The Phoenix

Chapter 31 - Cross My Heart

(Kyson's POV)

Everything was in place, I will be gone by next week. I accepted the fact that Scar and Lanie were in fact, pushing me away. And I know it's not because they don't love me, it's because they love me too much to watch me pass on a chance like this.

I get it.

But it still hurts just the same.

Scarlett refuses to talk to me. I have to get updates from Lyle or Paisley. Lanie talks to me, but not like she use to. I had nothing for me here.

I waited at my mom's front door for at least two minutes before she answered it. "What took you long?" I asked her, walking passed her into her nearly empty apartment. She had boxes all over the place. Her big furniture was all gone, her pictures and paintings off the wall, and her bags packed.

She was almost ready to go.

"I was doing the dishes." She defended her lateness. "I forget sometimes that Keema is not here to open the door." She chuckled humorlessly with a sigh.

"Yeah." I gave her a sympathetic look. "I'm sorry, Mom."

She waved me off. "What are you doing here?"

"Well, I know you're leaving in a couple of weeks, and you know I'm leaving for my UFC deal..." I trailed off, not knowing how to say this.

My mother nodded at me, egging me to go on. "Spit it out, Car."

"Do you want to go with me and be my manager?" I closed my eyes, tight as the muscles in my face tensed up in stress.

My mom has not always been the greatest out there and there have been many times when she has completely let me down, but besides her moving, things between us have been pretty good.

I just don't want to do this alone and since she was already heading out of town, this could be the perfect opportunity for us to bond as mother and son.

She was silent for a long while.

I had to check on her, so I peeked out of one eye, and to my surprise, she was smiling up at me. "You want me to come with you?" I nodded, cautiously.

Fuck, this is so nerve-wracking.

"I do, Mom." I told her, opening my other eye. "So, what do you say?"

"I say okay." She beamed.

"Yeah?" I smiled down at her.

She nodded. "So, you can stop making that constipated face now." She laughed.

I was so happy at this very moment that I wanted to burst. Pulling her in for a hug, she giggled at my sudden affection.

"Thanks, Mom." I sighed in relief.

I won't be doing this thing alone after all.

We pulled out of the hug as she looked up at me, she had a confused look on her face.

"Hey, do you still talk to that Scarlett girl?" She asked me, driving a knife through my heart. My body tended up again just from hearing Scar's name.

God, I miss her.

I shook my head. "Not in a couple of weeks." I looked down at my feet. "She broke up with me after finding out about my deal. She didn't want me to pass on it and stay here with her."

"She's right, you know." Mom added. "Sounds like she wants what's best for you."

I gave her a small smile. "She does." I agree that Scarlett had a valid reason for breaking up with me. It's not like she could have come with me, she is in foster care. "Why do you ask about her?"