13. Akari
"You came a long way from getting this house cleaned.
It's about done. Do you know what you are going to do with it yet?
" I asked Avani as I moved some of the trash bags out of the way.
We were at her childhood home doing some cleaning.
She was almost finished with it. It took a while, but I knew she'd be done soon.
She placed her hands on her hips and peered around. "Yeah, I'm going to make it into a group home and add to it. The other one is getting overrun. This one will be for the smaller kids," she explained. "I plan to add more rooms to it."
I nodded, loving the way her mind worked. "I already know it's going to be great."
She beamed, staring around at her hard work. "Yeah, I can't wait to start getting my business license for it."
I wanted to tell Avani I could help her, but I decided not to.
If she needed my help, she could always come to me.
There was no way I'd turn her away if she needed it.
Avani was an independent woman who liked to do things by herself.
We had arguments about that a lot, but she never listened.
It went in one ear and out the other with her.
I gave up trying, but it still made me upset with her.
"Now I can use a big burger," she said with a sigh. We hadn't eaten since breakfast, so I could see why she wanted a burger. I was getting famished myself.
I laughed. "Is that your way of saying you are hungry?"
She giggled. "Yes! I am ready to stop for the night, and I'll start back tomorrow when you are on the road," she mumbled that last part.
Every time I had to travel for a game, it seemed like Avani had smart remarks to say.
It had me wondering what was running through her mind.
I gifted her the Range Rover nearly a month ago, and I thought we were good, but whenever we were out, she tensed up or had an attitude with me when a woman approached me.
I didn't know what the hell her problem was, but I didn't know what else to tell her.
If I kept saying the same thing, I was going to lose my shit, and I didn't want to blow up on her.
"I thought you were going with me?"
Avani frowned her face up with a shake of her head. "Nah, I think I'll stay home. I don't have time to hear those women calling your name, plus saying what they want to do to you. No, I'll end up snapping."
I clenched my jaw muscles together, trying not to lose my temper.
"Man, fuck them girls. I told you plenty of times that you have nothing to worry about. It's like you don't trust me, and you know how I feel about that." I was trying not to get angry about it, but she was pushing me to that point.
She folded her arms across her chest and glared at me.
"That's so easy for you to say when you don't hear what they are saying.
One of them said they'd trap you. It took everything not to go off on them.
They want you badly, and everybody wants me to keep my mouth shut about it.
That's not right. I'm not the one to fight over a man, but you belong to me. " She sighed. "It's just too much."
I narrowed my eyes. "What's too much? Being with me?"
She huffed. "No, you're putting words in my mouth, and I don't like that. I never said being with you was too much. The women and what they are saying is too much. If I hear things like that again, I'm going to say something."
"Then say it," I raised my voice. "Damn, why the hell are you holding it in for? You know what? We won't get anywhere arguing about shit neither of us can change. If this is too much for you. Let me know, and we can de?—"
"Gosh! Did I say I wanted to break up or anything like that? It seems like you might want to, from the way you keep trying to bring it up," Avani sternly interjected.
We glared at each other from across the room. Avani's chest heaved up and down like she was ready to pounce on me. Her nose flared as she tilted her head back a little. That wasn't a good sign at all. Anger simmered through me, too. It would be a shouting match if one of us didn't walk away.
I chuckled, backing up from her. "Yeah, I'm going to get some fresh air. I'll talk to you later." I turned around and walked away from her. I knew if I didn't, we probably would have broken up.
I was trying my hardest with Avani, but all she was doing was trying to push me away.
I could see it from a mile away. If she wanted to leave me alone, that was all she had to say.
I'd be cool with it. It would hurt like hell, but I wasn't a man to beg a woman for anything.
I loved her, but I refused to be in a relationship when my girl didn't trust me.
I wouldn't go through what my father had to go through.
I guess I'd be going home early to get ready to head out for the next five days.
It was going to suck not being on good terms with Avani, but she was the one that started with me about damn groupies.
Women who I didn't care anything about. No matter how much I told her I didn't give a damn about them, she wasn't trying to believe me.
I didn't know how much more of that I could take.