Page 64 of Karma
A car pulls into the driveway, and they turn to see Colt stepping out of the car, an angry glare shooting at Zane before he helps Calla from her booster seat. He hands something to Noah before walking over to them.
“Lucas, how about you go inside and get the kids set up with ice cream? We’ll be inside in a minute,” Lex says.
Having his father here makes him feel safe enough to leave Lex with her brother, and she kisses his temple before he helps gather the kids inside.
She reaches into her back pocket and extends an envelope out to Zane. “Here. This is what I needed you to stop by for.”
He stares at it for a few moments. “Lane.”
Griffin’s Beach
Zane
Standing near the spot where he almost killed Lex kicks Zane in the gut. As if that wasn’t bad enough, seeing his name onthe envelope in his dead wife’s handwriting about pushes him over the edge.
Looking towards the house where Lucas just walked inside with Noah and Calla, he shakes his head. “I didn’t even know.”
“Know what?” Colt asks.
“That you saved the kids you adopted.”
“You kind of had a lot going on at that time. Plus, you know, you hate me,” Lex says.
Her face looks more normal now, but she still has swelling and scabs. The way she moves shows just what kind of beating she took from Phillip. Even though he’d been there, he thought it was a situation where it looked worse than it was. Or maybe he just hoped it was the case.
“That should have been me.”
“What the fuck did you just say?” Colt asks.
Swallowing, he looks at Lex. “Lucas. He’s a good big brother, yeah? Both him and Noah?”
“The best,” Lex says.
“That should’ve been me.”
Hearing her scream when Phillip stabbed her rings in her ears as she shifts, clearly struggling to find a comfortable position. She’s lucky to be alive. They’re all lucky she’s alive.
He looks down at the envelope in his hand again, and his chest aches. Lex gave him a letter from Lane after the funeral, it was like a group of men stabbed him with knifes and swords as he read it.
“It’s the last one,” she says. “From what I saw at the hospital, I figured it was time to give it to you.”
His eyes sting as tears flood them. “You could have burned this.”
“I made a promise. Now that I’ve fulfilled it, we’re done.”
“Done?” He snaps his head up to look at her, praying she doesn’t mean it.
“You’ve made it perfectly clear that you don’t want a sister, and I’m done fighting for you to love me.”
“Lex, I know things have been difficult—”
Looking over her shoulder, she wears a smile. “I have a house filled with people who love me. Four children and a husband. It took me a long time to learn that you won’t ever love me. And it’s not my fault. I’m done trying.”
His lip quivers, but he keeps himself together. “You’re giving up on me?”
“I’m letting go,” she says. “I’m tired of always being dragged behind the car. You and VP both do it, and it’s time to release the bumper and lick my wounds.”
“I’m sorry,” he whispers. “I’m really sorry.”
