(no subject)

[grown_up_wrong]

Chapter Four

Chloe was just on the verge of dozing off, lying in the shade and listening to Anna and Gabrielle transform some leaves, sticks, acorns, rocks, and a stump into an elaborate dining room, when Lex got up and walked over toward her.

Standing over her reclining form, he stretched out a hand and suggested, “Walk with me?”

Chloe blinked, realizing that he was ready to have their serious discussion. After a just a moment of reluctance, she decided she was ready too. The girls were happily occupied for the time being, and Gabe and Stella were in lawn chairs just a few feet away.

The picnic had been a success, and they’d already been at the lake for almost three hours.

Now was as good a time as any for Chloe and Lex to talk.

Chloe took Lex’s hand and let him help her up to her feet. Then she kept her hand in his as she turned back to look at the girls. “Daddy and I are going to take a walk for a little while. Stay with Grandpa and Aunt Stella, and be good.”

The girls agreed distractedly, looking a little annoyed at being disturbed as they were trying to arrange place settings on the uneven tree stump.

Chloe walked with Lex for about five minutes, until they’d found an isolated, comfortable spot to sit on a large, dry rock next to the lake. Once they’d settled themselves, they sat in silence for a minute-slanting looks at each other from the corners of their eyes.

She’d been thinking about what she wanted to discuss with Lex for a week now. But she still wasn’t quite sure what to say.

“So,” Lex said at last, looking unusually casual in his gray T-shirt and dark trousers.

“So,” Chloe repeated, shifting awkwardly as she searched for a good way to begin.

Evidently, Lex realized what a hard time she was having coming up with the words, so he began the discussion himself. “I know I was out of town for too long, and I shouldn’t have kept saying I would come home but then delay even longer. And I know I’ve been working too much for the last few months. The negotiations in Tokyo were a mess, but they’re almost over now. And then I’ve also had a couple of other big projects . . .”

At least some of which Lex would never tell her about.

Chloe knew that he was occasionally involved in certain things that he would always keep private, keep secret. Some because it would be too risky for her to know, and some because he didn’t want to admit to her his questionable dealings.

Chloe had resigned herself long ago to not knowing everything about Lex’s business. And his secrecy didn’t happen to be the issue between them at the moment.

“There are always going to be messy negotiations or big projects,” she said mildly. “We’re going to have to figure something out to work around them.”

Lex nodded. “I know. The last six months have been atypical, but I can’t guarantee situations like these won’t happen again. I’m going to make sure I spend more time with you and the girls.” He had been staring out at the calm water of the lake, but now he turned to meet her eyes. “But I think this is about something larger than just my spending more time with you.”

“Yeah,” Chloe admitted, her stomach flipping a little in nervousness as she started to move into what she’d subconsciously known they’d needed to talk about for months. “I want you to spend more time with us, and I think you need to-for our benefit and for your own. But it’s not just about spending time.”

Lex’s face was composed and almost tranquil, but his eyes were wary and guarded. “So tell me what it is about.”

Chloe swallowed hard. Made herself begin in the only way she could think of, “I know, when I first got pregnant with Gabrielle, and then after she was born, you were really . . . worried about being a father.” She paused. Glanced over at Lex. Saw he was listening, his brows coming together in four little lines, as if he weren’t quite following her direction.

Clearing her throat, she continued, “I know how . . . concerned you were about becoming a father like your own father had been to you.”

Lex made a noise in his throat, and his expression shuttered abruptly. “Please,” he said thickly, “Don’t tell me that you think I’m becoming my father.”

“No,” Chloe burst out, her voice cracking and heart lurching at what she’d inadvertently made Lex believe. “No, of course not. How can you even think that?”

Lex let out a harsh exhale and turned his head to stare once more at the lake. After a moment, he breathed, “Sometimes, I’m still afraid that I will.”

Chloe shook her head urgently and put an arm around his shoulders. Squeezed him gently. “You won't, Lex,” she murmured. “You’re not like your father at all.” Rubbing her cheek against his shoulder, she added, “I’m sorry that all of this is bringing up so many old insecurities. For both of us.”

