“Just be careful,” Damian says. “Don’t let your dick make the decision.”
I shoot him a glare. “Fuck you.”
He chuckles. “You won’t be the first man to make that mistake.”
Somehow, I get the feeling he’s not talking about the male population in general. It sounds too much like he’s talking from personal experience.
The women exit the house, not giving me time to ponder the statement. Lina carries Josie on her hip and Violet is balancing a tray with snacks in her hands.
Making my way over, I leave my glass on the table to take the tray from Violet. While I help her to offload bowls of nuts, sliced fruit, and baby puree on the table, Damian takes Josie from Lina’s arms and secures her in a highchair at the end of the table. When Josh sees the snacks, he sprints over and grabs a slice of apple in each hand before going back to his bike.
Damian pours drinks for the ladies before installing himself next to Josie and feeding her the puree with the same meticulous attention he applies to running his diamond business. Lina keeps the atmosphere light, chatting amiably with Violet and asking questions about her new job that starts tomorrow, a subject they must’ve discussed in the kitchen.
After lying Josie down for a nap in a portable baby bed that Damian places in the shade of the tree, we sit down for lunch like a normal family on a lazy Sunday afternoon and not like the strangers we are. Not only did Lina make a big effort with the cooking, but she also goes out of her way to make us feel at home. She obviously has a good effect on Damian. He’s considerably more relaxed at home than he is at the office.
Josh is seated between Lina and Damian, but halfway through the lunch he pulls his chair next to mine. I can see why Damian is crazy about the kid. My brother and Lina have a great thing going. They made a home for themselves. Good for them. I’m happy for Damian. After everything he’s been through, he deserves his happiness.
When we clear the plates after lunch, Josie wakes. Damian carries her inside to change her nappy while Lina and Violet make coffee and Josh and I stay outside to play his new game. My gaze keeps on darting to the greenhouse windows and beyond them to the kitchen where the women are taking their time with that coffee. Violet contributed to the conversation politely and answered all the questions Lina posed, but she’s been tense all the same.
“Do you want dessert, Uncle Leon?”
I smile at Josh’s enthusiasm. “It depends. What’s for dessert?”
“Chocolate cake,” he says, making big eyes. “With icing sugar and melted chocolate on the top. Mommy let me lick out the bowl.”
“Is it good?” I ask in a conspiratorial tone.
“Yes,” he says, bobbing his head. “You’re going to love it.”
“Then we better go see where your mom is hiding that cake.”
He hops off his chair and bounces like a kangaroo to the kitchen. I can’t help the smile that splits my face as I follow in his tracks.
“It’s not easy feeling like the outsider,” Lina says just as I enter the kitchen. “But you’re family now.”
“Mommy,” Josh says. “We came to fetch the cake.”
Lina and Violet turn from the window to face us.
Lina offers me a smile. “Thanks for keeping him company. He was very excited about meeting his uncle.” To Josh, she says, “Then we better not make you wait, seeing that you finished all your food.”
“Yay,” Josh says, clapping his hands. Excitedly, he adds, “I’ll take the cake forks.”
“Thank you,” Lina says with praise that makes Josh puff out his chest.
When they disappear into a walk-in pantry, I go to Violet and put my arms around her. She tenses for a moment before relaxing slightly.
“Do you?” I ask, nuzzling her temple.
“Do I what?”
“Feel like an outsider?”
“No.” She shrugs. “I’ve always been an outsider.”
The phrase says a lot about her family dynamic, but it’s nothing I don’t already know. Gus had never been a real father to her, not like Damian is to Josh.
Just as I swoop in for a kiss, Damian walks into the kitchen with Josie in one arm and his phone in his hand.
His face is tense. “It’s Zoe. She’s had the baby.”
“What?” Lina shrieks, running from the pantry with a chocolate cake in her hands and Josh on her heels.
“Is it Auntie Zee?” Josh asks.
“It’s Maxime,” Damian says, bouncing Josie while he places the phone on a phone stand on one of the counters.
Lina leaves the cake on the counter and takes Josh’s hand, pulling him closer. “Come look. Zee had a baby. You have a cousin.”
I take Violet’s hand, tightening my fingers around hers. “My sister,” I explain. “She and her husband live in France.”
A man’s face comes onto the screen. Maxime, I presume. He looks simultaneously knackered and elated.
Spearing his fingers through his dark hair, he says in a heavy French accent, “It’s a boy.”
“Everyone is here,” Damian says. “Leon and Violet too.”
“Who?” Maxime asks.
“Our older brother and his wife.”