Chapter 34
34
Xander
T hat wasn’t why I thought he was asking. I thought when he brought it up that he was looking for someone else to take me in. Like he didn't want me here, so he figured he’d look for someone else to pass me off to. It made me mad because the only person I had left wanted to get rid of me right away. I didn’t think he was worried about someone taking me.
“There’s… There’s no one else but you. I looked. My mom signed all her rights away to my abuela and took off. After my abuela died, they brought me to Jorge. He took me in because Abuela left me a bunch of money, but he didn't actually want me. All I’ve got is you.”
His face softened with understanding, but he still wanted to know. “How’d you get here then? Did he buy you a bus ticket or something?”
I winced, looking at my lap instead. One of the reasons I didn't want to tell him is because I was worried I’d get in trouble.
“This is a safe space, Xander,” the doctor reassured me. “You can talk to him.”
Quietly, I admitted, “I stole money from Jorge. After he kicked me out, I waited until he was drunk enough to pass out and snuck in for my things. I didn’t have any money of my own, but I knew he used my information to open credit cards and stuff like that. One of the cards in his wallet had my name on it. I stole it, lied about my age, and used it to buy a plane ticket. I withdrew the rest in cash to pay for a taxi from El Paso.”
Both adults looked stunned when I finally looked up. It took a few days to come up with that plan, and I was scared the whole time that someone was going to figure it out. I still couldn’t believe I got away with it.
“Don’t unaccompanied minors need an adult to meet them at the airport?” the doctor asked with a frown.
“Not if you’re fourteen, you don’t,” I replied. “And airlines don’t care enough to check. My ticket said I was fourteen, and I didn't need an escort, so they left me alone.”
Mattias leaned forward, his elbows on his knees and his mouth covered. I couldn’t tell what he was thinking, and it really freaked me out.
“I didn’t have anywhere else to go. I heard of the shit that happened to kids in foster care. I found a picture of you in the attic and looked you up. I thought you’d understand and would help me. I wouldn’t have stolen if I didn’t have to…”
He sat up slowly, considering me for a moment before shaking his head. “I’m not mad, Xander. I’m just trying to wrap my head around it. So much shit could’ve gone wrong. I could’ve lost you before I even found you.”
Tears pricked my eyes, and I dropped my gaze again. “I’m sorry.”
I didn’t expect him to hug me. I still wasn’t used to it. After my abuela died, no one ever touched me anymore. No more hugs or friendly pats on the back. I couldn’t make any friends because I looked like a homeless kid in my stained ugly clothes that were ten times too big, and sometimes I went to school smelling awful because I had to take care of Jorge before I left. Mel was the first one to offer hugs or link our arms. I didn’t realize how much I missed it until she did that.
“I’m sorry too. I should’ve checked in every once in a while. Made sure he didn’t reproduce anymore. If I’d have known, I would’ve come for you.”
If he came before my abuela died, I wouldn’t have wanted to leave. She was nice to me and took care of me as long as she could. But she was old and taking care of me was hard on her. When she got sick, she didn’t have the energy to fight it off. I still hated myself for being part of the reason she died.
“See? There’s a lot of benefit in learning how to communicate with each other,” Addison said after a long minute. “We’ll use these sessions so you both feel understood, and if there’s something difficult you want to talk about, we can cover it here in a safe space.”
My spine stiffened, and I pulled away, eyeing her warily. There were some things that were better left unsaid. At least until I knew Mattias a little better. I felt better after yesterday and today, knowing he just wanted to take care of me, but I wasn’t ready to tell him everything. I didn't want to lose the one good thing I had. No one had to know.
Melissa
After a few sessions with Addison and a sign off from the doctor, Xander was finally ready to return to school. Mattias managed to get ahold of copies of his birth certificate, and Wyatt was working on getting him a new social security number. They still weren’t speaking to each other outside of things related to Xander, but Mattias said there was less tension when they spoke over the phone.
Two weeks after his arrival, Xander’s bruises were lighter, but I could tell he was uncomfortable with it, so I beckoned him into my room while he was getting ready and offered to cover them.
“I know guys are weird about makeup, but I promise I am an expert blender. No one should even notice unless they’re up close and personal or it gets rubbed off. What do you think?”
He glanced at the bag of makeup and back at me, his brow furrowed. “No one will notice?”
I nodded. “Want me to show you? I can just do a small spot first to prove it.”
Warily, he agreed, and I mixed up some colors to match his skin tone. I did a small spot on his chin just to show him what it looked like, and he looked relieved when it looked like the bruise was gone. He agreed to let me cover the rest and sat patiently while I worked, his eyes closed.
