99-Public Privy
**XAVER**
Halfway home, Pippa has to make a pit stop. She insists I pull into a Mc Donald’s so she can pee and get some coffee.
She hurries inside, her chin tucked to her chest as the wind flattens her hair with its gust. I admire her shapely form until she is inside, then stare out the windshield at nothing, lost in my thoughts of the weekend and how well it went. How my parents fell for her almost as fast as I did.
Which is a damn good thing. I didn’t want a repeat of how they treated Sonia. Polite but only just, even after they found out about their first grandchild.
And as much as I wanted to keep things light, I had asked Ma why she didn’t care for Sonia.
She pursed her lips and told me, *“I don’t want to speak ill of the dead, Xaver. All I will say however, is that Sonia rubbed me the wrong way. Pippa is nothing like that.
She is a kind, considerate human being and your father and I will welcome her into the family when you are ready.”*
That made me so damn glad. It makes the stunt I have planned for Paris look brighter and brighter.
I am pulled from my dreams by the ringing of my phone.
“Hey, Ma.”
“You don’t sound like you’re on Bluetooth. Are you home already?”
“No, we had to stop. Pippa wanted a cup of coffee.”
“Oh! I should have sent a Thermos along with you.”
“That’s fine, Ma. We’ll be home before it gets cold.” Judging by traffic, I doubt it, but I can wish.
“Xaver, honey. Pippa left her scarf over here.”
Damn. I’d brought her that from Chile. It has the same plum color as her coat, mixed in with turquoise and gold. My cheeks warm remembering how she’d thanked me for it.
I remove my mind from the images to get back to the conversation.
“I’ll have Alfonso pick it up when he gets back.”
“Pippa and I discussed having dinner with you all next week. I can bring it then.”
“Really?” I say, genuinely surprised... and yeah, pleased. I love that my parents are planning things with us...with *her*.
“Yes. She said Thursday would be best—you don’t have any late meetings then. She said she would make her chicken curry. Even your father sounded enthusiastic about it.”
I almost said “really” again. Pops normally avoids “foreign food”.
My heart swells with pride for my woman. Given time, she can win anyone over.
“Okay. That sounds good.”
“Here, hold on. Your father wants to talk to you.”
I almost hang up. I had enough of him during the weekend.
Pops comes on the line. His normally stoic tone, pleased. “We also called to say we are happy for you, son.” Ma garbles out some sentiment in the background.
“Thanks, Pops. That means a lot.”
*Maybe he will let it go.*
“Well, that’s it. Except for one more thing.”
*Fuck! He is going to say it...*
“Don’t break any more beds, son.”
I cut off their bawdy laughter by ending the call.
*Old Farts.*
They never told Pippa a thing, but every time I was alone with one, they made all sorts of comments.
Well… Ma not so much, but Pops… he *definitely* did.
*Your Uncle Jack weighs a good 380, and he didn’t break the bed. Imagine the force...*
*Had that bed for years. It’s only good for kindling now...*
*Can’t even give it to Goodwill. They will know what goes on in this house...*
And on and on. I was glad when the festivities ended so we could get the hell up out of there.
I don’t even have time to put the phone down before it rings again. Thinking it’s them, I answer without looking to see who it is.
“Xaver? Xaver?” Gia whines.
I snatch the phone from my ear to make sure Ma isn’t up to some trick.
No, it’s Gia all right.
“Why haven’t you returned any of my messages?”
I sigh. *Might as well get this over with.*
“We are talking now. What do you want?”
I twist in my seat to make sure Pippa’s not on her way back. I want some lovin’ when we get home and not having a fight over some ex.
“I need to see you.”
Keeping the phone in my hand, I press two fingers to my temples and rub.
“I’ve moved on, Gia, and so should you.”
“Yes, I know,” she growls and I can just see her teeth clenched. “With that PA of yours.”
*How does she know?*
“Julia has told me all about her. Don’t deny it.”
“I’m not.”
“What does she have that I don’t?”
“She’s human, for one thing.”
“What?!” Gia screeches.
I chuckle.
*That was really a good one, Sayle.*
“You’re an arrogant ass, Xaver Sayle.”
“Yeah? I’ve been told that once or twice.”
*I don’t know why I’m baiting her.*
On the verge of hanging up, my finger hovers over the red button. I halt when I hear her say, “I learned something about that PA of yours that will wipe that smug smile right off your face.”
*There is nothing Pippa hasn’t told me.*
Then why is unease creeping into my bones?
“Okay, Gia.” I say, my heart racing as I battle with the disquiet. “What?”
“I’m sorry to be the one to tell you, but you *aren’t* the King Stud you think you are. You weren’t the father of Sonia’s baby… *Craig* was.”
My chuckle is as fake as Gia’s sympathy. “You are lying, Gia.”
“I’m not, but it seems your PA is. Why don’t you ask her? She has known the truth for weeks.”
****
**PIPPA**
I had to wait an eternity in line and then again for the server to make a fresh pot of decaf.
It has been hard, but I have given up caffeine for the babies.
Not for the first time, worry grabs hold of my heart.
*I should be happy. I am healthy. The babies are fine…*
But I can’t be secure in my joy without knowing how I stand with Xaver.
“Miss? Your coffee is ready.”
I smile at the freckle-faced teen. After grabbing my coffee from the tray and dodging a few scampering kids, I head out the door.
The air wraps its fingers around my body. Normally, this coat, the one Xaver gave me, keeps me very warm.
Not now.
The wind has a bite, and it chomps down hard.
I jog to the Mercedes and, switching the coffee to my other hand, I open the door.
Sinking into the warm seat, I place the coffee in the cup holder and twist to grab the seatbelt. After clicking it secure, I look up.
It’s not good.
Xaver looks at me like I’m a stranger. An ugly, dark expression that shifts from disbelief to fury and back again.
“What is wrong?”
I already know.
His frosty stare tells me he wants to destroy me.
And I have brought it on myself.