Page 87 of Everything After (Everything Trilogy)

ALFIE

CHARLIE’S FIRST BIRTHDAY

Everyone chuckled at the photograph Lily had chosen to have printed on Charlie’s birthday cake. It was side-by-side images, one of him taken last week and one of me around my own first birthday.

“Fuck me, peas in a pod,” Rick muttered, wrinkling his nose up like the cake offended him. “I liked that kid until he started to look like you,” he said, pretending to grimace as he shook my hand and nodded toward Charlie toddling cutely toward my wife.

I laughed. “He puts the rumors of who is the daddy to bed, huh?”

“Talking about the ‘other daddy’, I heard he’s coming today,” Rick stated. The twinkle in his eyes warned me of the mischief he liked to make. I mock scowled at his fuckery and nodded. “Yeah, first time the guys in XrAid have seen him since he left the band.”

“He’s been busy… saw that interview he did on that chick’s morning chat show. Damn, he looks great—the women in the audience obviously thought so too, from all the screaming they did. Hell, the dude could have farted, and they’d all have swooned.”

“From the smell you mean?” I joked.

“Excuse me, Rick. Alfie, can you look after your son,” Lily interrupted with Charlie perched on her hip.

I took a moment to take in them both in. Seeing Lily with Charlie in her arms always took my breath away. “How come he’s my son when he’s being mischievous.”

“Is that a serious question?” Rick muttered under his breath to Lily.

“He almost demolished the finger buffet,” Lily informed me as she handed Charlie over. She tried to extract the napkin he clutched in a vice-like grip in his fist, which caused him to have the beginnings of a tantrum.

“I thought finger buffets were Jack’s domain,” Rick mumbled, making Lily and I chuckle.

“Give that to Mommy and I’ll get you something better,” I bargained, prying the napkin out of his hand. Charlie’s face scrunched like he might throw a fit, so I reached into a bowl of fruit salad and gave him a piece of banana.

“For fuck’s sake, it’s only a napkin. Why would you risk a tantrum over a paper napkin?” Rick questioned.

“He could put it in his mouth and choke,” Lily advised him in a stern tone.

“Fuck, that’s another thing off the list in our house then,” he muttered.

He glanced around the room and his eyes narrowed in on Coral.

“I’m going to check on Coral. If she stands too long, I’ll need to do that ankle massage again…

not that I mind doing that, it’s the horrible-smelling aromatherapy oil she insists is good for relaxation. ”

“Damn, Rick, I never thought I’d see the day you were concerned for a pregnant woman.”

“My pregnant woman… and Lily, I was concerned about her,” he countered.

“Thanks, Rick. Hold that thought, I need to make sure the caterers haven’t forgotten where I stored the smoked salmon. It’s in the outdoor fridge, and there’s none out on the table yet,” Lily explained.

“How long does she have to go now?” I asked, nodding toward Coral who was heavily pregnant.

“Yesterday,” he replied, grimacing. “I’m not sure I want to be at the business end in the labor room. Lennie’s drooling at the thought of being her birthing partner.”

“So, she’s overdue now?” I asked and immediately wondered if it was safe to take her by helicopter to the hospital, should anything happen. My second thought was that I couldn’t, even if I’d wanted to because I’d had two drinks already.

“Yeah, but she insisted on being here. She had some pains this morning, but she was determined not to miss seeing everyone. Between you and me, I’ve never known anyone so nosey. She was of two minds whether to risk this, but the minute she heard Cody was coming she was determined to be here.”

“No signs of anything happening? I mean contractions,” I probed to reassure myself.

“Yeah, all morning off and on. Don’t worry, I put her obstetrician on stand-by. I mean the hospital is only ten minutes away once we’re on the mainland and I paid Ronnie to stay here. Grant’s going to ferry your other guests across,” he muttered, nodding toward the patio.

I glanced down to the dock and saw Ronnie in his boat. “Talking of that,” I said, nodding at the water when I saw Grant’s boat coming toward us.

