STRAINED MEALS ARE apparently becoming a thing for them. And a strain caused by Alex being on the edge of a panic attack isn’t any more pleasant than a strain caused by him lashing out at a kid at yoga class. As Alex picks at his salad and doesn’t engage in any of the stilted conversation Liam gamely tries to keep going, Paul wonders how much worse this is going to get before it gets better. He’s not sure why life after Iceland isn’t working for Alex, but it’s wildly evident that it’s not.
After Carly, Liam, Ali, and Vic go back to their house, Alex carries Claudia upstairs to her room. Paul follows. But instead of getting her pajamas on, Alex slumps down in the rocking chair. Claudia giggles when he starts rocking and grabs at the collar of his T-shirt. Alex smiles at her, but his eyes d
