Purify My Heart (Chicago Love Series Book 3)

Chapter XV (Beginning of April)

It had been six months since that fateful day Asia took her own life, and things had been quite difficult. Chase didn't understand how one day she'd been there and then the next moment she was gone. His young mind couldn't grasp the concept of death and he had allowed himself to belief one day she would return to him. That was his mommy and he needed her more now than ever. Although he was recovering from the aneurysm, he was still in the hospital struggling to regain the abilities he once had. There were a few speech problems and his memory sometimes failed him, but Chase was a fighter.

"Why are you still up?" Adrian asked Aniyah as he glanced at the clock that read 3:12 AM.

"I'm just thinking about her, how she'd be so happy that Chase is slowly coming back to us,"

"You miss her don't you?"

"Of course! Although towards the end she was mean and spiteful, I know she loved me and Chase so strong. She gave her world to us in the end, and the fact she allowed that monster in our lives killed her. Asia couldn't and wouldn't allow herself the chance to be forgiven, she went to her death still feeling like that scared little girl her father tore down constantly,"

"We can't change the past Aniyah,"

"No, but we sure in the hell can change our future. Do you know how hard it is to look into Chase's eyes and realize he doesn't understand the severity of the situation? To listen to Sev constantly talk all that mess and never back it up, it's tearing me apart!"

"You think watching you fall apart isn't tearing me apart! I have stood by your side since that first day we came here to visit them. My love nor my dedication to you has never wavered!"

"Your point?"

"My point is that you need to let somethings go and refrain from lashing out on those who are by your side. Maybe you and Sev should seek family counseling with a pastor," he said rolling over and giving her his back. Aniyah knew there was a method to his madness and she silently thanked the Lord Adrian had been by her side. Lately though she couldn't consider his feelings when her world was constantly spinning.

She was struggling to continue running Maddox despite all of Jay's efforts, and then there was Chase's recovery. Yet the thing that broke her down the most was that Monica was still out there on the lose, and Sev refused to believe the woman was guilty of trying to break his family. Since Asia's passing the man had created a world of his own inside his head and it wasn't healthy. Aniyah sometimes feared having him near Chase because of the things he might say or do. Although she hadn't started the legal process of regaining custody of her baby, she knew that if Sev didn't snap to back to reality soon then she'd have no choice but to. Ella nor Adrian understood her decisions, but she knew like she was hurting, Sev was hurting just as much if not more. He'd lost his entire life when Chase became ill, and ever more when all three women he loved left him in various forms.

She said a prayer for them all and laid down next to the man who loved her.

Monica drove down the expressway allowing the wind to whip past her face. Since she was younger she'd always preferred to travel at night. There were less people on the road and she had an opportunity to explore nature and all it's wonders alone. It had been six months since she'd fled New York and returned to Chicago. Six months since she'd learned that the woman whom afforded her so many opportunities had took her own life. In some small way she felt responsible, despite their issues...she cared for Asia. She had even cared for Sev despite his naivete. She missed him more than she cared to admit, but she had to leave that life behind her completely. If she reached out, even to just apologize she knew she'd be found. She refused to spend her life in prison for any of the things she'd done.

"I've been waiting for you," the shadowy figure whispered when she pulled into the Shell gas station off of I-94.

"I've been waiting for you," she replied staring into his eyes, he was heaven.

"Oh really, well baby here I am. Are you ready? We only have a few hours until the flight leaves and I want to make sure we have everything," he replied climbing beside her in the car and planting a light kiss on her cheek.

"Where are we going?"

"It's a surprise, but I'm sure that you will more than enjoy it. We'll both have a new life and this time we'll get things right," he tried to assure her by squeezing her hand. His voice said he was lying, but Monica didn't have time to worry about that. Things were warming up in Chicago and this was her chance to exit all the issues she created her in the States.

"Travis don't hurt me, I don't know what I'd do if you hurt me," she replied struggling to keep the tears at bay.

"Monica why would I want to hurt you? I see you exactly for who you are and you see me for exactly who I am, together there is nothing we can't accomplish. Now I know I've made mistakes in the past and one day I will have to answer for them, but today is not that day. We'll be fine, you just have to put your faith in me?"

"What about Renee?"

"What about her?"

"Did you let her down easy?"

"No and why should I? She didn't even try to understand where I was coming from about the whole situation with Jay and Naima,"

"You still should have apologized,"

"Did you apologize to Sev, or Asia?" he said using his words to stab her in the heart.