A Missed Opportunity

7

"Noah, focus." Alex quickly calls for me when he realizes my mind is wandering. And when it wanders, I'll forget what I was telling him. He's terrified of this. Probably because it happens to him every day with Aaliyah. He can't stand an unfinished thought.

I clear my throat and look back at him. "Okay—No. That's not what this is about." I answer his question from before. "No, what I'm talking about is her final straw."

"You mean when you crashed on her couch for a month then sold all her shit for alcohol money while she was out of the house trying to figure out how to get your license unsuspended for you?"

"Stop interrupting me, Alex." I harshly demand. "I don't need your fucking help."

He scoffs. "You're going so slow. Just get to the point already."

"I mean when I made all her friends go away." I finally get to what I've been trying to say, speaking fast so he doesn't interrupt me. Luckily, he doesn't go again. I'm silent for a moment just to be sure though. "I slept with them and then ghosted them." I remind. I'm sure he knows it very well though.

Alex stares for a long moment before his eyes slowly narrow. "Kiara." He says her name like it's a curse. I look away from him in an attempt to escape his scowl.

He reaches out to shove my shoulder to get my attention again. I'm quick to look back at him and take a short step back. "Hang on, hang on. I can explain." I offer, realizing I should've kept going before I paused.

Remind me to never use the art of the dramatic pause around or for Alex. He sucks at receiving it.

"She just made her friend, Noah." He sneers, growing angry on her behalf since she's not here to do it herself. "Do you know how excited she's been about this? To make a new girl friend all on her own?" He questions, following me when I take another small step back. "You couldn't keep your dick in your pants for ten goddamn seconds?"

"It was a long time ago." I blurt out desperately before he decides to possibly hit me. He looks like he wants to. He lets me go on. "We met in a bar and ended up checking into a hotel." I vaguely explain. "Seven years later, she shows up at Elaina's birthday party." I shake my head softly. "Neither of us thought we'd ever see each other again. You never do!"

He sighs deeply. "Fine." He accepts, I guess deciding that I have a point. "What's she got to do with...this." He waves his hand in the direction of the gifts still clutched in my hands, reminding himself of why we're talking about this in the first place.

I swallow thickly. I haven't actually told anyone yet. I have a hard enough time acknowledging it out loud much less talking about it so openly. "They're...for Cameron." I mumble as I look down at the gifts.

"Cameron? What, her kid?" Alex scoffs. "No fucking way. Just leave her and her kid be—Forget about it and let Aaliyah have her friend."

"Cameron's seven, Alex." I remind, in case he doesn't know his age.

He stares some more, this time for a longer time. Eventually, he shakes his head. "You're reading too much into it." He decides confidently. Basically, what I had thought in the moment.

"She told me." I counter. He shakes his head more as he looks away from me. "I'm supposed to meet him this weekend." I add awkwardly.

"Shit, Noah." Alex raises his hand to drag it through his hair. For a second, I squeeze my eyes shut to brace for impact. Luckily, he doesn't decide to smack the shit out of me like I probably deserve.

"Yeah." I quietly acknowledge. Then slowly raise the unicorn plush and the bracelet. "So...which one?" I slowly try to smile.

He stares like I've lost my mind, but ultimately nods to the bracelet. "He carried that thing around the park like it was his one and only." He reasons.

I nod and set the unicorn back where I found it. "That's what I was thinking." I agree.

He's silent for a moment longer while he watches me go back to scanning different toy shelves. "Thought you said you didn't want kids." He mumbles.

I look back at him and shrug softly. "That was before when I had a choice to plan it." I reason. If I could help it, I didn't want to try my hand at it. But I can't help it now. And I can't step away when I already know he's out there.

"Aaliyah's gonna hate you."

"Yeah." I softly smile to myself as I reach for a shark stuffed animal up top.

It's a battle between her and him then. I don't want to lose my little sister again, but I can't let myself be that asshole deadbeat dad either. I won't.

Alex sighs deeply. He reaches for a couple of walkie talkies on a different shelf. "I mostly liked these." He offers. I hum quietly as I take them from him.

"Yeah, me too."