Clocking out, Kazimir walks out of the door and to the parking lot.
"I thought we were going to take a taxi?" Khristina says in more of a question-like way.
"Not anymore. Pierre got a new car and gave me his old one."
Her eyes widen in surprise.
"He gave you Kika?!"
"Who?" Kazimir asks, turning to Khristina.
The small girl laughs.
"That's what Mr. Pierre calls his car!"
"Oh. I guess he did."
Opening the passenger side, Kazimir pulls the seat up to where Khristina could get in.
"Why can't I sit up front with you, Mr. Kazimir? Dréy always let's me sit up front when I'm with him!" she says, climbing into the backseat.
"It's only to keep you safe, Khristina."
Her eyes turn wide and she makes a quivering gesture with her lips.
"Please, Mr. Kazimir? The ice cream place is only a couple of buildings down and you're more of a responsible person than Dréy, so I will be safe!"
"Khristina, that might or might not be true, but we don't know what may happen along the way. Besides, I'll have to pick up a new car seat for you after we get your ice cream."
She sighs and nods.
"Oh, alright."
The young man smiles, closing the passenger door, walking over to the driver's side.
He gets in and starts the car, pulling out of the parking space, braking at a stop sign.
"Ouchieee!"
Turning back, a worried look quickly forms on the young man's face.
"What happened, Khristina?!"
"When you stopped, something sharp poked into my back." She says, tears streaming down her face.
"Shit! I'm sorry about that Khristina."
Putting the car in park, he gets out and walks over to the passenger side, lifting the chair up to where Khristina could get out.
"Guess you'll have to sit in the passenger seat after all."
She slightly smiles as he buckles her seatbelt.
"How's your back feeling? Maybe we should go to the hospital and-
"It was only a small poke, Mr. Kazimir. I don't think it's that serious." the young girl reassuringly says with a smile.
"Uh, I guess you're right but if I notice anything slightly off in your movements, we're going straight to the hospital."
He closes the passenger door and walks back over to the driver's side, pulling out of the stopway.
"So, what ice cream are you getting?" Khristina asks, happily looking out of the window.
"Oh, I don't really like ice cream."
"But we have to eat ice cream together to make memories!"
"Do they sell any other desserts?" Kazimir asks, stopping behind another car.
"I think they sell cookies and pie slices."
"I like pie. Maybe I'll get apple." the young man says, tapping the steering wheel.
Khristina sticks her tongue out as a way of saying "yuck".
"Apple pie is for old people who work 'round the clock."
Kazimir chuckles.
"I'm guessing I'm old, huh?"
"No, Mr. Kazimir. It's okay if you like apple pie 'cause you're cool, just like me!"
The young man smiles.
"Thanks, Khristina."
Pulling into the parking lot, he steps out, opening the passenger door for the young girl.
Entering, Khristina begins to twirl around, Kazimir quickly grabbing her hand before she could crash into anything.
The two walk to the front counter, a young woman greeting them with a smile.
"Hello. What can I get for you today?"
"I'll have one triple chocolate ice cream cake. And do you happen to sell apple pie?" Kazimir asks, holding the small girl's hand as she grabs at a gumball machine.
The cashier nods and smiles.
"Yes, we actually sell them in slices. Small, medium, or large?"
"Medium, please."
"Alright. Your total is $48.60."
Raising a brow, he takes out his card.
"It's a gourmet place, Mr. Kazimir. So it's really expensive." Khristina adds in a whisper-like voice.
"Should've known." he mutters, taking his card back from the cashier.
The two walk over to a window and Kazimir looks out of it.
"Are we going to get groceries after this?" the small girl asks, spinning around.
"Uh...I'll have to see what my wallet says."
"I understand if you can't afford it, Mr. Kazimir! We can just use one of my brothers' money to buy them!"
A couple of people sitting down turn to the tall male and he nervously chuckles.
"Let's do anymore grocery talking in the car, 'kay?"
Khristina nods.
"Okay!"
"One triple chocolate ice cream cake and an apple pie slice!" the young cashier calls out.
Walking forward, Kazimir takes the large cup, handing it to Khristina.
"Thanks." he says to the cashier.
"Thank you!" Khristina adds, with a smile.
"No problem. Come again soon!"
Quickly walking out of the shop, he opens the passenger door for the young girl, holding her cup as she climbs in.