Lex was relaxing a little again, although she knew he was still guarded and careful. This wasn’t an easy conversation for Chloe, but it might be even harder for Lex. He didn’t say anything, but he wasn’t pulling away from her touch.

That alone was a really good sign, she thought.

“You’re not a father like your own father was,” Chloe continued determinedly. “I know how much you love those little girls. And they absolutely adore you. And you’re incredibly good with them . . .” She wanted to stop there. Wished she didn’t have to go on. But she’d resolved she wasn’t going to skirt the issue for once. So she concluded softly, “. . . when you’re around.”

Lex stiffened beside her again. She could feel the tension tightening in his body. “I can’t be around them all the time,” he muttered. “I can’t be around them as much as you are. I have to work.”

Chloe felt a pang of sharp pain slashing through her chest and belly. She knew Lex hadn’t intended to make it sound like she had it easy, like her lack of a career made things easier for her. Even after all these years, it still hurt that she couldn’t be a journalist, and the possible implication of his words was like a sudden blow. But she knew Lex hadn’t been trying to be petty or condescending, so she pushed her initial reaction back down.

“I know,” she replied, her voice breaking on the second word. “I’m obviously not expecting you to be around them as much as I am. But I need to feel-not just know-that we are just as important to you as your work is.”

Lex’s hand closed suddenly around her knee. “Chloe,” he insisted, “You and the girls are more important to me than my work. Surely you know that.”

She nodded and her face twisted as she tried to control her emotions, which were rising up, as they always did when anything got too intense. “I know. I know you say that. But I just mean that I need to feel it too.”

He was frowning now. “And what will it take for you to feel it?”

“You need to act on it,” Chloe explained. “You need to show it to us by your choices, and not just by your words.” She rubbed an impatient hand over her face, trying to find the right words. “I know how much you love the girls. But how are they going to know how much you love them if you don’t show them you do by the choices you make?”

Lex swallowed. He was starting to look a little defensive. “I tell them I love them. I tell them all the time. I hug them and am . . . affectionate the way my father never was with me. I have always gone out of my way to keep them from feeling as unloved as I was as a child.”

His words were so stiff and hoarse that Chloe wanted to cradle him. She knew how hard this was for him, knew how hard it was to put into words things that went so deep. Loved him for trying to do it now.

“I know,” she murmured, tightening her arm around him. “I know. And it’s so, so good that you do that.” Again, she wished she could stop there. Couldn't. Forced herself to choke out, “But if you keep choosing work over them, then eventually they’re going to think that your work is more important to you than we are.”

Lex’s face twisted briefly, before he composed it.

Chloe was close to tears now, and the words started to spill out in an urgent rush, everything she'd been thinking about this week pouring out before she could stop it. “I’m so scared for them, Lex. I can’t help but be so scared. They’re happy right now, and-although things aren’t always perfect-their lives are mostly stable and simple. But that’s not going to last. And pretty soon things are going to get a lot harder for them. It won’t be long before they’re teenagers.”

Chloe sniffed briefly. Couldn’t quite meet Lex’s eyes-afraid the expression there would shatter the control she had remaining. “They’re going to have to live in the spotlight, Lex, because they’re your daughters. They’re always going to be the center of attention. Always. They’re going to be rich, and popular, and desired.” Chloe gulped, tears burning in her eyes. “And they’re going to be beautiful.”

Quickly wiping away her tears, she twisted her trembling hands together. “And I’ll be damned if I let them become bitter, spoiled party-girls, who fill their empty days with cheap pleasure and shallow notoriety.”

“Chloe,” Lex began huskily, taking her shaking hands in both of his. “That’s not going to . . .”

Thinking he was trying to minimize her fears, Chloe shook off his hands and cried, “How do you know? It could happen! It could happen so easily. Because of who they are, it’s going to be so much harder for them than for other girls. If we don’t give them a stable, loving home life, if we don’t teach them that they’re significant for real reasons rather than for superficial ones, if we don’t show them what can really give their lives value and meaning . . . then they’re going to take all the opportunities they’re offered and look for meaning in money, or fame, or drugs, or sex, or, or . . .”

“Chloe,” Lex interrupted, grabbing her hands again. “Chloe, isn’t that what we’re doing? Isn’t that what we’ve always tried to teach them?”

