Beautiful Escape

Beautiful Escape: Chapter Seven

Kario.

"Rio, sweetheart you have a visitor?" Auntie Gina asked as she stepped out onto the back porch with a pitcher of lemonade as I shot around on the basketball court in the backyard.

Situating the ball underneath my arm I smiled as I saw Aja follow my aunt out of the house and down the sandy colored stairs. She had on a long black and red striped floor length dress with a vintage blue jean jacket.

"What are you doing here?"

"Jubilee insisted she needed to see her man and I was bored so I tagged along, I hope that's okay." Aja asked nervous.

"Its fine."

Ajalon made her way over to me and hugged my bare chest while I nodded my head for my aunt to go inside.

"Oh okay, I'll be inside cooking dinner. Aja, honey you will be staying won't you."

"Of course, thank you Mrs. Davis."

Auntie Gina winked at me then walked back into the house leaving Aja and I alone on the court. She seemed shy and uncomfortable so I took her in my arms making her giggle, the sound I'm always wanting to hear from her.

"Rio stop." She laughed uncontrollably. "You don't have a shirt on and your sweaty."

I paused faking my hurt feelings. "You saying you don't like being this close to me?"

"Not when your sweaty." She smiled then kissed my cheek.

I playfully smacked my lips then let her go and continued to shoot the ball from various angles.

"Teach me how to shoot a free throw." Aja softly demanded as she pulled up her hair.

"Aight, c'mere." She sauntered over to me and I gently pulled her in front me as we stood in front of the basket.

I rose her arms with mine so they were above her head but in front of my face. she giggled.

"I'm too short."

"Don't whine lil' mama just breath." Together we dribbled the ball then I rose our arm together. I smiled upon hearing her take a deep breath I positioned the ball on her finger tips. "Now let go." When she let go the ball made a perfect entrance into the basket.

I held my stomach with laughter as I watched Aja jump up and down with glee. We walked to the furthest side of the backyard to sit on the grass and just talk.

"Oh my gosh! I remember when I was little my nana had a cherry tree in her back yard and whenever I'd visit with my mom we'd pick cherries then she'd bake a pie with them." Ajalon smiled at the ground while playing with a blade of grass.

"What happened to her?"

"After my mom died, she and my papi went back to Korea after the funeral."

"I don't mean to be all up in your business but why didn't you go with them?"

She sighed then looked up, squinting her eyes because of the harsh rays of the afternoon sun.

"My dad refuse to let me go."

I nodded somewhat feeling too pushy since she didn't seem like she wanted to talk about it.

"I'm sorry to hear that."

She smiled.

"Don't be, it's not like its your fault."

The comfortable silence had us both drowned out in our own thoughts but it wasn't awkward. She scooted closer to me then took my hand into hers before looking at me and smiling.