Chapter 17
chapter seventeen
Caeli.
Today I was visiting our aunt after not seeing her for almost a month. Ami and I had been so busy with the food truck and our new addition, Buzzed Bites, which had done its first official event two days ago. Everything was a success and I was still reeling from the high of starting our second business venture.
We accepted a small job to test the waters, a girls night for a client who noticed the post I made in Taste Divine. I swear she called ten minutes after our name was added to their list of caterers which according to my sister was a sign that we had to take the job.
Our only requirement was to provide three dozen mixed bites, custom ordered to match their three mixed drinks for the evening, set them up, and be on our way. Ami, of course, spent three days testing batches before she was satisfied with what we would provide.
The woman loved the liquor infused cupcakes so much that before I went to sleep that evening, we had ten raving reviews, one from each woman who attended and promises that they would all be using us in the future.
When I walked into the lobby, I waved at the desk staff and traveled down the hall to the wing where my aunt’s private apartment was but was stopped by one of the ladies who recognized me.
“Lee, hey, Ms. Flo isn’t in her apartment. She’s over at the medical center.”
I swung my head in her direction. “Why? Is something wrong? Is she okay?”
“She did yoga and tai chi in the garden today so I’m sure it’s nothing serious, but I do know she’s over there.”
My panic settled some but I was still concerned. As our mother's oldest sibling by eight years, she was getting up there in age. “Okay, thank you. Where is it?”
“Down that hall, across the courtyard, first building on your right. There’s a sign, you can’t miss it.”
“Thank you.”
The set up of the retirement community where she lived was for both independent and dependent residents. Aunt Flo didn’t have any serious medical concerns so she lived independently but the community had onsite staff and doctors for anyone who was a resident. So when I walked in and was guided to the room where my aunt was, I wasn’t surprised to see a woman in scrubs standing over Aunt Flo, who was on an exam table, but I was surprised by who the woman was.
“What are you doing to my aunt?” I questioned more harshly than needed.
“What are you doing back here, Lee?” My aunt frowned while May ignored me and continued looking at the screen.
“I told the woman out front I was here to see you. She recognized me and said I could come on back. What’s all this?” I pointed to the screen. “And please don’t tell me you’re pregnant.”
When I glared at my aunt, she sputtered a laugh. “God, no child. My lady parts don’t work like that anymore. No babies for me, thank goodness. You and your sister are headache enough.”
I grinned at the scowl she sported. “You don’t like being a surrogate parent to your two favorite nieces?”
“My only nieces and thank goodness for that too. Took my whole house and all my money.”
My eyes shot over to May who scoffed, wiped my aunt’s stomach, and moved away from the bed.
“We didn’t take it. You gave it to us and we didn’t even ask.”
“I know, I know, Lee. I’m just teasing.”
“Doesn’t look like a hernia but you’ll need to do a CT scan if you want to be one hundred percent sure. You most likely pulled a muscle. I’ll let the doctor know.”
“If you’re not a doctor then what are you doing in here with her?”
“She’s a sonogram technician and she knows what she’s doing.”
“Technician not doctor. She can’t diagnose you,” I argued.
“I’m going to go,” May said in an irritated mumble.
She was on her way to the door and I followed her right out of it. “I should probably introduce myself to you since the last time we met, you had an overload of alcohol flooding your system. I’m Caeli Webb and I’m…”
“Sleeping with my son. I remember. Is there something I can help you with?”
Her cold stare landed on me.
“Yes, you can explain why you hate him so much for decisions you made.”
We shifted into a visual stare down for a long moment before she admitted. “I love my son…”
“You can’t, that’s not possible with the way you treat him.”
She laughed in a bitter manner. “I love him and hate myself. I have blamed him for my mistakes for so long that I don’t know how not to. I do love Brayden, but I will always resent him.”
“That’s not fair to your son.”
“Life is not fair, Caeli. I know that I’m a horrible mother and too much damage has been done for me to rectify that, but this last time, I realized things were different. He’s different. That baby, the little boy I’ve resented all these years is now a man and you’re right. Despite how I’ve failed him, he’s a good person. I don’t deserve his love or forgiveness and I don’t want it. He doesn’t owe me anything but I owe him. The least I can do is grant my son a life without disruption from now on.”
“What are you saying?”
“I won’t be calling or showing up to remind him of how terrible a parent I am. I fear if I do, the tiny connection I have, which I know I don’t deserve, will end. He has the motivation to completely cut ties with me now.”
I frowned and she smiled sadly. “ You , he has you. What he proved to me that day was he won’t tolerate me if it means I have access to you. You’re important to him. I don’t deserve my son but I don’t want to completely lose the one thing I did right.”
Him…
She turned to walk away and I called after her. “It’s not too late, you know.” When her eyes met mine over her shoulder I added, “For you to earn his respect and a place in his life.”
“It is, Caeli. I’m not going to change and not because I can’t, because I don’t want to. I will love him from a distance and pray that when I leave this earth, he’ll care enough to at least show up at my funeral.” She smiled sadly one last time and walked away.
I quickly stepped back into the room with my aunt and she was standing near the door, which meant she had been listening.
