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Xavier's POV
It's been about five years.
Almost five years since I made the biggest mistake of my life.
Which was letting go of Arii.
Believing that those bloody pictures were actually real.
After Axarii left I began to slack when it came to work. I couldn't even bring myself to try a new relationship or at least get laid while I still believed that she cheated on me. It just wasn't something that she would do.
My own mother wouldn't even let me visit her or my father until I made things right with her and my father agreed. He would always talk about how much he missed his daughter and 'how much of a fool I am to even consider Axarii doing such a thing' when I would try to come over. Wasn't he blaming her too?
And I know that I made one of the biggest mistakes a man could ever make. I was an idiot who was blinded by anger and jealousy that fell for a trap.
By who? I still haven't found that out yet... but I have a few in mind. Axarii begged me to believe her, she swore she didn't cheat and I just turned her away.
After taking a good look at the pictures I saw that the woman in this picture was not her at all. They were indeed edited... what the hell was I thinking?
I've looked everywhere for Arii but it's as if she just vanished from Earth and moved to another planet. I even looked for Winston since there was also no sign of him in New Jersey after our last encounter. So I assumed that they were somewhere together.
My blood still boiled at the thought of them being around one another after all these years even if they weren't dating.
Axarii is my wife.
I wanted to see her so badly. Apologize. Talk to her. Touch her once more. Hear her laugh whenever I'd attempt to cook breakfast or make corny jokes. Even beg for her to give me another chance if I had to. Which I'd do in a heartbeat.
My life is as boring as it was before I met Arii now that she's nowhere to be found.
I watched as cars passed by me as I waited for Mason to hurry up with the coffee. He's been in there for over five minutes! It shouldn't even take that long to get a cup of coffee.
I turned off the engine before I stepped out slamming the door behind me in frustration.
I walked across the street and was about to make my way into the small cafe before I noticed a small figure walking with their hands full. I don't know why but I felt the need to help the girl.
"Hey! Do you need any help with those?" I yelled out as I walked towards her.
"Uh no thanks man, I can handle a little coffee." The girl quickly spoke with an attempt of a deep voice.
I stopped walking towards her and watched weirdly as she began to walk faster.
"Okay?" I muttered slowly before turning to walk in the coffee shop. Just as I made it to the door Mason came barging out looking at me in shock.
"Before you say anything, you didn't give me enough change so I had to stand there like a broke person while an old friend of ours helped me out. Do you know how short on change I was? Four cents!" He exclaimed as he shoved the drink in my hand.
"An old friend?"
"You didn't see her?" He asked.
"Who?" I was started to get annoyed.
He gave me a weird smile before shaking his head and walking towards the car.
"Oh never mind."
*****
Axarii's POV
"Mommy mommy! Cole took my baby!" Reyna yelled out from downstairs.
"I did not!" He yelled back.
"Did too!"
I sighed before I walked out of my room and made my way downstairs. I walked in the living room towards the two that were glaring at each other and sat in front of them.
"Cole did you take Reyna's baby?" I eyed him suspiciously, trying not to laugh at the two.
"Yes, but she has my toy!" He explained while pointing accusingly at Reyna.
"Why did you take his toy Rey?" I asked as her eyes began to water.
"He won't play with me." She cried, small tears streaming down her face.
"Fine. Just stop crying already." Cole mumbled as he wiped the tears away from her cheeks. I reached out and they both got up and came into my arms as I kissed them both gently on the head.
"Gosh my babies are so adorable!" I cooed out as I peppered them both with kisses, Cole trying to get away while Reyna squealed. I soon stopped after making the two promise to get along for today.
"Mommy?" Reyna asked.
"Hm?"
"Why is daddy mad? Is he mad at me?" She questioned, looking very curious of what I'm going to say.
"No dad's mad at mom for shit she didn't do." Cole said.
I looked at my son in complete shock. "Cole Braxton Miller! Where did you hear that word?"
He shrugged in response.
My four year old son just shrugged at me.
"Uncle Winston told me that." He said.
Winston... that bastard is digging himself an early grave.
"I don't ever want to hear you say that again. Do not repeat what you hear Uncle Winston say unless you don't want to get any presents when your birthday comes up. Do you understand?" I scolded. He muttered a small "yes ma'am" before he hid his face in the crook of my neck.
Something he mostly does when he's the center of attention or whenever he gets in trouble.
"Mommy and daddy had a big fight a long time ago. He's not mad at any of you okay? So don't feel like it's your fault." I said, not really knowing how to explain the situation.
"Why can't we get a new daddy?" Reyna said.
"No!" Cole yelled.
"Okay that's enough daddy talk for today. Go get ready for bed." I said as I ushered them towards their rooms.
"Mommy can we have the red noodles?" Reyna asked as she struggled to pull up her shirt. I chuckled as I went to help her take off her shirt and little tights before slipping her into her pajamas.
"Spaghetti noodles?" I said. She nodded excitedly before running off to the kitchen. I walked to Cole's room and watched as he finished putting on his pajamas.
"Need help?" I walked to him before I crouched down. He stubbornly shook his head and looked at me.
"Hijo your shirt is on backwards." I teased and began fixing it while he whined, saying that he's a big boy. I took Spanish classes in high school and college, plus my mom was from Costa Rica so it kind of stuck with me.
Cole overheard me fussing at Winston in Spanish one day and told me he liked it when I would speak in Spanish. After fixing his shirt I told him about me making spaghetti and he followed me to the kitchen.
We walked in as Reyna was in the refrigerator trying to reach the tomato sauce that was on the top shelf. I laughed and she began to pout so I went towards her before picking her up and letting her grab it. I then grabbed all of the needed ingredients for dinner before I had filled one pot with the noodles and another with the sauce.
