Angel's Secret ✔️

[TWENTY-EIGHT]

•AISLIN•

I sat in the living room of Aviana's parent's house. Waiting for her and Angel to come back was like waiting for a pregnant woman to give birth. Each minute was like a year. Her father left to go to work, but her mother decided to stay so she could talk to Avi when they returned.

Gabe and Lilith headed back home.  It was sudden because they didn't want to bother Aviana or make her cry.  I would've been joining them if hadn't had a few businesses to take care.  I needed time with Avi before I just left.  She became my family.

"I see you care very much about Via— Aviana," her mother had said when she saw me by myself. I nodded with a small smile.

"She's my best friend."

"I'm sorry if we seem harsh. We haven't seen our girl in years," Naiyana began as she took a seat next to me. "But I want to thank you and your brother. I can tell y'all fought for her."

"I would do it again, and again." I meant it. I would fight for Avi as much as it took. "I don't mean to be disrespectful, but why are you guys treating her like she's a child?"

"We're trying to take care of her... we're trying to protect her," Naiyana sighed.  She wiped a small tear that sneaked down her cheek. I waited patiently for her to continue.

"As a parent, my husband and I failed to protect her. After a year of her being gone, I was convinced that she died. There was no trace of her... nothing! My husband never lost faith, but mine was squashed like a bean. I will never let her face something so horrendous. I would've switched places with my daughter in a heartbeat."

I watched Naiyana wipe her tears once more. She was crying and I felt bad. But not entirely. I understood and sympathized with her. She's trying to prevent the past from repeating, but Avi's not fifteen anymore.

Laying a gentle hands on her shoulder, I began, "I understand, Naiyana. I really do, but Aviana's not fifteen anymore. She's twenty now, and she'll be twenty-one in two months.  We have to treat her like an adult or she'll never learn what being an adult is."

Naiyana didn't say anything and just stared at the window behind me.  I bit my lip in anticipation.  I hope she understood what I was saying.

"We can't baby her anymore.  She's not the same teenager that left," Naiyana gazed at me with bloodshot eyes.  "Because your family stole those years from us. My baby!"

I didn't think that her words would hurt.  I didn't think they'd blow me off my feet and have my heart heavy with guilt.  My eyes stung like someone sprayed pepper juice in them.

"I'm sorry."  Tears leaked out of my eyes and collected at my chin.

"I'm sorry for my parents' evil acts. I'm sorry that they kidnapped your daughter. I hate them as much as you do," nasty snot pooled out my nose and my sob was not what I wanted to hear.

Naiyana's face toned-down.  The mood changed from anger to somber as I kept silently wailing.  I hated my family even more especially since I saw how much pain they caused her and her family. 

"It's... it's better now, Dear," Naiyana wrapped her arms around me and allowed me to cry in her arms. "It wasn't your fault."

"I just went along with them.  I couldn't stop them."

She patted my back tenderly before shushing me.  I finally quieted down and she pulled away.

"Want some tea?"

I nodded no. "Will coffee be okay?  I don't want to look like I cried a river when Avi comes back."

This made her chuckle and nod okay.  I followed her into the kitchen while wiping the salty tears on my shoulder blouse shirt that had  a hole in each shoulder.

Naiyana talked a little more.  She got comfortable with me, and I began dropping my guards down.  Naiyana reminded me a lot of Avi with her sense of humor, chuckle and her face.  I loved how sweet she was. 

"So when did you realize your brother was in love with my daughter?" she dipped her tea with a slurp.

I pursued my lips thinking. 

"It was when he did small gestures that my family missed except me.  Like he'd not eat all his food and leave an ample amount so she could. Or when he took a few blankets to the basement when my parents wanted her to freeze.  He'd do something quietly so he wouldn't be caught, but it'd never get past me.  He was just... infatuated with her from day one."

Naiyana nodded knowingly. "I can tell.  From the way he looks at her to the way he talks to her.  He's very gentle, and patient."

I nod, "that he is, ma'am."

Then she put her tea cup down, her face becoming stern.  I do the same thing to lock eyes with her.

"Can I trust him?"

"It's your choice.  You have to decide that for yourself, but in my opinion? Yes. Yes a million times because he'd never purposely hurt a hair on her little head."

"Than I'll let her be grown with him."

I smiled softly.  We fell into an easy silence before a knock on the door had both Naiyana and I jumping.  She offered to get the door.

"IS IT TRUE THAT AVIANA LAURENT IS BACK AFTER BEING KIDNAPPED FOR FIVE YEARS?!"

"HAVE YOU FIGURED OUT WHO HAS DONE THIS AND WHY?!"

The questions whirled like a tornado storm.  I ran to the front to see a news cast all trying to squish through the doorway and into the house.  My stomach dropped as cameras flashed, and lights shining like diamonds.  A small figure squirmed through them before a huge Afro stuck through and a dark girl struggled to close the door.

"Please, Mommy help me!" she screamed.  Naiyana ran to the door helping her shut it on the intrusive news cast.  I just watched like a confused bat that doesn't know the way out of the cave.

Both of them breathed heavily, their chest pumping up and down with great effort.  The girl's gaze focused on me.

"Who's this? Where's Via?"

Lookin at her, I knew who it was.   Aviana had told me stories about Kahli.  She looked just like the way Avi described her.  Afro hair, dark skin like a pretty, glossy, onyx, a petite figure with slight curves and boobs like big peaches on her chest.  Her eyes were almond brown and I saw the sass in them before her mouth could form words. 

No lie, she was intimidating. 

But so was I.

"I'm Aislin.  You're Kahli, right?"

"Kahliara if you want to be exact," her eyes raked down my body before connecting with my eyes again.  "But it's probably hard for you to pronounce so yeah. Just Kahli."

I frowned, not liking her tone.  She was going to have to bring it down a notch if she wanted me to not punch her. 

"Listen, boo, you can't just—"

KNOCK! KNOCK!

Naiyana opened the door and Aviana and Angel waltzed in.  Angel was pale holding a bag, and Avi looked just as sick but then she saw her friend.

"Kahli?" she asked breathlessly.

"In the flesh," Kahli grinned before wrapping Avi in a hug. 

Something tugged at me. 
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A/N: I guess I don't know what a schedule is. Lol hope you enjoyed!!!