Chapter 20 - Nana.

Gravestones lined the eerie graveyard, row upon row of white marble stones all rising from the perfect manicured grass. Each one was perfect and almost the same except for the names they all bore.
Some recently placed, whereas others, cracked and crumbling.

Spiked, black fences surrounded the graveyard almost like it was a prison. There was also the smell of old stone that filled the dry air, weeds covering the graves of the dead, loved ones long since stopped visiting. Gravel paths weaved through the maze of graves, which allowed passers by to pay their respects to the people lined up in the earths embrace.

Xavier still found it hard to believe that it had only been a couple of months since his Nana died as he walked on the gravel side. His Nana who loved everything eccentric and unique, obscure music and old poets.

His sweet loving and gentle Nana who had been there for him during his darkest times. They had both found ways to comfort each other after his parents deaths.

She laid in the grave, a fresh white rose was placed on her gravestone every day as he had requested and he had employed gardeners that fussed about her gravestone with assorted machines to keep it clean and impeccable at all times.


In the watery light of dawn the gravestone was as cold to the touch as it looked when Xavier felt it. Nana's gravestone was a slab of granite that stood out in the midst of grey coloured stones. Xavier bent down to read the gold lettering at eye level and laid the fresh roses he had brought down. 

Eleanor Sylvania Black

Beloved mother. Grandmother. Wife and friend.

It was short simple and sweet and it was what Xavier's Nana would want to be remembered for.

He smiled as he sat next to her gravestone, he had not visited her in months at least since the funeral. Not only because he had been to preoccupied but also because he had never really gotten the point of people visiting their dead families in the grave.

When his parents had died, things had been much harder, because it was sudden and unexpected and Xavier had been free to grief for as long as he wanted. And the only way he had gotten through the grief was with his Nana, she was by his side and they had both comforted each other. For him, he had lost his parents, for her, she had lost her son and her daughter in law.

But with his Nana, he knew she had cancer, he knew her time was short, yet her death hurt him more than he had thought it would. He never knew how much he missed her presence until she was gone.

The past few weeks Xavier since Amelia left, Xavier's mind had been all over the place, he could barely think straight. He had been thinking too much and trying too hard. He needed clarity, he needed support and most importantly he needed his Nana and her gentle guidance. Because he felt he was doing everything wrong.

"I know it's been a while."

He whispered as he looked around the graveyards, it was near empty, that was because it was late noon. And it was qui strange to be visiting a grave on a weekday.

"I really missed you..."

He trailed off as he put his hands on his pocket. He never believed in ghosts or the fact that people's spirits lurked around the graveyard, but being around his Nana's grave and talking about his feelings made him feel strangely peaceful with himself.

"I know, you must think it's so weird that I'm here, I mean, I'm starting to sound a little crazy talking to myself."

Xavier said as he chuckled and ran a hand through his hair.

"So yea. A lot has happened. Can't really say they're all bad things... I mean, a baby is always a blessing."

"I know you've always wanted me to settle down and have a family of my own. That has always been your only wish for me."

Xavier said as he smiled. He could remember clearly when his Nana had been frail and ill, he thought she was going to die. Her chemo treatments did little to help her, the doctors said her chances of survival were slim. He was given what he thought was the last chance he'd have with her and she had made just one wish. It was all she wanted and she had told Xavier how much it would mean to her if it to came true. She wanted Xavier to have a family of his own, so when she was gone, he wouldn't miss her too much.

Although Xavier was far from ready to be committed into something as serious as marriage, he had agreed all the way and began to look for a suitable partner, till Amelia's father approached him. And that was when his life had changed forever.

"Daphne, she's having a baby. And Amelia... I think I may have really hurt her."

"I said some stupid things... I shouldn't have said it. I didn't trust her enough. And she's mad at me. She has every right to be."

"But I love her to bits and I don't want to lose her. But I fear she's already slipping away."

The only reason he had allowed Amelia go to New York was because he knew she was right. They needed their space, they needed time to think things through, the situation was getting exhausting for both of them and it was already causing problems in their relationship.
Amelia was getting increasingly frustrated and he didn't blame her, that was why he let her go.

Being in New York would clear her head and she would feel better with everything.

The night after Amelia left, Xavier had been devastated, he tossed and turned in his bed all night thinking about Amelia. He called her a few times, but she never picked up, he knew it was probably due to her stressful trip or maybe to the fact that she was tired of listening to his pleas.

He knew she needed time to think and all he could ever hope for was that she would forgive him. He felt stupid for even accusing her of leaking the story. Amelia would have never done something like that, but the bigger question was who exactly did it?

He had done some digging and it seemed as if the story never existed.
Jared Kushner had been fired from the blog according to their PR management and he was nowhere to be found.

