Growth.

 

Sitting on a couch longer than most cars, Vincent Black waited to be received by his brother. Le’s assistant, Chan, had been in and out of the room, offering him anything and everything from water to wine, to coffee or tea. Vincent denied all of it as his stomach was far too unstable from worry about his brother to ingest anything other than nervous swallows of saliva. The entire apartment, if that’s what you could call the entire floor of this building, felt off. The lights were off, there was no music. It was void of all the warmth that Le and X had went out of their way to cultivate. Something had happened. Something bad. After about 25 minutes, Xavier emerged from the bedroom, still in his pajamas. His hair unkept, and his face pale. X locked eyes with his brother, and glanced at the patio, to which Vin followed closely. Once outside, Xavier poured a glass of scotch for his brother and himself, and sat down on a high back chair. Vin stood over his brother, the glass in his hand, waiting to find out what it was that has his brother so upset. In a moment he’d be told. And the moment after he’d wished he’d never had known. Because the pain he feels for his brother, as always, is far worse than any pain he’s ever felt for himself. Xavier holds the glass to his temple, and leans forward onto his knees. Exhaling through his nose, he looks at his brother, and sighs. Vin bends down, and locks eyes with his brother, lending him strength.

Xavier Black
” one of the twins…absorbed the other. “

Vincent Black
” …I’m sorry, Mabe. ” Mabe. Short for Maybelline. Vin’s nickname for his gorgeous brother. It wasn’t one that was brought out often, or ever in the company of others.

Xavier Black
” Having to explain to my wife that this wasn’t her fault. That she didn’t do anything. That it just happens. That this isn’t one of the worst things that could’ve happened. I mean, we’re trying to concentrate on the positive. But…it’s… “

Vincent Black
” I’m sorry. You want me to talk to her? ”

Xavier Black
” Candice is in there now. Has been all night. She’s been great. “

Vincent Black
” Makes sense, having been through it before. ”

Xavier Black
” Your male demon even wrote a nice letter about how he dealt with it. It was sweet. “

Vincent Black
” Yeah, the girls teased him about it when they found out. Called him a Call-nible. They even warned Ripley the last kid he was alone with got eaten. But he takes it in stride. Sarah a- ”

Xavier Black
” Yeah well, my kid won’t have her to talk to, obviously. ”

Vincent Black
” She hasn’t reached out? Not even to Le? ”

Xavier Black
” Not yet. And that’s fine. It just makes it easier, really. “

Vincent Black
” Easier for… ”

Xavier Black
” Vin, what do you want me to do? I risked everything to get this guy, and when I had him, I let him go because that’s what she wanted. And she wants to hate me? Fuck it. Hate me. I got bigger things to worry about. ”

Vincent Black
” X… ”

Xavier Black
” She told us she’d be there for us, as our big sister, and we took that to heart. We thought she meant it. Instead she made us love her and then when we did what anyone who loved someone would do, she gets mad. Because we disobeyed her? ”

Vincent Black
” X… ”

Xavier Black
” Don’t think for one second that if the situation was reversed and she went against our wishes, she’d be telling us to suck it the fuck up. ”

Sarah Wolf
” Guess we’ll never know. ”

Xavier Black
” …the fuck are you doing here? ”

Sarah Wolf
” Despite what I think of you, and in the smallest of amounts as it is, your wife matters to me. ”

Vincent Black
” Then why don’t you go see her and leave us alone. ”

Xavier Black
” Since it’s what you do best, and all. ”

Sarah Wolf
” Let’s think about what you guys are best at. Like being broody assholes, and marrying amazing women. ”

Sarah flips the two of them off, and retreats further into the apartment. Vin and Xavier wait for her to be far enough away, and return the favor. Somehow still respectful of the older sister that has turned her back on them, but disrespectful enough to mutter under their breath.

Vincent Black
” Cunt. ”

Xavier Black
” Super cunt. ”

Vhodka rushes out onto the patio, a white glass egg with honeysuckle like flowers in the center of it in her hands. She holds it up into the air and shows it to the two, who both stiffen at the sight of it. She has a manic look in her eye as she watches the light bounce off of it and go through it, making the already beautiful egg even more beautiful…er.

Vhodka Black
” LOOK AT THIS EGG! Why don’t we have eggs like this?? This is the coolest…It has a DOOR! Did you know eggs could have doors? Do they have windows, too?? I want three! ”

Xavier Black
” …that’s worth 9.6 million dollars. ”

Vhodka Black
” …ok. So I need…I NEED…someone to come take this from me. ”

Xavier Black
” I’ll take it and put it back. I need to take a shower anyway. Thanks for stopping by though. It’s nice to have family you can count on. ”

Xavier stands up, and rubs his neck. And handing his glass to Vin. His joints make an audible crack as he adjusts his back and his legs. He gently takes the egg from Vhodka, and kisses her on the cheek, while hewinks at Vin and heads into the apartment, but he turns at the last moment to look back at Vin.