“You want to talk about it?”
I gently shook my head. “I want to talk about why you’re at the medical center.”
“It’s nothing. I just twisted and stretched too far and wanted to make sure I didn’t pull something. This old body isn’t as tough as it used to be.”
I narrowed my eyes and she quickly clarified, “Are we demanding things now? Because if so, I might just demand to know what was going on out there with the two of you.”
She won.
“Are you sure you’re okay?”
“I am.” She looped her arm through mine and started toward the door. “Now walk me back to my apartment and you can make us some sandwiches.”
“I’m the one visiting. Shouldn’t you be making me sandwiches?”
“Nope.” She smiled smugly and began questioning me about all she missed since our last visit. We reached her place, I made us turkey and Swiss sandwiches, then we settled in the living room to eat until I noticed something new in her living room.
“That bookshelf, where did you get it?” The piece was narrow, with a rustic finish that reminded me of the TV stand in Brayden’s living room. Even the brushed nickel legs were familiar.
“Amos Classical Design Studio. It’s nice, isn’t it? Expensive too. Damn thing cost me five hundred dollars but it’s beautiful. I couldn’t pass it up. The guy who made it is Clack too. Everything in the store is by Black designers.”
I moved my plate to the side and lifted from the sofa, making my way to the bookshelf. While my aunt carried on about how the owner mentioned that the designer was new with raw talent, my fingers moved over the surface while my eyes scanned every inch. It was indeed beautiful but I wasn’t admiring the quality. I was searching for initials.
And there they were. His initials, BMY. Brayden Micah Young. My fingers moved over the letters and I smiled. This was Brayden’s work.
“Lee, did you hear me, sweetheart?”
“No, sorry, what did you say?”
“I said he has a few other pieces there if you’re wondering what to get me for my birthday. A few more pieces might add some charm to this dull space.”
I grinned, looking around. “It’s not dull. It’s colorful and very you .”
“My house was me but now it’s you.” She grunted then smiled. “But if it had to be anyone there, I’m glad it’s you and Ami. Now come eat and tell me about this new beau of yours that’s been keeping you so busy you can't find time to visit me.”
I smiled and rolled my eyes but joined her on the sofa to continue filling her in on our new ventures with Buzzed Bites and the man who was winning my heart.
“ D amn, perfect timing.” When I made my way to Brayden’s door he was stepping out of Nox’s. Before we went inside, he pulled me into a hug and kissed the top of my head.
“You must have sensed me,” I teased and he smiled over his shoulder as we headed to the kitchen. I placed the carry out bags on the counter and began removing our take out. I texted him on the way home and asked if he wanted me to grab food so neither of us had to cook and Brayden immediately sent back yes and to get whatever I had a taste for.
“I feel you all day, every day, no matter where you are.”
I pushed a container of shrimp pasta his way and hopped on one side, while he propped up across from me on the other. After a quick blessing I peeled open my lid, ripped into the plastic of my utensils, and enjoyed the first bite of my grilled scallops.
“So good.”
“Better than my cooking?”
“That’s a set up. The two don’t compare. This is seafood,” I complained and he shrugged.
“Good food is good food.”
“Okay then not as good as yours but close and only because I love seafood.”
“I’ll take that.” He ate silently and I could feel his mood was off which had me inquiring why.
“You okay?”
“Yeah, I’m straight. Just kinda fucked up behind what happened to my lil cousin yesterday.”
“Peaches?” He nodded. “She okay?”
“She is now, but things got crazy last night. She went to a party and somebody slipped something in her drink. She was conscious enough for a while to call your sister, which I’m grateful for, or things could have been worse.”
“Was she…”
“No, no one touched her but they could have. Nox and Ami got there before shit got bad and took her to the hospital.”
“Oh wow. You sure she’s okay?”
“She’s good. That’s what I was over there talking to Nox about. Things could have been bad, though. Especially if he knew who drugged her. I will say this, your sister is made for my cousin. He was going to do something stupid but she shut it down. Took his gun…”
“Gun?” I stumbled over the word. The thought of Ami anywhere near a gun didn’t sit right with me but I understood. She cared about Lennox and wanted to make sure a bad situation didn’t turn drastically worse. I would have done the same had it been Brayden.
“Yeah, it’s registered and he knows how to handle it but his mind wasn’t clear. All he was thinking was someone hurt his sister and I can’t blame him. Had I known all the details when it happened there would have been two guns locked and loaded. He kept most of it from me until just now.”
I was quiet for a minute before I asked, “You have a gun?”
“Yes, and mine is registered also and I know how to use it, but…” He lowered his fork. “There was a time when we both had pieces that weren’t.”
His eyes met mine, communicating things before he added, “I did a lot of questionable things when I was younger, Caeli. Me and Nox both. That was a while ago and not my life now but it was back then.”
“Questionable things?” He nodded. “But not anymore?”
“Nah, I’m grown, understand consequences, and have a lot to lose. I’m not perfect but I’m not stupid either.”
“Then why have a gun?”
“The world is crazy, people do stupid things. I want to make sure I’m protected and now that you’re in my life that you’re protected too.”
