Page 96 of Incompatible

"You would manage either way. You always do. You’re the strongest person I know," I answer quietly.

He gives me a sad smile and says, "Wanna dance?"

The music is playing, and of course there is an area set up where anyone who wants to can go dance. A few of Bay’s cousins are there, swaying to the rhythm, jumping around and goofing off, and we join them.

We dance, we bounce, we have fun, and I feel this wild joy bursting through me even though neither Bay nor I are dance masters, but we do what we can to have a great time.

Later we sit and go through the presents. Bay’s are mostly things for his new house, and mine are more on the electronic side.

Bay’s dad comes up to me last, handing me a long, flat box. I open it and find a beautiful ivory chessboard inlaid with gold and silver.

"Thank you so much," I say, blushing, because it is truly a beautiful and definitely expensive gift.

Lake pulls me into a warm hug and kisses my forehead.

"Alex, I wish you all the best, health and happiness and joy, and congratulations on your eighteenth birthday. You’re stepping into the adult world now…"

This is my chance to tell him.

"I’ve been wanting to bring this up for a while, and maybe now is a good moment. Bay asked me to move in with him, into his tiny house. But I want to make sure you don’t mind."

Lake smiles warmly.

"Not at all. I believe you and Bay will make the perfect couple. Who am I to stand in the way of true love?"

"Thank you. I’m really happy I’ll get to live close to your family."

"In a way, you’ve been part of it from the beginning," Lake hesitates for a moment, then suddenly says, "I’m not sure if you know this, but Bay and you first met on the day you were born."

I blink. "Really? My dad never told me."

Lake clears his throat. "He probably doesn’t remember."

"Was it in the hospital?"

He raises his eyebrows.

"No…"

"I don’t understand."

He bites his lip. "Well, let’s say the circumstances were difficult." His tone is evasive. "But yes, we and your dad met when we were both in late pregnancy."

I stare at him in surprise, and his turquoise eyes seem a little uneasy, as if he regrets bringing it up.

"Why don’t I know that?"

"Umm," he hesitates, "maybe your dad didn’t want you to know the details, because of the tragedy that happened back then."

"I don’t understand. What happened back then? What tragedy?"

Lake pales a little. He looks around, and his gaze lands on my dad, who’s sitting not far from the grill, talking to Jordan.

"I really thought you knew this. I’m sorry. It’s not my place to talk about it. I never even told Bay all the details, because there was a lot of emotion tied to that situation and I didn’t want to put that on him, but I was sure your dad told you the basic story. Sorry if I said too much…"

I pull a deeper breath into my lungs.

"Dad never told me anything. All I know about my past is that my father died before I was born. I never had any contact with him."