It's been a month, little arguments here and there, none that will motivate Cara to run Alexander over with a car, so one can say they are doing great.
Xander sees his therapist twice a week and he has been for three weeks now. Six sessions with her and Xander still think she is useless and a waste of money but he shows up to every meeting, spends an hour with her, and talks about his feelings because it means a lot to Cara.
As for Cara, it's really dawning on her that she is going to a mother and it's really scary and exciting at the same time. She questions if she is going to be a great mother and since she's having twins, the doubt doubles as well. Whenever she in doubt Xander is always there to assure her, which makes her feel one hundred percent lucky to be doing this with him, it's less overwhelming.
Xander opens the door of his room slowly trying not to wake Cara who he imagines must be sleeping. She usually is when he comes back this late from work.
He walks into the room and there she is, coming out of the bathroom, "Hey," He says dropping his briefcase on the couch before walking up to her.
"Hey," She greets him with a smile as she throws her hand over his shoulders.
"Couldn't sleep?" He whispers his hands on her face.
This is the best part of his day, coming home to her. It's nice having someone to come home to.
"Not really, I was waiting for you."
He bends his head a little before capturing her lips with his. "How are those two doing in there?" He asks when they both withdraw from the kiss.
"Making me pee a lot and eat a lot," She says taking in his scent as she brushes her hands through his suit, "How was your day?" Cara asks as she takes a seat on the edge of the bed.
"Don't let me bore you with the details," Xander says as he takes off his suit.
"Okay fine, how was your therapy with Lilian?"
"Okay," He says vaguely, still taking off his clothes.
"I feel like if you are going to be spending so much money per session with her, you owe it to yourself for it to be more than okay," Cara says tucking the strands of her curly hair behind her ear.
Xander knows that she is right and he's making effort, "If it's anything, I find our sessions tolerable." He admits.
"See, that's an improvement." Cara cheers excitedly.
"How was your day?"
"Great, Cassie and I have finished the interior decoration of our house and it's amazing," Cara says.
She is quick to notice the suddenly forced smile from Xander, "Great," He says under his breath.
"What?" Cara raises her eyebrows at him.
"Nothing," He waves it off.
Cara knows it's about her new house and if she's moving once the house is done. When that bridge comes, they'll cross it.
Cara stares at Xander's abs as he takes off his pants, leaving him on his boxers, "You are so hot and here I am fat..." She gestures to her body.
Xander interrupts her by pulling her in for a kiss, "I think you are the hottest." He winks making Cara blush so hard.
A couple of noises comes from the other room, which makes Cara groan and Xander rolls his eyes.
"Do you think it's the same girl?" Cara asks.
Xavier has been having girls over almost every night and to put it lightly, they are not quiet.
"I doubt," Xander scoffs.
"Not a healthy distraction but they keep him sober, right?"
"Now STD's are going to be his problem," Xander says, "You know, this is the longest he has been home."
"That's a good thing," Cara says positively.
"Maybe,"
When it comes to his twin, Xander doesn't put too much hope, so he doesn't get disappointed when Xavier does what he does best. Leave.
"Gonna take a shower," Xander announces.
Cara smacks his ass, "Nice ass, Mr. Black," Cara whistles. When he turns to her, she winks. "Don't stay too long in there."
~~~
"Don't do that, it didn't end well for the last guy who did," Cara threatens Xander who's laughing really hard at her. Xander is making jokes about them breaking up and Cara isn't finding it funny.
"Did any of your ex-boyfriends make it out alive?" Xander asks the woman before him who as threatened his life more than anyone has in his life.
"What are you, a cop?" Cara raises her eyebrows at him, as she pours syrup on her pancakes.
"Should I be scared?" Xander asks half-serious and half-jokingly.
"Maybe," Cara winks. "I might want to keep you around for the twins but no rule says I cannot separate some parts of your body from their rightful position," Cara says with the sweetest smile.
"Good morning guys," Xavier announces his presence as he walks into the dining room where the pair is seated. "What are we talking about?" He asks, picking up an apple from the center of the table.
"Breaking your brother's bones."
"Cool, when?" He looks at Cara then at his brother
"We will see," She laughs,
"You are happy today, as you have been this past month," Cara changes the subject, "Gonna introduce us to the girl or one of the girls?" Cara claps a little.
"No," Xavier simply says, pouring himself a cup of coffee. "I have told her about you guys and she doesn't want to meet any of you, especially you Carebear, she thinks you are a lot."
"Haha, very funny," Cara rolls her eyes, "Well now I know, it's just one girl." She smirks.
"Nice work detective."
"So you are six months sober today," Xander says changing the topic as he looks at his brother.
Even Xavier doesn't remember that. Xander pretends he doesn't care about how his brother chooses to live his life anymore but he still does.
"Yeah, I guess it's been that long."
"That's great," Cara says surprised, "We should celebrate."
"Well, I have to go to work." Xander stands up, adjusting his suit. He walks over to Cara and places his lips on hers, "Have a good day," He says on her lips.
"You too,"
Xander walks out of the room.
"Well, that leaves us." Cara says chewing on her pancakes, "How are we celebrating?" Cara looks over to Xavier whose focus is on his phone.
"Shit!" Xavier cusses, dropping the cup of coffee on his left hand.
"What's wrong?"
"I have take care of something," He barely finished his sentence before he walked out of the kitchen in haste.
"That was weird," Cara says to herself
~~~
"What's going on?" Cara calls out to Xavier who went out for almost an hour and came back extremely worked up. He has been on the phone, calling people since morning.