After adding different spices and seasoning the door bell had rung. I quickly finished stirring the sauce before I made my way towards the door. I opened it before I glared at the person.
"Is that spaghetti I smell?" He asked as he invited himself in. I rolled my eyes and closed the door before I slapped the back of his head.
"Ouch woman! Enough with the head slapping you know I'm tender headed!" Winston yelled.
"What did I tell you about cursing in front of Reyna and Cole?" I growled out as I dragged him in the kitchen by the ear.
"I'm sorry! I swear I'll do better!" He cried out as Cole and Reyna were laughing at him. "Uncle Winnie's in trouble." They chanted.
After him begging me to let go of his ear a few more times I finally did as I went to check on the noodles once more to make sure they weren't sticking to the pot while Winston sulked in a corner, mumbling about his hear turning red.
A few more minutes and the spaghetti was finally done and I fixed Cole a bowl with only noodles since he liked to eat them plain while Reyna never gets picky when it comes to food.
Another trait from yours truly.
I fixed two more bowls before the four of us were all sitting at the dining room table eating our dinner. Reyna and Cole were fussing about who's the favorite while Winston caught me up on his latest drama.
"Wait so who are you talking about? Is it Jace or Justin that you kissed and they told you they were married?" I trailed off, trying to understand.
"Here's what pissed me off even more. He had told me that he was interested in guys only but he has a wife! And can you at least try to keep up Arii? His name is Oliver." He sighed out in frustration.
"I mean... maybe he's bi." I replied back.
"No. He's a fake. But I've found a new man for tomorrow night so let's just keep our fingers crossed and hope he's not a puss-" I loudly cleared my throat, him now remembering that they're still children on the premises that are quick to repeat what they hear.
He quickly covered his ears as a sign of protecting them, causing me to slightly laugh.
After dinner I picked up Cole as he tried rubbing the sleepiness out of his drowsy eyes while Winston carried a sleeping Reyna to her room. Walking into the bedroom, I pulled the covers back before I began to tuck him in and silently stared at him in awe and sadness.
"You look so much like him." I whispered as I gently caressed his cheeks. He looked up at me before he reached out towards my face.
"I'm sorry, please don't cry mommy." I didn't even know that there were a few tears streaming down my face before he had mentioned them and began to wipe them the same way the same I do when he or Reyna ever would cry.
"My little boy, promise me you and Reyna will never leave me." I said while trying to control myself from revealing all of the pain that I've kept buried within myself from my children and everyone around me after all these years.
"We won't leave you mommy. I promise."
I nodded my head before kissing him goodnight and walking out of the room, softly shutting the door. I checked on Reyna and left her room after kissing her goodnight as well.
Walking into the living room I sat on one of the recliner chairs before I buried my face into the palms of my hands, taking a few deep breaths. As the chair slightly shifted I knew that someone was near.
Lifting up my head I met the gaze of Winston as he stared down at me. I grabbed onto his outstretched hand and allowed him to sit me on the couch with him next to me.
"I can't do this anymore. What kind of mother can't get over a divorce that happened years ago? That lets one of her children watch as she cries over something so petty? What mother am I to hide them from their own father?
They don't deserve me Winston, they need a mother that can continue to be strong when hitting tough curves." I cried out as the tears that I've desperately tried keeping bottled up for the past years finally start to overflow.
"Axarii just listen to yourself. You are an amazing mother, the sexiest single mom I've ever seen, so don't you ever think otherwise? Do you seriously believe that anyone can just brush a divorce to the side? So what if it's been years? You were in love with the man Arii... it's normal.
You've accomplished so much on your own. You're currently raising two beautiful kids without having any help from their father for just about five years now. You've got an amazing job that pays well and you're so lucky for actually having a boss that cares... even if it's because you remind him of his dead daughter but still." He added as a little laugh escaped from my lips.
"May she Rest In Peace... Those two would go absolutely nuts if they woke up one day without their overprotective mother by their side. Stop trying to take the blame for that bullshit excuse of an husband you once had and go find yourself a real man. If you think it's best for the bastard to know about them, then I'll support you on it. Will I be pissed? Hell yeah! But I'll get over it eventually." He shrugged.
I smiled amusingly up at him as he smirked and wiped away the tears from my face.
"Just know that when I see him... you better hide all the sticks that you see because if I find one then I'll be sure to shove-"
"Annddd that puts an end to the touching moment." I sighed out as I pulled myself up from the couch. I was about to go finish washing the dishes from earlier before he stopped me. "Nope. Go take your tired ass upstairs and sleep off all that negative energy. You're messing up my vibes. I'll handle the mess."
"But... you hate washing dishes." I said while eyeing him weirdly. This guy never offers to wash the dishes. Hell, he doesn't even do any type of cleaning...
Unless there's money involved.
Then he's in for sure.
"I'm a changed man."
I continued to look at him with an 'since when?' expression before he sheepishly looked away. "Alright, I just wanted to feel useful and help you out." He muttered.
"Where would I be without you?" I teased as I pinched his cheeks. He quickly slapped away my hands and stomped his way towards the kitchen. "Probably living in a dumpster with a family of rats." He playfully snapped.
"I love the accuracy." I said before I walked towards and up the stairs, walking in my bedroom before going to take a nice scorching hot shower for about an hour. After the long shower and brushing my teeth, I slipped on a black tank top and a pair of black shorts that fitted me perfectly.
I then laid myself down in my King Size bed, closing my eyes, as my mind reminded me of the events that were to occur tomorrow and different possibilities before I finally managed to drift off into a deep sleep...
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