ᴏɴɪᴋᴀ ᴍᴀʀᴀᴊ
It was the next morning, and I was seated at the island kitchen table, my MacBook open for a Zoom call with one of Aubrey's lawyers, Denzel.
Aubrey had spent the night here after China and Rylee left when the episodes ended. Now, he was busy making breakfast—a fluffy omelette sizzling on the stove as the smell filled the kitchen.
"So, he told you himself he wasn't going to sign the papers?" Denzel asked, leaning back in his chair, clearly frustrated.
"Yeah," I said, swallowing the lump in my throat. "The last time I tried to get him to sign, he flat-out said no. He's refusing."
Aubrey walked over, setting a plate with a perfectly made omelette next to me before heading back to the stove to finish his own.
Denzel sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose.
"Okay, here's the thing. If he's refusing to sign voluntarily, we'll need to serve him the papers formally. It's the next step. If he's served within the upcoming days and doesn't respond in time, then the divorce could actually go by smoothly."
I nodded, taking in what he said. "So you're saying it's all about getting him served now?"
"Exactly," Denzel confirmed. "Once he's served, the clock starts ticking. If he doesn't contest it, we can move forward without any further delays. But we need to act fast."
I let out a deep breath, feeling the weight of the situation but also a sliver of relief knowing there was a clear plan. "Alright, let's do it. Just tell me what you need from me."
"I'll handle the paperwork and coordinate the service. You just keep me updated if you hear anything else,"
"Appreciate it Denzel," Aubrey says over his shoulder and Denzel nodded before logging off.
I closed the laptop, feeling the tension drain from my shoulders. Aubrey was already at my side, setting down a glass of orange juice next to my plate.
"You okay?" he asked softly.
"Yeah," I said with a small smile. "Just ready for this to be over."
He nodded, pulling up a stool next to me. "I'm here, every step of the way,"
"Thank you," I whispered, picking up my fork and taking a bite of the omelette, it was a warm.
Aubrey watched me, his expression softening. "I just want you to have peace. That's all I care about mama."
I nodded my head "Do you have any plays today?" I asked, watching him as I covered my mouth, chewing a bite of the omelette.
He shook his head, reaching for his glass of juice. "Nah. I really came to New York to see you," he said, taking a quick glance my way.
I raised an eyebrow, a smile tugging at my lips. "Oh, really? Just me? No work?"
"Just you," he repeated, meeting my eyes with that familiar, steady gaze before taking a sip. "What about you?" he asked, leaning back a bit to get more comfortable on the stool.
"Well," I started, setting my fork down. "I have to pick up Omari from my aunt's house later today."
Aubrey's face lit up with a smile. "I missed my lil dude,"
"And he missed you too," I replied, chuckling. "He kept asking to see you. It's like he knew you were coming or something."
Aubrey grinned, his eyes crinkling at the corners. "He got a sixth sense when it comes to me, huh?"
