Mine • Jaren Jackson Jr.

•5•

Rielle, much like Cynthia, had lost a parent as well.

Eric Davis was a lawyer and a very good one. He was successful and had many key representations during his life time. Despite how busy he was, he was a great father and husband.

When they moved from Maryland to Memphis, Rielle was 9. Her father and sister died when she was 15 years old, a few years later.

Christina and Eric were on their way home from a Choir concert when they were hit by a drunk driver. The drunk driver survived but his young daughter, who was in the back seat, and Christina and Eric were both pronounced dead at the hospital later that night.

Rielle was only 15, having just started high school the year before, and it felt as if the entire bottom fell from her world. Her older sister and her father had just passed and she was attempting to figure her life out.

Of course, she had Cynthia and her mother but she also lost two people who were very important to her.

It was the anniversary of their death, and Erica, Cynthia and her would be spending it together.

Rielle stood in front of her mirror, trying to keep herself together as she tried not to think about the day that had changed her life almost 5 years ago.

She remembered the call. She was braiding KaCynthia's hair and her mother had let out a heartbreaking scream in her office. Arielle remembered going to the hospital and seeing her father hooked to so many machines as he neared death.

"I love you two more than you know." Eric croaked weakly, smiling a bit at KaCynthia and Rielle. "I know you tow will do great things."

Rielle remembered shaking her head, frantically looking at her father. "No, Dad. You can't leave me."

Rielle remembered KaCynthia cried on her fathers shoulder, feeling the effects of losing yet another parent. She remembered going to see Christina after. She remembered the note Christina left for her, having had one of the doctors right it.

She remembered how she was only a little bit into high school before forcing herself to work harder to graduate 2 years early, because her father had done the same thing. She remembered going into college at just 16 and meeting Jaren a year later.

He was able to put a smile on her face even though there was something terribly broken inside.

Jaren would go to the University of Tennessee, where Rielle and Cynthia had gone to school, and see the girl who had quickly become his best friend when he was just 2 years into the NBA.

Today, even though Jaren was in LA for a game against the Clippers, he had gotten 3 bouquets of flowers delivered to her apartment.

To Christina, the one person my best friend looked up to.

To Eric, the man that raised the driven, beautiful woman that I can call my dearest friend.

To My Little one, my best friend in the world, and my peace. Hopefully I can put a smile on your face on this tough day.

Rielle thought about the flowers that were in her kitchen as she prepared herself for the day. There were a couple different things the girls would be doing today and Rielle wasn't sure what any of them were.

She sighed, slicking her thick hair back into a ponytail. Today was not the day to be dealing with hair anyway.

When the car arrived with her mother and KaCynthia, her Mom got out, pulling the sun glasses from her face. She scanned over Rielle's face, noticing the small frown.

"My baby."

Erica Davis was a business woman like no other but nothing could appeal to her quite like KaCynthia and Rielle and at one point, Christina.