“Yes,” she choked, her shoulders shaking as she still tried to fight back stupid tears. “Yes, that’s what we’ve intended. But so often it’s just me whose there to try to teach them anything. And I don’t know if I can do it. And I’m so afraid that, if they start to think that they’re less important to you than business, then their attitude toward men in general is going to get all messed up. And what if they start to think that they’re not good enough for men to really value? And what if they start to think that men will only love them if they look a certain way, or act a certain way, or do certain things . . .”

Chloe started to sob, visualizing her sweet little girls as rich, gorgeous young women, imagining the ways they might let themselves be used by heartless men.

Lex wrapped his arms around her and gathered her to him, holding her tightly as she sobbed. “Chloe,” he murmured thickly. “Chloe, that’s not going to happen.”

“How do you know?” she gasped, burying her wet face in his shirt. “It could. If you’re not around much, then it’s only me. And what if I mess up? I can’t do it alone.”

“You’re not alone,” Lex assured her, his voice sounding rather broken too. He curved one hand around the back of her head and tilted it up so she was looking up at him again. “I’m in this too. I’ll be around. I promise. You’re not going to have to raise them alone.”

“Really?” she asked desperately, something knitting together in her chest at his words and the absolute assurance in his eyes. “Because it’s easy to say that now, when you’re scared that I left and everything. But a few months from now, you might get caught up in work again, and then I’ll have to . . .”

He shook his head. “At times, work is going to have to keep me busy. But I’m committing to not being an absent father. Do you think that I’m any less worried about our daughters’ future than you are?”

“Of course, not,” Chloe mumbled, still clinging to Lex as her sobs began to fade. “I didn’t mean that. I just know how easy it is to get distracted. They love you so much, Lex. I don’t want anything to get in the way of that.” Sighing deeply, Chloe started to relax a little. “I was really insecure growing up because of my mom and, and . . . a lot of other things. I did some things because of that insecurity that I wish I hadn’t done. And I can’t help but think of how many more temptations and possibilities our girls are going to have. I'm so scared for them.”

She peered up at Lex’s face. “I don’t want Gabrielle and Anna to be insecure the way you and I were. I want them to always, always know that they’re loved, no matter what-that they’re loved every moment of their lives.”

Lex’s face twisted briefly with emotion. But then he nodded and gathered her even closer to his chest. “They are loved, Chloe. And we’ll make sure they know it. I’d never thought . . . I never wanted . . . I didn’t mean for you or the girls to ever doubt it.”

Sighing deeply, she just nestled against him for a minute. Then whispered, “I know. I’m an adult, so I can know you love me even when you’re being rather stingy with your time.” She flicked him a quick smile, so he’d know she was teasing. “But the girls . . . I just don’t know if it’s that clear to them.”

Lex brushed a kiss into her hair. “I’ll be around more, to make sure they know.”

A lot of the deeply rooted fear in Chloe’s chest was slowly easing into hope. But, after a few minutes of rich silence, she swallowed hard and made herself ask, “So, now that we’re agreed, how are we going to make sure . . .”

Her question trailed off, not wanting to sound like she doubted Lex’s commitment to spending more time at home, but also knowing how easy it was to intend to do something but let it slack, if there wasn’t a practical plan in place to work through it.

Lex seemed to understand all of this, even without her fully articulating her concern. “What if we made a schedule?”

Chloe straightened up, pulling away from him in the process. “What do you mean?”

Giving a little shrug, Lex stared off into the sparkling lake again. “I mean, we could agree that I would have a certain number of breakfasts with you and the girls a week-maybe three-and a certain number of dinners a week-maybe four. Something like that.” On his last words, he slanted a look at her that was almost sheepish.

Chloe blinked. “Really? That would be okay? I know there are legitimate work issues, and I don’t want to be too demanding or rigid in my expectations.”

Lex shrugged again. “Three breakfasts and four dinners a week with my family is hardly too demanding. And rather than being too rigid, I think a schedule would actually help to make sure I don’t unintentionally start to neglect you again. And maybe we could say I’ll spend at least one entire day-either Saturday or Sunday-with you. And more, whenever possible.” When he saw she was listening with interest, he continued, “If I’m not able to keep the schedule one week, then I’ll have to make it up the following week. I will have to go out of town sometimes, but if it’s more than a week, I’ll make arrangements to fly back to see you or else fly you all out to see me. And, whenever I take a trip, I’ll have to take some time off afterwards to spend with you. And . . .”

