Page 56 of That Fire

“I’ve been okay. I umm . . . had to go back to counseling after PJ, but I’m handling it a lot better now.”

I nodded. What happened to her was unfortunate, and I hated that it happened to her of all people. She was one of thesweetest people I knew. “That’s good. I’m glad you’re getting back to yourself.”

“Yeah,” she said softly and stared out of the window.

I frowned slightly, wondering what she was doing. Then I remembered that Kingsley lived next door. I could see the longing in her eyes. “Have you talked to him lately?”

She shook her head, then lowered it. “I miss him,” she whispered.

“I’m sure he misses you just as much, if not more.”

“Yeah. He texts me every day saying so. He’s such a good person. I’m not mentally ready to receive what all he has to offer. Being with me, dealing with my mood swings and triggers, wasn’t fair to him. I felt like he thought I would be done with that shit by now. I thought I would have been too. I was doing so much better. When PJ died, it was like I was given a violent shove back to that night. PJ drove us to the hospital and literally almost got killed that night trying to find me.”

She slid her hand down her face. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to bring you down, Aaliyah.”

“You didn’t bring me down, Treasure. I’m here to listen. I think Kingsley is prepared to go through all of that with you. He looks so sad all the time. I think he loves you.”

She lifted her head and stared at me. “What makes you think that?”

“He’s miserable. He looks like he’s barely making it through life. He goes fishing like three days out of the week. It ain’t that much fishing in the world. He doesn’t even hang around the guys as much. He’s home a lot too. Losing you is killing him. That could only be love that has him feeling that way, boo.”

She swallowed hard and nodded. I believed she already felt that he loved her, but me saying so may have confirmed it for her. “Has he told you that he loved you?” I asked.

“No. I can feel it though.”

“So why do you think he hasn’t told you?”

Her tears fell immediately. “He knows I’m not ready to hear it.”

“Don’t cry, Treasure. If he is withholding his feelings for you because he knows that you aren’t ready, then he is also equipped to help you with what you’re going through. Don’t rush into it, but think about that for a little bit. Sit in that revelation. I truly believe if he can’t be with you, he won’t be with anyone. His love runs deep for you.”

She nodded and wiped her face. “You’re right. I’m glad I tagged along today. I didn’t want to come because I knew King lived next door, but my mama insisted. It was like God had a message for me, and He sent it by way of you. “

I smiled slightly. That made me feel good. Treasure was older than me by nearly five years and was way more mature than me. She always had a good head on her shoulders. When she finally allowed Kingsley to love her, I felt like he was going to be like a fucking quiet storm. He was going to love her through every trigger and moment of depression. He would be everything she ever needed if she let him.

I shifted in bed, trying to get comfortable only to feel like I pissed on myself. “Oh shit.”

Treasure’s eyebrows lifted, and she hopped up from her seat. “Mama! Aunt Shana!” She came to the bed and grabbed my hand. “What do you need me to do?”

“Call Bali.”

She nodded and immediately called her sister-in-law as my mama and Aunt Harper ran into the room. My mama immediately called Royal on speakerphone. He’d only been gone a little over an hour. Aunt Harper came to me and helped me from the bed. There was a bit of blood there too.

“Come on, let’s get you cleaned up so we can go.”

I nodded and stood on wobbly legs to go to the bathroom. I noticed my mama behind me and Aunt Harper going back to the room to pull the bedding off the bed.

“Where’s your bag, Aaliyah?” Treasure asked.

“Royal has iiiiiit!”

A contraction hit me, and that shit felt like somebody was stabbing me. My mama braced me and helped me breathe through it. “Did you . . . call . . . Royal?”

“Yes. He didn’t answer, so I sent a text. I’m pretty sure he’s probably on his way.”

I nodded as she pulled my underwear off, and I took off my nightshirt. Aunt Harper came to the bathroom with a muumuu for me to wear. There was no sense in putting on underwear. After wiping my legs with a semi-soapy towel, my mama slid the muumuu over my head, then pulled off my bonnet. “I know you wouldn’t want to be caught dead walking through the ER with this on your head.”

“At this point, I don’t even give a damn. Can you call Royal again?”