Upside Down [mxm] [editing]

Chapter 17

Authors note:  I don't like doing these, but I'm going to retroactively add Samantha, Alex's little sister, into the book earlier after I finish.  But since I've decided to put her now in I just wanted everyone to know there will be more backstory.  Woo hoo for writing and publishing at the same time like a crazy person. 

For Alex, having the world crash down around his ears was much easier than dealing with moral ambiguity of being the other man in Julian's life.  An affair was filled with all the shades of grey which accompanied love when mixed with infidelity.  Getting caught prompted a whirlwind of decisions that were simply black and white. 

Once he'd gotten done bemoaning the state he'd found himself in, Alex ran through the mental list of things to do.  It wasn't a long list, and all but the last item took no more than half an hour.  A cold half an hour, but the cutting chill of the winds assisted in keeping Alex focused, preventing him from responding to Julian's many texts or phone calls.  It wasn't the time.  It wasn't the place.  He hadn't decided what he was doing yet.

Which led him to his last item.  The PR firm contacted and the crisis management team put together, Alex sat back against the exposed brick.  While wondering if he'd ever feel his ass again he called the only other person in the world he trusted - at least as much as he trusted anyone - his sister. 

"Hey."  There was that word again.

"Alex?"  The sounds of a bar in full swing pulsed into his ear, his sister's shout barely capable of being heard.

"Yeah."

"You okay?"  She must have caught his tone, even through the wind surrounding him and the pumping base enveloping her. 

"No."  It wasn't his intention to sound quite as pathetic as he did, but it had always been difficult for him to hide things from Samantha. 

"Uncle Patrick 'not okay' or you missed a sale 'not okay'?" In their relationship these were important distinctions.

"Somewhere in between." A particularly nasty gust of air whisked by. 

"Are you outside?"  Sam was still shouting, so much so that Alex had to hold the phone away from his ear.

"Yeah." At this like Alex assumed as much was obvious. 

"Why are you outside?" Confusion entered Sam's tone.

"Because I'm not okay."

"Oh."

"You're out."  Samantha had been a surprise baby, and was almost ten years younger than Alex.  He hated to interrupt her only because he needed someone to lean on. 

"Yeah."  She paused for a moment, Alex could almost hear the wheels turning in her head. "But I was getting ready to leave."

"Yeah?" Had he mentioned lately how much he loved his sister?

"You want me to come over?"  Sam was so good to him.

"Will you bring booze?"

"Sure thing.  Wine or whiskey?" 

"Both."  Making choices had been difficult for Alex lately, it was no surprise he couldn't decide on alcohol. 

"Let's not do that.  I'll bring whiskey."

"And cannolis."  For all that he fought for his figure, sweets had long been one of Alex's downfalls.

"Seriously?"  The thrum of the bass was fading as Sam made her way out of the bar.

"Yeah. Bring a dozen."  Eating his feelings seemed like a fine idea to Alex.

"I'm gonna bring six."