“Who are we waiting for? There’s only Cody missing,” Rick asked.

“And Delilah,” I muttered.

“Jesus, Lily must be stoked. I haven’t gotten to congratulate her on her release with Delilah. Three weeks at number one with XrAid’s latest single knocking their collab off the number one spot. Your woman’s on fire.

“Sly offered each of them a solo deal too,” I disclosed.

“Lily… solo?” Rick queried.

“Nah, she’s happy to stay with the band now there’s less friction. They’re cutting Delilah a deal though.”

“I bet Kieron bit her hand off to sign her,” Rick replied.

“No, she still has two… can’t play the kind of piano she does with one hand,” I joked.

“Ha, ha. Too fucking funny,” he drawled. He scratched the scruff on his chin. “What about you. Crakt Soundzz only has three one-night concerts at festivals confirmed in the next year according to Kieron. No tours or albums on the horizon?”

“Nope. We’re all happy with the extended break. Can’t get time back to watch my boy grow,” I explained. “I’m writing though. Being home with Lily has been a minefield of inspiration.”

Rick’s eyes scanned the room and settled on Lily. He smoothed down his beard as he took her in. “I bet.”

Guessing his mind had gone to the gutter, I punched his arm. “Stop perving on my wife,” I grumbled.

He chuckled. “I can look, can’t I?” he teased to piss me off.

“No, you fucking can’t. Your woman is about to have your baby any day now and your mind still went to the gutter.”

“That’s because it’s only my mind that’s getting any foreplay lately.”

I laughed. “Aww, poor Rick only has dick to play with.”

“Right,” he agreed. “Those fucking hormones of Coral’s appear to work both ways, hot and cold, and never in the same direction as mine.”

As if Coral knew we were talking about her she excused herself from Elle and made her way over to us.

“Hey, sweetheart,” Rick muttered in an immediate change of mood.

“I hate to do this to you, Rick…” she mumbled, placing a hand on his back. She rubbed as if she was soothing him, before delivering bad news.

“What?” He frowned.

“Maybe we need to leave now. These pains… I don’t think my uterus is practicing anymore,” she muttered. She wrinkled her nose then grimaced like she had another pain coming.

I glanced down toward the dock where Cody and two females climbed out of Grant’s boat. One I recognized as Delilah, but I had no clue who the small, long-haired brunette with them was.

Cody looked attentive as he handed the brunette back her purse, brushed her hair over her shoulder and took the woman’s hand.

“Cody’s coming,” I said, causing Coral to immediately straighten, twist her body and stare over her shoulder, pains momentarily forgotten.

“Maybe I have five minutes left in me,” she said, backtracking after blowing out a breath.

“I’ll see them in and be right back. Don’t have your kid on my bathroom floor,” I warned.

“Spoken like the caring soul you are,” Rick muttered sarcastically as I walked away with my son in my arms.

As I reached the patio door, Charlie began to wriggle and fuss when he caught sight of Lily. I beckoned her over with my head. “Lily,” I said, and nodded toward Cody, Delilah and Cody’s guest.

“Hm, it would appear Cody definitely has a type,” I muttered, noting that she looked a lot like Lily, if a little more tanned and a couple of inches taller.

“Look at you,” Cody said, stepping up onto the patio and immediately making a beeline for Charlie “It’s incredible… the difference a year makes,” he said, offering him his finger.

“It is,” I said. The guy was practically beaming. He glanced toward the woman with him and smiled.

“Isn’t he cute?” he said, asking her opinion.

“Gorgeous,” she agreed, smiling.

“And this is…” I questioned.

“Oh, shit, sorry, honey,” he said, apologizing to her first before turning to us. “Alfie, Lily, this is Alyna, my wife.”

“Wife?” Both Lily and I said at the same time. The room inside fell silent at our question, with all eyes wide with surprise, and focused on Cody.

My wife and I had followed Cody’s success as a solo artist, wishing him the best. We knew he’d already had a number one debut album and was about to release a second. However, apart from learning about his public persona, there had been little to nothing about his private life.

