Absolution and Fragility

XX

She had to grow.

"Miss Drakos, everyone is gathering in front of the home." Petite. Quiet. Cautious.

"It's Lexi, Natalia," she replied without regard to what she had said.

Lexi could just picture her mousy brown hair tied back in a neat bun and her muddy eyes still averting contact with any part of her. Her arms were more than likely crossed in front of her body self-consciously with her head bowed and her knobby knees pressed together. She would look the epitome of uncomfortable.

"L-Lexi—"

"I'm going to lie here for a while and contemplate my existence today. If anyone asks, please tell them I'm not running away and they can watch me if they'd like," Lexi interrupted.

"You're being dramatic, Lex. Get over it and get up. Our friends are coming home," Jose snapped.

And, dramatic she was being. She had thought for long hours about every conversation she had ever had with her grandmother. There was a slow timeline change to how she began to approach Lexi's duties as an heir before she all but told her to abandon them altogether. That day didn't come until right before she left for the United States. The timeline paired up with the changes in how she was handled by her parents and grandfather. They all began to talk less about the business in front of her and treated her as though she were fragile.

Lexi saw the betrayal happening before her very eyes without even truly seeing it. It made her step back and think about if Giagiawas sick because of an actual ailment or because she was being taken out of the equation to make it look like she was sick.

The business was everything to her grandfather. She would dare say the business meant more to him than family ever would and more than Giagia. In fact, she would even go as far as to say that he was the true poison in her childhood and what had pushed her father to become less of a father.

The pictures were painted. The oils were drying. Soon, she would be able to see the true colors slathered on the canvases, and Lexi knew these pictures would not be for the faint of heart.

The world shifted as she stood and acclimated to her surroundings. Her vision was still affected from the brightness of the sun, but she would trudge along barefoot from the garden through the home to the entrance of the house. She was similarly dressed to the day before. Yoga had been good for her and even helped her relax, despite what ideas it had brought to her. It had also inspired her to jot down her feeling in a little notebook she had confiscated from a room that looked like an out of use office.

As she walked, she began to wonder – so she could take her mind off her Giagia– just how many homes Theo had and how large his crime syndicate was. It had to be large enough for him to be aware of international mafias and the trading rings. It was obviously large enough for her father to warn her about him. King's People was known, but how well? Lexi would have to make a point of asking him later.

She would also make a point in asking him what he meant by how alike they were raised. Her dirty laundry was aired, but he still kept his secrets locked away. That was an interesting tidbit. She knew everything about Calvin and almost everything about Jocelyn. As much as she didn't want to take it personally, she did.

Chatter had gotten louder the closer she got to the entrance. As she turned the corner, she saw almost everyone in small groups talking amongst themselves. The last time this sort of thing had happened she had been escorted to a club where her second fatherly figure had been murdered. She knew this wouldn't happen again, but the dread had settled in her stomach uncomfortably.

Standing in the back, she looked through the crowd and noticed Isla standing alone off to the side nearest the door. The blonde was the definition of haggard in her pajamas with her hair tied up in the messiest pony tail that was falling out. The half of her face Lexi could see was makeup free but looked red with scabs littering her jawline. Worry had torn her apart. Worry for Jasperhad torn her apart. At least, she believed it was for Jasper, but something angry and hungry wanted to convince her that she was worried for someone she had no right to be worried for.

Isla was moving her body to throw the door open suddenly and run out the front door. Light from the afternoon sun invaded the space and made her flinch back. People broke away from their groups to follow Isla, but Lexi stayed rooted.

As much as she wanted to join them, she knew these people knew them better. They had grown closer through tragedies much like the one they had experienced almost two weeks ago. Surely, they've faced attacks and had even attacked, but never had they been attacked in a place they could call home. This experience of reuniting was important for them. They had to see to it that their people were okay, and she wouldn't interfere with this family affair.

Idly, she waited. Minutes felt like hours. Those hours felt like days felt like weeks. The itch to see if her newfound friends were okay began to annoy her but still she did not move. If anything, she needed to resign herself to leaning against the wall and picking at her nails. This should feel like a good passing of time.

But, it didn't.

Fear accompanied worry in the promenade of emotions that walked around her. They led the parade until they merged into one person that resembled anxiety with a large staff that led a march.

Lexi pushed off the wall – overwhelmed with it all – until the constant stream of light in the doorway broke. People filled in slowly. People she knew and people she didn't. It wasn't a large crowd that had gone, but it was large enough to gather almost everyone in this home in the entrance for a welcome home. Finally, someone she knew walked in as all smiles in a flowy autumn kimono. Her red hair stood out against the darkness of the green jumpsuit she wore. When Jocelyn's eyes landed on her, Lexi nodded. Her long legs moved and crossed the distance quickly at the sight of acknowledgment.

Jocelyn threw her arms around the short, dark-haired Grecian woman and swayed them aggressively. A small squeal left her lips, "Worst vacation ever."

Lexi couldn't help but smile and even laugh. Her arms came up to hug her friend who had survived the storm that had been set aside for them by an enemy. Another set of arms came around both of them, and she could smell the fresh linen cleanliness of Calvin. Joy swept over her.

"Thank gods you guys are okay," she whispered.

The arms peeled away slowly. The warmth lost but not forgotten.

"No, thank God, you're okay. Calvin made me pray every night and morning for you," Jocelyn exaggerated.

"Before you ask why, I thought Magdalena was still on staff and she was a nightmare of a woman," Calvin chuckled.

Jocelyn began to laugh as well. They began a small conversation about Magdalena, but she couldn't pay attention to it. Lexi could feel something was wrong. Calvin was always sweet, but he never tried hard to be funny. Jocelyn always was funny and sweet, but the caring was a side note. She had to feel it after she left. Their behavior was odd and they were handling her without the kid gloves that they did before.

So, she looked.

And looked.

And looked.

"Where's Theo?" The words left her mouth before she could stop them.

Jocelyn averted her gaze, but Calvin couldn't. He was never good at hiding anything. His mood always changed, and it did as quickly as she had noticed something was wrong. He became stern. His eyebrows drew together, his jaw set, and his body tensed all in the fraction of a second.

"He'll be here tonight – said something about you being ready for dinner." Cold. Angry.

"No," she stopped. "No. What did he actually say?"

Something inside of her had slowed so quickly that it felt as though a collision had happened, but things were still active, still moving. She was more confused than angry, more concerned than full of anxiety, and more doubtful than hopeful. There was also a small part of her pissed that he didn't show up for the homecoming.

"He told Jocelyn that he had some things to do and to make sure you're ready for dinner by the time he gets back," Calvin clarified with a stiff jaw.

*
Quite short. I apologize. xx