47.

Later that night

Xander

 

“Charles, this is more luggage than we came with,” Damien says, “You have a serious shopping problem.”




Nikki and I watched as Damien struggled with Charles's suitcases, we just couldn’t believe that Damien cheated, and on a woman.




“Unbelievable,” Nikki scoffs, “And you’ll never believe what Chantel sent me a text, on the way here.”




I look at her, “What?”




“Charles and Damien got her a signature perfume, Delilah,”




I gasp, “You’re joking?”




Nikki shakes her head, “I kid you not babe and I think they may have fucked too.”




I hum, “I think so too,”




We give Damien a judgmental look and we shake our heads. The day Charles finds out, he is going to be devastated, and I as his best friend have to be there ready to support him and blow Damien’s balls off with a shotgun.




“What if Charles knows?”




“Now that’s an interesting theory but I highly doubt that babe,”




Nikki shrugs, “Yeah, me too.”




I pull her into my chest, “Enough about them. I am going to miss you.”




Nikki looks at me and pouts, “Me too, I won’t get morning dick anymore.”




“Is that all I’m good for?”




She giggles, “Of course not, baby. I’m gonna miss the princess treatment, and your cooking, but mostly you. You are becoming a source of happiness that I can’t live without.”




“I can’t wait to make you my wife,”




We share one more kiss before the pilot tells us that we are ready for take-off. Xlanti is waiting for Nikki inside the airport. We say our goodbyes and I get into the plane. Damien is speaking to the pilot when I get in, and Charles is already eating the snacks prepared for us.




“Gentlemen,” I greet as I walk past.




“Dante, leave some for the rest of us please,”




Charles rolls his eyes and puts the bowl of pretzels in. I take my seat and I’m greeted by a hostess.




“Good evening, sir, my name is Cherry and I’ll be your hostess for this flight,”




Cherry has bright red hair and piercing blue eyes, but there was a softness about her that I appreciated.




“Nice to meet you, Cherry,” I greet back.




She smiles at me, “Is there anything you’d like, sir?”




I shake my head, “No, thank you, Cherry.”




She nods and walks away. I hear Charles chuckle beside me, and I turn to look at him.




“You hired her, didn’t you?”




He laughs, “Yes I did, and I have to say, I am so proud of you for not kicking her off the plane.”




“I am a changed man, Charles,”




“You really have. You’re getting married, about to have a baby, and all of this in the short period of a few months. If your papa could see you now,”




“I’d kick him where the sun don’t shine,”




“You really love her, don’t you?”




My cheeks heat, “More than you could ever imagine.”




Damien joins us and sits next to Charles, and he gives him a kiss on the cheek.




“Ready to go home, guys?”




“Honestly I wish didn’t have to, I hate that I have to leave Nikki alone,” I confess, “What if something happens to her or the baby?”




“Xander, we have cellphones, she has her mother, your mother, sister, and her best friend. She is in good hands,” Charles reassures.




“Charles is right, you have every right to be worried, but she is going to be taken care of,” Damien adds.




I nod, “You’re right.”




“So, we have a lot to get through before we land and how we need to get everything done within the next week or two. Meeting up with shareholders, governors, the press, and the public,” Charles explains, “So get ready to run on very few hours of sleep and a lot of caffeine.”




I let out a sigh, “Lay it on me.”




Charles pulls out his notebook and starts explaining all the events and their dates. From the moment I land, I will be escorted to my office, where I’ll be signing a bunch of documents to officially hand over my seat as president. The next day, I meet with governors and delegates and after that, it just keeps going and going.




Hearing everything just makes me exhausted. Now I have to schedule phone calls with my wife and handle personal business. Like sorting out my wedding gift for Charles and Damien, selling off my shares, and fixing my will, to add Nikki and my baby as beneficiaries.




“Xander, are you listening?”




I blink a few times, “Yes, yes I am.”




Charles rolls his eyes, “No you’re not but it’s okay. That’s why I am your assistant.”




“If you could be doing anything right now other than being my assistant, what would you be doing?”




Charles looks at me confused, he looks over at Damien and then back at me.




“Uhm, I did graduate with a degree in psychology, so I would like to continue the journey and be a psychologist,”




I nod, “Well, I’d like to grant you the opportunity to do so, I think it’s time I let you go so you can start living your life and start your own family.”




Charles says nothing as he looks at me with tear-filled eyes. Charles has been with me since birth and for all the years that I’ve known him, he’s been living under my shadow, dealing with my problems and being there for me more than I have for him. He deserves this.




“Xander, I don’t know what to say,”

I smile, “Thank you would be a great start,” 




He wipes his tears and nods, “Thank you.”




I nod, “Of course, you deserve it and besides, it thinks it’s time we all move on. If there is one thing the past few months have taught me is that you are only to live once and you need to live life to the fullest.”




“Look at Mr Philosopher over here,” Damien laughs, “You’ve grown man and I love to see it.”




And I was loving the new me too, I could finally breathe.