Justice by Oleander - 2012 Watty Awards, Finalist

Chapter 13

 © Carey MacLean, 2012

 Chapter 13

He had just driven up his driveway, parked, and was sitting in his jeep still, pondering over the events of the day.  Xavier couldn’t believe the recent turn of events.  The only thing to report to Saunders had been that each and every wife to the victims had been wiped from their suspect list.

Saunders had demanded that he and Connor got to work on the medical team.  He had been outright livid to find out that the duo hadn’t actually been looking into them.  Xavier knew when to keep his mouth shut and at five thirty, he did just that despite the fact he knew he was right in making sure all his possible loose ends were tied.

Shaking the ever growing frustrations away, he smiled at the possibility of what could be waiting for him beyond his home’s front door when Mika got home.

She couldn’t wait to get home to Xavier.  Throughout the day, she had mentally listed the reasons for and against moving in with one another.  Aside from the possibility of it all being quite quick and perhaps learning a bit more from one another, there had been no outstanding reason for her to be opposed to Xavier’s idea.  If she were being honest with herself, she knew that this move would altogether be great for her.

Watching the clock had been much like waiting and watching for a pot of water to boil.  It seemed to have taken forever.  When six o’clock rolled around, she didn’t even think of changing from her scrubs back to her street clothes; she simply grabbed her belongings from her locker and ran for the exit that would lead her to her car.

She was delighted to see that Xavier was home.  Letting herself in, she found him on the back patio with a beer and a flipper in hand.  Before making her presence known, she headed upstairs and quickly changed into a pair of her favourite shorts and an off-the-shoulder t-shirt.

He felt the squeeze of her arms from behind him while he pondered his latest idea.  Sure enough, work had invaded his brain again, up until he felt Mika’s presence.  That woman was magic in the way that her simple presence could take his mind off of work when any other time, the case at hand would plague him.

“Why hello Gorgeous,” he turned to greet her with a kiss.  “How was your day?”

“Better now that I’m home,” she smiled.  “What’s for dinner?”

Dinner was served shortly after Mika’s arrival; in a simple yet wonderful manner.  They had sat down at Xavier’s bistro set, their steaks, along with the side dishes and wine in hand.  The conversation flowed as usual and Xavier needed an answer to the question that was burning through him all day long.

“So, I have to ask,” he started.

She knew what he was getting at.  She barely had to think about it.  She knew it was quick and she knew that she’d most likely get some flack from friends and family members with regards to her recent impulsive behavior but she no longer gave a damn about them.

It’s time to live for me, she had thought to herself numerous times over the last few days.

That was what exactly had propelled her deep into this relationship with one, Xavier Ryans.  She smiled broadly at him.

“We’ll shack it up,” she told him with amusement in her voice.

She saw the momentary look of confusion spread across his face and then he clued in to her play on his earlier words from that morning.