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15.

"Okay, so there's the number for the pediatrician," Bradley pointed to a post-it note thumb tacked to the bulletin board. "And I already told the school you'd be taking her in on Monday morning. What else...what else," he muttered aloud, running a hand over his beard, "don't let her talk you into ice cream after dinner every night. You know she'll try to. And please, Ma, not too much tablet time. She's been addicted to that thing lately." Pursing his lips, he turned to his mother. "Are you sure this is okay? I could always ask Karl if he and Donavon wouldn't mind--"

"Bradley, relax, would you please?" Gloria touched his shoulder, "I've managed to keep two children alive for over forty years, I'm sure I'll be able to handle our Lea for a weekend."

"I know you can handle it, Mom, it's just me." He sighed, glancing in the direction where Lea was playing with her dolls. "I haven't left her for the entire weekend since she's been born. Guess I'm a little apprehensive."

"Oh honey," Gloria reassured him, "she'll be in good hands. You just go and enjoy Las Vegas." She poured herself a second cup of coffee. "It's so exciting that you'll get to see Stefani perform."

At her name, he smiled. "Yeah, I can't wait."

"And you're meeting her parents." Upon seeing his tightened expression, she patted his hand comfortingly. "Don't be nervous, sweetheart. They'll absolutely love you, I just know it. You said you got to speak to them on Stefani's birthday, for a bit?"

He nodded. "Via FaceTime in the morning before I left for work. I didn't get to talk to them for long, but they seemed really nice."

In truth, her father hadn't look overly thrilled to see him there, but she'd explained that it was his way to be immediately suspicious of any new partner of hers. The knowledge didn't exactly soothe his nerves about a face to face meeting.

"Do you have a minute before you have to leave for work?" Gloria's words were casual but as soon as she said them, he'd inwardly groaned. A minute was never a minute with his mother and whenever she had to bring something up, it was usually serious.

"Sure," he led them over to the dining room table and it wasn't lost upon him that the last time she had wanted to speak to him about something, it was to address her concern that he'd broken his sobriety.

"Is this about going to Vegas?" He asked quietly, looking to ensure Lea was still engrossed with playing. "Do you think I'm going to be tempted to drink? Because if that's what you're worried about, I promise you, Ma, it's not an issue."

Gloria shook her head, "no, no, I'm not at all concerned about that, Brad. To tell you the truth, I haven't even thought about it. In fact, since you and Stefani have been together, I worry about you drinking again, less and less. There's always been a connection between your unhappiness and alcohol, son. The two seemed to go hand in hand but now," she smiled, "you're the healthiest and happiest I've seen you in a very long time. And I can't help but believe that some of it is her doing."

The sentiment touched him and he reached out to cover her hand with his own. "She makes me want to be better. She and Lea, both."

"I'm happy for you, honey." Taking a pause, Gloria looked at him. "There's something else, though."

He sighed. "Sorry for side-tracking. Please, go ahead."

"Kari called me a few days ago. She's very upset, Bradley. Now she didn't go into any details, only that you and Dave have had some sort of falling out and you haven't spoken to him since Lea's party. She told him she's tried speaking to him but he's refusing to make amends."

"Shit, I wish she hadn't gotten you involved," he pressed his hand into the tabletop. "It's not a big deal, Mom."

"You and Dave have been friends since college. I'd say the fact you're no longer speaking to each other because of what was probably some silly misunderstanding is a big deal."