We stood in silence for a minute and collected ourselves. Lex dried her face on my pillow. I didn’t cry.
“I’m sorry I smacked you.”
“I’m sorry I saw them.” Her face became serious. “You believe me don’t you?”
“Maybe,” I said, knowing Lex could be dramatic but she’d never lie about this. Usually Lex didn’t admit her parent’s shenanigans. “What exactly did you see?”
“My mother and yours in bed together, with your father somewhere underneath them.”
“Where was Eddie?”
“On a chair in the corner of the room…watching.”
“Gross!” We both made sick faces at each other and sat on the edge of my bed. I had a pink canopy back then.
“Do you think we’ll grow up to be like them?” Lex asked.
“You mean naked and in bed together?”
Lex dipped her chin into a nod.
“Never! Why can’t our parents just be normal like everyone else?”
“I don’t think they know how.” She reached into the box for another gummy.
There was a knock at the door.
“Come in,” I said, looking up at Mom entering my room.
The smell of gin came with her. Ugh. Hating that smell, I’d forgotten how bad it was. After lunch is when it seeped out of her pores.
“Tabitha Adelaide, our jeweler Harry is downstairs. He’s brought some wonderful sparkly baubles that I want you to look at.”
“Why?” Since when did I sparkle?
Irma bounced her hand on her hip surveying the room. “For the party, this weekend.”
“Baubles?” I asked.
“Earrings and a necklace. Something small and dainty.”
Glaring at me, Lex wasn’t having it. “Countess Irma, why are you making Tabitha toss her Candy Land game?”
Mom stepped closer into the bedroom. In a swift motion, she extended her hand, open palmed. “For the same reason Birdie doesn’t want you eating that anymore, Alexandra. You’ll get fat and dumb.”
“No.” Lex tried to hold onto the box but Mom was too fast.
“If Tabitha Adelaide continues to play silly board games, she’ll become stupid.”
“Mom!” My jaw hung open in shock. Hearing her words, I realized this was the gin talking.
“I will not have a dumb child for a daughter.” Irma marched over to the trash bag, and threw Lex’s candy inside. The sound of the sugar pellets smacked the Candy Land box. “Now come downstairs and pick out your jewelry, Tabitha Adelaide.”
“Yes, ma’am,” I said.
“Alexandra, your mom is coming this weekend too. She says your father will be home from his tour. Let’s surprise them and get you a bracelet.” Without waiting for a reply, Mom strutted out into the hall.
Lex and I stood in the doorway watching her march down the spiral stairs to the main floor. Her black, wavy hair bounced. So did her breasts.
“How is your mother’s jewelry any different than my candy or your board game?” Lex asked. “Countess Irma is a nut.”
“So is Birdie,” I snapped back.
“Irma is insane, like mental institution mad.”
“Leon!” A voice from another room, another place, shouted.
Not wanting this conversation to end, I asked, “What do you mean mental institution?”
Our childhood talk was over. I heard voices calling me again…
In the sand, I sat up, feeling the warm cushiness of a cotton beach towel beneath me.
Leon grabbed the one thrown at him.
“Taddy. Leon. We’ve been looking everywhere,” Vive cried out. She was in her bathing suit.
Fabian stood next to her for only a second then tackled Leon in a hug. They wrestled on the sand like two boys.
“And here I thought you’d died.” Vive knelt beside me.
“We think alike.” I hugged her, tight. She smelled of soap. I wanted to smell like soap. We cried for a while. I told her about the hunk of metal, the swim, the dolphins, pretty much everything except but the sex. That could wait till later.
“Our flight landed not too far from here, on water. Everyone is safe and sound.”
“How’s Blake?”
“His hair is burned on one side. He’ll probably have a scar, but he’ll live.” Vive dried her eyes and said, “Lex is, of course, beside herself with worry.”
Cinching the towel around me, I got to my feet. Then I saw them, kissing.
Leon and Fabian.
WTF.
“Huh…” Confusion overcame me. I stared at Leon.
Tongues touching, his hands massaged Fabian’s ass.
I’m not talking about the French way men kiss one another on each cheek. Nope. They were Frenching. Like almost face-fucking one another.
“Knock it off you two!” Vive eyed them. “It’s bad enough there’s a hot man shortage in this world, I don’t need you two rubbing my face in it.”
“Eh? When? What? How did I not know?” My voice rose in surprise.
“Fabian told us last night. We all had a little coming-to-Jesus moment when we got to our rooms. Naturally that was after the Eden police came and we filled out reports. The airline officials soon followed—”
“What did Fabian tell you?” I didn’t want the details of their check-in. Vive would be telling this airplane crash story for many years to come. I needed to know more about Fabian. “What’s his relationship to Leon?”
“That their lovers, of course.”
Shock flying through me, I screamed. “No!” I couldn’t help it.
“Why are you getting upset?” Vive asked, as Leon came over.
“Taddy, we need to talk. I—”
“Ha! I have nothing to say to you, Leon Lartique.” I poked my finger at his broad chest, the one I had licked earlier. “Thank you for the last twenty-four hours. I can handle it from here.” I turned so fast I thought I’d trip.
“What the fug is up with you, girlie?” Vive stood between us, ruining my opportunity for a dramatic exit.
“I need a shower. Can you please take me to your room?”
Vive nodded and said in their direction, “Leon, I’ll catch you sexy boys, later. Oh and thank you for bringing Taddy back alive and in one piece.”
Concern creased Leon’s forehead. I could care less how he felt. Regret soured in my empty stomach. Never mind that I’d given up my Lady V. I had unprotected sex in the Atlantic Ocean and under a tree with a dude who had a boyfriend.