ASHLEY

3💎

   I pace the length of my room like a madwoman. I don't know how to feel about Kenneth showing up here. I know how Angela would feel which is why I don't think it's a good idea to tell her. Thank God she's out with a couple of friends from her cheerleading team.

   Questions swarm my head.

   Ring. My phone goes off and I jump three feet in the air. For some reason unknown to me I half expect it to be Kenneth on the other end of the line. A feeling of relief wash over me when I turn my phone over and see Stephanie's name across the I.D. log. "Hello?"

   "Hey. Girl, I need you to watch my baby for me. My boss called me in today and I need the extra shift. Please Bria, please," Stephanie begs. I eventually give in and she squeals over the phone. She tells me she'll be on her way in ten minutes before hanging up. Stephanie's son, Da'Marcus, is only seven months. He's so cute and he's a good baby so I really don't mind watching him. He's here so much I just took it upon myself to buy him some clothes, food, and diapers. Stuff like that.

   Da'Marcus's father took off before he was born. Before that he and Stephanie were in an on-again, off-again relationship. He had quite a temper. I'm glad they're not together but of course, I want him to step up and be a father to his son. Da'Marcus is going to need his father. He's going to need a man in his life when he grows up.

   I go about the house cleaning up. I don't want Da'Marcus to get hurt over here.

   When Stephanie drops him off she quickly thanks to me before getting into her car and driving off. I wish she didn't have to go to work so I could tell her about Kenneth stopping by. I can't believe he did that. How did he even find out where I live? It's not like I post my location all over social media. I'm smarter than that. I just can't stop thinking about him. I finally work up the courage to go outside and grab the paper from under the third flower pot with his number on it. I sit on the couch near a squirmy Da'Marcus. I pick him up and place him across my shoulder.

   I stare at his number for a while before finally pressing the call button. I hang up as soon as it starts ringing. Maybe calling him is a bad idea. Maybe it's not. He's living here now so it's not like there's no chance of ever running into him. I start dialing his number again but I don't get to finish before he calls me. "Hello?" I don't say anything. "Bria? Bria, is this you?"

   "Uh...yeah. It's me. Um...listen I want to talk. Can I meet you at your place?"

   "Of course. I'll text you the address. Text me when you get here."

   "Yeah." I hang up. He text me the address seconds later. I put Da'Marcus in his car seat and strap him in after calling up a cab. I run to my room and grab his baby bag. After doing a look over at my outfit I run to my room and slip on a pair of light wash jeans, low Converse, and a red flannel shirt. I take my cap off and get my hair into place, glossing my lips after doing so and spraying on perfume.

   The taxi arrives moments later and so I grab the baby bag and strap it on my back. Then I slip my phone in his car seat and head out to the taxi. I would have invited him over but Aunt Jackie is real strict about who she lets in her house. I'm not trying to go against her rules, even if she's not there. I send Angela a quick text saying I just went out to grab some stuff for the baby. Stephanie brought him over earlier without any formula.

   What she doesn't know won't hurt her.

   I play with Da'Marcus's stomach during the ride. He likes it. He's a cute little baby with his chubby body and big hazel eyes like his father. His hair is curly now but I wonder how long that'll last. Sometimes people only have curly hair when they're little. They grow out of it.

   I knock on the door to Kenneth's big blue house. I see a shiny black car in the driveway. A nice black motorcycle is propped up next to it. I can't help but wonder if it's his's. When we were younger he always talked about how he wanted to learn to ride a bike before he learned to drive a car.

   Kenneth opens the door dressed in gym shorts and a t-shirt. "I wasn't expecting you to call. I'm glad you did. Come in." He moves aside and I enter the house with Da'Marcus at my side. I expected the house to be loaded with boxes of their belongings but everything seems to be put together and set up just fine.

   "Nice."

   "He uh...is he yours?" He asks pointing a finger at Da'Marcus. I laugh and let him know the baby belongs to a friend of mine. He seems relieved to hear this. He should know I'm not the type to go off and get pregnant. I mean I know things happen but I typically try to avoid those events leading up to that.

   I have a seat on the comfortable-looking black sofa. I take Da'Marcus out of his car seat and sit him on my lap. I wish I could have done this without the baby here but I couldn't just turn down Stephanie. It's not like I'm watching him while she goes out and parties. She's going to work to take care of them. After all, his father isn't in the picture and her stepdad is all about learning to accept your own responsibilities and whatnot. Of course, he helps out when she really needs it and he has it but Stephanie moved out of her parents' house. Her stepfather wants her to come home but she doesn't so she has to learn to live on her own like she wants to be.

   At first, an awkward silence settles between the two of us, not really knowing what to say to each other. I came over here because I have a lot of questions to ask but now that I'm in front of him I can't remember any of those questions to save my life. Running out of options, I begin to talk about the bike outside. He tells me it's his. For his sixteenth birthday, his dad taught him how to ride one. This surprises me because Mr. Walker was all about safety. Kenneth says he's gotten less strict over the years. I'll believe it when I see it.

   We talk about stupid stuff like the weather or how life was after the move, which we both say was fine but that's clearly a lie. I ask how he knew to come to my aunt's. He says he met up with a couple of people we use to go to school with and asked about me. Apparently, he's been here a couple of days and just decided to see me. Douche.

   "Did you tell your parents you were coming here? How are they?" He asks.

   I look away, fiddling with my fingers. "They died in a car crash, Kenneth. A year after you left." My voice cracks at the end and I have to fight to hold back tears. Kenneth wraps his arms around me, letting me know he's sorry for not being there, which leads me to my next question,

   "Why weren't you there? Why did you leave?" I brace myself for his answer because a part of me feels like he was trying to get away from me. I'm just praying that's not true.