All of Me

XXXI

"Hey mommy. Hey Dear." Heather said as she and Amaru walked into the house.

"Hey y'all." Amaru said, giving them hugs.

"Hey babies. The boys just went to sleep twenty minutes ago." Cynthia told them.

Heather pouted. "I haven't seen them all day."

Cynthia picked the boys up from school and daycare due to Heather having a doctors appointment, and everyone else was tied up. "Come on and sit down. We were going through some of these photo albums." Dear told them.

Amaru and Heather sat side by side as Cynthia sat next to Dear. Dear handed them the photo album she had, making Heather gasp immediately when she saw the pictures. "That's me when I used to do ballet." Heather said, pointing to her five year old self.

"How'd you get that picture edited like that?" Amaru asked, pointing to another picture who he thought was Heather.

"What do you mean?" Heather asked. "That's how pictures were printed back then. This picture is like fifty years old."

Amaru's eyes furrowed together as he looked closer. "That's not you?"

Heather laughed. "No, that's Dear."

"Damn." Amaru said as he took the photo album from Heather. "Dear, you would have definitely been my little friend back in the day."

The ladies laughed and Dear waved him off. "Boy, you wouldn't even know what to do with me." She joked.

Heather cracked up as she watched Amaru's eyebrows raised. "Respectfully, Dear—you wouldn't get enough of me."

"Shut up." Heather laughed along with Dear and Cynthia.

Amaru laughed as well. "All jokes aside, Dear—you was fine, mamas—still is!"

Dear chuckled. "Thank you, baby."

"Speaking of baby—y'all sure y'all don't want to do a baby shower?" Cynthia asked.

"We told you a nesting party, mama. Y'all can bring gifts then—that's basically what a baby shower is for." Heather told her. "They already gave me one at work and I personally think baby showers are overrated."

Cynthia scoffed. "I guess, child."

"Cynthia, leave that girl alone. You're already gonna plan the wedding." Dear said, sticking up for her granddaughter.

Heather giggled. "Thank you, Dear."

"Damn, this is Dear too?!" Amaru exclaimed as he pointed at a picture.

Heather looked over and nodded. "Yes, that's her."

"Man, I know Mr. Willie Earl and them were hot on yo tail!" Amaru said to Dear.

Dear laughed. "Boy, stop it."

-

Amaru sat against the headboard as he used his pen to draw on his iPad for the work he was going to do for two clients the next day. Heather was cuddle against his leg while Killian and Micah were asleep at the foot of the bed. It was midnight and Amaru needed this done before he went to sleep.

All of a sudden, Heather gasped and jumped out of her sleep—startling Amaru. "Baby, what's wrong?" He whispered, not wanting to disturb the boys.

"I—umm—I had another vivid dream." Heather said as she sat up.

Amaru placed the iPad on his nightstand and wrapped his arm around Heather. "What happened, mamas?"

"I was holding the baby and he turned into ashes." Heather sighed. "These dreams are taking a toll on me. They're getting harder to deal with. They seem so real."