There are three things I dislike the most about life. One being the fact that I can't eat Nutella everyday without getting fat. Two, being the skinny people who can eat Nutella everyday without getting fat and three, being stuck in ridiculous, overflowing, peak hour traffic when you have to get somewhere.
The smoothie I decided to buy on my way from work is completely finished. I've managed to chew the striped straw completely and crush the plastic cup into a million different shapes, but the traffic still hasn't moved an inch further forward.
"Come on Grandma!" I'm sure the chunky lady couldn't care less about my frustration while she stops to give way to every car trying to cross our lane. I swear she's looked back at me more than once with a dry smirk on her cracked old lips. "You have got to be joking."
At this rate, I'll never get to Lacey's school awards. I can almost see her small face begging me to hurry up. For a five year old, she's awfully good at being bossy which is trait she must get from her Mom. Arnica's been known for that personality trait since she was barely two years old, I've been at the receiving end of that bossiness for nearly fifteen years and still am today.
Sam's name appears across the screen of the car, I knew he'd be the first one to call me.
"Hi Sam."
"Hi Sam? What do you mean 'Hi Sam?' Where are you? The assembly starts in ten minutes! Do you want to explain to Arnica why you're not here yet? Because I do not feel like getting my balls cut off today and trust me, she's been threatening some very terrifying things."
"I'm coming, I'm coming" I answer quickly. "I promise I'll get there as fast as I can."
"You better, we can't have both you and Xavier being no shows."
"Xavier's not there yet?"
"No and we can't get ahold of him. Do you both purposely try to make yourselves as busy as humanly possible?" He sighs and I know he has a right to. I've been so busy with work lately I've barely seen anyone, including Xavier who seems just as stressed out as I do at the moment. Although I can't be sure, lately our conversations consist of 'goodnight' and 'have a good day.' Although sometimes it's not even that, since I go to work early and he gets home so late.
"I'm sorry, honestly I'll be there in five minutes and I'll try get ahold of Xavier, I promise I'll be there."
I end the call as quickly as possible, finally cutting in front of the old women who doesn't hesitate to pull a plump finger, or blow her overly loud car horn at me.
The echoing sound of ringing repeats throughout the car as I wait for Xavier to pick up, drumming my fingers against the wheel I pull into the schools carpark. The call keeps ringing, continuously until it reaches his short, blunt voicemail that says nothing but 'Black, leave a message.'
I don't bother leaving a message, I doubt he'd look at it anyway. Instead I grab my phone and run, in six inch heels and a tight pencil dress that could only ever be suitable during work. It's not quite as suitable for running through the hall of an assembly filled with young children and proud parents.
"Am I late?" I ask quickly, taking a hasty seat beside Sam who sits beside Tom and Arnica, beside Arnica is Noah who has a smiling Rosie on his lap. Emilie, who is now one is sitting in her pram looking as adorable as ever with her chunky cheeks and thighs.
"Exactly two minutes early" Arnica ensures me as I lean back and sigh happily. I made it. "I can't say the same for your fiancé though, where is he?"
"I don't have a clue" I look at Noah suspiciously. "You work with him, do you know?"
"He left this morning but he didn't say where" He answers casually, glancing down at the watch on his wrist. "He'll arrive eventually."
"Eventually isn't great Noah, Lacey will be devastated if he doesn't arrive" Arnica replies stubbornly. "I'll kill him if he's late."
"Just leave him be" Noah says firmly, surprisingly me. "He's got enough on his plate without you mothering him, he'll arrive when he arrives."
This surprises all three of us and completely stuns Arnica, Noah's never short with her. I glance at him, what does he know that's going on that I don't? Probably lots, the amount Xavier tells me about the gang is almost zilch. When I ask, the answer is always the same 'Everything's going fine.' Whatever that actually means I have no idea but I've given up trying to find out.
"Awkward" Sam mutters quietly under his breath, earning an elbow in his side from Tom whose stuck beside a now quiet Arnica.
"Daddy will it start soon?" Rosie asks impatiently, totally unaware of our quietness as she tugs her Dads shirt. "I'm really hungry."