Xavier Black
” By the way, I know about Asher moonlighting. He’s back on the active roster as of now or he’s released. ”

Vhodka Black
” MY BABY IS INJURED! ”

Vincent Black
” Your baby is not injured at all. I’ll let him know. ”

Vhodka Black
” I meant like, spiritually? ”

Vincent Black
” Of course you did. ”

Vhodka Black
” …does X know how much eggs cost because he’s paying way too much for them. Costco has so many eggs for way less. I mean, no windows. But they’re kept behind windows.”

Vincent Black
” You really like costco, huh? ”

Vhodka Black
” So many cheeses at such affordable prices. Who wouldn’t! ”

Vincent and Vhodka make it to the parking garage, when he looks at his phone and says that Xavier asked him to come back up. Vhodka decides that she should go and see if Costco added any more cheeses, and that she’ll send pics of any of the pretty ones. Vin waits for her to pull out, and dials a number, walking to a nearby BMW that he keeps as a inconspicuous mobile. Which tracks if you know that Vincent Black only drives Caddy’s. Otherwise it’s just Vincent Black in a BMW, but whatever.

Alexis Austin
” Vin? You see the picture? “

The picture in question was that of a shoebox wrapped in butchers paper addressed to Vincent Black. It’s contents were that of a bloody Dollface mask with the note ‘see who they really are.’ And yes, he’d seen it. It took all he had not to react at the sight of it, and alert Vhodka to the issue. An issue she would’ve killed Dollface for. A task Vincent was saving for himself. I mean, they’re married but you still have to keep things for yourself, you know?

Vincent Black
” No, I, the world’s most distant human being, have decided to call you, my wifes friend, out of the blue for no reason. ”

Alexis Austin
” Don’t give me shit right now. This bitch sent my child mail. OUR child! ”

Vincent Black
” That makes it sound like you, and I, did the thing. ”

Alexis Austin
” That makes me throw up a little. What are you going to do about this? “

Vincent Black
” One, I’m going to make sure my wife doesn’t find out, as are you. ”

Alexis Austin
” Because murder. “

Vincent Black
” Because murder. ”

Alexis Austin
” I’m just glad I got the package before she did. She’s got enough going on right now, she doesn’t need the overflow from your shit. “

Vincent Black
” Do me a favor alexis. Take the mask she sent, and hold onto it. It’s going to be a souvenir soon enough. ”

Alexis Austin
” Yeah ok. “

Vincent Black
” …because murder. ”

Alexis Austin
” Yes. Because murder. “

Vincent hung up the phone and called another number immediately. He tapped his foot impatiently while the ringing kept going. He thought back to the days of ringback tones, where you would call someone and some pre-set song would play. It was easy to cut people out of your life back then because how the fuck dare you make me listen to ‘schoop’ every time I need to speak to you. It’s bad enough I don’t wanna call someone but now I gotta have a conversation and a song stuck in my head all day? Anyway, the other end picks up.

Vincent Black
” Thomas. ”

Tommy S.
” Vincent. Calling me to tell me you’re married? Again? ”

Vincent Black
” Don’t start. I need help. ”

Tommy S.
” Why am I not surprised? Never call me to hang out, or talk. Just when you need something. ”

Vincent Black
” Question, did we have intimate relations at some point? Are you feeling rejected? ”

Tommy S.
” Jesus, you’ve never understood people. What do you need? ”

Vincent Black
” This woman I’m dealing with. She’s decided to make it personal with my family. I need to find her. ”

Tommy S.
” Yeah let me just pull that out of my ass. ”

Vincent Black
” Tommy. She sent something to my kid. Please. I know it’s hard to only hear from me when I need you, but I mostly think I bother people so it’s hard for me to reach out. I’m sorry for that. ”

Tommy S.
” ..WOW. Fucking Growth!! ”

Vincent Black
” …gross? ”

Tommy S.
” G R O W T H. Give me an hour. ”

Vincent got the information in 45 minutes, and made it to and from her Saw like headquarters before Vhodka got back from Costco. He was so frustrated, and so angry, he just stood in the kitchen, looking at the floor, trying to work out his anger in a way that wasn’t going to end with stitches or the purchasing of replacement items. Murphy Doyle Maher steps into the kitchen, half a cookie in his mouth and a glass of milk in his hand. He stops to look at Vincent’s face, and begins to roll over the options about what’s about to happen, but decides to proceed anyway.

Vincent Black
” Murphy. ”

MDM
” Big bad. ”

Vincent Black
” …I’m angry. ”

MDM
” …that a warning ‘r we talking? ”

Vincent Black
” Both. ”

MDM
” ..aye. What about? ”

Vincent Black
” This…Dollface sent a package to my daughter, our daughter, Ripley. She’s trying to get under my skin and she is. I went to her house to tear her apart for it. But I realized it’s what she wanted. So I pretended it was about someone else. I can’t say for sure if she fell for it or not, but… ”

MDM
” …Vin. We need to have a conversation. ”

Vincent Black
” …about? ”

MDM
” About who really sent this package. ”