Sweet Hope

“Axel’s quiet, don’t say much at all. Keeps to himself. I actually kinda feel sorry for him. He’s always on his own.” I leaned forward to pat Lexi’s hand. She squeezed my fingers. “But Levi… Levi’s just angry all the time. And it breaks me seeing him this way… both of them this way. Axel tries to speak to Levi, he’s really trying to make amends, but Lev just explodes if he does. It’s hopeless.”

“And what’s wrong with him today? It’s Austin’s debut for the Seahawks. I thought he’d be excited. And they’re playing Reece’s team too, so he’ll get to see him again.”

“He is,” Lexi answered, “but Axel’s due here any minute. Austin wanted Axe here so bad he begged him to show up. It tore me apart seeing how excited Austin was that Axe was gonna finally see him play in the NFL. That husband of mine hero-worships his big brother. Even after everything they’ve gone through, he loves him to death.”

“Axel’s coming here today?” I asked in a wary voice, my eyes widening. I instantly felt uneasy. I’d never met the guy or even laid eyes on him, but I knew he was nothing but trouble with a capital T. Shit, he’d just gotten out of prison for Christ’s sake.

Lexi nodded. “Like I said, Austin wanted Axel here. And credit where credit’s due, Axel’s really trying. He’s keeping out of trouble and his head down. He’s working at this fish market the prison organized as part of his parole, all the hours God sends. But even still, Levi just can’t forgive him yet. I think he’s afraid to trust him and love him like he needs, just to have Axel fall back to his old ways. Levi’s lost too much too young. I think he’s trying to protect his heart from more pain. But I want them to be a family again so bad. I’ll do anything to make that happen, for all their sakes.”

As I listened to my little friend, I felt a swell of pride fill my chest. She’d conquered so much from being so young, brought herself back from the brink of death, twice, managed to become a successful business woman by helping others suffering from eating disorders, and now, she was desperately trying to pull together a group of brothers torn apart by years of nothing but acts of selfishness and grief.

The three of us were sitting in silence when Lexi’s cell phone beeped. She looked down and moved to get to her feet. “Axel’s outside. I’m going down to meet him. I’ll bring him up here to watch the game.”

Lexi walked across the suite to Levi and tapped him on the shoulder. Levi moved the headphones from his ears. “Axel’s outside, sweetie. You wanna come and get him with me?”

Levi’s eyes frosted with venom and, putting the headphones on his head, he said, “Just fucking leave him out there, Lex.”

Lexi’s shoulders sagged, and without looking Molly’s way or mine, she left the suite to meet Axel.

I blew a long breath out of my mouth, and Molly shook her head. “It’s a mess,” she said, and taking a sip of my champagne, I nodded in agreement.

“So tell me all about the ins and outs of this gallery you’re designing. It feels like it’s been forever since we’ve had a real chance to catch up.”

“Well…” I started and launched into the goings on of the last few weeks and the ups and downs of constructing the Elpidio show.

Too busy talking to Molly, my back to the entrance of the private suite, I didn’t see Lexi walking in behind us until Molly’s golden-brown eyes looked up over her glasses and she adopted a nervous expression. Twisting in my seat, I saw Lexi in front of me.

“Ally, Molly,” Lexi said, and I stood from the couch, seeing someone enter the suite in my peripheral vision. Suddenly, my cell rang from inside my purse, and I saw it was the museum.

“Sorry, Lex, let me take this,” I said and rushed to the far side of the room out of sight. The call ended up taking ten minutes, a carpenter stressing about the measurements of a plinth he was building.

Walking back into the room, my gaze got lost at the screaming Seahawks crowd on their feet and the cheerleaders running on the field. I headed to where Lexi sat, seeing her pixie face turn to me. Lexi immediately got to her feet, and I saw Molly raise her eyebrows toward a guy sitting behind Lexi. I could hardly see him as he sat in a dark corner, just his bulky arm propping his head up on the arm of the chair visible from where I stood.

“Sorry about that, darlin’,” I said. “I’m on the clock twenty-four-seven at the minute!”

“No problem,” Lexi said and motioned behind her. “Ally, I’d like you to meet Axel, Austin’s older brother.”