Chapter 8: Where Do We Start?
"That's everything. That's everything to date." Xavier told him after an hour of going over everything Liam wanted to know. "So this is like real-real. I mean like this is actually happening?" "Yeah bro I told you." Preston told him flatly. "This Eric guy. He sounds like a problem. I mean isn't there anything we can do to stop it? Like anything?" "No. There is no way around it. No matter how many different ways it plays out. Those places will be destroyed and if I try to stop it than it'll just be worse. I mean like I guess there has to be a balance you know. Somethings are just like beyond even my grasp." "At least you got that crazy butcher doctor. Hell man we all thank you for that." Liam told him flatly with care.
"Where does Arabella play into all this?" Liam asked as the concerned older friend/brother role to her. "I will do everything in my power to keep him away from her. I think he will come to understand there is only one way to get to me. Eric isn't afraid to get his hands dirty. Honestly in a few dreams he tries to get her ex involved in a few situations." "Vincent?" Preston asked him. "Who the hell's Vincent?" Jace asked him. "Ari's ex-boyfriend." Liam told him simply shrugging his shoulders. "What's the deal with that?" Nix asked him as they were all wondering the same thing.
"Look normally… I wouldn't sell my girl out. However this is actually coming in to play so I feel the need to help you out bro. This isn't my story to tell so y'all better take it to heart. Vincent and Ari were together for years. They were blissfully in love happy. We all are still friends to this day. They were great together." Liam said shaking his head. "If it was so perfect why aint they together now?" Ryder asked with a scoff. "That's the thing. It wasn't like they cheated or grew out of love or anything. I mean hell they were living together and everything. The only reason they broke up is because Vincent thinks marriage is just a simple piece of paper. He also never saw himself having kids. Arabella thinks Marriage is more like a sacred thing. A beautiful thing to give yourself to only one person for the rest of your life to pledge yourself to each other in front of family and friends is beautiful. She also couldn't see herself not having kids." Liam looked at Preston who just nodded his head.
"Look Ari doesn't know if she wanted kids or not. She thought if she got blessed to have them great. If not than hey it wasn't in her cards. But to be with a guy being told it would never happen. Like could never happen. It hurt her. She didn't like the decision being taken from her. It's one thing to be open minded to the possibility but to know it would never happen struck her in the heart. Even worse if they fell pregnant she would know deep down it's not what he wanted. She didn't want the child to feel any type of way. So Ari left Vicent. It killed them both. She was convinced it was the right thing because they want different things. They are still friends who care about each other I mean I think it's been over a year." Liam told them.
"Xavier Vincent is a lawyer in all kinds of things. His office just opened up here. He's been here over a month. He called her freaking out about the plane crash weeks ago. He got her going to dinner with him sometime soon. He got her having him met up with us. Which is fine because you know we all still cool. I texted hm on the way over Liam and I are going to take him out sometime this week just to feel him out to make sure he's intentions are good. It's just the way Leah was talking tonight I realized we need more of the group on our side. Especially if we going to be running into Vince more often now that he lives and works here. Apparently like across the street from your main office." Preston told him in a warning tone.
Yeah Leah. She is one tough nut. You know I remember her in the visions don't worry she'll get on board just going to take a bit." Xavier said shaking his head. "Well what have you dreamed of lately?" Liam asked him. "Well actually. You may just be able to actually help me. You have a friend. A mechanic one right? Works down in the square?" "That's a little freaky bro but yes." "Alright well he has a cousin who is a welder. I need him. I need you to bring him to my office Monday. Be sure it's Monday after noon. I have a meeting and there will be a guy who is looking for work like his. I need that contract. I need that welder. If we don't get him. Tilman will get him and his main manager will cut the resources on the materials so it will look like that welder did it. There will be a bad accident where the building will fail in the elevator and stair area and about forty-five people will die from the collapsing building. We can stop that from happening. So I need you to get on the phone with him tonight." Xavier told him flatly.
"Did you know I was coming tonight?" Liam asked him. "Nope that was new to me. Did not see that coming I was actually going to tell Preston tonight once these guys left." "Wait! Did you say Tilman, like Eric Tilman?" Liam was shocked in the question. "Yup that'd be the one." Nix tilted his drink to him. "Eric Tilman is a patient of Arabella's for like two weeks before she left to spread Brently in that mountain town. Yeah man. He was like in some auto accident hurt his leg up. She's been taking him jogging through the forest and stuff. She's not a big fan of his but you know job is the job. We often don't like our clients but a patient is a patient." Liam shrugged.
"ARE YOU FUCKING SERIOUS?!" Ryder asked him. "Yup completely in fact It's normally every Sunday or every other Sunday she takes him for an hour and does some type of work out. He has tried to make a move but it got no where she even told him flatly if he tried again she would give him to someone else. In fact I think Eric said he cancelled last week because he was meeting with his new lawyers and believe it or not I think it's Vincent firm." Liam told him looking around the room. "Well guess that mystery of how he gets to know the ex is solved real question is, how does he use him against Xavier?" Ryder asked as they all looked lost. "That's just going to have to be a problem for another day." Xavier told him.
