Chapter 2
“Anya has already started moving stuff out of her room, so Aden can take it when we get him moved,” Raven states between bites. The three of them are stuffed in the corner of the small dinner they love in town.
Lexa looks up a Raven.
“Lexa it's done, nothing you can say or do about it.”
“Raven, that’s a big step in your relationship.”
“Yeah, well maybe it’s the push I’ve needed,” Raven whispers.
“Does that mean I get Anya’s room?” Aden looks up from his chicken tenders.
“Looks like it. How does that sounds to you?”
Aden just gives thumbs up and continues eating.
“I guess we have that figured out.” Lexa goes back to picking at her food. There is so much to think about. Luckily, it is the middle of the summer and Aden is not starting school for another 7 weeks. They have time to figure how that will work. Lexa doesn’t mind him transferring considering he hasn’t even started yet, but some of his daycare and preschool friends were going to the same school. Maybe there is a daycare that he can go to a couple of times to meet some new friends. Her current work schedule at the store is going to be tricky, but if the girls are going to help out it should be fine for at least a little while to get her feet on the ground.
“Hey, eat, we have plenty of time to figure stuff out.” Lexa looks up to see Raven pointing her fork at Lexa’s food. Lexa was very thankful for the woman across the table. She can sense exactly what Lexa is thinking.
Lexa nods and continues her lunch. They quietly finish and pile back into the car to make the short drive to the apartment.
Pulling into the parking lot next to Lexa’s car, Raven pops the trunk to start bringing everything in. Lexa gets Aden out of his booster. She is going to have to put it back in her car, but they can worry about that later. Lexa hands Aden his backpack and smaller roller bag filled with his clothes. Pulling out a big trash bag of toys and other household needs, Lexa closes her trunk. The apartment is a townhouse style and was a part of a larger building in a complex.
Raven enters in front of the duo, but keeps the door open in anticipation of them following right behind. Aden enters first and his face lit up immediately when he sees the living room. Anya and Octavia had bought balloons and a big sign that says “Welcome Home”.
Aden drops his roller bag and runs into Anya’s open arms.
“Oooof. Hello to you too, little man,” Anya laughs. Lexa follows him in. Octavia had sent her a text telling her what they did for Aden. She picks up Aden's bag and leaves it at the top of the stairs for later when they go down to the room.
“Anya, you are giving up your room to me?” Aden asks.
“Yep, are you okay with that? You will get to be next to your sister and a whole room to yourself.”
“Yeah. Where are you going to sleep?”
Anya’s eyes catch Raven’s then Lexa’s. Lexa nods.
“Aden,” the boy turns to face Lexa, but still in Anya’s arms. “Anya is going to stay with Raven in her room. Also, Aden, they are girlfriends. They are dating.”
“Okay. So, you are like how Lexa and Costia were,” Aden states. Silence sweeps the room. All eyes turn to Lexa. Nobody, even Raven, brings up the topic of Costia.
“Yes, Aden, just like me and Costia were. So, they will sleep in the same room and they are going to need their space if they ask for it, okay?” Lexa couldn’t believe it took all of 3 minutes for there to be a deep conversation with her brother.
“Okay, yep. So, Anya you love Raven?” Now Anya was put on the spot.
Anya locks eyes with Raven. “I, absolutely, love Raven.” Aden’s eyes widen and a smile beams across his face.
“And Raven loves you?” Anya’s eye contact never left Raven’s. She tilts her head and shakes it slightly at Raven indicating it’s alright if she doesn’t want to answer it.
“Aden, I…. I… do love Anya. Of course I do.” Aden smiles and falls further into Anya’s arms. Anya’s eyes still locked with Raven’s. Unbeknownst to the boy in her arms, this was the first time Raven has ever said it to her. Raven nods at Anya.
“I really do love her,” Raven says a little quieter. Anya holds Aden even tighter and just smiles. This has been a big day for everyone.
“’Tavia, are those balloons for me?”