Noah nods, not surprised by her statement. "It'll start soon Princess."
Her statement doesn't surprise me either, I think I passed on my gene of constant hunger to her.
A short man with large shoulders and tiny legs moves to the top of the stage, he must be the principle. This means the awards are about to start, but I haven't heard a single thing from Xavier still and my phone is completely bare of any sign of messages from him.
"You know if he doesn't arrive, Arnica will probably castrate him" I glance at Sam, who has a smug smile on his lips as he leans towards me. "I'd pay to see that any day."
"He'll arrive" I don't know whether I'm trying to make him believe me, or if I'm trying to fool myself. Neither option is working.
I can see Lacey through the crowds of school kids sitting cross-legged on the floor, her long, blonde and curly pig tails stand out from the rest of the group and can never not make me smile. She turns back slightly, grinning widely when she sees us and returning the small wave I send her. I can see her eyes search for Xavier beside me and the small frown that falls on her lips when she doesn't see him anywhere.
"Xavier's gonna be in her bad books for a while" Sam mutters, he's never been good at staying quiet for long and one of the Mothers in front of us turns round to glare at him. She hushes him loudly as he rolls his eyes.
"It's a free country Medusa, I have gay rights."
"Sam!" I scold quietly, sure her hair is large and wild. Plus her scary, ice cold face makes her look slightly similar to the terrifying Goddess but still, saying that out loud in a schools assembly won't get any of us anywhere good.
"She started it."
"Shh" another person, this time a women behind us hushes him loudly. Loud enough for the whole hall to hear. I try not to cringe as he turns around to face her. Everyone should know not to start things with Sam, he's to opinionated and flamboyant to be messed with.
"Can you not be so loud please?" He asks, voice dripping with fake sweetness. "I'm trying to watch my niece get her award and she's much cuter than your kid, plus my husband could totally kick your ass."
"Sam" this time it's Tom who pulls him back round by the collar of his shirt to face the front. "Shutup before you get us all kicked out."
"You know I love it when you get all rough and demanding with me Tom."
"Oh God" I grumble, trying not to gag as Sam winks at him. Just when this couldn't possibly get any worse.
Thankfully, Sam gets the message and shuts up after a few minutes of smirking at me and focuses on what's actually going on across the stage. I hear the back door open and close before quick footsteps make their way down the aisle towards us. I already know who it is, half an hour later than he actually should be.
I can feel him sit down beside me but I don't look at him, even though I can feel his heated gaze burning against the side of my cheek as he leans towards me.
"I'm sorry babe, I got stuck in a meeting."
I glance at him, immediately regretting when I do. His hairs styled back off his face perfectly, not a strand out place. His dark eyes look down at me, softening like they always do when he knows I'm mad at him. He looks like an innocent puppy with those eyes, which he definitely is not.
"It's not me you need to apologise to" I try not to look at the way the dark suit compliments his perfectly tan skin or moulds onto his toned body, sculpted from hours in the gym. "Arncia's going to castrate you for being late, be prepared."
He smirks, not helping my serious face stay in tact when the dimples appear on either side of his cheeks. "You and I both know I wouldn't be the only one disappointed if that happened."
"You are not charming your way out of this one Xavier, you promised you wouldn't be late. You could've at least called."
"I didn't get - "
"Lacey Black." Xavier's cut off by the principle, who can barely finish saying her name when Sam whistles loudly, followed by Noah.
"You go girlfriend!" Sam calls, turning back round to smirk at the same women again who doesn't look pleased as he does.
Her small frame walks shyly across the stage to get her certificate, a large grin lighting up her entire face when she sees Xavier now sitting beside me.
I try to hide the small smile that makes its way to my lips as he screws his face up at her. He playfully pokes his tongue in her direction and she giggles, returning his facials, running off the stage with a final shy glance towards us.
I feel like I'm about to get married to two Xavier Blacks. The serious gang leader with the stone cold personality and the playful, caring Xavier who I couldn't possibly imagine as a scary leader of criminals.