He was clearly on a roll, but his voice trailed off when he saw that Chloe had narrowed her eyes suspiciously as she stared at him.

“You’d already figured all of this out,” she accused him on a taken breath, something thrilling in her heart despite her heated tone. “You didn’t just think of all of these details on the spur of the moment. You had it all worked out beforehand.”

Lex shifted slightly, looking torn between amusement and embarrassment. “Of course. Do you have any idea how much I’ve been thinking about this for the last week? Naturally, we can negotiate the details, but I thought a schedule might be a good idea.” The corner of his mouth twitched a little. “I told you I’m good at strategy.”

Chloe collapsed into happy, relieved giggles, and she leaned against him affectionately. “Thank you, Lex,” she whispered. “A schedule is an excellent idea.”

They were quiet for a long time, and she could feel Lex relaxing beside her again. Then his arm went around her, not so casually this time. And he turned his head to press a kiss onto her temple, his lips soft but more purposeful than before.

She knew what he had in mind. She could feel how his body was beginning to tighten.

But she’d resolved not to be distracted today by sex, so she pulled away and made herself move into the rest of what she knew they needed to discuss.

“So, Lex,” she began resolvedly. “We’ve talked some about my worries and needs. What about you? I know our problems haven’t just been your fault.” She put her hand on his forearm. “Tell me what you want, Lex.”

Lex shifted uncomfortably, obviously not having expected this shift in dynamic. “I just want you and the girls to come home.”

Chloe shook her head. Squeezed his arm briefly. “No, Lex. Don’t do that. Don’t act like you’re undeserving. You deserve just as much from this family as me and the girls. For this to work, you need to tell me what you want, what you need . . . from me.”

Lex didn’t answer immediately. In fact, he sat for several minutes, staring out at the lake, his face occasionally working strangely, as if he were having a private struggle with himself.

Chloe let him think, let him work through whatever he needed to in order to open up enough to share this with her.

She sat beside him in silence, not even watching him, so he wouldn’t feel like she was pressuring him or intruding on his privacy.

Finally, Lex said, his voice a little stiff, “I need you to tell me what you want.”

Chloe experienced a surge of disappointment, since she’d really thought he was going to be honest about his needs. “Lex,” she began.

He shook his head. Interrupted. “I’m not being the victimized martyr. I mean, I need you to tell me.”

She didn’t understand immediately. Just stared at him blankly.

With a reluctant expression, he pressed on. “I know I should have known better than to take you for granted. But, despite the fact that I’ve been clueless, I basically came back one evening to find you packing your bags to leave.” He cleared his throat. “You were going through so many things, you were having so many fears and insecurities, and you’d never even told me.”

Chloe felt another stab in her heart-this one from a crushing sort of knowledge and guilt.

“I guess I’d known you weren’t happy with my being gone for so long,” Lex continued. “But I had no idea it had gotten to this extent. And I had no idea that you were feeling so lost and uncertain about your own role and identity. I’d thought you were happy being a wife and mother.” When Chloe opened her mouth to object and explain, Lex spoke over her, “I know you still want to be a wife and mother, but I had thought your worries about your career and your identity outside of our family was . . . settled.”

Chloe gulped. Mumbled, “It wasn’t.”

“I know that now.” Lex was looking at her with grave concern. “But I hadn’t known before everything completely blew up. If I’d known it before-if you’d shared that with me before-then maybe we could have done something about it sooner.”

Chloe restlessly rubbed her fingers against her scalp. “I know. You’re right. I should have told you a long time ago. It just . . . snuck up on me. I really thought I was happy. I mean, I was happy. But . . . just . . . little by little, it seemed like all I was doing was being a mom. And then I had less and less motivation to write like I had before, since it felt like I was just doing it as an empty gesture. And then, with you gone so much, it felt like I wasn’t even a woman anymore. Just a mom. And not even a hardworking one, since I don’t even have to clean and cook and everything. So it just built up until it seemed like I hardly even had a purpose.”

