Chapter 11
The next morning I get out of bed slowly. Most of the night I could barely sleep because of my nerves. I have mixed feelings about today and I don't know how my father or my family will act. A big part of me hopes that they have changed their ways but a small part of me is afraid that they haven't.
No. I need to stay positive. I shake the feeling away and get dressed.
I decided to dress for the cold weather.
The valley weather has some differences when compared to the Bay area.
I decide to wear some light washed skinny jeans and a white long-sleeve cable knit top that fits loosely around me.
For shoes, I wore my tan ankle boots and bring my long tan coat with me just in case it rains.
Since this visit is casual I decide to wear my hair down by styling it in loose waves.
For my makeup, I don't do much, other than mascara, a tinted chapstick, and the usual face makeup to cover my under-eye circles.
I look in the mirror and all I feel is my mind running a mile a minute until I hear a knock on my bedroom door.
I open it and see Trina dressed in her robe with no makeup on and her hair tied up in a loose bun.
"Morning Nat," She yawns but takes a second to look at me when the door is pushed further open, "Wait? Why are you dressed? I thought I was dressing you for your date?" She asks while looking confused.
"I'm sorry, I forgot to tell you last night that my father called and said he wanted me to see today," I explain.
"Hold up! Your father called you? How did he get your number? And why call at all?" She questions. At the same time, I allow her inside my room to sit on my bed as I explain.
"I know! I didn't get a straight answer on how he got a hold of me and all he said was to meet him at home so he could discuss a family matter. I didn't get anything else other than mentioning that my stepmother will be making dinner." I answer.
"Wow! It must be serious since he called you but dinner with your family could mean many things. I don't want to get your hopes up but it could mean that your stepfamily is wanting to reach out and show you that they have changed since you have left." She says voicing my optimism.
"That's what I hope so too. He mentioned she was preparing dinner so it might be true." I want to hope that it must be.
"Well, whatever it is he wants to tell you, I just want to wish you luck on your visit." She says.
"Thanks, I've gotta go soon if I want to make it on time and pick up Xander," I say while looking at my wall clock by my desk.
"Xander is coming with you to your family's house?" Trina asks while looking at me like I grew a third eye.
"Yeah, he is. After the call with my father last night I called Xander to let him know my plans for today have changed. Knowing how my family is he asked if he could accompany me and I said yes.
I know I shouldn't let him come along with me but I feel like I need someone to get me through this visit. You know?"
I want him to be there because I need as much strength to face my family especially my father.
"I'm just worried for you but you too are for sure moving quickly. This is a huge step in your relationship with him." Trina says with a worried expression playing on her face.
"I understand," I can see why she thinks that I'm moving quickly with him but I feel that it's fair for him to see my family and where I grew up.
"I'm just concerned for you, but if this visit means you need someone there for you then I hope he understands. I wish it were me to go with you but I've got to start getting my shit together for this long week."
She says rolling her eyes in mock annoyance and I giggle at the thought.
I know Trina understands my feelings for this man and she doesn't want to see me get hurt.
"I'm going to try and not keep you from your drive but I do suggest you get something to eat."
She suggests. I nod and follow her to the kitchen.
Trina makes a quick omelet and toast for both of us.
After I finish eating, I notice that it's 11:30 and my drive to Xander's is going to take approximately 20-30 minutes to drive.
"Don't worry I'll do the dishes. I can tell you're eager to see him." Trina says grinning at me and I blush.
"That obvious?" I ask knowing it might look that way.
Trina snorts and says "Oh yes it is." I laugh at the fact that she knows me too well.
"By the way, good outfit choice. " She compliments while looking over what I'm wearing.
"Thanks! I was too nervous that I spent most of my time getting dressed." I confess.
"I can't imagine how you're feeling right now. It's been like what? Like 5 years since you've last seen your family? I would be concerned if you weren't nervous." Trina says trying to ease my mood.
"You're right," I say.
"Well I think you should get going I think Mr. billionaire is going to get a little impatient if I hold you up here." She says.
"Right! Thanks for the food and I will let you know how it all goes." I say promising her. She nods in agreement. I get up from the counter stool and head towards the entryway to grab my keys and purse from the hooks on the wall.
My drive to Xander's is luckily shorter than I expected and make it to his building by 20 minutes.
I decided to park by the front of his building and quickly send him a text letting him know I'm waiting outside.
He replies back that he is on his way. Less than 2 minutes later I see him emerge from the double glass doors of his building.
As he walks closer towards my car I notice that Xander is dressed differently.
Instead of seeing him in his usual suit and tie he is dressed casually.
He is wearing black pants, a blue button-up underneath a dark navy peacoat jacket.
In place of his flat leather shoes, he is wearing black leather boots.
The only thing that is constant with him is his hair pushed up to the side.
If I didn't know any better he could pass as a runway model.
"Hey, Natalia," Xander says in his warm voice.
"Hey," I respond as he gets into my car. When he is buckled in, he quickly kisses me on the cheek which warms my heart. When he pulls away he smiles and I'm once again speechless. After a moment I begin the hour and a half trek to my family's home.
Most of the car ride, I learn more about Xander's childhood.
Such as his time in boarding school after his dad remarried which was a brief time for him.
He also tells me that he graduated from Stanford a year before I started attending.
Xander continues to tell me that while still attending school he was managing his company.
This was the time he got married and told me a little unknown fact that Olivia was in school with him but she soon dropped out to pursue other ventures.
Lord only knows what those ventures were.
