All's Fair in Love and Business: Xavier's Story

Ch. 26

I hit send on my phone calling my brother, whom I haven't talked to civilly in years. "Yeah, what is it?" He answers. I can hear the similar shufffle of paperwork in the background, he must be working late.

"Do you have a minute?" I ask, pacing the floor. The background noise stops and I know I have his full attention. "We need to talk." I tell him.

"Who's dying."

"No one's dying. However, I might kill you for letting us think you almost raped a women." I blurt out.

The silence on the other end tells me I shocked him.

"How'd you find out?" He questions, confused.

"Vanessa told Pip and she told me." I answer.

"Pip? I thought she brok-"

"Yes, but we're back together now." I say, interrupting him impatiently. "Now, explain to me what you were thinking taking the fall for something like this? For her? Do you love her?" I question, hearing him scoff, when I mention the word love.

"No, I don't love her. Please." He replies, annoyed.

"Then what hell happened?" I shout, demeaning answers.

"People told you what they saw and you and Dad made up his mind about me. You wouldn't have believed me if I told you the truth. You both couldn't even look at me." He states, angry and disappointed. "I took the hits because I knew it wouldn't have mattered. My own family didn't believe me! Why would anyone else?"

    I shake my head thinking back on that day. Its true, all of it. I was so mad at him for what I thought happened between him and Pip, I didn't even question the validity of the claims. Dad was skeptical at first, yet I encouraged him to see the worst in his own son. What the hell did I do? His reasons for not telling us are justified, it would've been a waste of breath.

"You're right." I say, breaking the silence that stretched out between us. " I guess I have some explaining to do, too."

"It'd be nice." Came his sarcastic reply.

"I thought you and Pip slept together."  I state, wincing when I hear a loud expletive ring out in my ear. "My friends saw you out at the bar, they said you left together and when Pip ended it with me. I thought it was because of you. I'm sorry. I don't know how this got so messed up, but I really am, sorry." I repeat, not knowing what else to do.

"Slept together?" He replies, in stunned disbelief.

"Yeah, I told you. I heard from friends-"

"How are you even alive?" He asks, confused. "Why didn't Pip kill you when you accused her of this? More importantly, why the hell is she still with you?" He demands to know.

I pause, trying to figure out a way to tell him what happened, that doesn't make me look like a complete moron, but there is none. "Actually, I hired someone to investigate the situation, thats how I found out I was wrong. I never actually accused her. An interfering idiot told her what happened. Naturally, she was pissed but she forgave me."

"Amazing." He says, in awe.

"Amazing?" I ask, confused.

"Yes, how in the hell can you even put a sentence together, when you're this dumb? Amazing." He states, dumbfounded.

Then adds, "You know one day that Sterling luck is going to run out." He warns me.

"Trust me I've had to work hard with Pip. It hasn't been easy to win her over." I tell him, truthfully.

"Thank God for that." He mutters.

"There's another thing." I state, needing to tell him everything.

He sighs, loudly. "And what would that be?"

"Vanessa plans on telling our parents, personally. She told Pip she wants to make it right."

He chuckles, humorlessly. "Better late then never I guess." Obviously we share the same sentiment for the women. "I'm sure Pip had a hand in her way of thinking. She was always such a good lister and even better with advice." He states, fondly. "Is she there with you? I'd like to thank her."

"Yeah, hold on." I reply, walking up the stairs. I check the bedroom and bathroom. When I don't find her I call out her name leaving the room.

"What? Lost her already?" He jokes, patiently waiting.
I hear no response and start to search the house. Not seeing her I head towards the garage and throw open the door.

"What the-Why does she do that?" I ask out loud to myself. Then into the phone I say, "She left, she'll have to call you back."

I hear him laugh. "What'd you do this time?"

I groan. "Who knows? I'm sure she'll tell me all about it when she gets back."

"Want a word of advice?"

"No."

He continues anyway, "I'm sorry, goes a long way."

I check my phone for the millionth time. Its now been twenty minutes. I  watch out the window looking for the car. Five minutes later I see her pull into the driveway and I take a deep breath, telling myself to be calm. She wanted to make me mad, that much I'm sure of. I lean against the wall waiting for her as she walks inside. She notices me and holds out a grocery bag.

"What is this?" I ask, taking the bag.

"Did you purposefully not pack my birth-control pills?" She asks, instead of answering.

I look in the bag seeing a box of condoms. I nod. "Looks like the punishment fits the crime." I say, jokingly. I see that shes not amused. I remember what Pasquale said and add, "I'm sorry."

She rolls her eyes. "You can't do these things. If you want a future together. I need to be able to trust you. Tell me you know what you did is wrong."

"It was." I agree.

"Good." She states, relieved. "By the way, that isn't your punishment." She states, pointing to the bag.

"Its not?" I ask, tentatively.

She shakes her head no, "I've been thinking."

"God, no." I groan.

"I'm not sleeping with you again until I know I can trust you." The hard look in her eyes, tell me shes not teasing. Wasn't, I'm sorry supposed to work?

"What am I supposed to do to earn your trust back?" I question, in need of some direction.
She shrugs, "Thats for you to figure out."

"So, we're on vacation together. In a house I bought to ravish you in repeatedly until I hear the words, I love you and I can't touch you." I recap, trying to figure out how to survive this little test.