“So why didn’t you say anything to me? Was it because I wasn’t around enough?”

She gave a half-shrug. “Maybe a little. But it was my fault, not yours. I just have always felt so . . . petty, complaining about my life. I’m the wife of a billionaire who loves me, I don’t have to work, I have two incredible children . . . what the hell do I have to complain about?”

Lex rolled his eyes. “That’s the most ridiculous thing I’ve ever heard.”

“I know,” Chloe admitted, chuckling a little. “But, to begin with, everything was so minor that I really did feel ungrateful whining about it. And then, once everything started to build up into some real issues, then I just didn’t want to admit it to myself.” She reached up and stroked the back of his smooth scalp. “But you’re right, Lex. I should have told you. It wasn’t fair to keep you in the dark, and I know it made everything worse.”

She leaned over and kissed his jaw softly. “I’m sorry.”

He gave her a small, fond smile. “Thank you.”

For some reason, Chloe felt almost embarrassed. So she snuggled against him and hid her face in his shirt.

“So what do you think would make you feel more fulfilled?” Lex asked, after a lingering moment. “Do you want to try to start another career?”

Chloe sighed. Felt a faint twisting in her gut, a familiar loss that was years old now. “No. The only thing career I ever wanted was journalism. And I just can’t do that anymore.”

She paused, swallowing hard. She knew Lex still felt guilty about it. Although he’d never wanted to interfere with her career, she just couldn’t be a legitimate journalist and still be intimately connected to someone like Lex Luthor. Not in Metropolis, anyway.

When she saw the flicker of regret in his eyes, she hurried on, “It is okay, Lex. Even despite the difficulties, what I have with you and the girls is so much better than my career would have been. But I do still need to do something. I think writing is the next best thing.”

“And yet you stopped working on the new book.”

“Yeah,” she admitted. “I’m going to have to figure out how to commit myself to working on it. I want to-I just let it fall away. I haven’t figured out a good plan for that yet. I still need to think about it some more.”

Lex was watching her quietly. When she’d stopped talking, he asked in a low murmur, “Is there anything else you’ve been worrying about?”

Closing her eyes, Chloe groaned. “Oh, everything. It seems like I’m worried about everything. Last week, I got panicked that I was going to turn into one of those bitter wives of wealthy men: lonely, jaded, and bored. I've always been so determined not to be someone like that, but then I got afraid that it was happening anyway."

She paused. Licked her lips. Went on, "I want so much to be a good mom, and I want the girls to see me being . . . strong, for them, for you, and for myself. I want to show them that there’s joy and value in being a wife and mother, but I also want them to know that that’s not the only possibility for a woman. I want to show them that real love always means committing and working through problems, but I also want them to see that they-and I-don’t need to settle for less than we deserve, just so we can keep a man happy. I want to show them that a woman can be independent and stand up for herself, but also be loving and giving. I want to be a good example for them, but I just don’t know if I can.”

Chloe was tearing up again, but this time she didn’t dissolve into sobs. “I just don’t know how to do all of that. But I want them to see me be . . . strong.”

Lex made a guttural noise in his throat and pulled her into another embrace. “You are strong, Chloe. And the girls have already seen that. They’re always going to know that.”

She gazed up at him through blurry eyes. “Do you think so? I don’t think I’ve done a very good job lately, but I want to. I’m going to keep working on it. I want our girls to be strong too.”

“They will be,” Lex murmured roughly. “If we can do anything to ensure it, they will be.”

Chloe wiped her eyes on his shirt and burrowed against him. She felt a lot better. Felt like she’d said everything she needed to.

Almost.

Lex led into the last little thing, as intuitive as ever. “So, do you need to spend a few more days here, figuring out how you’re going to balance being a mother and having your own identity?” His face was stiff, almost diffident.

She swallowed over a new lump in her throat. “I’m so sorry, Lex. I think I need at least one more day.” When he glanced away, she hurried on, “It’s not about you, anymore, though. You know that, right? I want to be home with you, but I’m so scared that when I get there, I’ll just let everything slide back to the way it was, unless I have a plan in place. I just need to figure out how exactly I’m going to make myself commit to having a life of my own-one that’s not wholly defined by you and the girls.”

