Pieces of a Life

By some miracle the clouds cleared up by the early afternoon and it was the first time Leila had really seen the sun since she’d left California. She didn’t consider herself a California girl, but she did like the sun—it was warm and happy, it gave her otherwise fair skin a healthy glow. Sunshine made it impossible to be in a bad mood. Alex saw the clear blue of the sky outside and got an impish smile on his face.

“Let’s go out, Lei.” He grinned at her and stood up. Leila blinked. She was comfortable, now extending her body across the couch and watching Say Yes to the Dress, punching Alex in the shoulder every time someone cried. Her game was clearly annoying him, which is why he wanted to go out and do something. She began to complain, but he cut her off. “You can cry about it in the car,” He turned off the television and got his keys. “But we’re going out today.”

“If you have any class, Gaskarth,” Leila folded her arms snootily and fought a smile. “You’ll take my car.” The smile developed slowly. She could see the excitement swell on his face. Her father had a garage full of luxurious, beautiful cars. Leila’s first and only car was an Aston Martin, a timeless, completely gorgeous and sleek vehicle that she was a little intimidated to drive. It was so opulent. Alex loved driving it though, and he’d driven it numerous times. The key was still on Leila’s key ring. Alex grinned back at her as she jingled the key.

“Well, if you insist.” He looked like a little kid on Christmas morning. Leila stupidly didn’t think that this would mean going back to that house.

Alex parked in the driveway, behind a shiny car belonging to some relative or other. Leila huffed. “Why are people still here?” She whined, slinking down in her seat.

“I don’t think they’ve divided the estate yet, Lei,” He told her gently. “They haven’t read his will.”

She could put the pieces together. The rest of her family was just stalking around her fathers’ lawyers, predators going in for the kill, waiting to hear what slice of the pie they got. Hoping Leila wouldn’t show up for her share. She scrunched up her face at the cars of her extended family, luxury cars that were still classes below the cars in her fathers’ garage.

Absently, Leila murmured, “I bet he gave you the cars.” The idea came into her head and left her mouth in the same instant. Her father loved Alex. George had tried to buy him a car for his birthday one year because he drove Leila around so much, but Alex’s mother had a fit. So the black Land Rover became Leila’s, too, and she took it to school rather than her Aston Martin. She knew she was asking to have her cars keyed by taking them to school, but no one touched them. But knowing her father, she’d bet he left Alex his own chunk of estate and a pick of any car in the garage.

Alex didn’t reply to her statement. He avoided eye contact, actually, and exited the car to give Leila the cue that she should do the same. She took out her keys as they made their way across the driveway and allowed them entry into the garage building. And there were the cars, George Willows’ glorious collection of the best cars money could buy. The Land Rover meant for Alex was the most modest. Leila saw her car down at the end, the Aston that Alex drove more than she did. They were quiet in the large building and Leila clutched her keys in her hands, glancing at Alex if only to see that he was still there. He was already looking at her, more scientifically than anything. Studying her face, mannerisms, the way her expression changed depending on where her eyes fell. Sometimes all she wanted was just for him to pull her into him and put his arms around her safely and securely. But she didn’t want to have to tell him to do that. So she dropped her keys in his hand and they got in the car.

“I wish I had on some wicked shades right now.” Alex joked. He hesitated as Leila chuckled and buckled her seatbelt. “Will anyone freak out when the garage opens?”

Leila shook her head. “They won’t even notice, I can promise you that.” He nodded, starting the car and opening the garage.



There was traffic as they drove into Baltimore, of course, because there was always traffic in a city. It was just an inevitable thing. So they sat in the car and waited, talking about what they were going to do. Well, Leila tried to, anyway. Alex kept making her play this stupid game.

“Okay,” He said eagerly. “Joe Biden, Mel Gibson, Howard Stern. You have to fuck one, marry one, kill one. Go!” He looked at her, grinning stupidly.

“Ugh. Alex why do you keep doing this?” Leila sighed and leaned her head back. “I try to ask you legitimate questions and you just keep doing this.”

“It’s fun, Leilabelle!” He smacked her leg. “Someone certainly put on their whiny pants this morning.”