Either way, both Xavier's have something in common. The intimidating height of nearly 6'6ft and confident authority I've never been able to have or attempt to pull off. There's something about him, I'm not sure if it's a mixture of everything or something in particular. I can't put my finger on it but everyone sees it, including the women who all openly drool over him whenever he walks into a room.
"Did you see me! Did you see me!" Lacey waves the golden certificate as Noah scoops her up in his arms after the assembly. His proud smile says it all, never did I ever think Noah could be such an incredible Father.
"You were amazing" Arnica smiles, taking the award from her fingers. "This will definitely be getting framed and going on the wall."
"I vote we get ice cream to celebrate" Sam declares, earning an eager nod from both Lacey and Rose. "Uncle Xavier's shout since he came late!" Xavier throws a look at Sam, who simply grins.
"Auntie Gracie" Rosie tugs my dress, her much littler toddler frame is a lot easier for me to lift up than Lacey's. "What kind of ice cream will you get?"
"Hmm" I tap her nose playfully as she wraps her arms around my neck. "Chocolate."
"I love chocolate" She answers, her eyes widen just at the word. "Can we get the same kind of ice cream?"
"Of course we can Rosie Posie."
*
"Come on Sam" Tom groans, the pair stand in front of Xavier and I. Like they have been for what feels like the last three hours.
Noah, Arnica and the girls have already got their ice creams and are waiting in the booth for Sam. He's been staring at the flavours menu since he walked in, which feels like hours ago now.
"Don't rush me, I can't decide between pistachio, or rum and raisin."
"Those are both horrible flavours, just get chocolate or vanilla like a normal person."
"Tom" Sam turns to him seriously. "I love you, but if you can't respect my taste in ice cream our marriage is not going to last for much longer."
"Why don't you just get both of them?" The frustrated teenager behind the cashier suggests. "You're allowed up to three flavours."
"Do you not know anything about ice cream?" Sam asks. "Pistachio and rum and raisin clearly don't go together. Are you even qualified to be serving me my ice cream?"
"Dude, I just dropped out of college."
"How am I supposed to make a proper decision - "
"Sam you either pick a God damn ice cream, or I'll shove all the flavours into a place that will make you never want to eat it ever again."
Sam takes one glance back at an annoyed Xavier, who stands beside me, before looking forward again quickly.
"Raspberry please."
I can hear the sighs of relief of the line behind us. "Do you know what you want?" I look up at Xavier whose already staring down at me, we haven't done anything like this for so long. I feel like I've barely seen him in the last couple of months.
"I always know what I want, but it's a delicacy only I'm allowed and might not be appropriate right now with this many kids around."
"You're disgusting" I grumble, not forgiving him so easily for being half an hour late to his nieces awards. I'm given away though, by the blush that still never fails to meet my cheeks, even after seven years of being with him.
I of course order the triple chocolate fudge delight while Xavier orders fruit sorbet.
"I don't know what you're doing with your life" I tell him, he lifts his eyebrows at me as he hands me my ice cream. "Who orders fruit sorbet from an ice cream shop that offers three different kinds of chocolate ice cream all together?"
"I think you and I look at chocolate ice cream with two totally different perspectives."
"Chocolate ice cream is my life" I tell him, for probably the millionth time in our relationship. "I don't know how you aren't addicted to it like I am."
"I'm addicted to other things" he whispers closely, hotly, before he sits down innocently by Lacey. I narrow my eyes at him, taking a seat across from him on the other end by Noah.
"Well fam" Sam declares. "We made it to Friday, Lacey got a super, duper, awesomely awesome award and I got ice cream, cheers to a great day all round."
"Chee -" Xavier's cellphone cuts us off and I meet his gaze, pleading him for once not to take a work call while we're doing something with our family.
"Sorry, I have to take this. I won't be long." He stands and walks away from the booth, placing the phone against his ear and moving quickly outside with an unreadable expression on his now serious face.
"What was that about?" Sam asks, following my gaze to where Xavier stands outside.
"Nothing" Noah answers quickly, "Probably just paper work or something, you know what Xavier's like."