Lex nodded. “I understand. Take all the time you need.”

She knew that had been hard for him to say, and she loved him even more for it. “But I don’t want you to have to suffer because of me,” she insisted. “You should take the girls home with you. I’ll just be another day or two.”

Her voice cracked on the last word. She knew it was for the best, but she wasn’t sure how she’d make it through even a day without her babies, particularly at such an emotional time.

Lex seemed to be thinking hard. But finally he shook his head. “No. They should stay here.” Before she could argue, he went on, “I have to work late tomorrow anyway. They’ll be happier with you than spending most of the day with Sarah.”

Sarah was the nanny they’d hired after Stella quit and moved to Smallville with Gabe. Lately, however, Sarah had only worked part time, since Chloe was home so often.

“Are you sure?” Chloe replied, studying his face to see if there were any sign of his hiding his real feelings. “Because I don’t want to keep the girls away from you.”

He shook his head again. “I’m sure. And it will only be another day or two . . . right?”

“Right,” she assured him, leaning over to kiss the side of his mouth. “We’ll be home on Tuesday, at the latest.”

Lex relaxed for real and smiled at her. The sweet, intimate smile she usually only saw in the bedroom. “Good.”

They sat together, as close as they could get, for several more minutes. And, while there was still too much uncertainty for Chloe to feel perfectly happy, she actually felt peaceful for the first time in a really long while.

When she noticed that the sun was getting lower, she finally pulled away and stood up. “We should get back. It must be almost three already. Who knows what kind of trouble the girls are getting into?”

Lex agreed and they started back toward the spot where they’d been picnicking.

Before the girls were even in sight, Chloe and Lex heard what kind of trouble they’d been getting into.

To be more exact, they heard loud, piercing screams.

Meeting each other’s eyes in concern, Chloe and Lex hurried the rest of the way there.

When they arrived, Chloe saw their daughters at what was clearly the height of a fight. A real fight. A loud, angry, intense, dramatic, violent fight.

Both girls were screaming furiously at each other-the words lost in the torrent of extreme emotion. Stella was actually having to hold Anna back, as the little girl seemed to be trying to free herself to launch an attack on her older sister.

Gabrielle had never been as physical in her anger. Instead, she was standing stiffly beside Gabe, hurling insults at her sister, which were obviously intended to rile Anna up even further.

Chloe blinked, momentarily stunned by the passionate altercation. The girls had occasionally been reduced to this kind of intensity before, but usually Chloe was able to curb the conflict before it got to this point.

Now that it was, Chloe couldn’t immediately think of what to do.

Lex, however, was experiencing no such lapse. He took three steps forward and roared, “Enough!”

His voice wasn’t angry, but it was very, very loud.

The girls, who hadn’t even seen their parents approaching, immediately froze in shock at the bellow of their father’s unexpected voice.

Their screams catching in their throats, Anna and Gabrielle jerked toward Lex, their red faces momentarily uncomprehending.

Chloe took a breath of relief at the sudden silence, although she wasn’t foolish enough to think this was over quite yet.

It wasn’t. As Chloe moved over to stand beside Lex, Anna burst into hysterical tears and sat down with a thump on the grass. She was trying to gasp out words through her sobs, but all Chloe could pick out was, “Gabby . . . Gabby . . . sit . . . mean!”

Gabrielle could evidently understand these anguished wails better than Chloe. Her face was red and scowling and obstinate, and she glared at her sobbing sister without pity. “I was not mean!” she insisted loudly. “I was sitting there first. Anna pushed me! Daddy, she started it . . .”

While Gabrielle spoke, Anna’s wails had gotten louder. Her little face was just as red as Gabrielle’s was, and her blonde hair, which had been pulled into a neat ponytail, had gotten tangled into an off-center, tangled mess.

“Quiet,” Lex commanded.

Immediately, both girls broke their words off again, clearly intimidated by their father’s authoritative voice.

“I didn’t ask for explanations yet,” Lex continued, still speaking not with anger but with firm control.

