Pretend For Me Ch. 04

CH 4 - COME HOME

It had been a week since Lexi had walked out of the house and out of the McCloud's life it seemed. No one had seen her and Xander had received her resignation via e-mail. She hadn't returned any calls, texts or e-mails either.

Xander was lost. He couldn't remember a day that they hadn't at least spoken to each other for the last twenty years. His siblings were beginning to worry also. Xander was unshaven, depressed and did nothing but work. They had already lost so much and now they were losing their eldest brother. Adam had had enough. This had gone on for a week too long as far as he was concerned and if Xander wasn't going to try and find Lexi and figure this out he would.

**************************************

The next day when Adam went into work at 9 am he went straight to the office to speak to Adam.

"Bro, I need some time as I need to go and deal with some things out of town. I have spoken to Craig and Callum and they are going to cover my shifts. Is this ok?"

"Whatever Adam as long as its covered it doesn't matter who does it." Xander replied.

"Jesus Xand! You don't even care about the business now either! Get a fucking grip!" Adam fumed then stormed out of the office. He was heading for London as he knew her only family were down there.

He caught the plane straight to London to see what he could find out.

*******************************************

Lexi lay in bed. It had been a week without Xander or the rest of the clan, god what will it be like after a month or even a year. As soon as she had left the McCloud household she had phoned her only family, her cousin Catrina (Cat for short). Cat was happy for her to come unto she got everything sorted out.

"Lex get up!! It's nearly 12 o'clock!!!" Cat shouted up to her.

Thirty minutes later Lexi had drug herself out of bed, had a shower and was sitting on the opposite side of the kitchen table than Cat.

"Lex I'm not being funny but it's been a week and you're still as depressed as the first day you came here. You need to either phone him or start to get on with things without them." This was the same argument that they had been having since the second day that Lexi arrived in London.

"Honestly Cat I can't deal with this argument this morning." Lexi answered.

"But..." Cat started.

"No Cat please I'm begging you!" Lexi interrupted.

"Ok, ok I'll give you more time but you know I'm here anyway."

Just then the doorbell rang, Cat jumped up and started running her fingers through her hair and checking herself in the mirror. Then ran off to the door. Lexi looked at the time 10.30 am, that will be the post at the door so that means Sandy the postman who Cat is obsessed with at the moment. Cat was longing to find her soul mate and Sandy was just another inv a long line of suitors that she wanted to test out. Lexi heard her cousin come back towards the kitchen and she slumped down in her chair as she threw the mail onto the table in front of Lexi.

"What happened with Sandy?" Lexi asked.

"It wasn't Sandy. He's on his honeymoon." Cat murmured.

"Oh Cat." Lexi commiserated.

"Don't Lex it doesn't matter." Cat said.

Cat's phone began to blare out Alanis Morissette's 'Ironic'.

"Brian, how are you?" Cat answered, her mood completely changing. Lexi just rolled her eyes and turned her attention to the morning paper and the latest job vacancies.

"Lexi?" Cat looked towards Lexi who's eyes had sprung straight to Cat.

"Yes my cousin Lexi...why would she be here?"

'Who's on the phone?' Lexi mouthed to Cat but got no reply.

"Uh huh...uh huh...yep that should be ok...Bye." Cat hung up the phone.

"Who was on the phone Cat? Why do they want to know if I'm here?" Lexi was getting angrier with her cousin. "Cat!?!"

"It was my friend Brian was on the phone. Seemingly his roommate is good friends with the McCloud family." Cat answered.

"What's his roommate's name?" Lexi couldn't believe even her cousin in London had connections to her small town.

"Gabriel Mackay." Cat answered.

"Oh god that's Adam's best friend!" Lexi couldn't get away from Xander anywhere.

The door bell rang again and the cousins just looked at each other. Cat made her way to the door with Lexi following slowly behind.

*******************************************

"Thanks Brian I owe you." Adam hung up the phone. He couldn't believe his luck when he was talking to Gabriel and he said Brian his roommate was good friends with Lexi's only cousin. Brian had found out Lexi was definitely there at Cat's house and gave Adam the address. He caught a taxi and was at the address in no time.

It seemed to take ages for any sign of life after Adam rng the door bell and he was just about to ring again when the door swung open.

There stood the most gorgeous woman he'd ever seen. She was so small and petite that she looked like a perfect fairy to him. Her hair was short and spike and the most sweet looking honey blonde. Her eyes were emerald green, so much so that he thought he was looking at the two best cut precious jewels in the world. He was speechless and couldn't remember what he ws doing there.

"Can I help you?" The wonderful fairy asked.

"Um...I...eh...I..." he stammered.

"Adam?" Lexi looked around the fairy's shoulder and head.

"Lexi...I...we need to talk." Adam finally got a hold of himself and stated.

"Oh so this is Adam. The legendary playboy. God if he gets that tongue tied every time he meets a woman it's a wonder he ever gets laid." Cat couldn't believe this was the guy everyone worshipped up there in their home town. Ok he looked good but he stuttered and stammered all the time and it was obvious he had no confidence.

"Cat!!" Lexi couldn't believe her cousin had said that to Adam. Yes he was a playboy but he had the sweetest nature and kindest heart.

"That's ok Lexi. You might just want to find out just how tongue tied I can be Kitty Cat." Adam said with a sly grin and little wink. Cat just glared at him and stormed up the stairs to her room.

*****************************************

Lexi and Adam moved to the sitting room. They sat in silence for a few minutes before Adam broke it.

"Come home Lexi."

"I can't Adam. You don't understand I can't live like that anymore."

"We couldn't' of been that bad Lexi, were we?"

"It's not you guys Adam, I love you lot like you were my own family."

"We are." Adam argued.

"No we're not. Adam I left because I'm in love with Xander but he doesn't love me...not the way I want him to and that's fine but I have to try and move on and not be the little lost puppy." It felt good to finally get how she felt off her chest.

"How do you know Xander doesn't love you that way?"

"Adam do you not think I've hoped that for years but, he has never given any indication and he has always insisted we are friends."

"Lexi please I want you to listen to me. Is that ok?" Lexi looked at Adam then tentatively nodded her head. "Xander does love you Lexi." Lexi scoffed. "He didn't realise how much he loves you until this whole fiasco. Lexi opened her mouth to interrupt but Adam put his fingers to her lips. "No Lex let me finish. he's a mess, you would kick his ass if you saw the state of him. He hasn't shaven all week, at first all he did was work but now he doesn't really care about that either. His passion in his cooking is fading and he seems to be just going through the motions. Please just come home and at least talk to him to find out what he has to say and then make a decision on staying here or coming home."

"He's right Lex and you know it. At least go back and talk to the guy. You've been inseparable and if anything at least you're still friends." Cat said from the stairs.

"I'll make you a deal, I will come speak to Xander and gather the rest of my possessions if Cat comes too?" Lexi looked at her cousin.

"What? no you don't need me Lex, this you can do on your own." Cat argued.

"I can do this on my own but I want you there." Lexi pushed her cousin noticing the chemistry between Cat and Adam.

"Ok one week Lex that's all I will call work and get my hours covered." Lexi gave Adam a smile when she noticed his eyes were still following her cousin as she went up the stairs.

"This is going to be interesting." Adam murmured to himself.