XY XX

LEAVING

Andrew was sweet; he was an artist and who took life easy. It was a considerable change for Xenia. There were no verbal fights with Andrew, unlike it was with stressed-out, you-know-who. Xenia felt they were back in college; her heart fluttered lightly. Not passionately like with Mr. Big Bucks but steadily and felt good.

"When are you going to let me spend the day with your daughter?"

"Please, Andrew."

"I like kids, kids like me," Andrew beamed.

"I know, Andrew; it's just I don't think she's readyㅡ."

"Is it she or you?"

Andrew pressed where it hurt. Xenia hesitated. Sia still asked about Gregory. Sia even requested that they go back to their old apartment to check he was there, for she was sure Gregory was sad alone.

"Okay, this weekend."

Xenia surrendered. There would never be a good time anyway.

Andrew hugged Xenia, "good, I'm excited."

"I can see that," Xenia replied. She knew the man had good intentions. Xenia could not do anything without her daughter being comfortable.

"If I pass the test, maybe mom will accept my proposal."

Andrew was honest and did everything he said. The man wanted Xenia to move in with him; the problem was where. New York, he was an architect based there, and he also worked in Asia. No matter the location, they would be nowhere near Paris.

Embracing his status as the ugly duckling of his family, Andrew lived freely. His brother presided over InTech, which was in contract with Astoria.

Things went quickly between Xenia and him. The couple picked off where they left off in college, skipping a few stages, and now three months later, Andrew was eager to spend time with Sia, who Xenia kept from him.

Xenia couldn't even push Mark forward as an argument. Mark concentrated all his efforts on Sophia's pregnancy. The man didn't want to make the same errors as he did with Xenia. Mark was more than invested and forgot Sia in the process thought Xenia, who still was unaware of Gregory's intervention concerning the custody issue.

Xenia first got with Andrew to forget, and finally, she realized Andrew possessed all she desired in a man. Calme, thoughtful, joyful, and reassuring, the man gave Xenia all the guarantees possible, Xenia's broken-hearted days were over.

"Stay the night."

"I can't; my sister is going to kill me," Xenia put her arms around Andrew's neck.

Andrew put his arms around her back and kissed her.

Xenia had a little time left, a few weeks to be exact, to decide whether she would go and live with Andrew. The incident with Niki speeded things to Andrews's advantage, but there was Sia. How could Xenia take Sia away from all she knew?

Xenia was cautious. She didn't want Sia to get used to someone who could disappear.

But now, she was almost Andrew's fiancée.

The scenario was so surreal Xenia wondered how it happened. She felt like she had an out-of-body experience. It was her, but not her, who was living all this, and the fairytale just kept getting better.

"Oh, close your eyes."

Xenia closed them; she felt something slide on her neck.

"Okay, don't open your eyes till I tell you," Andrew took Xenia by the hand and led her in front of his dressing mirror.