Page 9 of Pieces into Place (Moonflower Cove Romance #16)
“You’ve already said that.” Alexis swallowed hard, crossing her arms over her chest. “Now, do you want to tell me why you’ve been lying to me about going to therapy?”
“I… I don’t know. It feels so stupid now.”
Alexis exhaled sharply, pacing the kitchen floor as she kept her eyes on the hardwood floor. Blake didn’t dare say a word; mostly because she still didn’t know what to say. After a few paces back and forth to the back door, Alexis finally stopped on the other side of the island from Blake.
“I don’t even know where to start because I’m still so mad at you.”
“And you have every right to be.”
“Damn right I do. How could you lie to me, Blake? I’m your wife . The mother of your kids. If you’re hurting, you tell me. You don’t lie to me then stop going to therapy. Because honestly, Blake, that scares the shit out of me.”
Blake narrowed her eyes at her, unsure of what she meant. Alexis continued.
“Don’t look at me like you don’t know what I mean. You know my insecurities. You know how my brain works. So when I find out you’re lying about therapy, it makes me wonder what else you’re lying about.”
“Nothing,” Blake adamantly shook her head. “I promise.”
“How can I believe you?” Alexis’s voice cracked. “I want to, but how do I know you’re not hiding something else?”
“Lex, baby,” she hurried around the island to Alexis but stopped short of embracing her, “I promise. I’m not lying about anything else. And if it’ll make things better, I’ll go back to therapy. I’ll call them tomorrow and get an appointment. I promise, Lex. I’ll do that for you.”
“I don’t want you to do it for me .” The pain in her voice was reflected in her face as well. “I want you to want to go to therapy for yourself. Because, honey, you still have so much to work through.”
Blake snorted an involuntary laugh, causing Alexis to arch an eyebrow at her.
“I know life handed you a shitty hand of cards, but you’re in control now of how the hand is played. You get to choose how you handle things. And frankly, Blake, you haven’t been doing great with that recently. ”
“What is that supposed to mean?” She could hear the anger in her voice, but didn’t apologize.
“How are things going with you and Isla?”
Alexis’s question hung in the air between them.
Blake didn’t know how to respond. She’d been promising Alexis she was working on things with Isla, but of course she hadn’t been.
And of course, Alexis had to know that. It was obvious to anyone who spent ten seconds with her and Isla that there was more baggage than at an airport between them.
“It’s been five years , Blake. Why don’t you want a relationship with her?
If Harper…” Alexis’s voice trailed off for a moment as she tried to compose herself.
“If Harper treated me the way you’ve been treating Isla, I honestly don’t know what I would do.
She doesn’t deserve this, Blake, and deep down, I know you know that.
Your father took you from her. What if someone took one of our kids away from you?
Imagine how that must have felt for her. ”
“I can’t… I can’t think about that.” Blake shook her head, unwilling to let that thought back into her mind.
“Well, maybe it’s time you do.” Alexis sighed, letting some of her anger dissolve as she took a small step toward Blake. “Because until you do, you’ll never be truly present for me and the kids the way we need you to be. The way this baby needs you to be.”
Placing her hands on Blake’s stomach, Alexis took another step toward her. There were tears in her eyes as she spoke.
“You’re hurting. I understand that and I see that. But you have to remember that I’m not the one that hurt you. And neither is Isla.”
“Then why didn’t she come after me?” Angry, hot tears flowed from Blake’s eyes no matter how much she begged them not to.
“I spent years thinking my mom didn’t want me because she could have come after me.
If someone took my kid, I’m going after them.
Why does everyone act like Isla hasn’t done anything wrong in this?
She lost custody of me and moved to a whole new town and started a new life.
Without me ,” Blake’s voice cracked. “What mother does that?”
“The kind who was twenty-five and didn’t have the money to fight a rigged system.
” Alexis paused for a moment, letting her words sink in with Blake.
“Isla did the best she could. I firmly believe that because I’ve known her my whole life.
I know how hard she fights for the people she loves.
And I know she didn’t just let Ben take you without a fight.
Maybe it’s about damn time you ask her about what really happened.
Because don’t forget, Blake. You only know the side of the story your father wanted you to know. ”
Alexis’s words hit Blake to her very core.
She hadn’t been called out regarding her relationship with her mother like that before.
Especially not by Alexis. Hell, she didn’t know Alexis was so passionate about her strained relationship until now.
After all, Alexis’s relationship with Isla seemed to be fine. Same with Vera.
“I’m going to go to bed. Why don’t you think about what I’ve said before joining me?” Kissing Blake softly on the cheek, Alexis turned to go to their bedroom. But not before saying, “I love you.”
“I love you, too.”
Blake let her words reverberate around her mind as the tears flowed yet again. She hated herself for being so emotional about everything these days. But it was clear to Blake that her estrangement from her family was affecting more than just herself.
And that made Blake sick to her stomach.