“I did, all in all. What about you? What was your childhood like?”
I relaxed, letting my mind wander to the past. “I had a great childhood. Kari was born a few years after me, so I always had someone to play with. Dad always worked a lot, but he would take us with him into the office sometimes on the weekends and let us ‘help’. Mom stayed at home and made dinner, did laundry, all of that stuff. Our house was always decorated for the nearest holiday. That kind of thing.”
“Was she a lot like you?”
I sighed. “I hope I’m like her. She was stronger than me, that’s for sure. She always knew what to do, what to say. I always feel so unsure.”
“Some of that probably comes with age, don’t you think?”
“Maybe.”
We sat quietly, watching the lights twinkle.
“You know I think you’re really fucking strong, right? I’ve never known anyone like you. Every woman in my life, besides my grandmother, has always been weak. Needy. Wanting shit from me or someone else if they had something better to offer. But not you. ”
I shrugged. “I can get things for myself. I don’t need a man for that. I don’t need a man at all, actually. I just want someone around to enjoy things with, to laugh with, to look forward to things with.”
I watched him smile to himself as he looked across the city. “I’m glad you opened up a little and told me things about you.”
He turned to face me, shrugging. “It must be the air out here making me act all dumb.” He scrunched up his face, making me giggle. “I don’t really know why I told you all of that. You’re just really easy to talk to and this place just brings back so many memories. I don’t have anyone to share them with but Max. And he’s a dipshit.”
I pulled my legs up beneath me. “I’m glad you have this place to remind you of your family. I hate that they are all gone.”
“Yeah, well, my grandma used to call family ‘the tie that binds’. I never understood that until my dad passed away. It’s okay most of the time. I stay busy with work and working out, things like that. It’s just my normal. But holidays and things are lonely.”
“I’ve never been alone on a holiday, so I can’t even tell you I understand how that feels. But it must be awful.”
“Yeah, it does suck a little. But I don’t have to buy gifts, so that’s a plus.” He laughed. “I’m always invited to Max’s family stuff, but they are this huge southern family and all touchy feely and not really my speed. Those are the times I wish I still had my family around. I remember when my dad was alive how that felt, just the thought that someone would love you no matter how much you fucked up. And I fucked up a lot, as you can imagine. But there was a safety net built by blood. I miss that.”
“You can have your own family someday, you know?” I threw that out there, hoping that it was something he could hold on to and look forward to.
“Yeah, maybe,” he smiled. “It would be a shame not to carry on the Alexander name. We are Alexanders!” He shook his fist in the air and laughed at himself.
I looked at him like he was crazy.
Cane laughed. “Grandpa used to say that. Our last name means ‘strength’ in Greek. He used to say we were naturally stronger than other people. It was our namesake. So when things got hard, we had to remember that it was a time to get stronger, add to our name.”
“That is kind of hysterical.” I tried not to laugh.
“He was something, Grandpa Ben.”
“I think you’re something, Cane Alexander.”
“You do, huh?” He suddenly flipped me onto my back. “I’ll show you a little something …”
CANE
“Say that again.”
I slid my sunglasses on my face as I threw the Denali in drive, things becoming a total clusterfuck.
“It’s a fuckin’ pond out here, Cane. It’s a disaster.”
I tore out of the parking lot of Alexander Industries, heading for Queen Creek.
“For fuck’s sake! What in the hell happened?”
I heard Max shout to someone before he came back on the line. “Looks like someone pierced a couple of the exposed waterlines last night. Everything is soaked. Water is literally running down the fucking street right now. The City is here and they’re pissed.”
I groaned. “Did you get it stopped?”
“Yeah. The cuts have been saddled and the water has stopped, but it’s still a mess, man.”
“First things first. What’s the City saying?”
“They are mad as hell. We have water and mud flowing down fucking Ocotillo Road.” Max shouted again to someone else. “You are going to want to let me handle the City.”
“What’s that supposed to mean?” I flew onto the freeway towards the East Valley, my foot even heavier than usual. “I’ll be there in twenty minutes.”