Trigger Warning: Mentions of death.
Xavier's POV
I held Kaia's hand and led us to the spot in which Grandad laid. For her to say yes to coming meant a lot to me. He always told me; the cemeteries are a lot less scary when you have someone you love laying in one.
"You Okay? I know you hate cemeteries." I looked at Kaia and she was actually looking at another tombstone.
"Maria Castillos 1825-1902 interesting" She muttered under her breath. I was surprised she was doing so well. I expected to her to be on top of me waiting to leave.
"To think that some of these people in here have left this earth longer than we've been on it is super crazy." Her brown eyes sparked with curiosity. She could turn anything into a history lesson.
"Here he is." She followed behind me as we looked over the grave.
It felt that it was yesterday when I was the only one from my immediate family that went to his burial. I remember how rich the soil smelt and feeling like they were making a mistake putting him in the ground. Because he was still very much alive in my heart.
She rested her pretty hand on my shoulder. "I'm here baby. Why don't we say hi."
I sat on top of the newly grown grass.
"Hey old man Happy Birthday... Your officially 78. I have someone that I'd really like you to me though." I held her hand a little tighter, as if to show him how close she were.
"This girl saved me from being up there with you. I think the reason I love her so much is because I see a lot of your qualities in her. How much she always cares about despite the stupid shit I do. And how many times when I feel less than she'll always remind me I'm more."
I felt my eyes begin to sweat.
"I miss you. Ya know, I talked to your son the other day. Real piece of work that man is. But I know your around. I fell your presence, don't think I don't. And I wanted to thank you for helping me sign that deal with Coleman."
"I reused your pitch to his grandfather. But this time for more money." Kaia giggled.
"You always told me work smarter and not harder. And I finally did. So thank you. I'm so glad I got to spend my early teen years with you. And really learn from you. The things that couldn't be taught to me." I felt a single tear fall from my left eye.
"I can just hear you calling me soft. But it seems I've been doing more crying this week than I have in 5 years. A lot of big changes are coming for me. I'm about to graduate and solely be the owner of the company you worked so hard for. And I'm honored to own something you but your pride into."
Kaia rubbed circles on my back. "Oh and me too. I help with the law questions he has." She gave a chuckle.
"Yes... yeah she does." I found myself smiling at her. And she continued talking.
"It's a shame I didn't get to meet you but I always hear about you through stories of Xavier and how much you cared. And I wanna thank you for that. These past days I found myself in screaming matches against the Carters that haven't. You mean the world and the sky to him. And I'm honored to be the girl that he would bring home to you."
"I lost my dad. Well maybe you could say he lost me. And to this day I wished I had a family member like you to that would teach me all the thing a girl would need her dad to teach her. I think X is really lucky to have had you. And I'm positive he's forever grateful to share your last name."
She always had a way with words and I found myself back at the funeral home 5 years ago. I quickly snapped out of it when she ran her nails through my hair.
"You okay?" Her head tilted.
"I'm perfect." I have her a faint smile.
"Well old man you might think it's silly but I brought your favorite; scotch and brandy." I could almost hear his laugh.
"Well. Until next time ya old bastard. I love you. Okay? I'll see you soon."
I gave his tombstone a final look. Then lead Kaia and I out of the large field of souls.
We got in my car and I felt kisses all over my face.
"I'm so so proud of you, okay?" She pouted and her eyes glowed.
"Okay princess." I chuckled.
"I'm proud of you too though. You did so good at the cemetery."
"Yeah.... about that. I was really screaming for help on the inside. I really can't take them things, they creepy me out. To think for miles and miles are all these people that belong to someone. And I just..... mhmmmhm." Her reply sent me into a never ending laughter.
When we were kids one Halloween I had scared Kaia in a cemetery so bad she peed herself. We were all on some scavenger hunt and she couldn't find her partner.
"Awe my baby girl." I cooed as I laughed at her.
"It's not funny" She cooed back.
"Thank you for taking me. And for trusting me. It means a lot to me that you took me X. I feel honored." She smiled.
"It's you. The girl I was supposed to bring to him. I can just feel it whenever I'm around you. He would've loved you. And would've told you embarrassing stories about me." I laughed and I started to think of all the thing he could've told her.
"Speaking of embarrassing stories. Do you have any embarrassing baby pictures?" She gave me a sly smirk.
"It's funny you ask that. I took all of the ones I could find when I left home. I know how much you love pictures." Pictures were important to her.
She called them life in pauses. And that our descendants could really enjoy and appreciate them.
I pulled her closer and kissed her forehead. "What do you say we get out of here, have a lazy day and go look at those photos."
Her face lit up with happiness which gave me pure joy. The littlest things made her happy. She appreciated things you wouldn't expect her to.
I started the engine and we made our way back home. School would be starting back this Monday and I was nervous. We'd be seeing Maia for the first time since they fought.