Xavier's phone rang and it jolted him out of his thoughts. He checked the caller ID and groaned when he saw that Daphne's name popped up. The past few days, he avoided talking to her. Ever since she had noticed that Amelia had left for New York, she became increasingly nice and nosy. So much so that he banned her from coming over to his house. He couldn't help but blame her in making Amelia to leave with the stupid article.

More importantly, Xavier didn't know why he fell for it. It was obvious that whoever leaked the story wanted him to believe that Amelia leaked the story.

"Xavier? Where are you?"

Daphne's voice sounded panicky on the phone.

"I'm out. What's the problem?"

"Oh nothing! Well, it's just that I really need to see you. I'm waiting at your house."

"Daphne..." Xavier groaned as he rubbed at his temples.

"You can't drop in at my house uninvited. I thought we talked about this."

"Oh I know. I know. But it's pretty urgent."

"Is there anything wrong with the baby?"

Xavier said as he stood up to leave, waiting for her reply before he left the cemetery.

"Can you come over first? When you do, I'll explain everything."





Xavier arrived home about an hour later after a long drive from the cemetery. He dropped his keys on his car and slipped into the comfortable sofa. He checked his time, it was barely seven pm in the evening, he wondered what Daphne had to say that she couldn't say on the phone.

Daphne appeared from the hallway in a blue blouse and skinny jeans. She startled Xavier and he wondered where she had been.

"Why do you want to see me? Is there anything wrong with the baby?"

Xavier asked.

"No, sit down first."

Daphne said as she walked closer to him but he slowly backed away.

"You look so tense. Do you want a massage?"

Daphne asked as she moved closer to Xavier and tried to touch his shoulder. Xavier slowly removed her hand.

"No thanks. I'm not interested. Why are you here Daphne?"

"Do you have some juice? I want some juice."

Xavier stood up and walked to the kitchen himself. Daphne followed him closely behind as they walked into the kitchen and he reached for the fridge while she went to find a glass.

He poured some juice for her and she sipped very little of it.

"Okay I think I'm good."

She said and Xavier led her out of the kitchen. They sat down a few moments later and he gestured for her to continue.

"I know the last few weeks must have been rough for you, with you and Amelia and everything. It makes me feel so bad that I'm the reason all this is happening."

Xavier nodded his head.

"Well, you are."

"That's why I want to change things. There a few thing that I'd like to change about that."

"Okay, how?"

Daphne sighed deeply as she glanced at Xavier with a little smile.

"First is by apologising. I am so sorry. I have never been so deeply ashamed and embarrassed of my behaviour that night. I really wish you can forgive me."

Xavier sighed, an apology was the least he was expecting from Daphne. He cleared his throat.

"What you did, Honestly, it's unforgivable. Always is and still is. But I've moved on past that and I just want to focus on the baby."

"Secondly, I have a truth that I have been holding back. And I really can't wait to confess it to you..."

Daphne looked down bashfully as she fiddled with her clothes, she had to make it look believable, she had to make him think that she was truly sorry.

Xavier looked a little bit suspicious as he narrowed his eyes at Daphne.

"And what is that? What truth is that?"

Daphne stood up from the couch where she was sitting and sat next to Xavier. He immediately stiffened at get touch but she didn't relent.

"Do you remember when we were together? How happy we were? That's the happiest I've ever been in years. My best moments are with you."

"Daphne..."

"Please, let me finish...."

"I know, I made the foolish mistake of not saying yes to your proposal and it has haunted me for a long time..."

"That was a long time ago and it's all over now."

Xavier said as he pulled Daphne's hand away from his thigh. It didn't stop her from inching closer to him.

"It's over for you but not me. I can't stop thinking about you. And now, now that I'm having your baby, I just really feel even more closer to you."

"Hnmmm... Interesting..."

Xavier said as he looked away. He didn't know how to respond to Daphne without sounding mean.

"Xavier... Is that all you're going to say?"

"What do you want me to say? I'm with Amelia and I love her... You and I happen to be having a child together and that's all there is to that."

"Is that all you're going to say? I don't know if you know but I'm going through a pretty rough time right now with the pregnancy and some nice words from you will help."

Xavier resisted the urge to groan out loud.

"Daphne..."

"What?"

She asked as she leaned into him and forced her lips on him suddenly. Xavier was shocked for the first few seconds before his reflexes kicked in and he pushed her away from him.

Amelia walked in at that precise moment. She had been standing in the hallway for a while, after hearing Daphne's voice she tried to walk slower, but her suitcase was still making a lot of noise so she went back and left it at the door.

"Oh God! Stop!"

Xavier said as he pulled her away from her.

"Well, well, what do we have here?"

Amelia said as she narrowed her eyes at Daphne.