“You bet they are!” Everyone laughs. Aden climbs out of Anya’s arms and takes the balloons tied to the chair next to Octavia, his attention now on the balloons and Octavia.
Anya stands from where she was sitting and quickly closes the space between her and her girlfriend. Grabbing Raven’s face, she pulls her in for a deep kiss. Raven wraps her arms around Anya's waist pulling her into a hug and burying her face into her girlfriend’s neck.
Everything dies down for the afternoon. Aden busies himself showing the girls his toys they brought over. Lexa and Anya take the time to move some more things from her room in the basement to Raven’s to give Aden a couple of drawers and some storage space for the time being.
Octavia makes dinner for everyone, calling the rest of them in from playing outside in the yard. All five of them sit down and enjoy the food in front of them with good conversations and laughs with Aden. Anya and Raven clean up as the others get the living room set up for a movie. Everyone changes into comfy pajamas and settle in for the feature.
Aden settles into Raven’s lap. Anya on the floor between her girlfriend’s legs. Lexa takes up the other end of the couch and Octavia has taken over the recliner with her legs up and curls in to face the television. Aden picks to watch The Incredibles. He likes that Dash looks a little like him.
Everyone is enjoying the movie. An hour into the film Lexa looks to the other side of the couch to see Aden starting to doze in Raven’s arms. He slowly crawls out of her lap and into Lexa’s.
“Hey, bud, do you want to go to bed or watch the rest of the movie?” Lexa asks.
“Watch the rest of the movie.” Lexa nods.
Aden doesn’t last another 15 minutes until he is curled and sleeping on Lexa’s chest. She lets him rest as the 4 of them finish the last 10 minutes of the movie. Lexa slowly gets up to carry the 5-year-old downstairs to his new room. Slowly she pulls back the sheets and tucks in her brother. She gently kisses his forehead, ducks out of the room, and heads back upstairs to the living room.
Anya is now on the couch with her head on Raven’s shoulder watching TV. Octavia fiddles around in the kitchen getting a beer and some popcorn made. Lexa takes her seat back on the couch putting her head on the back of the couch, closing her eyes.
“Beer, Lexa?” Octavia calls from the kitchen.
“Nah, not tonight,” Octavia comes in and hands a bowl of popcorn to Lexa. “Thanks.”
Octavia goes back and sits down in on the recliner. They sit in silence, relaxing and watching TV trying to unwind from the day. Lexa took a couple of bites of popcorn and then just stares at it. It has only been one day. One day. It has been 5 days since the accident, but in those first days, she had so many people around her. Aden had plenty of people to be with and there was plenty of food, and they were so tired by the evening there weren’t any nighttime fights.
Anya turns her head and sees Lexa with her head over her bowl of popcorn in her lap. She pulls out of her girlfriend’s arms and scoots across the couch. Takes the bowl out of Lexa’s hands and places it on the coffee table in front of them. Lexa does not respond. Anya pulls Lexa to her chest. No resistance. No tears.
“It has only been one day,” Lexa is drained. “One day!”
“We know. It will get easier,” Anya whispered in her ear.
“Thank you guys for today. Hanging around the house today to make him comfortable. I know tomorrow everyone has work again so thank you.”
“You are going to have to stop thanking us. We are here for this,” Octavia said. “What are your plans for the kid tomorrow?”
“I am not sure yet. I was thinking the park. He likes the ducks at the pond. I also am going to run over to the house to get some of the food there, to bring over here. I don’t want it to go to waste,” Lexa was just thinking out loud.
“Hey I don’t work until 4 so why don’t I take him to the park in the morning and then you can run some errands you need to do before I leave.”
“That would be great. Thanks, O.”
They stay up a little while longer. Lexa says her goodnights and heads for the stairway. After the big confession from Raven earlier, she didn’t want to keep the couple tied up any longer. Raven hasn’t admitted she loves someone since Wick, ending in complete heartbreak. This was a huge step for Raven and Anya could not have been more patient with her.
Lexa finishes her night time routine and falls asleep as soon as her head hit the pillow. Her heart swells for Raven and Anya, weeps for her mother, frightful for her brother, and just exhausted for herself.
