Ethan Whitmore
Isat backed into a corner as I watched a team of people come in with a stretcher.
With tears in my eyes, I watched them place my mother on the rolling bed before zipping her up in a white plastic bag.
Closely, I followed them to the front, and watched from the door as they placed her in the back of a van.
That shit instantly gave me flashbacks to the day she was taken by the ambulance, only to return home in a fucked up state.
My life was never the same after that, and it damn sure wouldn’t be the same now that she was physically gone.
Before the coroner pulled out, I was already gone. I needed to be by myself for a moment. I needed a whole bottle to help ease my mind because this shit was about to mentally take me out.
I waited four days before I finally decided to lay my mother to rest. Instead of having a traditional burial, me and Big Momma made a joint decision to have a green burial.
There weren’t too many people who cared to check on her over the years.
Therefore, her service was private and only for immediate family.
In Big Momma’s back yard, we had a plot dug and fenced off for her final resting place.
It was the ending but yet the beginning of a new chapter in my life.
I’d been trying my best to keep busy, so my mind wouldn’t constantly reminisce on all the good and definitely not the bad.
As soon as my momma was placed in the ground, I went right back to work.
On the business aspect, the process of cleaning my money had officially begun.
The guys and I had just touched back down from Vegas, and I guess you can say I felt good.
Despite the fact that I was grieving, shit was actually looking up.
I couldn’t be any happier about that. When it came to the club, the building had already been gutted and the transformation was underway.
Ava never told me what she wanted to do, so I took it upon myself to decide for her.
I had faith in her catering business and knew one day soon, she’d want to open her own restaurant.
“Aye, I gotta make a stop right quick,” Ace spoke over the music playing.
We had just dropped Duke off and were cruising around town on the way back to my spot.
I wasn’t in a rush to be anywhere important, so I was cool with the detour.
When we pulled up to his parents’ house, I noticed Ava’s car in the driveway.
I wasn’t expecting to see her, but I wasn’t going to pass up the opportunity to speak, either.
She reached out to me a few days ago and even stopped by Big Momma’s briefly but I never reached back out.
Not because I didn’t want to talk to her.
I just wasn’t in the right headspace. She had been on my mind heavily.
Before everything happened with my mom, I had been itching to contact her.
Every time I picked up my phone to call or text her, I caught myself and decided not to.
I wanted to respect her wishes by giving her the space and time she requested, but I was missing her like crazy.
“You might as well bring yo’ ass in the house. I know you want to.” Ace chuckled as he got out of the car.
I sat still for a moment to contemplate. Fuck it, I said to myself. I got out and walked behind him into the house. Whatever his mom had cooked smelled good as hell.
“Aye, Ma, you remember EJ, right?” Ace announced.
“Yes, how are you?” His mother smiled with a wave.
“I’m doing alright. How about you?” I returned the energy.
“I’m doing well, breaking a sweat in this kitchen. Are y’all staying long enough to eat?” she asked.
I wasn’t sure what to say because it wasn’t in the plans to stop by.
“Yeah, we staying.” Ace gave me a look behind his mom’s back.
I just nodded my head.
“Yayy!” I heard a little voice and the sound of feet running toward me.
As always, Savannah wrapped her little arms around my legs with a tight hug.
“What’s going on, little mama?” I scooped her up.
Even without too many words, I knew she was excited to see me because she held on tightly, hugging me around my neck.
“That’s messed up, Vannah. I know you see me standing here too.” Ace faked an attitude.
“That’s interesting. Savannah doesn’t take to too many people. Especially strangers.” Ava’s mom watched us in confusion.
“That nigga ain’t a stranger.” Ace laughed with food in his mouth. “Him and Ava have been kickin’ it for a little minute now. I forgot to tell you, ma, your daughter got jungle fever.”
“Watch it, Ace.” She pointed her finger.
Just as she was about to speak again, Ava came around the corner. At first, she had a look of surprise upon seeing me standing in the middle of her mother’s kitchen. Then, just as quickly, her expression changed.
“Ava, why didn’t you tell me you were dating again?” Her mother looked at her.
“Um… I don’t know.” She shrugged, taking Savannah from my arms.
Our eyes connected for a moment before she turned her back on me to put Savannah down. Waving at me with a smile, little mama ran off to go play in another room.
“Do you need help with anything?” she asked her mother.