“How… when?” I asked, then flashed Lily a guilty look for sounding interested.

“Alfie, at least let our guests get through the door,” Lily admonished. “Hi, Alyna, it’s lovely to meet you,” she added, quickly minding her manners.

“It’s amazing to meet you. I’ve heard so much about you both… actually, all the guys in the band,” she disclosed, blushing.

“All lies, I bet,” I muttered, smiling. “Come, let’s get you guys a drink,” I said, placing Charlie down on the floor. “Hey, Delilah, we’ll catch up in a bit. Would you mind taking care of this little tyke. Vicky should be around somewhere, would you see he gets to her?”

Charlie went off with Delilah and I turned my attention back to Cody.

“Damn, he’s walking already,” Cody marveled.

“Two months ago,” I said proudly.

“Too quickly,” Lily countered. Despite all her fears about being a mom, her daily grumbles usually included the words ‘he’s growing too fast’.

“Let’s get you that drink,” I suggested, gesturing toward the pop-up bar.

“Married, huh?” Lily said, cutting straight to the chase before we’d even gotten there. My eyes narrowed as I studied my wife more closely to see how his news affected her. But, apart from a simple degree of curiosity in her expression, she didn’t seem affected.

“Yeah, almost three months now. Alyna prefers that our personal life is kept private.”

Personally, I was stoked for the guy, because it meant he was over his feelings for my wife.

“Good for Alyna. You’re a smart woman,” Lily said. “How have you managed to keep it a secret?”

“We eloped. Went to a courthouse in Montana. We flew back that day to Denver, as I had a performance that night.”

“No one has picked up on it?”

“No, but they’re about to. Alyna’s pregnant. Only just, mind you, almost six weeks now.”

“Congratulations,” I said, feeling a warmth in my heart for Cody that had never been there before.

“I’m so happy for you… and you, Alyna. You’ve got a good one here,” Lily disclosed, beaming about his news.

“Oh, I know,” she agreed. She glanced up at her husband and Cody immediately dipped his head close to hers. He planted a small kiss on her lips, but as she drew back, he went in for a second.

There was no doubt from the adoration in his eyes and the way he held her close the whole time we talked, Cody was all the way in, just like I was with Lily.

“It was love at first sight,” Cody admitted. “As you know, I wasn’t looking at all—wanted to get my head on straight, but wham! There she was.”

“There who was?” Rick interjected. “Sorry, dude, can you give us the Cliff Notes version of your story, Coral’s decided we’re going to be parents today.”

Cody chuckled. “I read about that. Congratulations. It would appear there’s something in the water in Miami.”

“Indeed, although there’s nothing watery about my swimmers,” Rick replied, winking. “Coral got pregnant first try.”

“Alyna, you know Rick Fars, the man needs no introduction, but this is one of his gorgeous partners, Coral.”

Coral forced a polite smile, let go of her belly with one hand and shook Alyna’s. “Coral, Rick, this is my wife, Alyna.”

Rick almost choked on his spit. “So I heard. Not that I was eavesdropping, these two were hardly discreet with your news.”

“Yeah,” Cody said. He grinned like he could hardly believe it himself.

“Isn’t it clever how blind people can behave like they see everything? The way you reached out and shook my wife’s hand…” Rick teased, as if Cody wasn’t a catch and Alyna was obviously blind to have married him.

“My husband is gorgeous,” Alyna replied, defending what Rick had said with a hand on Cody’s chest.

“I know, I’d do him. I’m only joking. Congratulations, sweetheart. You too, Cody. I never thought I’d see the day—”

“Okay, everyone. Let’s get this party started. I think I’ll ask the caterer to bring in Charlie’s cake,” Lily abruptly said.

I laughed at the relief on Cody’s face at Lily’s timely interruption, because I guessed she and Cody knew what Rick’s next topic might have been, namely how Cody had a long-time thing for Lily.

Now that Cody didn’t look at my wife like she could be his next meal, something told me, given time, we might even turn out to be friends.