Ava woke the next morning in her bed, alone. Amari must have moved her in the middle of the night or so and rolled out. She sat up slowly and groaned. He had her so sore. She slowly stood and walked bowlegged to the bathroom. She needed a bubble bath and fast. She bent over to turn on the water to the tub and groaned. It felt as though he'd ripped her cat. She poured the vanilla scented bubble bath in and got in before it was even done. She sighed in pleasure when her skin hit the water. She laid back and soaked. She closed her eyes and soaked in the water. A few minutes in, she heard footsteps before she could react Amari stood in the doorway with Harlem in his arms, who was grinning, his dimples deepened as he smiled widely at his mother. "Look at Mommy," Amari said. "Hi baby!" She said happily. He shrieked excited and looked over at her again. Amari brought him over. He leaned down to let her kiss Harlem, when she puckered up and got close Amari pulled him away, it happened twice in a row. "Mari!" She whined. He chuckled and finally let her kiss him. "Daddy trying to keep you from me Lemmy," she whined kissing his chubby cheeks. Harlem giggled high pitched as she kissed him. Amari chuckled at his son. "He's such a silly baby," Ava giggled herself. "Who he get it from?" Amari teased. "Not me- you laugh way more than me," she promised. "Nah-," he said, standing again now with Harlem in his arms, who was now playing with his chain. "No more kisses for Mommy, Lemmy?" She asked with a pout expression like he could understand. Harlem looked down at her and smiled and hid his face in Amari's shirt. "Daddy can give you a kiss," Amari teased leaning down again. "Move Mari," she giggled pushing him slightly. "Come on boo," he said. "No," she smiled teasingly. "I'm gonna get my kiss," he promised as he walked out the bathroom with Harlem. "Lemmy!" She called after her son, holding her hands out. He just looked and disappeared with Amari. She pouted. She was very attached to her son to say the least, she act like the baby whenever he wouldn't kiss her or give her attention. Amari returned back shortly, without Harlem. "Where's Lemmy?" She asked. "With Grace," he said before leaning down. "Now give me a kiss," he said. Grace was her part time nanny, whenever Ava had to go to work or class, Grace would take care of Harlem. She was a nice elder religious African woman. She never missed an opportunity to tell Ava about Jesus Christ and giving her life to God. Ava really liked her. Amari approves as well. "No- Mari," she whined. He moved her hand off his chest and kissed her then her jawline and her neck. She cracked up. He kissed all over her face. She was still laughing when he kissed her lips again. It simmered when he gave her a long, deep French kiss. She whimpered when he first tried to pull away. He kissed her more passionately now. Then he grinned pulling away. She opened her eyes and eyed him, she blushed as he stared at her. "I can't stand you," she teased. "You love me Ma, but it's cool. I love you too," he promised, with a wink and left as swiftly as he came in. He left her smiling to herself. Amari better stop playing before she lay it on him again. He knew how fine he was. Ava shook her head and laid back in the tub. She took another half an hour and then she got out. She dried off and got dressed for the day. She planned on a play date with her friend Ciara and her son Future, they'd recent started hanging out when she'd visited her store one day. They started talking about shoes and they'd been girls ever since. She dressed in a gray distressed Knyew t shirt dress and some white bootcut Louboutins. She tied her hair up on a tight bun and added studs. She applied her airbrushed makeup and some eyeliner and red lipstick to make some kind of statement. She grabbed a gray jean Burkin bag and made her way towards Harlem's room. She with through his closet and picked out a cute all white "Bape" outfit, a little jersey shirt with matching white all jeans. She chose some all white baby Balenciaga soft bottoms. "Grace!" Ava called leaving his room with his outfit in her hand. "Grace!" She called again throughout the large home. "Yes, dear?" Grace called coming out of the theater. "Did you feed and bathe Harlem yet?" She asked. "No, sweetie, Mr. Travis did," Grace said. "Where are they? Is Harlem dressed?" She questioned. "Yes and they're down in the kitchen," Grace warned. "Oh okay," she said. "Thanks," she called making her way down the stairs to the kitchen. "Your welcome sweetie," she said back. Ava soon found them in the kitchen, Amari was talking to Zane while holding Harlem, who was busy playing with Amari's shirt. "Zay!" She shrieked happily running and jumping in his arms. She hadn't seen her brother in two whole weeks, he'd claimed he'd been out on vacation. "Wassup lil sis?" He grinned. She looked at him and raised her eyebrows. He had this new glow about him. She didn't even know what it was but he looked happy. "What is this? Where were you really for a whole two weeks without any contact to the outside world?" She teased climbing off of him. He smiled shyly and shrugged. "My mans in love Ma," Amari said. She looked from Amari back to Zay. "With who? Ray right?" She asked. "Duh Ava, who else?" Zay asked rolling his eyes. "I was just making sure you weren't playing my girl that's all," she warned holding her hands up in defense. "I'm not Ava, that's my whole heart right dere," he promised with a smile. "Aww- so what you and her went away on vacation and now you're back blushing? Let me find out I got a niece or nephew on the way and you ain't tell me Zane," she warned. He chuckled and shrugged and grabbed an apple from her fridge. "Keep playing Zane," she warned. He and Amari looked at each other and chuckled. "I can't with yall two, come on Lemmy, we got a date today," she sang to her son who grinned at her. "What?" Amari asked. "A play date Mari," she warned. "With who?" He asked. "Ciara, not a guy or anything, her son is around his age," she explained reaching for Harlem. Harlem leaned to her and she grabbed him. "Yeah aight," he said. She giggled and rolled her eyes knowing he was being extra. "Okay Mari," she said. "So what's up with yall? Yall fuckin with each other again?" Zane asked with a devious grin. Ava snapped her head over Zane's way then looked at Amari who smirked at her. "We kickin it right now, that's my lil boo," Amari shrugged. She rolled her eyes with a smile, brushing him off though in the inside she was beaming. He'd went from trying to ignoring her to claiming her back as his boo. They both knew her loving could make him come back to his senses, he just stayed away so it wouldn't happened, and he'd fallen in by accident, now he couldn't imagine letting it go anymore. She smirked. Kitty makes the world go round. Especially hers.

YOU ARE READING
Ava Bonetti
RomanceCover Illustration Copyright © 2015 by Rochelle Rover Copyright © 2015 All Rights Reserved This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, businesses, places, events and incidents are either the products of the author's imagination or used in a ficti...