After his story of Olivia dropping out of a prestigious college, he asks me about my life with my real mother.
I proceed to tell him about my humble mother who hardly used maids to do her bidding.
After talking about my mother I describe in detail my family's home.
By the time I finish telling him about my old home we are a mile away from the gated estate.
I soon notice the long steel gates down the road.
I roll down my car's window to punch in the code into the small keypad on the side of the entrance.
Luckily, the code is still the same and I pull my car into the driveway of my family's home.
Through the long stretch of the driveway, my family's home comes into view.
I decided to park my car in the driveway of one of three the garages on the side of the house.
I turn towards Xander and I see his eyes are studying the house.
"This is your family's home?" Xander asks and I nod to say "yes".
The white two-story estate was once a vineyard.
It's now just a regular home that now houses my father, stepmother, and stepsisters.
The house's exterior has no lawn instead it has a stone pavement and the only greenery are two trees that are decorated in twinkle lights that lead up to the entryway to the door.
The house itself is a little modern on the outside but the interior is a different story.
"Not what you expect?" I ask noticing Xander still looking over the house.
"No. I thought your dad was head of a startup company?" He asks while possibly estimating my father's net worth.
"He is but like I said his company started to take off. The more successful he got the more he brought in. Soon after my stepmother began to ask for a larger home. It took some time for him to agree to move here and now he has this," I explain.
"If his house is big and his company is doing well that means..." He trails off before he could finish his thought and my mind clicks as I figure what he meant.
"You mean my family is rich. I know. I get it." I admit.
"Yes and no. I just never thought you grew up in this lifestyle." He confesses while gesturing at my house.
"Yeah but we're not photographed like some people."
I tease, "We live comfortably but I've only ever told you and my friend Trina about this."
I say gesturing at the house. I've never told anyone about my family's wealth because if I did I would be treated differently and I would suspect the reason others acted if they knew.
Besides, I never cared about my family's status I was taught by my mother to not be materialistic.
For a second I'm transported to a time when my father remarried and I had to find my own way to rely on myself.
While my father raked in more money, it was made clear that he was the breadwinner of the household.
My stepmother became a housewife shortly after quitting her day job.
She took it upon herself to become status-obsessed and worried about her two daughter's futures.
I remember she would hold parties for people in my father's work circle and her social circle.
While those parties were being held I was always told to stay upstairs when I was younger.
As I got older I was asked to be one "helping" out at their parties.
As for my stepsisters, they were allowed to attend these functions.
It bothered me because my father would ignore my concerns about how I was being treated by my stepfamily.
I was hardly acknowledged as my father's 'real' daughter especially to the general public.
My father never cared for what I had to say about my stepfamily because I knew he would defend them.
This house held many memories I never wanted to relive.
Noticing my long stare at the house Xander holds my right hand to keep me calm. I look at him and see his eyes studying mine.
"Should we go in?" He asks.
I take a deep breath, "Yes we should." I say keeping my voice as calm as possible.
I don't want to be here but with Xander's hand over mine, he is the strength I need to get through this visit.
We soon get out of my car breaking our small contact and we walk up to the giant double doors.
I ring the doorbell while trying to keep calm.
A minute later the doors open revealing my stepmother.
She is dressed in a navy short-sleeved sheath dress with a small v-neckline.
Her light blonde hair is done in an updo and her makeup is perfect on her well-sculpted face.
Her appearance hasn't changed since I have left.
She barely aged due to her botox injections and countless surgeries.
My stepmother gestures for me to come inside.
"Natalia, I thought you would never show up and bring someone with you. I barely had time to finish getting ready." She says looking behind me and noticing Xander for the first time as we walk into the foyer.Well so much for a warm welcome.
"Me either," I say trying to keep the mood light and keeping my mouth shut on her last comment.
I notice as we move past the foyer that the house hasn't changed.
The first level of the house is accented with wooden floors all around, on the right side of the door is a hallway that leads to the garage and it is covered in black and white photos of my father and stepfamily.
No photos of me here which means I'm still out of the family.
No, it can't mean that I think to myself.
Across from the garage are two other rooms one is a home office and the other being a game/entertainment room.
On the other side of the doorway is a large living room with a fireplace and a giant television mounted on top.
Further down is an open island kitchen and a dining room.
Back towards the foyer are the stairs that lead to the bedrooms and the basement.
The only thing that is different is that the entire house is decorated for the holidays and a giant pine tree decorated in lights and ornaments is placed at the center of the foyer.
The pine tree appears to reach the top of the stairs.
"If I'd known you brought a friend I would have made you cook instead. I was expecting a certain number of guests and now my numbers are off. You really should have arrived here yesterday our guests will be coming shortly after." She complains.
"What do you mean guests?" I ask and ignore her comments yet again.
"Your father and I are throwing a dinner party to a few friends of his. They should be arriving in an hour ." She says while checking her golden watch that my father possibly bought her.
"Where is my father?" I ask while looking around. I really don't want to be stuck with my stepmother if he isn't home.
"He's in the home office." She says pointing to the room down the hallway.
"Okay, thanks," I say slowly. Just as I'm walking towards my father's office my stepmother trails behind Xander and me. I reach the office door as I lightly knock and my heart begins to pound out of my chest. A second later the door is open and behind the door is my father.
"Nat, I'm happy you came." He says and at this moment my mind swirls with the memories I had from our last conversation right after I left the house. If only I knew what would happen next that my mind would change my opinion of this man in front of me.