Leila groaned in frustration, Alex still looking at her with excited expectation. “Oh my God, fine. Kill Howard Stern, marry Mel Gibson…fuck Joe Biden. I can’t believe you just made me do that.”

“You’d marry Mel Gibson?” Leila shrugged, replying, “Well, it wouldn’t last long.” Alex laughed and nodded.

“Okay, you big jerk, my turn. Rosie O’Donnell, Oprah, Joan Rivers.” Alex groaned.

“You’re cruel, Leila!” He heaved a sigh, looking out the windshield. “I can’t answer, I’m focused on driving.” He smirked to himself. Leila gaped at him.

“No fair!” She punched his arm.

“Hey! No attacking the driver!” Alex yelled, hooking his arm around Leila’s head in a headlock. She squealed and tugged to get out. Alex just gave her a noogie with his other hand, quickly letting go of the steering wheel. “Apologize!” He demanded.

“Never!” Leila continued to struggle. Traffic was slow moving, so Alex had all the time he wanted. “Alex, my head’s in your armpit!” She cried.

“Should’ve thought of that before you assaulted me.” He mussed up her hair. She tried to bite his arm, but only drooled on it. “Ew!” He laughed.

“How come you can’t answer my game question while you’re driving, but you can wrestle me?” She blew her hair out of her face to glare up at him. He messed it up again and patted her head.

“It was self-defense.” Alex shrugged. “If you’d just apologize I’d be more than happy to let you go.”

Leila made a whining noise, but gave in. “Fine, fine. I’m sorry, Alex. I apologize.” She blinked, waiting.

“Apologize for what?” He grinned.

“Ugh,” Leila groaned. “I’m sorry I punched you in the arm while you were driving. I love you. Okay?”

“Aw!” Alex gave her head a squeeze, then released it. “I love you too!”

They were quiet for a while in the stop-and-go traffic, and Alex glanced sideways at Leila for a second. She just seemed so much different to him. He’d gone years without seeing her and now, spending all this time with her…well, things were just different. And he wasn’t quite sure how to handle them.

“You know,” he found himself saying. Leila turned to look at him. “I didn’t even recognize you when I saw you at your dad’s wake.” Leila gave a small smile. Alex laughed nervously, looking sheepish. “Oh, how do I say this. I…I almost hit on you.” He messed with his hair, anxiously. “Rian talked me out of it. I didn’t know it was you.” He added quickly.

Leila laughed and smirked at him, raising her eyebrows. “You’d try and pick up a girl at a wake, Alex?”

He chuckled and exhaled a breath slowly. “Well, you looked damn good. Thank God for Rian though; saved me a huge embarrassment.”

“Because you’re not embarrassed now.” Leila giggled, slightly flattered but finding it more funny than anything.

“Not as embarrassed as if I’d hit on you! God, Leila, could you imagine?” He laughed.

Leila laughed. What would she have done? It would’ve been funny. Uncomfortable, but funny. Did he really think she looked that good? Well, she wouldn’t bug him about that. Alex drove into a parking garage and Leila held up her hand.

“Wait,” She cautioned. She wrote down the car’s mileage on a piece of paper before getting out. “My dad always did it—can’t be too careful, I guess.” She said when Alex gave her a curious look. Then she took the key and approached the garage attendant.

“This is the mileage on my car as of this very minute. Sign this.” She handed the paper and pen to the man, who was a little startled but obeyed. It was his job to deal with cars, and he probably dealt with luxury cars on the daily, but Leila was strict because she’d been taught that way by her father. “If there is one tenth of a mile more than I put on, I will come for you. Do you understand?” Leila narrowed her eyes. The man nodded. She stared a second longer and dropped the key into his palm, walking away with extra attitude in her step.

“That was certainly a show, drama queen.” Alex mumbled, putting an arm around her waist.

Leila tossed her hair jokingly and laughed at herself, giving Alex a quick squeeze of a hug. She wouldn’t admit it, but she was glad he made her come out and do something. She didn’t do many things to make herself happy. Honestly, she hardly felt like a real person. More like a drone or a robot or a Stepford Wife, really. A wind-up ballerina. She put up a fight about doing anything out of her routine and comfort zone, but she always ended up happy. That was a big deal for Leila. He knew how to make her feel alive when she forgot.