Despite her sincere explanations to Lex about wanting to be strong earlier, Chloe was secretly glad that Lex was here to take care of this. Chloe had handled many fights before, but she was so drained and emotional at the moment that she wasn’t sure she would have done a good job of it this time.

Besides, a tiny, girlish part of herself-the part that still couldn’t believe she was married to Lex Luthor-still loved to watch Lex being a daddy.

Lex had glanced over questioningly to Gabe, who had stepped away from Gabrielle at the approach of her parents. When they’d arrived, Gabe’s face had looked stressed, but now he seemed to be slightly amused. He explained, “I believe it started over a dispute about who would sit on the best rock, as a chair for the tree stump table. I’m not sure how it got so out of control. We should have . . .”

“Dad,” Chloe interrupted. “Please. This obviously wasn’t your fault. The girls no better than to fight like this.” She gave Gabrielle, who was stewing, and Anna, who was whimpering, disappointed looks.

They both started to respond at once, with what were obviously attempts to blame the other one.

“Wait,” Lex said, raising a hand to quiet them again. “Gabrielle, you tell me what happened first.” When Anna started to wail, he talked over her, “You’ll get to tell your side too, Anna. Gabrielle’s going to talk first.”

Gabrielle sniffed and composed herself with admirable restraint for a six-year-old. “We were going to eat strawberries on our table.” She pointed out the tree stump that they had so carefully set up with leaves, sticks, and rocks. Pulling down the front of her green shirt, she continued, “I found the good rock to sit on. But Anna kept trying to take it. She always tries to copy me. And it was my rock. Then she scratched me!”

As proof, Gabrielle held up her bare arm, on which angry, red lines stood out in stark contrast to her fair skin.

Throughout this whole explanation, Anna had been visibly trying to hold back her indignation, so urgently that she was squirming as she sat on the grass. The only thing keeping her from screaming defiantly was her father’s stoic face, which she was staring at with big, blue, fearful eyes.

Lex nodded and turned to Anna. “All right, Anna. Now you can tell your side.”

Anna took a huge breath and knuckled her tears out of her eyes. “Gabby bosses me! She takes the best everything! She doesn't share. She said I’s too little! And then . . . and then . . . and then . . . she called me st-, st-, stupid baby!”

Reminded anew of the infinite outrage of this remark, Anna burst into tears again.

Chloe sighed, shaking her head at her angry, unhappy daughters.

Lex shook his head too. “It sounds like both of you were mean to your sister. I guess, since you wanted to fight instead of have fun, we’ll just have to go back to the house.”

At this dreadful news, both girls broke into anguished cries. Anna’s bawling was completely incomprehensible, but Gabrielle was choking out something like, “Strawberries.”

Lex’s face didn’t waver, despite his daughter’s pitiful pleas. “I know we were going to have strawberries, but you wanted to fight instead.”

Chloe’s heart was aching at the sight of her babies so obviously heartbroken. They’d had such a hard time lately, and they had been so happy earlier today. She almost couldn’t stand to take away the innocent fun they’d been enjoying.

But one look at Lex’s face made Chloe bite off her words. He was right. The girls shouldn’t be rewarded for fighting, no matter how guilty Chloe felt about everything. And she certainly couldn’t contradict him in front of their daughters. That would just confuse the girls even more.

“Let’s start putting things up now,” she said gently, putting a comforting hand on Anna’s blonde head. “It’s time to go.”

The girls both cried as they helped the adults fold up blankets and put the remaining food in the picnic baskets. At one point, Anna was sobbing so pathetically that Chloe couldn’t help but kneel down and pull her into her arms to comfort her. No matter how bad she had been, she was still her baby. And her baby was so terribly upset.

Chloe was just about to get up to hug Gabrielle as well, when Lex put a hand on Gabrielle’s shoulder. “Anna, why don’t you walk home with Mommy? And Gabrielle can walk with me.” Glancing over at Gabe and Stella, he added, “Maybe you two would like to take some time alone, after all of this excitement.”

Gabe gave Lex an amused but appreciative smile.

Then Chloe noticed Gabrielle staring up at Lex, with enormous, worried eyes and a slightly trembling lip.

Lex seemed to notice this too. He stroked her long red hair and said gently, “You’re not in any more trouble than Anna,” he assured his older daughter. “I just thought you might want to walk home with me.”

