Page 7 of Accidental Baby Daddy

Chapter 3

Lexie

When I arrived in Dallas, I realized that the only phone number I had was my sister’s, and I was loath to call her. At least not yet.

Instead of calling her from one of the few remaining pay phones in the airport, I went to the gift shop and bought myself one of those prepaid phones. It took nearly the rest of my money, but it would come in handy.

I neglected to buy myself some clothes because it was either the clothes or the phone. By the time I took a very expensive taxi to Wagontown I was sweating, with only a wrinkled five-dollar-bill to my name tucked in my bra.

As the taxi pulled away, I stood in the quiet heart of my hometown, the soft glow of streetlights illuminating the familiar scene. Main Street looked much the same, the old diner’s neon sign flickering and the vintage movie theater marquee advertising a double feature. The scent of jasmine from Mrs. Thompson's garden filled the air, mixed with the distant hum of cicadas. Shadows played on the worn facades of the quaint shops, each one a piece of my childhood. Despite the years I'd been gone, it felt likeWagontown had been holding its breath, waiting to welcome me back.

I knew I should call my sister but I didn’t know if I could bring myself to do it. Gillian was six years younger than me, and my parents had always favored her.

And why wouldn’t they? She was the golden child. She got good grades and did well in sports, while I hid inside books, always escaping to fantasy worlds and getting by with a C average. I had started to work harder from the moment she was born, wanting my parent’s affection, aching for it, fighting for it. But it didn’t work. Although I was doing better, that was what I was expected to do, so my efforts were often overlooked.

And I resented her for it. I really did. It wasn’t fair, but I couldn’t help it.

I tucked my new phone into the small pocket of my wedding dress’ skirt and started to walk. I didn’t know where I was going until the Pig in the Poke came into view.

God, so many memories there. I’d thrown up in that bathroom too many times to count whenever I got too drunk, my friends holding my hair.

Friends that I hadn’t talked to in years.

I walked inside and began looking around before I knew what I was doing.

The pool table where Oliver had first kissed me. The end of the bar, where Oliver had ordered us a round of cheap tequila shots and we had almost spit them out. It made me a little sad yet nostalgic at the same time. Some part of me almost expected to see him here, but surely he wouldn’t still be around.

I walked up to the bar and chuckled as the bartender’s eyes widened.

I knew I looked a mess, my makeup streaking fromsweat, my very expensive wedding dress wrinkled and dirty, pieces of my hair sticking out of the braid it was in with tendrils falling over my face.

I huffed the hair out of my face and awkwardly put myself on the bar stool, stuffing my dress beneath me.

“I really need a drink but I only have five bucks. Any way there's a happy hour so I can get a shot?”

The bartender winced and shook her head. “Unfortunately not but I could get you a beer?”

I nodded gratefully and slid her the wrinkled, damp bill that I took out of my purse. “Keep the change. If there is any.”

She smiled. “What’s your poison?”

“Anything light.”

“I’m Brenda,” she told me, sliding the beer to me.

I took a long sip, instantly grateful I got beer rather than a shot. I was thirsty, and a shot wouldn’t have helped that.

“Lexie,” I told her, and it felt strange to say that after having been Alexandra for so long.

“Nice to meet you, Lexie. Where you from? Not around here, I’d wager.”

Brenda had long dark hair, a touch of grey around the temples. I guessed her to be in her forties. She was friendly and very attractive. I bet she made great tips.

“You’d be wrong,” I said, taking another long sip of my beer. “I’m from Wagontown. But you are not.”

“I'm a city gal, myself.”

“How did you end up here? It’s barely on the map.”

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