"And make sure you both get the proper rest!"
"We will, mama." Kazimir says, watching as his father drags his mother back to the car.
It had been a week since Alexei and Kazimir both arrived in Russia. Now, they were on their way to the United States of America.
"We'll be staying in New Orleans until it's time for our trip to Las Vegas. My father bought a house there a year before his death, so we'll just use that." Alexei says.
*Ding!*
Looking down at his phone, the law student checks it and nods.
"Looks like the jet has arrived."
Going to the back of the airport, Kazimir leaves his luggage near the plane as Alexei talks to the pilots.
He boards and immediately feels a small pair of arms wrapped around his torso to give him a hug.
"Mr. Kazimir! I didn't get to see you in forever!"
The young detective chuckles, sitting down next to Khristina.
"I'm glad to see you, Khristina. How's everyone else doing?"
"Good!" she happily replies. "Dréy couldn't come 'cause he's busy with medical school. And Jai and Lennox had to go back to law school. And Laurenté went back to teach my class, but I got an excused absence to calm myself!"
"That's nice to hear." Kazimir replies, patting the young girl's shoulder.
"Hi, Alexei! Are we going to visit cousin Jazlyn?!"
Taking a seat near a plane window, Alexei nods.
"Yes, you can visit her if you'd like."
"Yay!" Khristina says. "Cousin Jazlyn owns a hair salon, Mr. Kazimir! She does hair for men, women, and children. I'll get her to do yours, too!"
"Why thank you, Khristina." Kazimir says, smiling.
"And she even has snacks and real food for-
Hearing the young detective lightly snore, Khristina turns to Alexei who chuckles.
"I think Mr. Cizetto might be a bit tired, Khrissy. Let's let him rest. He's going to have quite the time in the States."
-------
"Good morning, Kenneth! You told me about a widow you met and that the two of you were going out to eat. How was your time?"
The man watches as Milette takes a seat next to him and softly sighs.
"It went alright."
"That doesn't sound very alright to me." the young woman says, taking a picture of some notes in her notebook.
"Let's just say she isn't the one for me."
"Aww, I'm sorry to hear that." Milette says, hugging the man. "You're a sweet guy, Kenneth. She doesn't deserve you."
"Yes, appearantly that's my problem. I'm too nice to other girls even though the only other girl I talked to was the waitress."
Milette giggles.
"It sounds like your date was jealous. I'm sure a woman who respects you being nice to waitresses will come along soon!"
Kenneth shrugs, shaking his head.
"I don't know, young lady. Maybe dating isn't for me right now."
"Nonsense!" Milette says as she crosses her arms. "For your next date, you should cook for her. Your cooking is really top tier, Kenneth!"
"Uh, thank you." the man says.
"Wanna go for a walk?" Milette asks. "We can get cocoa."
Kenneth chuckles and shakes his head.
"How about after work?"
"Deal!" Milette replies.
"What about Five Saks? Has Stephan ever took you there?
Sliding in the seat next to Milette, Nia shakes her head.
"Caio, I already told you, I'm fine with the things you bought me. If anything, I'd like us to get to know each other better. Like spending a day at the park and taking photos."
"A day at the park?" Caio rhetorically asks, chuckling. "Nia, bebé, I want you to focus on having a lifestyle of luxury right now. Listen, after I get you something, we can go to the park. Now tell me what you want. Anything."
"Anything?" she asks.
"Yes, anything."
"Alright, I'd like a Mercedes. Like the one you have."
Caio nods.
"In the same color?"
"Yes."
"We can get it Friday. You want-
"My goodness, no! I want nothing else! I don't even want the Mercedes!" Nia yells. "Caio, sweetie, I really do thank you for taking me in and everything, but you have to understand that I don't need a new gift every hour!"
She gets up and walks out of the room, Caio starting to follow behind.
"You should listen to her requests more, kid."
Turning around, the younger male raises a brow towards Kenneth.
"Are you saying you know her better than I?"
"No. I'm just saying that if you genuinely want a relationship with her, you'd respect her wishes, young man."
"He's right."
Looking over at his younger twin, Caio rolls his eyes.
"We need to talk." Dayne says.
The two brothers walk outside of the room and out onto the front steps of the department.
"What do you want, Dayne?"
"You were the one who started the fire on Nia's house, weren't you?"
"That's not important right-
"Shut the hell up, Caio! Just shut up! All your life, you've been put on a fucking pedestal just because mom and dad immediately thought you were a golden child because of your different eyes!" Dayne says, angrily pointing at his own eyes. "That's the problem; you can't take no for an answer! We all get that you like the woman, but when are you going to realize she doesn't even like you back?! Everyone else can see that but you and you're the one with the special eyes!"
Sighing, Caio shakes his head.
"You're jealous, aren't you? You're jealous that I can easily get broads and you can't. Maybe if you took the time to actually interact with the opposite sex, then you wouldn't have to yell at me like you're doing."