“No, baby, everything is almost done.”
Hell, I didn’t think she was going to speak to me until her mother left the room, and she finally turned her attention to me.
“How are you?”
“I’m alright.” I shrugged.
“I texted you. I also came by the house to make sure you were okay. I’m sorry to hear about your mom.”
I exhaled deeply, my eyes observing her face.
“’Preciate it, but I’m good. How are you?” I asked.
There was something different about her, and it wasn’t sitting right with me. She looked as if she wasn’t getting much rest. Maybe she’d been crying a lot. I didn’t know.
“I’m good.” She nodded.
“Are you sure?” My eyes searched hers, and I knew she was lying.
“Yeah, I’m good,” she repeated.
Awkwardly, we stood in the middle of the kitchen in silence, staring at each other.
“Can we go outside and talk for a second?” I asked.
“Sure.” She nodded, then led the way to the front porch.
There was a swinging bench on the porch, where we took a seat beside each other. Her scent invaded my nostrils, giving me a contact.
“I miss you,” I blurted out.
She laughed to herself under her breath, then turned to look at me.
“To be honest, I miss you too.”
Again, we were quiet. I took it upon myself to grab her hand and lace our fingers together. I placed a kiss on the back of her hand.
“Do you still love me?” I asked.
A small smile appeared on her face as she rolled her eyes and looked off.
“I do.” She nodded.
That made me smile.
“Zoie misses you too, just so you know,” I informed her.
She giggled a bit.
“The feeling is mutual. The same goes for Savannah. She misses the both of you.”
“I want to respect your space, but I figured it won’t hurt to ask. Can I take you out? We can have lunch or dinner. Whatever you want. I just… I just want us to get back to where we were.” I softly stroked her chin.
A smile danced on her lips as she kept her focus on the yard.
“Okay,” she agreed.
“Word?” I smiled.
“Yeah.” She gave me a once-over. “Can I be honest with you?”
“I always want you to be honest with me, Amore.” I gazed into her eyes.
I think calling her by her nickname made her start to blush a little. She tried to hide it, but I could see right through her.
“There’s this light that shines down on me when you’re around.
I could be feeling terrible, and then you pop up.
Your presence alone makes me feel so much better.
I know we might’ve jumped into things too quickly.
We both have loose ends that need to be tied up and…
I don’t know.” She shrugged. “I want to get back to where we were, but I don’t want to go through the same things I went through—”
“You won’t.” I cut her off. “Ava, I put it on my life. I would never do anything to intentionally hurt you.”
“I know.” she sighed. “I just have too much going on right now.”
When I glanced at her, she had tears in her eyes.
“Like what?” I wanted to know.
She didn’t respond right away, but I knew for a fact it had something to do with her bitch ass ex.
“Rob filed for full custody of Savannah. We have court next month.” A tear dropped.
“And let me guess, you’re worried about that?”
“Why wouldn’t I be?”
“Come on, baby, you really think I’ll let that muthafucka take Savannah away from you? Despite what we have going on personally, I’ll never allow another muthafucka to play in your face. Don’t worry about any of that. You might as well say it’s already handled.”
“Ethan….”
“I’m dead ass. You should know by now that there’s nothing I wouldn’t do for you.” I looked her dead in the eyes.
I could see the tears coming, but before she let them fall, her arms wrapped around my neck in a tight hug.
That shit felt amazing. I wasted no time wrapping my arms around her waist, bringing her closer to me.
We sat like that for at least three minutes.
Shit, I couldn’t even keep up with the time.
All I knew was that I was happy to have her back in my arms, even if it was only temporary.
“You mean a lot to me. I’m just scared to take a chance.”
“There ain’t nothing to be scared of.” I hooked her chin. “I’m waiting for you to say the word, and we can pick up from where we left off. If not, I’m willing to move as slow as you want. Either way, I want you to take a chance on me, so I can give you the world.”
She leaned forward pressing her lips against mine, and I damn near lost it.
Not dramatically, but my dick bricked up on immediate contact.
When she pulled back, I grabbed the back of her neck to bring her right back against my lips.
I could feel her body heat up and mine too.
We weren’t in the right place to take it there, so I had to pull away to gain control of myself.
“If you’re all in, then so am I. Just don’t hurt me.” She pecked my lips.
“I won’t. I promise.”