“And that’s all.”
“Yes, like I said, my gun is registered and legal. I can teach you how to use it if that will make you feel better about me having it here.”
I shook my head. “I don’t want anything to do with a gun and I won’t make a big deal about you having one but I will ask that you promise to be safe.”
He smirked. “I promise.”
“Okay then.”
“You sure you’re cool with it.”
“You have a lock box?”
“Yes.”
“Then I’m okay with it.”
He began eating again and I decided to tell him about seeing his mother. “I went to visit my aunt today.”
“Yeah? I need to meet her.”
“You will, but…”
“Ah shit, what’s wrong.” He lowered his fork again and I smiled.
“Relax, she’s not plotting your demise.”
“Then what’s the but for?”
“I saw your mother at the retirement home where my aunt lives.”
He frowned and I explained. “She was doing a sonogram on my aunt who thought she had a hernia from overexerting herself in yoga.” I rolled my eyes.
“That makes sense. My mother is a traveling technician. You talk to her?”
“I did.”
“And?”
“And she basically admitted she was a terrible parent and assured me she would never change because she didn’t want to.”
He snorted. “Imagine that.”
“She also said that she loves you but she’s resented you for so long, she doesn’t know how not to and that she realized if she wanted to keep what little connection she had to you, she needed to stay away. So she promised no more calls or pop ups.”
His fork was in hand again but he paused mid-air and his eyes darted over to mine. “She said that?”
“She did and she also said she was making that decision because she realized you were different. Something about how you acted was different and she said that was because of me.”
Something passed behind his eyes. The confirmation that his mother was right. “At least she knows,” he murmured.
“Knows what?”
“That I refuse to let her fuck this up and chase you away. If the only guarantee that she won’t is by her staying away, then that’s the least she can do.”
“Bray…” I said quietly. “She won’t chase me away.”
He stared in silence for a long moment then added, “She’s my mother, she always will be. But I won’t keep doing this with her. I need to cut her off now. What happens if we have kids? Do they have to be exposed to her erratic drunken behavior?”
I swallowed the food I had just eaten. “Kids?”
“If you don’t want them, that’s cool too but…”
“No, I want kids but you said when we have kids, which means you want them too…” I paused. “With me.”
He smirked. “It’s with you or not at all. Permanent, Caeli, that’s our thing or did you forget?”
“No, I just…” My smile surfaced slowly. “Kids are very permanent.”
“They are, and back to my point, they won’t be exposed to her bullshit so yes, she was right. I’m different and a lot of that has to do with you.”
“I fear our potential future kids won’t have grandparents. My parents are never going to respect the life I choose to live because it’s not the one they want me to live and I won’t subject our kids to their antics. Your mother has decided she will never change.”
He shrugged. “They’ll have us and they’ll have Nox and Ami. That will just have to be enough.”
“It will.” I sighed. “And now on to my next issue…” I glared at Brayden.
“Issue?”
“Yep, would you like to tell me about how you’re selling your custom pieces and decided to keep that from me?”
His brows pinched. “How do you know that?”
“So it’s true? Well I know it’s true because my aunt has a bookshelf you repurposed.”
“Your aunt?”
“Yes, she bought it from Amos Classical Design Studio and casually tossed out that if I was stumped on what to buy for her birthday there were a few more pieces there I could add to her collection.”
“She liked my work?” He smiled and I narrowed my eyes.
“She loves your work but why didn’t you tell me you were selling your work?”
“It was just a few pieces and it’s not a thing. I like keeping it personal and if I choose to sell them I will. If I don’t, it’s just something I do to relax.”
“Oh, I see.” I was slightly offended by the keeping it personal comment.
He placed his container on the counter and crossed the kitchen, taking mine which he placed next to me before he pushed between my legs, placing his hands on the counter. “I wasn’t hiding it. I honestly didn’t think about it.”
“It feels like you were hiding it. You said keeping it personal.”
He kissed me. “That’s not about keeping it from you. It’s about keeping it something I enjoy doing and not depleting the joy by making it a business. I get enough of that with the truck. If I want to sell the pieces I can but it won’t be an expectation. I don’t mind sharing all of myself, even the things I consider personal, Caeli. I seriously just didn’t think about it and you never asked.”
“I didn’t know to ask,” I stated.
“Understood, but it’s not a thing. It’s just something I enjoy and making it more than that might take the enjoyment out of it and I don’t want that.”
“I get it.”
He pulled back with a confused expression. “You do?”
“I do.”
“So no speech about how I can be amazing and take over the world or a warning about not wasting my talent.”
“No, no speech, but I will say you are amazing and you could take over the world if that’s what you want. I will always push you to be the best man you have the potential to be, but I get it, you want the thing you love to remain the thing you love.”
He smiled slowly and my pulse quickened. “I appreciate you.”
“For what?”
“Understanding me and to show my appreciation , I think dinner can wait…” He jerked my hips forward then his mouth was on mine for a very greedy kiss before he added, “Right now I’m going to take you upstairs and express my appreciation in a very physical way.”
I yelped when he lifted me off the counter and headed out of the kitchen.
Dinner could definitely wait.