Epic Sins (Epic Fail #1)(37)
“Yes, Mother.”
“Call me on Sunday and let me know how your week has gone. Your father and I would like to come up to meet our grandson at the end of the month. Is that okay?”
“Sure,” I say. I can’t imagine what it’ll be like when they arrive. I wonder if Kai will be better.
“Goodbye, sweetheart,” she says and hangs up.
I HAD A MEETING WITH THE BAND today and our management team to discuss plans for the upcoming album. We’re all dragging our feet in creating it, and the label is starting to put the pressure on. But we’re all so preoccupied, most of us can’t find the time. Dax has been aloof and is uncharacteristically avoiding us as much as possible. Tristan’s moving into a new house that he built about twenty minutes from here and has been too busy designing his “man cave.” Alex still writes for us, but he’s only sent lyrics to two songs and we need at least twelve. I can’t blame him; he and Tabby built a house in the same neighborhood as Tristan, and they’ve got two kids. The only one who’s doing anything is Heath. He says he’s written lyrics to a couple of songs and is anxious to get tracks laid for them.
So basically, getting us all in the same room to nail down a solid schedule is like herding cats.
I arrive home shortly after eight and the house is dark. Sam must be asleep with Kai already. I notice Peggy’s car is still here and wonder if everything is okay. She’s almost always gone by dinner time.
I follow a dim light through the kitchen and into the den. Peggy is reclined in the leather chair, holding Kai against her chest. Thankfully, her shirt is securely on. I couldn’t imagine walking in on her with a bare chest practicing the Kangaroo Method.
“Is everything okay?” I ask.
“Hi, Garrett. Yes, everything’s fine. Sam needed a break, so I’m taking over for a few hours.”
I’m suddenly jealous, and I have no right to be. “Where is she?” I’m hoping she’s not with Dick.
“Out there.” She nods toward the backyard where the indoor pool is.
“By herself?” I ask nonchalantly as I walk to the window and see the glow from the pool.
“Of course,” she answers. “Who would she be out there with?” Good.
I casually peer out the window to see if I can catch a glimpse of her. “I don’t know, her boyfriend maybe?” Why did I say that?
Peggy laughs and shakes her head. “She doesn’t have a boyfriend, hasn’t for a long time.” She furrows her brow and looks pensive. “I think it’s about time she found one. She deserves a nice boy who will take good care of her. She has so much love to give. It’s such a shame she doesn’t open herself up to the possibilities.” She smiles and rubs Kai’s back. He stretches and sighs, sinking deeper into a restful slumber.
“How is he?” I ask.
“He’s had a good day today. One of his best days yet. He’s been able to eat four ounces of formula at a time, which is a miracle.”
“Four ounces doesn’t seem like a lot,” I say, worried that he’s not eating enough.
“Oh, it’s a lot for him. His sick little tummy can’t take too much food at once. It’s very painful for him. In addition to his other issues, he has GERD, which triggers acid reflux as well as other painful gastrointestinal disorders. Typically, he can only drink two to three ounces at a time. But today, he graduated to four without much fuss. So it’s definitely a good day.”
“Wow, I had no idea.” Every time I ask about his condition, I learn something new. It’s overwhelming and I can’t keep it all straight. There are so many things wrong with him, it pains me to think about it.
I look back out to the pool house and notice that the overhead lights are off, but the underwater lights are on. It looks peaceful and quiet out there, and I wonder what Sam is doing. Steam rises from the water, glowing from the dim lights in the pool.
A long, lean figure floats into view, and I see her. Her face is barely exposed to the air above, and her arms are floating weightlessly, stretched out to the side.
“Is she okay?” I ask Peggy, but I can’t take my eyes off of the beauty that’s emanating from my pool.
“She’s fine. It’s what she does to relax,” Peggy responds.
“Really?” I ask as I continue to watch her drift slowly through the water. She looks completely relaxed and I’m jealous.
“I secretly think it’s how she connects with her parents.”
“What?” I ask, her comment piquing my interest.
“Sam almost drowned in her pool when she was seven. Her dad saved her life. Soon after, he insisted that she get proper swim lessons and he hired an instructor. She learned how to stay calm which helped her conquer her fear of the water. She learned that floating on her back will get her out of any scary situation in the water. Now she floats for therapy and relaxation.”
My heart hurts for Sam, knowing that her parents were taken from her. Peggy gave me a brief history on Sam before she came to take care of Kai. I know her parents died when she was sixteen, and Peggy has raised her since.
“She’s a lucky girl to have you,” I say as I watch Sam get out of the pool. She’s wearing a black bikini that hugs her body perfectly. Her curly hair is piled on top of her head. She grabs a towel hanging from a hook and starts to dry herself. I turn from the window, feeling like a voyeur.