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SIX
~ Samuel ~
I was still surprised she had agreed to it, even as I parked and went straight to her place after work. I could hear the boys shouting even from the outside of the house and wondered what those two were arguing about. I rang the bell, took a step back, and waited. An exhausted-looking Kelly opened the door before smiling knowingly.
“She’s almost ready. Why don’t you come in and wait? I’m sure the boys will be happy to see you, and it might stop them shouting for a bit.”
“I’m more than happy to help.”
As I stepped over the threshold, Kelly took me by surprise as she pulled me off into the corner. I could tell by the look on her face that whatever she was about to say was serious.
“And just one more thing before I leave you be. If you hurt her, I will end you.”
My eyes widened at her threat. I knew Kelly was protective over her sister, but I didn’t realize how much Aria had told her.
“You do realize it’s not a real relationship, right?” I asked.
“It might seem that way. For now.”
Her ominous words left me confused as she led me into the living room where Peter and Harry were yelling at each other in front of the TV. From just one glance, I could tell it was over a video game. Upon seeing me, their faces changed, and they rushed at me.
“Sammy, you’re here!” Harry, the youngest, said, grabbing hold of my leg.
I grinned and patted his head, “I thought I’d come to see how my favorite neighbors were doing before I borrow your auntie for the evening.”
Peter, the ten-year-old, narrowed his eyes, “So, do you love our auntie Aria then?”
Kelly laughed in the background as she headed into the kitchen, leaving me alone with the two energetic boys. I ruffled Peter’s hair before taking a seat on the couch. Both Harry and Peter joined me, one on either side.
“Your auntie Aria is an amazing woman. Do you know that? All the Taylor women are, including your mom.”
“My mom’s not a Taylor anymore,” Harry commented, “She’s a Davis now, like daddy and us.”
“Right you are,” I smiled, “But she’ll always have the Taylor spirit.”
“And what might that be exactly?”
The sound of her voice seemed to stir something inside of me as I looked towards the archway, where she was standing. My mouth almost dropped open at the sight of her. Aria was wearing a tight-fitting gray dress that reached just below her knees and was belted at the front. The material clung to her curves, making it even more evident to me just how much she had grown up from her teenage years. Her hair was once again styled in loose waves, her makeup minimalistic but accentuating her natural beauty. The boys giggled next to me.
“You look really pretty,” Peter commented.
He could say that again. It was as though she had been peeled from the pages of the Greek myths themselves; such was her beauty to a real-life goddess. Quickly, I stood up, straightening up the tie and shirt I had whipped on after work. I felt severely underdressed compared to her, and we were only having dinner at my house. Kelly walked in from the kitchen, and once again, that knowing smile formed on her face.
“You look amazing, Aria. And Sam, remember what I said.”
How could I forget the elder sister’s threat? Nodding to show my agreement, I walked towards Aria and offered her my arm.
“Shall we?”
She smiled, “We shall.”
When we left the noise of the Taylor’s family home behind and were out on the street, Aria turned to me. Her heeled sandals clacked against the sidewalk.
“What did my sister say to you?” she asked.
I knew that Kelly had never intended for Aria to know about the warning. Instead, I diverted the flow of conversation.
“Nothing much. I hope you’re hungry. By the way, I heard my mom is cooking up a storm.”
Reaching down, she grabbed my hand. I looked at her with questions in my eyes.
“Need to make it believable,” she commented before pulling me towards my front door.
Before I put the key in the lock, I turned to her, “Are you sure you’re okay with this? I promise I won’t hold it against you if you want to back down now. It’s just, once we go through this door, I don’t think they’ll be any turning back.”
Aria smiled softly, “What’s a little bit of acting in comparison to your mom’s happiness? Even for a little while, I’d do anything for Maya.”
I was once again drawn in by this woman’s strength. It seemed that there were still many surprises to my childhood friend. As I opened the door, I realized that they would suddenly be put to the test. There inside was the group of women from church on Saturday. I turned, expecting to see Aria paling once more but instead was met by a steely look of determination.
“It’s okay,” she whispered, “We’ve got this.”
