As Zara clung to Xavier, feeling an unexpected rush of comfort, she finally registered the shock in his expression. Realizing she was caught up in the moment, she quickly pulled back, her cheeks flushing a deep shade of pink. "Oh, um… I'm sorry," she stammered, feeling a little embarrassed by her sudden outburst.
Xavier, still processing her unexpected closeness, cleared his throat, slipping back into his usual composure. "No need to apologize," he replied, his voice even, though she caught the faintest hint of surprise lingering in his gaze.
After a moment of silence, Xavier studied her thoughtfully before asking, "Have you told your sister and your mother about this?" His tone was neutral, almost as if he were probing more out of concern than curiosity.
Zara's expression darkened slightly, and she shook her head. "They wouldn't care. They haven't spoken to him in years, and honestly… they wouldn't be interested."
Xavier's eyebrows rose slightly, but he refrained from pressing. Instead, he nodded slowly, sensing that this was a delicate subject. "I understand," he replied, his voice soft but respectful. "When do you think you'll be able to bring your father here to see the doctor?"
Zara's gaze shifted, the shadows of painful memories flickering behind her eyes. "I… I can't go visit him," she admitted, her voice barely above a whisper. "It's complicated. I'm… not really allowed to."
Xavier's eyes narrowed slightly at her words, but he held back any questions, respecting her boundaries. He nodded thoughtfully, taking her words at face value. "In that case, I can arrange for the doctor to visit him instead," he offered calmly. "It won't be a problem. I'll make sure everything is handled."
Zara's eyes lit up, a bright smile spreading across her face as relief washed over her. "Really? You'd do that?"
Xavier inclined his head in a small nod, maintaining his usual composed demeanor, though he couldn't ignore the spark of joy radiating from her. "Of course. I said I'd help, didn't I?"
In a burst of gratitude, Zara leaned forward, cupping his face in her hands, and planted a quick, warm kiss on his cheek. "Thank you, Xavier. Really," she said, her voice filled with unrestrained gratitude. Before he could react, she turned and practically skipped out of the room, leaving him standing there, speechless yet again.
Xavier raised his hand to his cheek, staring after her with a bewildered expression. There was something about Zara that was beginning to chip away at his carefully guarded indifference, no matter how much he tried to resist. For the second time that night, he found himself questioning his own feelings, wondering what it was about her that had started to unsettle the walls he'd built so carefully around himself.