more life / b.simmons (2)

30

adrian carries amaris last bag into the house and she thanks him with a hug and a kiss. "missed you, kid," she says, patting his back and walking into the kitchen. he trails behind her and jumps up onto the counter.

"i missed you too. why couldn't we have gone to the bay with you?" he asks.

"it was a girls trip, adrian," amari says with a chuckle, opening the fridge and grabbing a bottle of water. "but next time i go anywhere, you guys can come." she says, walking out of the kitchen and into the living room. adrian follows her again and takes a seat next to her on the couch. "jeez, kid, i was only gone for four days!" she teases.

adrian shrugs and drops his head into her lap. "well i missed you too," amari says and kisses his cheek before stroking the side of his face and hair.

"you talk to dad lately?" he asks, not to subtly. amari grabs the remote with her free hand and turns on the tv.

"yeah, everyday, why?" she asks, flipping through the channels. adrian shrugs.

"i was just wondering," he says, closing his eyes. amari continues to stroke the side of his face, her eyebrows furrowed in confusion. but she doesn't say anything and settles back into the couch, trying to ignore the tone of adrians voice when he asked her if she'd talked to ben. 

why would he ask her that? he's never asked her that. ben and her talk all of the time—what happened in those four days that she's not aware of?

amari sits on it until both her and adrian start to doze off and eventually fall asleep.

they're awoken by the front door opening and closing, and then footsteps. amaris eyes shoot open, stress coursing through her body until her eyes land on ben. a smile spreads across his face and he drops his gym bag and makes his way over to his wife.

ben leans down and kisses amari and she smiles up at him. "did you have a good work out?"

"mhm, i'm sore, though," he says, bending over and touching his toes to stretch out his hamstrings and calves.

"you're getting old," he lifts his head and glares at her and she shrugs. adrian rolls over on her lap so he's looking up at the ceiling, and opens one eye. "wake up, sleepy." she says. adrians rubs his eyes with the back of his hands and sits up, getting off the couch and going upstairs.

amari pats the spot next to her and ben takes a seat, opening his arm and beckoning her to him. she cuddles into his side, not caring that he's still sweaty because they've been together for too long for her to care anymore. "missed you," he says, kissing the top of her head.

amari drapes an arm around his torso and moves her head onto his chest. "missed you too, baby," she says. ben rubs her back and amari sighs in content and she closes her eyes.

"don't fall asleep, i have things to do soon," he says, making her sit up abruptly and narrow her eyes at him.

"and where you going?" she asks. ben licks the corner of his mouth, something he does when he's about to lie and amari crosses her arms over her chest and rolls her eyes. "and don't even try to lie, cause i'll find out anyway." ben freezes for a second before regaining his composure.

"then don't get mad."

"too late," she says simply, her back straightening as she stares down her beloved husband.

ben wipes around his mouth. "well, evelyn invited me to dinner," he says. amari squints at him, trying to remember who he's talking about. "you know who it is, mari."

"i really dont," she says, a confused look on her face as she tries to remember anyone with that name.

"new years," is all he says, and it's enough for her to remember exactly who she is. her face morphed from confusion, to realization, and then to a glare in a matter of seconds.