“Yes, you.”
“What did I do to inspire something so melodic?”
Rolling his chair closer to Aspen’s, Mahari took her hands and kissed the back of them before kissing her stomach. “You’ve simply been you, Bunny. After we were open and honest about how we felt for one another, that was when I started dreaming of the pieces to this. It started out with the violins.”
Aspen beamed. “You know I love when you add violins to your beats.”
“Exactly. I think that’s why they came first. Slowly, I started incorporating more things while putting my own flare to it. It came out better than I imagined, and I’m happy you’re the first person I got to share it with.”
“I am too. It’s so beautiful. Does it make you think of Heaven too?”
“It does.” Mahari ruffled his locs. “Is it odd that anything that makes me think of her also makes me think of you?”
“Why would it be weird?”
“I don’t know. I wouldn’t want it to upset you or anything.”
“Why would you thinking of the love of your life upset me? Your love with and for Heaven was one of a kind, Mahari. I remember when you first met her. The way you talked about her and looked at her told me everything I needed to know. You were so happy with her, and I truly hate it was cut short. She was your first true love. The woman you were going to spend the rest of your life with. Why would your love for her upset me?”
Was it possible to fall in love more than one time?
Each time Mahari found himself falling deeper for Aspen, there was a certain way his heart skipped a beat. It would feel like it was swelling in his chest as electric prickles traveled throughout his veins. His emotions would become mush underneath her gaze and presence. If he had to describe his love for her in one way, it would be thrilling.
Mahari pulled Aspen closer and expressed, “You always know what to say. You know what to do to make me fall deeper for you.”
“I guess we’re one in the same, aren’t we? Our feelings being aligned speaks volumes.”
“It does. I love you, Bunny.”
“And I love you, Mahari.”
Getting lost in one another’s eyes seemed to be their favorite thing to do. Each time, Mahari viewed Aspen in a different light, one that brightened each time.
Their moment was interrupted by Mahari’s phone vibrating. He picked it up to see Lance calling. Aspen saw it, too, and excused herself to the restroom. For a second, Mahari thought about letting it go to voicemail. Sweat beads formed along his upper lip. He didn’t want to ignore Lance in case it was important. At the end of the day, he was family, so he slid his finger across the screen.
“What’s good, mane?”
“Damn. I didn’t think you were going to answer,” Lance joked with a low chuckle. “You at the studio?”
“Yeah. Where you at?”
“Can you believe my ass is actually at home?”
“It’s funny how you’re home now when that’s where Aspen wanted you all along. You ain’t got business to tend to tonight?”
“Nah, so I’m here. I can’t lie to you, cuz. This shit is lonely as fuck.”
Adjusting his posture, Mahari leaned forward with his elbows resting on his knees. He glanced toward the restroom before asking, “What you getting at, Lance?”
A harsh sigh parted Lance’s lips. “Have you seen Aspen?”
“You know I have.”
“How’s she doing?”
Mahari sat back and shook his head. Slowly, he trailed his tongue over his bottom lip, trying to gauge where the conversation was going. “Have you tried reaching out to her to see for yourself?”
“I don’t think she’d write me back. Do you know she deleted me off all her social media? I can’t even see if she posts anything about the girls.”
