Aubrey's Playground

:71:

Aubrey looked up towards the porch of his mother's home as Nebby made her way out the door closing it behind her. "What are you doing here?" He asked with a frown. It had been months of silence between the two after her drunken breakdown in his living room.

Nebby sighed, her mood had gone from joyous as she sat with Sandi to hatred as she looked at Aubrey. "I visit your mom now and then to check on her."

"Thank you." He said vaguely.

"Since you're too busy"

Aubrey remained emotionless, he sighed and looked around the quiet neighborhood. "You could have just left it at checking on her."

"Get my jabs in when I can. She said shrugging her shoulders.

"We're going to do this every time we see one another." Aubrey tirelessly asked.

"Probably."

"You should probably stop coming here then."

"You should probably come see your mom more then." She hissed back.

Aubrey rubbed his eyes. "We have to do this now, Nebby?! Of all places!? Outside my mother's house!? What do you want? A fucking apology!? Because this victim shit is getting old!" He replied calmly.

"An apology would be a nice start! You took so much time from me! All so you can bring home Robyn's clone! You kept me here and strung me along! We were supposed to be working on us!"

"WE NEVER WORKED, NEBBY!" He finally yelled. "We never worked and you knew that! We been through too much bullshit with one another to keep this going! All we did was makeup to break up!" I was forcing it! I felt like I had to take care of you!"

"Had to take care of me for what!?" She hissed back.

"You ain't been the same since the accident!" He stretched his arms out to either side. I felt like I had to take care of you out of guilt! I felt guilty!" He spoke honestly.

Nebby's eyebrows rose, she was insulted, to say the least. "Out of guilt!? Wow! So now we're really being honest!"

Aubrey smacked his lips. "Nebby come on!"

"You walk around like you're this perfect specimen! You're a piece shit painted gold, Aubrey! I never guilt-tripped you into anything!"

"You used my child's death to guilt trip me!" Aubrey's jaw locked as he stepped towards her then stepped back out of frustration. "For years you made me feel like it was my fault. I had to go to therapy because of you! " He pointed his index finger at her as tears began to swell under his eyes. Nebby grew silent as she looked down. "Every time I tried to fucking leave you guilt-tripped me! I tide to leave! You wouldn't let me!" Aubrey took a deep breath and held it. "We lost a fucking child and you blamed me! You blamed me but wouldn't let me go all so you could continue to hold it over my fucking head!" Aubrey finally confessed, his face red out of anger.

"What was I supposed to do without you! I lost a child too! A..."

"A child that was in you! I know the fucking story, Nebby you won't let me forget! Because you carried my son he means more to you! He was more important to you! Yeah, I know!" He yelled cutting her off vaguely mocking their past arguments. Aubrey stepped back and ran his hand down his face as he took another deep breath. "I'm sorry, I'm sorry for the death, the cheating, the fighting, I'm sorry for wasting your time." He said turning to look back at her. "I apologize! How many times do I have to apologize? I'm sorry! How many times do I have to say it!?" Aubrey pleaded. Nebby stood silent, she took a deep breath and held it longer than needed, then finally releasing it, her eyes welled but her face remained emotionless oblivious to the tears that trailed down her cheek. Aubrey sighed through his clenched teeth, he reached out and grabbed her by the arm pulling her towards him, she pushed at him but remained silent, she pulled harder against his grip freeing herself, and turned around, she paced to her car and got in, Aubrey shook his head and turned around heading towards the front door of his mother's house.