They'd get into little arguments and forget about it two hours later. But this felt a little different. Almost like they'd never come back from it.
20 minutes later
I flung Ms. Sanders over my shoulder and attempted to make my way to the apartment.
"Wait!" I stoped in my tacks and felt her squirm out of my grasp.
"I wanna see all the cars." My laughed echoed in the large garage.
She jumped, landed on her feet and ran to touch ever vehicle.
"McLaren, Mercedes, BMW, another McLaren, an I8, Range, Audi, Porsche, Jeep, two Mercedes, and one more Audi." She muttered underneath her breath.
12 in total and I was proud of my collection. And it was only getting bigger.
"Your insurance bill must be higher than a motherfucker." Waves of laughter overtook me.
"Something like that babe. Come here." I held out my hand and lead her upstairs.
Kaia's POV
Now that I knew Xavier had pictures it would be a great time to surprise him with what I got.
I bought him a couple of empty photo books and I planned on us filling it with new memories but it's important he hangs in to the little Xavy ones.
He lead me in the house and we kicked off our shoes. I was obsessed with this house and Super even had a little bed here. She's been here since Mr. Carter senior paid us a visit.
Her and X have been getting pretty close. He originally didn't like her much. But they're happy now.
"I have a surprise for you Mr. Carter." I shot him a little smirk.
"What'd I tell you about calling me Mr. Carter. I thought I showed you what would happen if you did last night." He came from behind me and allowed Xavier Jr. to sit comfortably on my ass.
"Yes mhm... not much according to last night." He gasped as if he was hurt but I went upstairs to retrieve the books.
I came back down to see him and Supie (Super) on the floor playing.
"Sit for me.... please Super sit. No? Okay." He smiled and looked to me.
"You don't have the smartest dog ya know." I smacked the back of his head.
"Don't talk about my child in that manor." I scrunched my eyebrows.
"That's funny... I don't remember giving you a baby." He grabbed my wrist as I went to slap his head again.
"No." He stared at me.
I found myself staring back and it turned into a match. My eyes burned and his green slow like transformed to red. I blew into his eyes and caused his to blink.
"I won." I shrugged my shoulder and showed the books.
"Wow. Kaia they're absolutely gorgeous."
I had them custom made so they read "Xavier Christian Carter's Finest Moments."
"I love them.... you have no idea how happy these make me." He gave me an Xavier smile. How I love those.
"Thank you my princess." He kissed on my cheek.
"Your welcome. Now let's start filling them in." I smiled as he brought back a box filled with pictures. The boxed marked "Xavier."
"I found these in the basement. No wonder." He laughed about it to my surprise.
We both took a hand full of pictures and sorted through his favorites.
Most of them on his birthday. Such an Aquarius. February 12th.
My favorite was of him in what seems to be a vintage Mercedes. He looks about two or three. The green in his eyes looked so vibrant and bigger than ever.
I looked to him as he flipped through the pictures. The same vivid green.
I kept flipping and came across one of us with my father to my shock.
This must be the first time I've seen him since he left that day. I felt anger, love, and nostalgia fill me all at once.
I flipped the photo and showed it to Xavier.
"X look it's you me and my dad." He squinted and took the photo in his hands.
"Wow. We were so small. And look at your life sized Stitch siting on the couch."
"Remember how many times we would fight over who would cuddle with him." I giggled and memories flooded my head.
"Do mind if I keep this one X. My mom burned all the photos I had of him, all of his stuff." He nodded and brought me to sit on his lap.
"It's okay baby. You can keep anyone that you'd like okay. Photos are only materials okay? But a memory can never be burned." He looked up at me.
I nodded and we shared a kiss.
"Look at this one of you dressed up as a cat in 8th grade." He passed me the photo and I looked.
That had marked the 2 year anniversary of daddy leaving. But like a princess, I put in a fake smile and dressed like a cat. I'd keep this one for strength.
I continued my walk down memory lane but stoped in my tacks when I found my all time favorite photo.
Written in the back "Kaia And Xavier Circa-2018 which meant I was 15 and he was 16. I was siting outside on his lap in our school uniform. It looked as if someone cracked a joke and we both found it hilarious.
It was a large polaroid. Now that I had seen it. I remember taking it. I was brushing curls out of my face and he had his arms wrapped around me.
I turned it to him and watched as he laughed when he looked at it.
"Look at us. These feeling have stemmed since back then." I nodded my head in agreement.
An idea popped in my head. And I was so happy with it that I wanted to start now.
I'd paint this photo of us as a portrait.
Author's Note: Hey Hey Hey! Hope y'all doing good. Hope you enjoyed it was kinda eerie in the begging but aye 🤷🏽♀️. So imma take my self ya bed. Y'all already know what to do.
Love ya!!