AllFreeNovel
Share Us
The next day
She was gone when he rose the following day. After checking every room in the house, DeAndre sighed and called Avery, but her phone went to voicemail.
He frowned.Could she be that upset?He wondered. DeAndre thought over what he’d said to her, trying to find fault in his words, but he found none. Perplexed, he sent her a text.
Good morning. I love you, and I’m sorry about last night.
Though his apology was sincere, he didn’t know why he was apologizing, but hopefully, he could get some clarity later when she was home.
DeAndre entered the master bathroom, turned on the sink, washed his face, and brushed his teeth. As he got ready for the day, he regretted not going to her last night. He’d thought about it while she was showering. A mere conversation could’ve nipped this misunderstanding. But he’d hesitated, then decided against it. Instead, he showered in the guest bathroom then fell asleep on the sofa with the remote control in his hand.
He was missing something, but what, DeAndre couldn’t figure out.
In the closet, he removed his clothes, dressed, then checked the calendar as he stood in the kitchen drinking a cup of coffee.
A smile spread across his face. His parents' anniversary was coming, which meant his mother would throw the party of a lifetime. He called his father—Leslie Valentine, and Leslie answered on the second ring.
“Good morning, son.”
“Good morning. Are you busy today?”
“I’ve got a few errands to run. Would you like to run them with me?”
“Sure. I’m at home.”
“I’ll be there to pick you up in twenty minutes.”
“I’ll be ready.”
Twenty-five minutes later,DeAndre opened the passenger door of the Lincoln Continental and slipped inside.
“It’s good and warm in here. How are you, father?”
“Better than ever. How are you?”
“I’m good.”
Leslie pulled away from the curb and proceeded to his first stop.
“Are you taking today off?”
“At the plant, yes, but I have some digital designs to edit when I get back to the house.”
Leslie nodded. “Is this project tougher than the others?”
“Somewhat, but it’s nothing I can’t handle.”
Leslie glanced at his son, noticing the faraway look in his eyes.
“Are you sure everything is okay?”
DeAndre regarded his father, noticing his beard's influx of salt and pepper grays. “I’ve got a question for you. How do you handle a dispute when you and mom don’t see eye to eye?”
Leslie sucked in a breath and turned the corner. “Well, it depends on the severity of the dispute, but we try to meet each other halfway.”
“What if it’s something mom is adamant about and doesn’t want to meet halfway?”
Leslie’s brows rose. “In that case, we have a standoff until I get what I want.”