"JEALO-
Sliding his hands down his face, Dayne laughs.
"Okay, lose her then. We all tried to warn you, but you're too busy riding your high horse to even notice."
Watching as his brother walks off, Caio chuckles and shakes his head.
"Lose her?"
Making his way back into the building, the professional spy enters the break room, noticing Nia sitting by herself.
"My bebé, I'll listen to you."
The young woman looks up and gives him a small smile.
"Are you sure?"
Grabbing her hand, Caio squats down and nods.
"I'm sure. If you want to go to the park, we can go to the park. I'm sorry for ignoring your earlier wishes, I just want you to be comforted, you know?"
"I know." Nia replies, hugging the man. "Oh, we can invite Mihajl to join us! He's a good friend of mine and I'd really like for you two to meet each other!"
Caio smiles and nods, mentally screaming inside.
"Sure, I'd like to meet this Mihajl."
"Perfect! How about this Saturday at 12:30 P.M.?"
"I don't think I have anything scheduled, so that's fine." Caio replies.
"Great! I think you two would make for very good friends. Now, let's get back to work, shall we?"
-------
"WE'RE HERE!"
Hopping down the plane's steps, Khristina spins around, running to her brother's car.
"Hurry up, Alexei! I wanna surprise cousin Jazlyn!"
"I'll be right there, Khrissy."
Turning to Kazimir, Alexei hands him a piece of paper.
"In case you get lost somehow, this is the address to the house we'll be staying at. For now, just follow me; I should still know the way there."
"Is it always this busy?" Kazimir asks, looking around the airport.
Alexei nods, rolling his suitcase over to his car.
"Yes, sometimes even worse. I should also warn you that you should drive as if have not a care in the world. Americans aren't exactly the smartest of drivers."
Putting his bags in his trunk, Kazimir begins to follow Alexei to the vacation house the La'rine family often used for the summer.
After about thirty minutes, the three arrive and little Khristina excitedly jumps out of the car.
"Look, Mr. Kazimir! This is our American vacation house! You can have my old room 'cause I get to have mama and papa's old room!"
"Thank you, Khristina."
Walking in, the young detective looks around.
"It's a nice house."
"I picked it out 'cause it looks like a house from a fairytale!" Khristina says, running upstairs. "And I was only 10 months old! Mama told me that when she and papa were looking for a house here, I pointed to up at this one and started bouncing up and down in my stroller!"
"So you've always been a smart girl, huh?" Kazimir asks.
Khristina smiles and nods.
"Yep!"
She stops in front of a semi-large room and points inside.
"This is where you can stay, Mr. Kazimir! The bed is really comfy; it's gonna feel like you're sleeping on a cloud!"
"Thank you, Khristina. It's quite spacious."
"You're welcome!"
"Ready to go see cousin Jazlyn, Khristina?" Alexei asks, fixing his bomber jacket.
Joyfully twirling around, the little girl nods and grabs Kazimir's hand.
"Yeah! Come on, Mr. Kazimir! You can ride along with me and Alexei!"
Making their way back outside, the three all pile into the law student's car.
"Papa never liked where cousin Jazlyn stayed! He said it was too dangerous!" Khristina says, kicking her feet. "But she didn't wanna move away 'cause that's where she grew up and she doesn't want to leave her neighborhood behind."
Pulling into the parking lot, Alexei stops the car and Khristina happily gets out. She runs inside and smiles over at her older cousin, who was currently working on a woman's hair.
"May I be next, please?" Khristina asks, swinging side to side.
Looking down, the woman's eyes immediately brighten up and she asks for another co-worker to take over before running over to her little cousin and picking her up.
"Khristina! Girly, it's been so long since I've seen you! Look how big you've gotten! You're starting to look just like your mother!"
"That's what Dréy told me!" Khristina replies. "Alexei and Mr. Kazimir came along too!"
Turning to the two young men, Jazlyn gives them a smile.
"Hello, Alexei! How's law school coming for you?"
"It can get a little challenging here and there, but I'd say it's going just fine."
"That's very good to hear!" Jazlyn says, bouncing Khristina up and down in her arms. "And you must be Kazimir! It's nice to meet you, sweetie!"
"Nice to meet you too, miss."
"Can I have some Oreos, Jaz?!"
"Certainly, Khrissy. They're right over there." the young woman says, pointing to a small table. "So, might I ask what you're doing in town?"
"We just came to visit for a short while before Kazimir and I take a trip to Vegas." Alexei says. "If you don't mind, I'd like to ask you to watch Khristina for us until we come back."
"I don't mind." Jazlyn says, crossing her arms. "You two have business there?"
"Yes, nothing illegal if that's what you were wondering." the law student replies.
Jazlyn smiles and takes out a pair of hair scissors and a comb.
"Well in that case, I think you two could use a new haircut! Just take a seat in one of my chairs and I'll be right with you!"