"Now, make sure to not spill any on your dress. If you need to, there's a cupholder up here near me in case you get full or want to save some for later."
He closes the passenger door and walks back over to the driver's side, starting the car up.
"Mr. Kazimir?"
"Yes, Khristina?"
"Can we buy popcorn and candy and have a movie night? We can watch the one with the ice lady and her sister, that's one of my favorites!"
"Like I said, my wallet will have to speak for all of us."
"But Alexei gave you one of those check thingies during the funeral. What'd you do with that?" she asks. "Also, how does a check work? Alexei told me he'd explain it to me once I got older but I'm pretty sure I'm old enough to know now."
Zoning out from Khristina's talking, Kazimir's eyes widen, remembering the $2.5 million dollar check.
"Dammit! I forgot about that!"
Making a sharp U-turn in the middle of the street, the young man speeds back to his apartment complex.
Picking up Khristina, he quickly runs in, heading up to his door.
Unlocking it, Kazimir reaches up on a shelf, grabbing a small binder where he kept any important looking papers that were found in both his and Khristina's clothing.
"Here it is. I'll just cash it and then we can go shopping. I guess we can have movie night after-
Turning to Khristina, a light smile forms across his face as the young girl had suddenly fallen asleep on the sofa.
"I guess grocery shopping will have to wait, huh?"
--- the next day; early morning ---
"Mr. Kazimir! Mr. Kazimir!"
Yawning, the half-asleep male sits up. He checks the small alarm clock next to him and sighs.
"What is it, Khristina? It's four in the-
KNOCK! KNOCK! KNOCK!
Kazimir raises a brow, and walks over to the front door. Peeking through the small keyhole, he groans, noticing a pair of familiar black dress shoes.
The young male quickly unlocks the door and folds his arms as Pierre tries to make his way in.
"This isn't one of your friend's houses, you can stand right there."
"We need to talk." Pierre says, actually looking serious for once.
"About what? It's four in the morning and you're-
Holding up a picture, Pierre turns back to Kazimir.
"You know this man?"
Kazimir blinks a couple of times, staring back at the picture of the man he'd poison a few days ago.
"Never seen him before. Why? Does he stay around here?"
Pierre's brows furrow and he grabs the young university's student shirt.
"You have five seconds to be honest or I'm putting you under arrest for suspicion."
Gritting his teeth, Kazimir pushes the slightly taller male off of him.
"First off, you came to MY door without any other source of proof, asking if I knew some random guy. I always knew you were one of the corrupt but not this badly."
Groaning, Pierre crumples the paper in his hand.
"Listen, the woman that was at the front desk on the night this idiot was killed described someone that had your features. I've been searching the damn city since 8 P.M. trying to find whoever it was. Cut me some slack man, I'm fucking tired!"
Kazimir takes the picture from Pierre's hand and looks down at it.
"Aren't you supposed to be on the drug team anyway?"
"That's what I told Uzini but he said I was the only person who could find the suspect in three days max."
"So then call him and tell him to leave it to the crime group." Kazimir replies with a groan.
Pierre chuckles.
"You don't think I did that already?! I'll probably just call again later and try and convince him some more to give this case to your team. For now, I gotta get some rest."
Falling into Kazimir's arms, he quickly falls asleep, snoring loudly.
The young man rolls his eyes, dragging the man in his apartment, Khristina closing the door.
He lays the professional detective on the floor and takes off his coat, hanging it on the coat rack.
"Is Mr. Pierre gonna be okay?" Khristina asks, opening one of his closed eyes.
"Yeah, he's just overworked himself. Now, go back to bed. You need your rest so that you can spend the last day of winter break with your brothers."
"Oh yeah! Alexei's taking me to visit Mr. Amir tomorrow before he heads back to law school! You should come along too!"
Kazimir laughs a little.
"I think you should spend some time with your actual family, Khristina. Besides, I have work anyway."
"But you are like family, Mr. Kazimir! Not everyone would willingly take in a little girl like me, so I'm really thankful." she says, hugging him.
Kazimir hugs the young girl back, feeling a small pull at his heart.
"Thank you, Khristina. That—that means a lot, actually."
"You're welcome!"
She runs back down the hall to her room, Kazimir throwing a spare blanket over his sleeping co-worker.
He heads back over to his place on the sofa, pulling his own blanket over him.
"She really considers me family."