“There. All done. ”
He blinked his eyes open, his expression all eager curiosity. I smiled as he hurried into the bathroom to get a good look.
“Holy shit!”
Snorting, I called out, “Language!”
We were working on him not cursing so much. Not that Mattias was much help. He cursed like a sailor when he was annoyed, and a few rough work days had him so pissed he had to spend a few hours in the garage to cool off before he could talk without growling again.
Bounding back into the room, he gave me a sheepish grin. “Sorry. This is awesome. I was really worried about people making comments. I kind of hoped the doctor wouldn’t approve me to go back until they were gone. The hair is bad enough without adding the bruises.”
I tipped my head, considering him. “You don’t like your hair?”
He shook his head with a frown. “No. Jorge cut a big chunk of it while I was trying to study once. It was done to the skin. I had to shave the rest to get it to be even. He thinks men shouldn’t have longer hair.”
Making an irritated sound, I waved him off. “Well, he’s dumb. We’ll let it grow out and I’ll even up the spots that are longer than others before it becomes too noticeable. I doubt Mattias will care what your hair looks like.”
“Why would I care about his hair?” Mattias asked, appearing in my bedroom doorway. He’d convinced me to stick around even after I went back to work, since he didn't want to separate Xander from the people who made him feel comfortable. We slept in his room for the most part, but all my stuff was still up here. It was only temporary for now. We weren’t moving in together.
“Jorge was an asshole and made him shave it,” I answered for him. “I said you wouldn’t care if he grew it out.”
He shook his head. “It’s your hair. Do what you want with it. Are we ready to go?”
Xander looked a little apprehensive, but I figured that was normal. New school, new kids. He was still on the skinnier side, even though two weeks of regular food had definitely helped. And he was small for his age, which was why I thought he was so much younger when we first met. The pediatrician that Doctor Murphy suggested said he could catch up with time, but it wasn’t guaranteed. Xander didn’t seem too broken up about it, so that was good .
“Go ahead. You’ll be fine,” I encouraged him with a nod.
With shaky fingers, he grabbed his new backpack filled with the supplies the middle school principal said he’d need. I followed him and Mattias downstairs, pausing at the bottom. Xander thought I’d be taking him to school, but Mattias snuck out a few nights ago to pick something up for him. He’d definitely show up feeling pretty cool once Mattias handed it over.
“I got something for you,” he murmured to Xander as they pulled on their shoes.
“It’s not more clothes, is it?” he asked with a smirk at me. I stuck my tongue out at him, and he returned the gesture in kind. Despite how long it took to get him everything he needed, he was happy with the results. And I loved the playful side of him. He was nowhere near as stoic as his older brother.
Mattias grabbed a helmet from beside the door, offering it to him. Xander looked between the helmet and Mattias, his eyes wide. “Are you serious?”
He lifted a shoulder. “Figured you’d want to ride with me to school. Mel has random shifts and won’t always be able to take you. And this seemed like more fun.”
The huge, giddy grin on Xander’s face was a major improvement from the day he arrived here. He took the offered helmet, giving Mattias a side hug before trying to tug it on. Mattias stopped him with a chuckle.
“Hold on. You need more. You’re not getting on my bike without being fully covered.” He brought out a thick motorcycle jacket and pants that would go over his clothes. There were even boots and gloves. All the guys were serious about kids on bikes. They weren’t allowed on without full coverage. No exceptions.
“Technically, it’s more clothes–” I began, only for Xander to cut me off.
“I don’t even care. These are awesome!”
Mattias looked proud of himself and when I stepped into the circle of his arms, he was smiling. It was rare, a Mattias smile, and I soaked it up, lifting onto my toes to plant a kiss to his lips.
“Have fun. I’ll be here when you get back.”
I was working the night shift again, and I usually slept in, but I didn't want to miss this. I fully intended to go back to sleep once they left .
Mattias checked and double checked that everything was on correctly before bringing Xander outside to his bike. He explained how to mount it behind him and that he had to hang on. Xander wasn’t like the other kids, who only half listened because they were too excited to focus. He was glued to every word that came out of Mattias’s mouth, nodding every once in a while to show he understood. Maybe riding bikes was in their blood because Xander seemed to love it as much as Mattias did.
“Have a good day!” I called over the noise of the engine. Xander beamed at me and waved before flipping the visor closed and latching onto Mattias’s shoulders. I watched them go with a smile before heading back inside. It might be time for me to move back home. They didn’t need my help anymore. They were going to be just fine.