Her hair blew in the wind as she drove down the Pacific Coast Highway. The convertible seemed completely inappropriate given the gravity of the situation, but Alexis was forced to take what was available.
Truth be told, the fresh air felt good. Since the phone call she got this morning, she felt stifled and unable to breathe. Even now, with the smell of salt in the air, she felt closed in.
She briefly took her sunglasses off, swiping at the tears for what felt like the millionth time that day. Jax had volunteered to drive her, but she needed to be alone to gather her thoughts. Her head was filled with them at the moment, ever since the phone call at the lakehouse that morning.
She had been distracted. Kristina was arguing with her to allow Michael to drive them to school and Molly couldn't find her book report. She, meanwhile, was putting together the final notes for her case that morning.
When her cell rang the first time with a blocked number she ignored.
"Please Mom!" Kristina begged. "It's only a few blocks. What can happen?"
Alexis ignored her impulse to list the variety of things that went through her head. She opened her mouth to argue when the phone rang a second time.
"Mrs. Lansing?"
Alexis frowned and looked at the two unhappy children in front of her. "Can you hold for a second?" she asked the caller, not waiting for a response.
"Straight to school, no detours," she directed at Kristina. "Don't make it a habit."
"Check my desk, I looked over it last night," she said to Molly. 'Quickly though, I hear Becca's mom honking."
After the girls had left, Alexis returned to the cell phone she had left on hold, expecting the caller that she assumed was trying to sell something to have given up. "Hello? I'm sorry," Alexis said, half paying attention as she reviewed her notes.
"Mrs. Lansing…"
Alexis grimaced. "I'm sorry, I'm not interested in whatever you're selling and you should probably note that Lansing is my ex-husband…"
"I'm sorry," the caller stuttered. "I misread the notes I have here…"
Alexis let out an annoyed sigh. "I'm sorry to cut you short, but I have to be in court and.."
"It's about your husband, your ex-husband," she corrected. "I'm sorry Mrs. Lansing, but he's very sick…"
The rest of the call all seemed to blur together, although she caught a few words. Words like cancer and terminal.
She wanted to talk with him then and there but the nurse said he would be in treatment all day. That he requested Alexis be called. To make arrangements.
Ric wanted her to wait, the nurse said, but Alexis knew she could be out there before the end of the day. With a desperate call to Jax, who agreed to accompany her, and thanks to some help from Carly, who agreed to take care of the girls, she was able to get on Jax's private plane within an hour of the call.
A million thoughts were going through her head. Everything seemed to be rushing to the forefront. Memories -- both good and bad -- and fears of the future.
She didn't know how she got there but suddenly she was in the hospital's cancer ward. Through the window, she could see Ric sitting in the chair that she knew too well. Her breath hitched at the sight of his sick frame. Finally, gathering courage, she walked into the room.
They stared at one another, saying nothing.
"I should have known you wouldn't listen," Ric gave a half smile.