A little head burrowing into her back wakes Lexa in the middle of the night. Rolling over she glances over to the clock, indicating it only a little after 4am. Once Lexa made it to her other side, the boy attached himself to her stomach. Little hands wrap around her sides, his face burrows into her chest. Not questioning the motive of her bed visitor, Lexa wraps her arounds the boy and falls back to sleep.
Morning came as Lexa wakes up to the light cracking through the window. Aden still curled into her asleep for the time being. Sadness washes over her. This kid is only 5 years old and has already had to endure so much. A deadbeat dad. A dead mother. A lost Costia. And a broken sister doing her best.
Lexa starts her to do list. It is going to take her all morning and across all sections of town. Aden was excited to spend the day with Octavia. Octavia is known as the fun one. The two will spend the whole day running around the park, playing games, and probably end up Aden taking a long nap this afternoon or going to bed very early completely exhausted.
Her list includes the bank, Target, grocery store, and the old house to pick up some more things for Aden and herself. The bank is a quicker stop than Lexa expects. The stop isto make sure some of her mother’s assets were in line. She picks up some more clothes and things for Aden. Pulling the trunk down, after stopping at home, she knew she just had to stop at Target then the local grocery store for dinner supplies.
The trip to Target was to pick up something nice for Aden’s new room to make it more homey. Nothing particular in mind, but really who does have a plan when walking into Target. Lexa parks and enters the store, grabbing a cart and making her way to the home décor section.
Lexa has no idea what to get her brother. He is a vivacious five-year-old with a love for basically everything except his green foods and Scar from the Lion King. Slowly Lexa was moving aisle to aisle looking for anything she could hang up in his room. She had pulled down some frames and basketball posters when someone bumped into her cart causing it to shove into Lexa’s side.
“Ahh. Ouch!” Lexa jumped back trying to get the cart off of the side of her ribs. Luckily, she manages to not drop the items in her hand.
“Oh my gosh I am so sorry.” Lexa hears. She turns to find a head of blonde hair flipping and turning in her direction. The familiar red collared shirt and khaki pants indicating the girl was an employee.
“No problem. Just watch where you are going,” their eyes then met. Blue. It’s all Lexa sees. The woman also stops in her tracks.
“Are you okay? I am so sorry.”
“I think I will manage. And again, no problem.”
“Well now that I have injured you, can I help you with anything?” The woman flashes a gorgeous smile Lexa will not forget.
“Unless you have the preferences and hobbies of a 5-year-old probably not,” Lexa let out small laugh. Her eyes flash to the ground.
“Are you picking out a gift?” She inquires.
“Sort of. I am trying to get something for my little brother. He has been through a lot recently and I am just trying to cheer him up.” Lexa shocks even herself by revealing so much to this complete stranger, but somehow, she was at ease with this woman.
“Aww…. I’m sorry,” the woman sounds actually genuine. “Well, what are his interests?” It confuses Lexa how much this woman was willing to help her.
“You really don’t have to help. I will just keep looking.”
“No, it’s okay, I am avoiding stock duty so if you would humor me, I would like to help you.” Lexa laughs at this. After years working at the local grocers, Lexa knew the pains of stock duty.
“Okay. Fine.” Lexa teases. “He is a 5 year old so he is into dinosaurs, Power Rangers, and Ninja Turtles. Although he does like to draw and color.”
“A man after my own heart,” the woman feigns with a hand going to her heart. “Follow me, I think I know just the thing.”
Lexa finally notices the worker’s name tag. Clarke.
“Thank you… Clarke.” The woman stops mid spin as she starts to turn away to lead Lexa through the store. “I’m Lexa.” Lexa has no idea what overcame her to share her name to the worker, but it felt right in the moment.
“Hi, Lexa. And who is the little gentleman we are shopping for?” Clarke has started for the end of the aisle motioning for Lexa to follow.
“That would be Aden,” Lexa giggles. For the first time in a week she genuinely smiles.