Page 22 of Takedown

“Hi, Ada!” Addy, who is always happy to see me, wraps her arms around one of my legs. I pick her up and put her on my back.

“Can you say Uncle Adam, Addy?” I ask.

“Unco Ada!’

“How’s it going?” Alex whispers the words. While she looks around the place, I help her to the couch and she slowly sits down, placing a hand on her round stomach.

“Good. She’s only freaked out twice,” I tell Alex.

“Ada! Fight!” Addy says. I put her down and she holds up her tiny fists like I trained her to do. When I start to shuffle, she does the same and she mirrors my movements. When she sees an opening, she does the one two punch combination I taught her. I dramatically fall on the floor, and she starts to count. Once she gets to ten, she runs around the room, cheering in victory

“Kick his butt again, Addy,” Mel says, coming into the room. She runs to Alex and puts both hands on her stomach.

“Kick your butt,” Addy says to me when I stand up. I pick her up and put her on my shoulder this time.

“How are things downstairs?” Mellie asks Alex.

“Fine. She’s been great with Addy today. I think she’s a bit hurt about the way she found out about you two. She went to her room right after dinner last night and didn’t come back out.”

I pretend to be preoccupied with Addy, but I move us closer to Alex and Mel so I can hear every word.

“Shewas hurt? She’s playing victim now, is she? As if she has feelings. And we’re not exactly close. I don’t remember the last time we had a conversation. Even the Christmas gift she sent was an insult.” I look to Alex for an explanation. Based on what she says next, I know she understood my look.

“Jason called her out on that last night. She said she hadn’t seen you and didn’t realize you lost so much weight.”

“Right. Sure. It doesn’t matter because—” The knock on the door interrupts whatever Mel was going to say next. With Addy still on my shoulder, I walk to the door and find Mrs. Dupree on the other side.

She puts a hand to her chest as if she’s surprised to see me at my own front door . She looks around me, but she doesn’t ask to come in, and I don’t offer.

“Gamma!” Addy yells.

“May I come in, please?” she finally asks.

“Mel, it’s your mom. Do you want her to come in?” Mrs. Dupree takes a step back when she hears my question. Her brows shoot up, and her nostrils flare in irritation. She tries to step around me, but I block the door.

“This is my son’s house.” Her eyes narrow at me, and she scrunches her mouth like she just tasted something sour.

“But the lease I signed says this is my apartment.” She tries to slide by me again, but I stand there and stare down at her.

“Come, Gamma.” Addy waves her grandma inside.

Mel walks to the door, and I step aside so she can see her mother. She surprises me when she slides her hand in mine and plasters a smile on her face.

“Are you going to let me in, Melanie? I’ve barely seen you since I got here.” Mel steps aside, and her mother walks over the threshold.

“This is…” She lets the words hang before she says, “cozy.” She looks around the place, her nose in the air, probably judging my furniture.

For Mel’s sake, I wish I had something better. Alex stands up and slowly walks to Mel.

“I’d offer you something, but Adam’s fridge is bare. Unless you want to drink tomato juice.”

“Adam’s fridge?” Her mother raises one judgmental eyebrow. “I know you’re not too keen on the healthy stuff, Mellie, but why haven’t you stocked it with what you like?”

“No time yet, Mother. We just got back from Vegas two days ago,” Mel says. “Alex, I’ll have you, Jason, and Addy over soon.”

Mrs. Dupree purses her lips at her daughter’s rejection.

“Enough of this nonsense, Melanie. This pretend marriage all so you can get away from me because I’m such a horrible mother to you. Don’t drag your brother into another one of your messes after everything he’s done for you.”

---