Frayed Silk(55)

As if thinking the same, Leo asks, “Remember that time Greta tried to get him to pat the frog she found in the backyard?”

I burst out laughing. “Yes.”

He chuckles. “She cried because he called it a slimy disease-ridden enemy of the garden. Then she told him it was just a little old frog …”

I continue for him, “And he said it was a toad, didn’t he?”

He nods. “Then she said that the only toad she could see was him.” We both laugh quietly at the memory of his mother laughing and telling Robert that Greta had a point and to leave the poor thing alone.

Our food arrives, and I dig into my carbonara right away. Leo does the same with his spaghetti and meatballs. We eat in silence for a little while, but it’s not uncomfortable. It’s perfect, and makes me realize how much I’ve missed this. Just being with him. I think it would kill me if he ever took this away from me again. But I’m determined not to let that happen. I’ll fight harder next time, love harder, and make sure he knows that whatever he’s going through, he’s not alone. That I’m not going anywhere.





That afternoon, I’m quickly cleaning up and putting the kids uniforms away, ready for school tomorrow while Leo returns some calls he’s ignored over the weekend in his office. My phone rings from the kitchen, and I hurry downstairs to grab it, in case it’s my mom or Taylor. They should be back any minute now. But it’s not them; it’s Lola. I hesitate for a moment before deciding to answer. “Hello?”

“Jesus Christ, you have so much to tell me, it’s not even funny,” she hisses into my ear.

I cringe, not knowing whether she knows or not, therefore not knowing what to say. “I do?” I settle on.

She laughs. “Oh no, you don’t. Fiona, what the ever-loving hell?” she screeches.

I pull the phone away, rubbing at my ear before putting it back. Okay, so she knows.

“How’d you find out?”

“I overheard Trey talking with Dylan about it on the phone earlier. Shit, it all makes so much sense now.”

Well, I’m glad she thinks so. “Shit. He doesn’t want anyone to know, Lo.”

Lola huffs. “As if I’d tell anyone. Trey’s been acting weird, so I hid around the corner and listened in when he disappeared on the phone for too long. I cornered him after and demanded that he explain or I’d think he was having an affair.” That has me laughing as I imagine her doing exactly that.

“Anyway,” she says. “How’re you handling it all? God, it makes me sick.”

Taking a seat at the island, I idly trail my finger over the marble countertop. “I don’t know. I’m glad I know even if I want to go to her house and kick her ass.” She laughs. “But he’s …” I glance behind me, making sure Leo is still in his office. When I don’t hear anything, I continue, “It’s like a switch has flipped, and he’s back to being the same old Leo.”

“That’s good, though, right?”

Sighing, I answer, “Yes and no. I mean, I’m happy. So damn happy and relieved. But a few rounds of hot sex and some deep conversations with me won’t miraculously fix things.”

“We’ll get to those juicy details later, but what do you mean? You think he needs some help?”

“Yeah, I do,” I say. “I know he’s a guy, and being the way he is you can only imagine how much he doesn’t want anyone to know. He sees it as more of an embarrassment. A weakness, I guess. But something terrible happened to him, and he knows that; he’s just hoping it’ll fade away. That I’m enough to finally help him through it.”

She hums into my ear. “That’s tough, Lia. I don’t know. I’m happy things are looking up for you both, but I see what you mean.” Resting my elbows on the counter, I lean my head on a fist and stare out the back window, watching the breeze stir some leaves from the tree before they float slowly to the ground. “Just see how he does. I think that after everything that’s happened, not only with that crazy bitch, but with the both of you, you might be onto something, though.”

“Exactly what I was thinking,” I agree. The front door opens, and I hear the kids race down the hallway. “Gotta go; the kids are home. I’ll talk to you tomorrow.”

We hang up and I turn around, jumping down from the stool and sweeping Greta into a hug when she runs into the kitchen.

“Grandma Tay got me a Furby! It snores!” She pulls away, shoving it into my chest. Lifting the pink ball of fluff into the air, I almost drop it when it moves and mumbles something to me. Leo grins, walking into the kitchen with Charlie hanging over his shoulder. “What’s that freaky sounding thing?”

“A Furby. It’s so annoying,” Charlie grumbles when Leo sets him down. I gather him into my chest for a hug, kissing his messy head of hair. “Were you guys good?” I ask.

He steps away but leaves an arm around my waist as my mom enters the room. “Yes. They were fantastic.” She stops beside me, pinching my cheek. “Looks like this weekend did you some good.” She winks, and I flush when I see Leo grinning at me as he stands by the kitchen sink, holding the Furby while Greta animatedly explains everything it does to him.

“Where’s your robot?” Taylor asks, coming into the kitchen and kissing my cheek before looking down at Charlie.