XY XX

THE CASE OF THE EX

"What, you are going to leave our daughter with him, and you can't leave her with me?" Gregory heard Mark say in protest. He made abstraction of the remark and looked at the little girl who now stood sobbing in Xenia's living room.

Gregory knelt to Sia's level, "are you sad?"

The little girl nodded,

"Don't be, your mom will take care of everything, and I'm with you, is there something you want to do?"

The little girl just stared at him.

"How about a drawing? Don't you want to make a nice drawing to cheer up your mom?"

Sia nodded, but she still harbored a worried stare.

Gregory opened his case, he only had the bold pen, Mont Blanc, and a few Stabilos, but they were enough. He gave Sia some paper, and she started to doodle.

After settling Sia, Gregory approached the window where he saw Xenia and Mark argue. He could hear and see Xenia shrieking with her arms moving in the air as though she regulated traffic.

"You are crazy."

"Crazy, who did this to me, who made me crazy? You made me, Mark," Xenia said, pointing her index at him. "I don't give me shit about your success. I gave it to you; you owe me. Give me my money, give me my fifteen thousand euros. How dare you come here with your gifts showing off as your a damn business tycoon."

The man surrendered with a warning, "you'll be hearing from me."

"Bring it on," Xenia yelled as Mark walked away.

XY XYY

Mark out a sight, Xenia collapsed. She crumbled to the pavement and cried under Gregory's. Since the man met her, Xenia displayed self-confidence; seeing her like this made the man uneasy. Watching a woman cry was always ugly; a sentiment of irritation with a hint of empathy overwhelmed the man.

"Don't cry," Gregory whispered as he drew the curtain to focus on the little girl in his care.

Xenia came up a few minutes later.

"Are youㅡ."

"Sorry about that, Gregory," Xenia said, "tada, welcome to Xenia's drama land, see I'm all the things you said the other day and more. Please believe me when I say not all French women are like me. Oh, my goodness, please spare me your opinions about how shallow I am," she wiped the remaining tears with her fingers. "Anyway, sorry again."

Sia tugged on Gregory's leg; she gave him a drawing.

"Is this for me?"

The little girl nodded.

"Thank you, Sia; I'm flattered."

"Wow, Sia doesn't like strangers. It's a first."

Gregory gathered the pens he lent Sia on Xenia's living room coffee table, "Eh, I better get going."

Sia clung to his leg, "Stay."

"ㅡEh, I don't thinkㅡ."

"Have you eaten, Gregory? I was in the middle of making dinner. I've caused you much hassle. Can I make it up to you with a meal?"

It was the most unpredictable of situations; Gregory narrowed his eyes in the reflection.

"I'm not going to poison you if that's what you're thinking. I would understand if you decline. I mean, I would decline if a crazy woman like myself asked me to stay for dinner," Xenia replied in anticipation with a light smile, which sealed Gregory's choice.