Chapter 45

His father won.

Nicholas had seen it in the news. He was planning on sending a congratulatory message to his father's mail until his mother called him.

"Good morning Mum."

He said and his mother sighed.

"Did you see the news? Your father's now a senator."

She said and Nicholas nodded.

"I did. I'm sure he'll be real happy about that."
He replied and his mother scoffed.

"Yes. He is. Very happy indeed."

"Have you talked to him?"

"Not yet. But I will send a text."

"A text? Really Nicholas?"

She asked and he shrugged. If only she could see him now and how much he really didn't give a fuck.

"We're having a family dinner today. To celebrate your father. You should attend."

"I don't think I'll be able to make it. I have work Mum."

He answered and his mother reproached him.

"Oh no you don't. You have to be at that dinner Nicholas. You simply have to."

"If you don't have time, make time. But there's no way you're missing it."

She said and Nicholas sighed.

"I cannot promise anything Mother. Really I'm swamped with work."

"Swamped with work?! You haven't been to work since the incident Nicholas. I'm well aware of that."

Shit.

How did she find out?

She must have called his office.

"Fine. I'll be there."

He caved and ended the call.

He had not really talked to his parents since the news had gotten out, but he imagined that they were very angry and wanted to tell him their minds and how they felt about the whole issue.

Not that Nicholas particularly cared to listen to them.

He was looking at his laptop, staring at the page intently. For the last few days he had been considering it. Considering going to Hawaii.

He had been checking out available flights before his mother called him.

He missed Cara. More than he ever thought he would. And during a time like this he could only imagine what she was feeling or what she was going through.

He needed her. He needed her to know that he wasn't mad at her and he would never be. He needed her to know that he wanted to be there for her. And he loved her.

God he loved her.

More than anything and anyone in the world. He always knew that he was hopelessly in love with her. Especially when he just couldn't stay away from her.

He found himself gravitating towards her anytime he was away from her.

He couldn't leave her, he couldn't imagine staying away from her.

She was his kryptonite.

And he just desperately wanted her to know how he truly felt about her. And how he didn't care about everything and everyone else but he would always choose her against everything else.

It would always be her.



It was another day on the beach. Cara decided to take up new interests. She had seen some people surfing and decided to try it out too. She rented a surfboard at a nearby surf shop but really didn't know what to do with it.  She watched the people on the waves for a while and saw that they were professionals. She had no experience surfing.

She thought as she sat on her board on the sand and watched them.

"You surf?"

A voice behind her said, startling her.

She almost tumbled off the board.

"I'm so sorry I scared you."

The man said again hastily.

Cara raised her eyes and saw it was that same man that she had been seeing for the past few days.

She gave him a weary smile.

"No it's okay. I was a bit jumpy."

"And no. I don't surf. In fact I've not actually surfed before. I live in New York."

She said.

The man slowly nodded.

He was wearing matching beach shorts and a shirt with a few of the buttons undone and he looked good.

Really good.

Much more handsome looking close up.

"I always see you around..."

He said and Cara nodded.

"I see you around too."

She replied and he nodded.

"You're not like most people here."

He added and Cara chuckled nervously.

"Well yes, most people come here for a vacation."

"My name is Keanu."

He said as he extended a hand.

Cara took it gingerly.

"Cara. Cara Devine."

She answered and he nodded.

"Do you want to learn how to surf? I can teach you."

He offered and Cara looked out at the waves.

Maybe it won't be so bad to learn how to surf. Or make a new friend.

"Sure. I'd love that."

She said as she nodded her head.





Alexander was in the kitchen with his mother. A strange phenomenon. She had invited him for dinner, to celebrate his father's win. He had arrived early, wanting to pick up some stuff from his old room.

His mother had called him to the kitchen.

Strange, he had no memory of his mother being in the kitchen. Or doing such a mundane task such as making dinner.

But there she was, wearing a white dress, her hair in a bun, bent over a pot on the stove looking at what the chef was making.

"Hello Mum."

"Oh hey Alex! You're here already! That's good."

Alex nodded.

"Is Nicholas coming? Dad told me you called him."

His mother nodded.

"Of course he's coming. I hope you don't mind. He's still your brother after all."

She said and Alex nodded.

No, he really didn't mind.

"I don't."

"What about Stephanie?"

He asked and his mother squeezed her face.

"Some sort of aerobics class. She should be back in a few minutes. She normally arrives at this time."

Alex nodded.

"What do you need me to do?"

He asked and his mother shrugged.

"Oh nothing. I just wanted to talk to you alone."

She said with a small smile on her face.

She seemed a lot calmer now, now that her father had won.

In fact there seemed to be much less tension in the house.

It was a good thing his father had won or else that would have made it much more worse.

"I ran into Jessica Gates three days ago at this jewelry shop and I had lunch with her afterwards. You'd be amazed at what a beautiful young woman she's turned out to be!"

"I didn't even know she finished from Harvard but now she's working at her father's firm. I told her about you of course and she said she'd like to see you. You guys used to be so close when you were young."

"Close? Jessica Gates?!"

Alexander exclaimed and his mother nodded.

"Yes. When are you free? I want to set up a date between the two of you so you guys can catch up."

"Are you trying to set me up with her?"

He asked incredulously and his mother nodded without even blinking.

"Yes. Is there anything wrong with that?"

Unbelievable! Alexander scoffed.

"It's been barely three weeks since the incident with Cara happened and now you want me to go out with another woman?"

"Honey. Lower your voice."

"It's just a harmless date. That's all."

No, that wasn't all.

And it was not a harmless date. He knew his mother, that was exactly how it started with Cara. Harmless dates, till they proposed the idea of marriage and why it was important.

Jessica Gates?!

Of all people in the world!

If his mother truly knew about her, or him. She'd know that Alex and Jessica didn't get along. At all while they were younger. They were like opposites.

And Jessica had dated Nicholas for about six months after she finished from Harvard.

There was no way in hell he was going to date Jessica.

"Cancel it. I'm not going."

His mother's eyes widened.

"Alex! What do you mean?"

"I know things have been hard for you. With everything that went down with you and out family. I know it must be really hard."

"And you haven't been coming home and talking to us lately. I just thought a date with Jessica would loosen you up you know?"

"You don't have to marry her or anything! But she's a nice girl! And she seemed to be really interested in you when I talked about you."

"Do you want me to cancel? I already made the reservations."

His mother said and Alexander sighed. She even already made reservations. That meant she knew he wasn’t going to refuse her.

If he told her to cancel he'd never hear the end of it.

"No. Don't cancel. I'll go."

His mother started beaming.

"But don't expect anything. Really don't."

He said and his mother nodded enthusiastically.