Dangerously In Love

Chapter Ten

ARMONI POV:

"Your birthday is tomorrow. How you feeling?It's your first birthday at home in over fifteen years, are you excited?" I asked Trayveon. He was turning forty five this year but he looked the same way he did when he was twenty five.

I had so much planned for his birthday, he's missed out on so much and I wanted him to feel loved and appreciated. Tray wasn't really a people person so I didn't want to throw him a big extravagant party. Instead, I planned a nice dinner for him and a big surprise that I knew he'd love.

We were currently in the car on the way to the mall to get him an outfit for his birthday dinner. Aaliyah was originally supposed to come but the baby had her feeling sick so she stayed at home. Whitney and the kids were at their grief counseling session and Chris was working as usual so I was spending some time with my long lost best friend.

"Lil bit." He replied, shrugging his shoulders. I turned to look at him and he had a blank look on his face. "Shit ain't the same so it's kinda bittersweet." He mumbled. I nodded my head already knowing what he was referring to.

A lot had happened in fifteen years. His sister being deceased, his niece not being in his life, his boys that he thought were riding for him we were gone, and our relationship wasn't the same and it never would be.

"While you were gone, I really missed you and I needed you. More than you could probably imagine." I told him honestly. Since we'd been reunited, we haven't really spoken about how things went down after he went away. I just spazzed on him and he apologized. After that we just brushed it to the side and picked up like nothing even happened.

"What was I gon do for you behind bars?" He asked, eyeing me.

"Talk to me!" I snapped, raising my voice at him. "Whether you had good intentions or not, you abandoned me in my time of need nigga!" I felt myself getting angry. I took a deep breath and slowly released it to calm myself down before my blood pressure could elevate.

"Still got that anger issue, I see." He chuckled, making me roll my eyes at him. I didn't find anything funny.

"Trayveon, a lot of the heartache that I went through with Jerome could've been avoided if you wouldn't have cut me out of your life." I reminded him. "You and I may have not been in a relationship, but talking to you as my male friend would've probably kept me from staying with him for so long."

"Shit happens for a reason Mookie." He said making me sigh.

"I just wish things were different." I mumbled.

"What you mean by that?" He asked, turning to me. I kept my eyes on the huge diamond ring that Chris put on my finger.

"I just wish things were different." I repeated.

"You not happy with ya nigga or somethin?" He asked.

"I'm very happy and deeply in love." I replied honestly as I lifted my head and looked at him before smiling at the thought of my husband. I made sure to look him in the eye. I didn't need him doubting my happiness or the love that I have for my husband. "It's just that, before there were even feelings between us, we were best friends. I just wish we would've remained friends. I needed my friend and you weren't there. You needed me and you didn't allow me to be there for you. I'm still hurt about that." I explained to him.

"Although I missed being in your life, I'm glad we didn't remain friends." He said making me look at him. "I was in love with you and I let you go because I didn't want you to destroy yaself tryna be there for me. I know that you woulda held me down and I woulda married you, then you and the kids woulda been stuck in that life. I wanted more for y'all. I didn't wanna be selfish."