"Right now let's just focus on getting that welder we talked about. Liam I swear to you I only have good intentions about all this. Are you going to help us? You're not going to tell anyone like Ari about this right?" Xavier asked as the other guys stared at him intently. Taking a big sigh. "No. I'm not going to tell anyone anything. Although I am not a big on keeping secrets like this from her. I actually believe you. I agree with what you say and think. But you know what letting her know any of this isn't going to help anything or change anything for the better. It's best if we just keep her in the dark for now about all this. Besides you know in a way it is just happening like she wanted so you know letting her think this is happening on her terms is very important." Liam pointed out as they all agreed.
Cleaning up her materials. "Ok Eric we are done. Good job today you are improving really well." Ari told him with a small smile. Cleaning some stuff up around the clinic. "Well you know I have to admit it's all your help. This is a whole lot harder than I thought it would be. I really… just thank you Arabella. I know I come off strong for you sometimes but just from the bottom of my heart thank you for helping me. This experience has been. Well it's hard. It's a real struggle to try to retrain your body certain things." Eric told her looking her in the eye being serious.
"Yeah. No honestly this is all you. You are the one doing the work. People don't understand or appreciate their bodies. They don't understand just throw much they have to value their body until they have to like reprogram it. I mean we only get one you know we need to respect it as much as we can. That doesn't mean walk around like a fragile flower. You should know by now just how much the human body can do and handle. Just you know be loving to your body." Ari told him in a sweet way leaving him to nod at her.
"Also thank you for making time for me today. I know you got a lot going on, Weekend and all. Just thank you." "Well it's actually fine. I have to go out and help another patient today anyway. I appreciate my clients and try to help them all the best way I can. I really do want to see you guys get better." Ari said as she put in the too she will need to cut the cast like part off.
"Wow some heavy tools for therapy session." Eric said looking scared. "Well I have to take a cast off today so yeah." Ari laughed. Eric chuckled getting his things to go out the door. "See you next Sunday Ari. Thanks again Drive safe." Eric waved her off. After a few minutes of loading and unloading her car her car with what she knew she would need and what she had planned to bring back it was his voice that threw her off. "Holy hell. DO you need help with that?" "Vince? What are you doing here?" Ari was confused.
"I thought I told you? My office was just down the way here. Couple buildings down just from the Holding Building?" "Yeah you did but it's Saturday. Like only the shops stay open on the weekends. No business office, especially law firms are opened on the weekends. Least not in this town." Ari showed him her arms open for him to see everything shut down. "Well I finished some files up and wanted to scan them in as soon as I could and put them away. I guess I need to learn to uh not work so much. Much could be said about you right now." He pointed to around to all her stuff on the floor.
"Well yeah, touché. You need to remember doctors don't really have weekends so much. I have appointments lol. It's weird to see you working so much. I mean you never used to work on the weekend. You alright?" Ari asked as he looked drained and tired. "Well I mean I didn't before because I had a life." Vincent laughed in his own self-mockery. "Vince you still have a life." Ari told him feeling lost. "Sure. Yeah. Anyway uh seriously do you need help with any of this?" "No. No I'm good. This is it just locked up and all. Thank you though. Was sweet to offer."
"Hey if you aren't in to much of a rush how about we go down the way here and go get some food and catch up. I've been pretty worried about you. You know with the crash and everything. I just really been wanting to see you." He sounded so desperate in a way. Like he was asking to save a leg that needed to be amputated. "Actually I have an appointment with a client to take off a cast. Thanks for the offer though." "Oh. Ok. Yeah sure. I understand." Seeing the hurt he tried to hide from behind his eyes struck a cord in her soul. This was still her friend who she wanted to see happy. Who she wanted great things to happen for. Taking an eternal sigh.
"You know Wednesday I have a split shift schedule. Maybe if you're open we can to lunch down the way here?" "You sure you are open for that?" Vince asked a little more vulnerably than he wanted. "Yeah my last client is actually my friend now so I go to his place, or he comes to my garage and we take our session from there. He's kind of a big name so I have to make myself open to his schedule so Wednesdays I leave a little later in the office just so I can head to after. So that means I take a break between hospital check in and the clinic. I'm free if you are?" She shrugged to him.
"Perfect that's. That's perfect I normally have late lunches Wednesday anyway. I just got a new client who actually comes here Wednesdays and Sundays. Maybe I will drop him off. His names Eric." "Oh God really. Eric is your client?" She whined a little. "Ah I see I know his therapist well." Vince laughed making fun of her. "Ugh that guy is just." "I know. I know personality-wise he's a tool. However business wise he's actually really smart. You should really see some of the things he's coming up with it. It will change so many things internationally. It's going to be an interesting client though for both of us that's for sure." "You said a mouthful." Laughing with each other was so easy the peace between them so comfortable. A few months ago she would have thought of making a move right now she just wanted to see Xavier.