"You don't happen to have 500 grand laying around do you?" Xavier says jokingly but doesn't cover the seriousness behind the tone.
"I can't tell if you are serious," Cara raises her eyebrows at him walking to the couch where he is seated. "Are you?" Cara says as she seats on the arm of the couch.
"Things are so fucked up," Xavier runs his hands through his head in frustration.
"What do you need the money for?"
Cara has never seen Xavier this upset before; he's always calm and cool. It makes her worried.
"I told you about my addiction, right?" Xavier sighs, "What I failed to mention was the day I went to Vegas and bet away all my money, cars, and my house. I was fucked up and screwed up but I didn't care, all I needed was money for my next fix. Long story short, I borrowed money from some dangerous people and they want their money back."
"Whoa," That's all Cara can come up with at the moment. Cara has come across her fair share of dangerous men, it's not like she grew up in the best part of town. But no matter how wild she got, Cara always avoided that scene.
"I totally forgot payment is today, turns out these people just collect, and they don't remind you."
"I don't have that money," Cara shakes her head, "What are you going to do?"
"It's actually 2 million, I came up with 1.5 on short notice and now I am just trying to find where I can get the rest."
"Why don't you ask your brother for the money?"
Cara does recall Xander offering a crazy amount of money to her when they first met and that is small compared to what Xavier needs.
"Because he won't give me," Xavier lets out a low laugh that didn't meet the eyes.
He can't blame Xander who will be hesitant to help after what he did at his Christmas party last year and so many times before. He will think it's another trick and he won't fall for it.
"That's crazy, you are his brother. If you are in trouble he will help." Cara says with so much certainty that it makes Xavier laugh.
"He won't."
"At least try, I could put in a few words too," Cara suggests.
Xavier pauses trying to process Cara's suggestion and it could work. After all, his brother is clearly smitten by her. He can finally pay these people and resume building his life back.
"That could work," Xavier seats upright. "Thank you."
~~~
"Hey," Xander announces his presence to his brother as he walks into the sitting room. He drops his suit on the couch before sitting across to his brother.
Oh shit! Cara isn't here yet. She went to check on her new house alongside Cassie. The plan was for Xavier and Cara to talk Xander after he returned from work but unfortunately, he's here early.
"Hey," Xavier mutters.
"Thought there was supposed to be a celebration," Xander mocks as he takes a seat on the couch.
"Something came up," Xavier says. He considers asking his brother now, the earlier the better.
"I am sorry for walking out this morning," Xander had really thought about it when he was at work and he realizes he behaved like a jerk. "6 months of sobriety is a big deal and I am proud of you, brother," Xander says sincerely.
Xavier hates this, now he is feeling ashamed about this impending request from his brother. It's would have been so much better when Xander was a douche.
"I was thinking we could fly out to my resort in Miami for the weekend and celebrate," Xander suggests.
"That's cool," Xavier says lowly.
Xander notices Xavier lack of enthusiasm throughout his entire conversation. So much for trying to mend their relationship.
"What's wrong?" Xander asks.
"Look," Xavier adjusts to the edge of his seat, "I won't be asking you this if I had any other option...."
This is the beginning of a request that Xander knows all too well, he can't help but feel disappointed. He thought this time was different but then again he always thought things were different each time his brother came and requested a huge amount of money and then disappears.
"How much?" Xander finishes for him.
"I'll pay back next week when I get my paycheck from the show I am shooting...."
"How much?" Xander repeats.
"500 grand."
That's little compared to what he usually asks for but Xander is not willing to give him shit. "You have to be kidding me,"
"I borrowed money from dangerous people and they..."
Xander interrupts again, "Wow, that's a new one."
His brother usually comes up with clever lies about what he needs the money for, like to start a new business, need to invest in a television show that is promising and so many other lies.
"I don't blame you for not believing me but this time I am telling you the truth. After this it's over, the door of that part of my life can be shut."
"Where did you meet these so-called dangerous people?" Xander says exaggerating the "dangerous" word. "How stupid could you be to borrow money from them?"
"I needed the money, I was high and I lost my property to a bet and it's not like you were willing to help when I begged for it."
"What the hell are you talking about?"
One thing Xander blames himself of what enabling his twin during his addiction, he always gave him money when he needed it. So the claim that Xander turned his back in him is absolutely false.
"I am talking about a month before I went to rehab, I came home when I realized I needed help with my addiction and to pay off my debt so I don't lose my house but your then-girlfriend said you didn't want to see me."
"Liza?"
Xander doesn't recall Liza ever telling him that Xavier came home or that he needed help.
"Yeah, she had this whole speech..." Xavier pauses, realizing he has been played by that witch.
The speech she gave him about Xavier bringing Xander down with his problems is the same one she gave him that prompted him to leave when their parents died.
"What speech?" Xander says trying to control his anger.
Liza knew how much it affected Xander when his brother left and he is finding it hard to believe she would have prompted him to leave. Why would she do that?
"Same one she gave every time, same speech about me being a burden. I can't believe I thought those were your words, it's so obvious now that it's all her." Xavier says, mentally cursing himself for his stupidity.
Xander is yet to believe this, Liza wouldn't do that. Cheating is one thing but manipulation is another. One of the top reasons Xander loved Liza was that she always there when everyone left, she never did.
Xander stands up immediately picking up his jacket which he dropped on the couch before he begins the exit the sitting room.
"Where are you going?" Xavier calls out.
"I'll be right back."
~~~~