Turn on your side and let’s put the heating pad on your belly first and I’ll rub your back, then we’ll move the heating pad to your back and I’ll rub your belly.”

  Alex turned sideways and placed the heating pad on her belly. “This doesn’t look very scientific.”

  Blair sat on the edge of the bed and smiled tenderly, she began to gently massage her back. “Well the aspirin is an anticoagulant, so that is very scientific, the heating pad is also scientific because heat expands blood vessels. I suppose that the only unscientific part is the rub. I think it was my mom’s way of saying ‘I care enough to sit next to you and see you through this.’”

  “That’s nice. Thanks.” Alex tried to smile but the pain was too much. Her hair was a mess and Blair combed it back.

  “Lie down with me. You need to rest.”

  “No.”

  “Please!”

  How could she refuse? How could she tell Alex what lying with her did to her? She couldn’t. She just had to survive the moment somehow, so she lay down and continued to rub Alex’s lower back making sure that her hands never drifted too far. Alex felt soft, and her hair smelled like a fresh April morning, there was also a sweet scent to her skin, which Blair loved