Shaking her head with a smile still on her face. Ok well text me abut twenty minutes before you're here and I will see you Wednesday. Have a good night Vincent. It was good to see you." Vince shook his head before pulling her in to a surprise hug. Smelling her deeply his heart tugged at how much he missed this. He missed her. "See you soon. Ari." Walking off quickly before he made an even bigger fool of himself. She was just left confused. Looking down to the phone he was happy to see Preston and Liam asking him for a drink tomorrow.
"Well don't you look radiant." Xavier told her with a huge smirk he was trying to hide. Aris hair was popping out in certain places of her head as she had her bag and tools in her hands with a beat red face from chugging them along with her to his door. "Very funny Holden. How would you like to keep that thing on you for a bit longer?" Ari asked him with a smug smirk. "I would not. Nix please assist Dr. Alderman." Xavier called out making way for him to help carry the things in.
"Thank you." "Alright where do you want it boss?" Nix asked her with a smile. "Huh. Is the bathroom ok? Maybe theater room?" Xavier's personal bathroom was huge. "Well how do you take it off. Like what happens once it's off?" Xavier asked scratching the back of his head. "Well once I ger it off we assess the leg and then I like to clean it up but it may be better for you to take a bath to relax the leg. We will do a few small exercises nothing to big today. I don't too much on you on a day." Ari told him flatly. "Nix please take these things to my bathroom." "Sure thing boss." He said hauling the rest of her things up the with ease.
"You ok?" Xavier asked her as she still looked a little flushed. "You need some water or sit down or something? I could make." "No, no. I am fine. Just you know getting my breath and all. Its been a long day." Ari brushed off looking at his bare chest. Looking down Xavier smirked looking up to her. "Are you sure? Maybe seeing something you like?" Wiggling his eyebrows to her. "Just move your ass Holden let's get this going." She told him her stomach growling right after. "Whatever the Mrs. wants." He teased. Shaking her head this will be the longest ever running joke ever.
"Seriously though how was your day?" Xavier asked her. "It was just long. I had a makeup appointment with a client I normally see on Sundays and Wednesdays. I wasn't to thrilled about I don't particularly like this person personally. However as a client he is a good patient. Than I ran into… and old friend that was something I didn't see coming today." "Old friend or old boyfriend?" Xavier chuckled throwing her off. "My last ex. We are still on good terms. Still friends and all that. I think I am just letting the hangry take over." They both laughed. "I can run out and grab you something." Nix offered her.
"No I couldn't do that to you. I need you here actually to help keep him steady while I break this off. If you're free if not I can call my friend. My friend Liam is also in my clinic." "No need to. Unless you don't think I have what it takes." Nix asked her in a polite way he just wanted to make sure he was capable to help and not hurt anyone. "Yeah I faith in you Phoenix. Lets do this go ahead and sit-down Xavier and we will get this off finally." A few moments later and a few large sighs it was over.
"You have no idea how good it feels to finally get this thing off. It feels… just so weird." Xavier told them with a small laugh. "Yeah it'll take you a minute or so to get used to being out and all. Go ahead and hop in the bath real quick and then we can get started. If you need any help just give us a holler." Ari told him as he nodded with his clothes ready for him as the other two left the room.
"Phoenix I don't know what you got going on but." "Nope. I'm staying right here until he is out and I know he don't know need me to lift his ass up out of trouble. Besides I do have a date with a beautiful woman soon enough. I got time. How you doing?" Nix asked her as they were in the gym room waiting for Xavier to make his grand appearance. "I'm good. Nothing to interesting about me." "I doubt that." Nix told her with a smile. "We need to go back out to dinner again. I really like that." "Yeah it get pretty interesting. Just text me when you free." "Ima hold you to that now. You better answer me when I hit you up." Nix warned her with a smile. "I will. I will." She held her hands up in surrender.
"You better not be threatening my doctor now Nix. I'm not sure I got the strength today should I have to pay that kind of price." Xavier warned coming in the room in all his glory. Sweats and a simple grey beater. Her eyes popped out a little. Phoenix tried to reel in his laughter at Aris flushed face. "Welp I hate to ditch you guys but I got other engagements to attend to. Xavier I'm happy you finally got your boot thing off and look almost normal again. Ari." He leaned in close to her. "You got a little drool right there." He mumbled to her as she shoved him aways. "Yeah thanks a lot Nix don't make me call Chloe." "NO! No I won't I promise see you guys later. I'll text you Dr. Alderman please take good care of my boy there." Nix hollered as he shut the door behind him. Walking up close to her with his strong scent waving surrounding her the closer he got to her. "So where do we begin?"