Page 37 of Vex

I’m supposed to be at Taja’s by now for the party, but I’d promised Pooh to help him seal his driveway today. We’re nearly done, so I’ll be on the road right after I shower and change.

“You mentioned nomad a while back. You still thinking about that?” Pooh asks as we work side by side.

“No. I’m not going anywhere.”

“Glad to hear that, Vex. I would’ve hated to see you go. You deciding to stay have anything to do with Taja?”

“Yeah, it does. Before we hooked up, I was frustrated with being hung up on her. It wasn’t like me, and I didn’t like the change. Made me angry. We worked together almost every day, became friends but that was it. I wanted more, but I didn’t too. I thought leaving would solve the problem for me. Sucked having to sort my head out but I have,” I answer him honestly.

“She speaking to you after the money thing went down?” Pooh asks while aiming a grin at me.

“Yeah, we talked it out. Waiting to see if our fuck-up will have consequences or not,” I reply with a glare at his grin.

“And if it does?”

“I’m okay with it. I’m not as scared about being a dad as I thought I would be. I might suck at it though. Didn’t have much of an example growing up,” I explain while giving a rare glimpse into my childhood.

“Me neither but I love Craig like he’s my own, and I can’t wait to have more with Pippa. If it helps, I look to Petey when I need advice or a great example. And Gunner now that he has his girls. The jury’s still out on Axel. Alexia might become the poster child for psychotherapy with him as her father,” Pooh says with a snort of laughter.

“Fuck you, Pooh! I heard that,” Axel sputters indignantly.

“I meant for you to hear it you eavesdropping bastard,” Pooh admits freely.

I look up to see Axel standing by the edge of Pooh’s driveway, holding his tiny, newborn daughter Alexia. She’s swaddled in a Harley Davidson baby blanket and is wearing a pink stocking hat with cat ears attached. I set down my broom and walk over to peer at her sleeping face. Brushing my hands off on my jeans, I reach out and take her miniature form carefully from Axel and rest her against my shoulder. I love her baby smell and brush my lips across the fine hair peeking out from her cap. Looking down, I see her tiny mouth pucker for a moment before relaxing again. I feel a tug on my heart and know this little one will always be surrounded by love.

“Looks like you have another female admirer, Vex,” Bailey says as she comes to a stop next to me.

“Like he needs another,” Axel says, rolling his eyes.

“How come Gunner could produce twins and you couldn’t Axel? Your swimmers take the slow bus?” I taunt.

“My swimmers are superstars. Gunner’s just a show off,” Axel states.

“How much maternity leave are you taking Axel?” questions Pooh.

Axel snorts before answering. “Paternity leave. Starts with a “P”. Paaaaaa-tern-ity. Say it with me, Pooh.”

“She’s beautiful, Bailey. You’ve done good, woman,” I tell her while ignoring Axel. “How’re you doing, honey? You’re a new mom and have Axel to deal with. Must be tough.”

“Let’s just say that little Alex is less work than Axel,” Bailey replies while wrapping her arm around Axel’s waist and grinning up at him.

“Not true. And how come no one asks me how I’m doing? Dads matter too, you know,” Axel complains.

“How’re you doing, Princess A?” Pooh asks in a polite, concerned voice.

“It’s too late to care now, you bastards. But since you asked, I’m exhausted. The pregnancy was long and Alex gets me up several times a night. It’s worth every second though, and I’m rocking this fatherhood shit,” Axel tells us before reclaiming his daughter and stalking toward Ava and Gunner’s house.

“Postpartum hitting him hard?” I ask Bailey with a laugh.

“Yeah, I think so. He’s exhausted. Other than breastfeeding her, I never get to hold my own damn daughter. I’ve changed one diaper so far, and Axel stood over my shoulder coaching me on technique. At this rate, she’s going to grow up thinking he’s both mom and dad,” Bailey tells us with a huge grin.

“She’s gonna be a daddy’s girl and that’s not a bad thing,” Pooh states.

“No, it’s not. Especially when she has a dad that loves her as much as he does,” Bailey responds softly.

After finishing Pooh’s driveway, I shower and speed off to Taja’s house. Walking around the corner of the house, I see a lot of people of all ages enjoying the day. I spot Taja, standing near the grill with Suki, and head that way.

I can’t explain why I do what I do next, but it just feels right. Maybe it’s from having just held Axel’s little one, maybe it’s because I care about Taja more than I want to admit. But when I reach her side and she looks up at me, I just act.

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