Page 32 of Even Beneath the Stars

A pause, and then, "Sure."

He lowers the phone and presses the speaker button as he holds it in front of his brother. "It's mom."

Finn's whole face lights up. He practically vibrates with excitement, pressing close to the phone screen. "Mommy!"

"Hi baby," a sultry voice purrs through the speaker. The sound is nothing like I imagined—deep and smooth like honey, but with an artificial sweetness that sets my teeth on edge.

"Hi…" Finn pauses, seemingly uncertain now that the initial excitement has settled. It's not a reaction I've witnessed from Finn before. "Um, I went sliding today… Really fast. I went the fastest of anybody. And I didn't get scared on the jump thing. I was spinning super-fast."

It's like he's auditioning for someone's attention rather than just talking to his mom. It's honestly kind of heartbreaking. For once, I'm grateful for Xavier, who's still stroking his brother's curls, eyes trained on the bookshelf across the room with a tense expression that's totally at odds with his soothing gesture.

"That's really nice, honey." Another awkward pause. "Oh, Xavier, are you still there, baby?"

"Yep."

"You'll never believe who I ran into at this amazing rooftop bar in Milan." He doesn't respond, but she continues undeterred. "Mick Jagger! I had drinks with Mick Jagger! We ended up at his table, and I think we really hit it off."

"Cool."

"You know the band The Rolling Stones? Mick Jagger is—"

"I know who Mick Jagger is."

"Oh," Jacee's voice cools. "Well, you sure didn't seem that excited. It's a pretty big deal… I was drinking white wine with Mick Jagger, Xavier." Then suddenly she's all enthusiasm again. "Can you believe he drinks wine? I thought for sure a rock legend like that would be slinging back tequila and Vodka Martinis—but I swear all he had was two glasses of white wine."

"I made white grape juice popsicles. Before yesterday," Finn pipes in. "Even though it's winter, I still made them, because you can still have popsicles in winter if you want. Maggie said so."

"That's nice, baby."

"Yeah."

I try to focus on my miniature, but it's hard not to be distracted by the conversation taking place just a few feet away. Jacee barely acknowledges anything Finn says, launching instead into stories about herself. And Xavier continues to utter only occasional mono-syllabic responses.

Finn's enthusiasm dims with each passing minute, his shoulders gradually slumping. "When… when are you coming home?" he finally interrupts one of his mother's stories about some big deal Italian business mogul who thought she was in her twenties. "Are you gonna be back for the special lunch in my class we're making for all the moms. It's in six more sleeps."

"I won't be back for another couple of weeks, baby. But I know your new nanny will have so much fun going to your lunch. Or you could ask Denise? I think she would love that, don't you?"

Xavier's hand pauses stroking his brother's hair, his fingers curling into a fist.

"But it's just for—it's a lunch formoms," Finn practically whispers.

Xavier's fingers un-curl. He flexes his hand, the movement slow and deliberate.Then he resumes stroking Finn's curls.

Jacee chuckles. Shrill and syrupy. "Then we'll just have to go out for our own special lunch together when I get home, won't we? You can order the meringue nest at the Welsford that you like."

"Okay." Finn's voice is so small.

"No sulking, baby. Remember all the mountains of toys you got for Christmas? You were a lucky, lucky boy, weren't you? Are you still happy with all the toys Santa brought you for Christmas?"

"Uh-huh." His bottom lip starts to quiver, tears welling in those big brown eyes.

Before the first one can fall, Xavier cuts his mother off. "Look, we have to go. It's late… Finn needs to get to bed."

God, and I thought I'd be so happy to hear Xavier utter those words. Instead, they just make me sad.

"Xavier. I think it's okay for Finn to stay up a few minutes past his bedtime to talk to his mother, don't you?"

"We have to go. Say hey to Mick from us."

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