Page 83 of The Coffee Bar on Camellia Court

"Anyway, it would just be a couple of hours, but I'd like to explain things to her myself."

A growing respect for her rose in Alex. Despite her flaws, she was trying to do right by their daughter in her own way.

"That's really good of you," he agreed, getting to his feet. "But Melissa? She's going to have questions. Lots of them. And she might be angry or confused."

"I know." Melissa rose, too, and squared her shoulders. She met his gaze with a somber one of her own. "I'll do my best to answer honestly, and I trust that after I'm gone, you'll be kinder than I deserve."

32

Alex

Alexledherdownthe hall to Lena's bedroom, hoping Lena would be okay with how things had turned out. He knew she was excited for her mother to see her room, and he prayed Melissa would respond with enthusiasm, for Lena's sake.

Lena must have heard their footsteps, because before they could knock on the door, the child opened it and looked up expectantly at them. "Are we going now, Mommy?"

"I wanted to see your room, sweetie." Melissa managed a smile. "And then I thought we could go get something to eat together. Just you and me. Would you like that?"

Lena's eyes lit up. "Can we get hamburgers and fries?"

"I was thinking more along the lines of caprese salad and involtini."

"Yes! Yes! Yes!" Lena bounced up and down on her toes, licking her lips exaggeratedly. Her reaction told Alex that he could learn a lot about his daughter from Melissa if he gave her the chance.

He gestured for Juno and his mother to join him in kitchen, giving Lena time to give her mother a private room tour. "I'll tell you about it in a minute," he said when Juno gave him a demanding look. "Don't worry. It's all good."

Juno and Roxanne exchanged chagrinned glances, but sat down at the table where he and Melissa had talked only moments ago.

Several minutes later, Melissa and Lena emerged from the bedroom and Alex got up to meet them, his mother and Juno following a few steps behind.

"We're gonna go get dinner, Daddy, then we're coming right back, so you don't have to say goodbye yet." Lena hugged him anyway, then Roxanne, and lastly, Juno. She looked up at both women and whispered, "She really liked my room. She loved it, especially the glowy stars."

And then they were off, heading down the stairs and out to where Melissa had parked. He watched from the landing as Melissa helped Lena into the back seat of the Mercedes, glad to see how animated his daughter—no,theirdaughter was. Before getting in herself, Melissa looked back at him and gave a small nod. It felt like an acknowledgment of their agreement, a promise to honor it.

Alex stood there long after they'd left, a strange mixture of emotions churning inside him. Relief that Melissa had agreed to primary custody. Fear that she might change her mind. Worry for Lena and how she would process this transition. And beneath it all, an undercurrent of cautious hope.

"Alex?" Juno's voice pulled him back to the present. She stood beside him, her hand finding his. "Are you okay?"

He nodded, squeezing her fingers. He turned to face Juno and his mother. "Melissa is giving me primary custody of Lena."

Juno's eyes widened. "What? Just like that?"

"Oh, Alex," Roxanne gasped, her eyes filling with tears of relief.

"She'll still have visitation rights, and at least for now, we're going to share legal custody, which essentially means that we both have to agree on big decisions like education and health stuff." He gestured for them to head back to the kitchen. He was suddenly ravenous now that the mess of nerves in his gut had settled. "But Lena will live with me permanently."

"That's fantastic news." Juno searched his face. "This is even more than you'd hoped for!"

"How are you feeling about all of it, honey? You don't think she'll change her mind, do you?" His mother's voice trembled.

"Relieved. Terrified. Grateful. Starving." He opened the fridge and pulled out an enormous container of spaghetti and meat sauce his mother had brought with her. "Are either of you hungry?" It was a little early for dinner, but he didn't care. If he didn't eat something soon, his stomach would start cannibalizing itself. "She's taking Lena for Italian food to talk to her about it."

Roxanne looked up sharply. "She's telling Lena about the custody arrangement? Now?"

"She wanted to explain it herself," Alex said. "I think she's trying to do right by Lena, in her own way."

Roxanne called her husband to let him know to come straight to Alex's from work. "Your father will want to hear everything."

While the spaghetti heated on the stovetop, Alex sliced up a crusty loaf of bread for garlic cheese toast in the broiler, Juno put together a green salad, and his mother set the table. His father showed up just as the toast was coming out of the oven.

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