AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“Yeah. Sure thing, son. I love ya.”
“One love, Pops.”
I ended the call just as a message came through. My entire hand shook from the force of the vibrations. Instantly, I pushed the small button on the side forward to remove the silencer.
The red rose appeared. Serving as a defibrillator, it produced a currentso intensethat it resulted in a deafening heartbeat that drowned out every sound around me. It was as if I was underwater, unable to hear anything because the chlorine-filled liquid was far above my ears.
Apprehension swallowed me whole as I unlocked my screen. Ignoring every word in the text message that was four lines long, I began my reply. Whatever Nature was saying to me didn’t matter. All that mattered was my response.
You don’t get to stand me up, Nay. I don’t give a damn what that message says. We’re doing this. Get dressed and stay off your phone and out of your head. I prefer remaining respectful, but I don’t have an issue pulling up to your address instead of the one that belongs to your parents. See you at eight.
The message was long and much more winded than I would’ve liked, but Nature needed to understand what was being requested of her. I didn’t have to read the message she’d sent to know it contained doubts and apologies for agreeing to a date that she no longer thought was a good idea to attend.
She was coming along with me for the night, even if I had to go get her ass from the crib she shared with her partner. I wasn’t opposed to the idea if she brought me to that point. The sadness in her voice wouldn’t allow me to go on about my day as if it didn’t exist. It was her birthday, and more than anything, I wanted to make sure she enjoyed at least the last few hours of it.
Gray bubbles appeared, hiking my adrenaline and toying with my patience. She was superjacent on my nerves but I couldn’t say I’d rather have it any other way. When we sat down for dinner in less than two hours, it would all be worth it.
OK.
Her response was simple but the complexity of the thought process that went behind it wasn’t as quickly forgotten as the single-word reply. She understood my yearning for her presence and knew that her night would be so much better with me. Nature was well aware that whatever was bothering her, I’d see to it that it was fixed before we got up from dinner. I was a source of relief for Nay.
It was always that way. Whatever problems arose for her, if I had the power, I’d make them disappear. So many years had passed since I’d contributed to her worrying less and thriving more. I missed that shit. I missed her. She knew it, too.
Satisfied with the trajectory of our night, I marched into my home calmly, heading straight for the kitchen. A bottle of water and a few pieces of cantaloupe would suffice for now, holding me over until I saw that beautiful face of Nature’s. Long, jet-black lashes, well-defined cheekbones, pouty lips, and perfect white teeth would keep me full to capacity until we sat down to dine.
Cold and fresh fruit filled my fridge, replacing the harsh, processed foods that slowly decomposed the body over time. Though I had no issue eating that shit when I was out on the town, it had no place in my home. Four pieces of cantaloupe and two pieces of honeydew melon sat at the bottom of my bowl, waiting to be devoured along with the bottle of water in my hand.
One by one, I popped them into my mouth as I floated up the rounding staircase while mentally noting to remove the bowl and empty bottle from my room before leaving for the night. The smell of teakwood swarmed me upon entrance. Signs of human activity were absent, a preference of mine. A spotless home was the epitome of peace for me. Without it, I was restless, unfocused, and completely annoyed.
Wasting little time, the closet was my first destination. I settled on a pair of dark denim that was only a few shades lighter than the black ones right next to them. The acid-wash effect made them appear slightly gray. Still, I paired them with a black Amiri shirt. Black and red Jordan Ones were the shoe of choice, being that the letters on my shirt were the color of fresh blood.
With my free hand, I laid everything on the island in the middle of my closet, making sure it all coordinated well. Satisfaction was easily obtained, shaving off a few minutes of my preparation time. The empty bowl hit the glass on the top of the jewelry case that was next to me. I stripped out of the clothes I’d walked the hospital halls and visited patients in, shoving them down the laundry shoot before heading out of the closet and into the shower room, which was just through the second door in the large space.
I stepped inside the shower to get the water started, but immediately stepped back out because I wasn’t quite ready to get in. The screen of my phone unlocked as I placed it in front of me. I disabled the Bluetooth connection to the speaker in my bedroom and connected it to the bathroom’s system. Drake’s harmonizing ass rushed through the speaker above the shower, filling the room with his voice.
As if anyone besides me and the housekeeper had been inside my home, I checked the towel warmer beside the shower to make sure there were towels inside. It was a habit stemming from a childhood that included living among four other males who would clown you for not checking the cabinet for towels before stepping into the shower. Many days, I’d skipped the step and ended up running through the house in search of clean, dry towels on laundry day.
This time, when I stepped behind the glass door, I didn’t emerge until my body was covered in small beads of water that had been working the sweat and gunk of the day from my skin. The warm towel scrubbed away evidence of the H2O upon reaching my bedroom. Moisturizer was quickly added for easy and thorough absorption.
Taking a look at the clock, I noticed I had less than thirty minutes to get out of the door and make my way toward Berks, where Nature’s parents rested their heads each night. The mutual meeting spot was ideal because it was not too far from Stacks. Though I’d pass it on my way through The Peaks, it wasn’t too far of a drive and wouldn’t feel like the quick turnaround it really was.
Within twenty of those thirty minutes, I was dressed and inside the Aston Martin. Speeding down the street, I spritzed my neck a few more times with the cologne choice of the night. My windows were rolled down, airing out the heaviness of the aroma. I tossed the travel-sized bottle in the door pocket next to me and tightened my grip on the steering wheel.
My gratification peaked as a smile curved my lips up and into a smile. If Nature didn’t feel like home for me, my nerves wouldn’t have survived the drive, but the comfort her presence granted me wouldn’t allow it. For the first time in a long time, I truly felt like I was on my way home.On my way back to her.
I wasn’t sure what this dinner would mean for either of us, but I couldn’t deny the tingling in my gut that told me it wouldn’t be our last one. Before I left her for the night, I’d make sure of it. Too much time had passed since I’d been graced with her smile and pretty brown hair and witty responses.
I missed that shit. I missed her. And after years of fucking around and lending my attention to undeserving participants, I was ready to fight until my death to make sure that I secured a new position in her world. It was my fault that we were in the spaces we were in. Tonight was the opportunity to make amends.
The sight of the snow-white Porsche Cayenne parked directly in front of the newly remodeled family dwelling as I pulled into the driveway loaded my abdomen with swarming butterflies. A quick chuckle forced me to sit a bit longer than anticipated as I got my shit together.
“Really, nigga?” I asked, massaging my temple with my index finger and thumb.
Nervous?I couldn’t believe it. Nature was a source of comfort, which made it quite difficult to process. Nevertheless, with a shake of the head, I climbed out of the car and made my way up to the door.
Picture-perfect landscaping make me question my yard guy and what the fuck he was doing in my yard once a month because mine looked nothing like theirs. I refrained from snapping images, but made a promise to find out who they were working with so I could hire the same company. An assortment of plants led me to the steps that led to the front door. I stretched my right arm, preparing to ring the doorbell, when the door opened.
Sandy hair, lean limbs, chiseled cheeks, angelic eyes, mascara-encrusted eyelashes, and perfectly waxed brows rendered me speechless. So beautifully, Nature had aged. I swallowed to get rid of the chalkiness of my throat, still wondering if words were even possible.