Chloe’s heart swelled up, almost to bursting, when she saw Gabrielle’s face relax and her blue-gray eyes start swimming with tears.

On the way home, Chloe had a long, earnest talk with Anna about scratching and pushing, ending by asking the little girl how she would feel if she’d accidentally hurt Gabrielle really badly.

Anna had whimpered at the thought.

When they got to Gabe’s house, Anna’s anger was completely gone and she was ready to apologize to her sister. Anna had never been able to hold onto a grudge for very long.

Chloe didn’t know what Lex and Gabrielle talked about. But, when they arrived, Gabrielle’s face was sober, and her hand was tucked trustingly into Lex’s.

In front of the house, the two girls faced each other in stiff awkwardness.

Anna spoke first. “I’m sorry, Gabby,” she said in a trembling voice. Somehow, she still looked adorable, even though her eyes were swollen, her face was smeared with dirt and tears, and her hair was an absolute disaster.

“I’m sorry too,” Gabrielle mumbled, shifting uncomfortably from foot to foot. She wasn't as sloppy as Anna was, but she was lacking her characteristic grace.

Lex and Chloe gazes met over their daughters’ heads. They shared a covert smile.

“Maybe you should hug each other,” Chloe suggested, giving Anna a little nudge forward. “Just so you know it’s all over.”

Anna, who had always loved to hug Gabrielle, stepped forward and put her little arms up obediently, with a look that was almost pleading. Gabrielle looked a little reluctant, but she sighed heavily and accepted the hug. Even put her arms around her little sister and squeezed a little.

When they pulled away, Anna was happy and relaxed again-her bad mood entirely forgotten. And, after a few minutes alone, Gabrielle had recovered from the incident as well.

They had a quiet, pleasant afternoon, then a cozy dinner. And they had the strawberries out in the back yard for dessert, much to the delight of the girls.

But, at seven o’clock, when Lex stood up and stretched, saying it was time for him to leave, the girls’ good moods erupted into hurt disappointment.

They’d all been sitting on the grass, but both girls got up when their father did. “Daddy’s leaving?” Anna asked, her mouth wobbling dangerously.

“I’m sorry, sweetie,” Lex murmured. “I have to go home so I can work tomorrow.”

“Is it because we were bad?” Gabrielle mumbled, hiding her twisting face behind the fall of her red hair.

Chloe made a choking noise, her heart surging up into her throat.

Anna stumbled over to Lex and clung to his leg. “I won’t be bad, Daddy. I’m sorry.”

Gabrielle nodded earnestly and looked like she wanted to hug his leg as desperately as her little sister. “We’ll be good. We promise. Please don’t go.”

Lex’s face broke momentarily from the pleading of his daughters. He lowered himself to kneel beside them. “No,” he said thickly. “No. I’d never leave because you were bad. I just have to work tomorrow. Please, don’t cry.”

Chloe’s shoulders were shaking-the emotion of the day simply too much for her. And the sight of her husband trying to console their sad, confused daughters because he had to leave them was more than she could bear.

No matter how desperately she wanted a little more time to figure out how she was going to work out her new resolves, she just couldn’t do this to her family.

She was just about to open her mouth to say that they could all go home with Lex, when Lex beat her to it.

“I can stay tonight,” he murmured, his voice gravelly as he struggled with emotion. “I’ll stay here tonight. I would never leave you because you were bad.”

He had both girls in his arms now, and both of them were crying-their sorrow transforming into relief. Chloe was on the verge of breaking down herself, but she figured poor Lex didn’t have any room in his arms for another weeping female. So she managed to hold herself together.

When the storm died down, they all piled on the couch and watched an animated movie, all of them too tired to do much else.

After they’d finally put the girls to bed, Chloe closed the door quietly, feeling Lex standing directly behind her in the hallway.

She was so exhausted she was ready to slump to the floor.

When she turned around, Lex was watching her with a kind of quiet tenderness. “You're tired. I’ll sleep in the den again,” he murmured.

Chloe didn’t even have the energy to speak. Just shook her head. Silently took Lex’s hand.

Led him into her bedroom for the night.