Long Time No See

Ms. Amari

"I should go." I said once more as the apartment fell silent.

"Eric I didn't raise you like this." His father's voiced boomed through the house.

"Why are you avoiding me?" His father said stepping off of the elevator. He stopped noticing that he was holding Aden and then to me. I stood far from the elevator but not out of his site.

"Is this why? Have you been hiding whatever this is from me?" I didn't know if I was going to have to curse his daddy out.

"I'm going to go." I made the decision in an instant and started to walk closer to Eric to take Aden.

"Stay. Amari don't go." Eric shook his head as I tried to get out of what ever this was going to turn in to.

"Who is she? Are you still bringing just anyone home? Eric who's kid is this?"

"Yeah I'm leaving." I started to close the gap between Eric and I.

"Young lady there is no need to move with haste. I am an old man and not a fan of surprises. Eric G. Graham Sr." He said providing me with an introduction. He walked past Eric, to me and shook my hand. At this point I didn't know what to do and I decided to let his father guide the conversation.

"Amari. Nice to me to you." My heart pounded out of my chest as he placed his hand on my shoulder. Getting a closer look at him he didn't look much like Eric. He was tall, just like him, and definitely had the same eyes.

"This is probably a lot for you I know it is for me." He said noticing that I was still on guard. Eric and Solomon began to venture to the living room as Mr. Graham and I stood. The open floor planning Eric's apartment was now working against me.

"A whole lot actually." My heart continued to race. I want sure if he was going to remember or first encounter or not.

"I wouldn't normally be here but with the circumstances I'm sure you can understand." I shook my head really wishing that I had insisted leaving.

"You and my son are in a relationship right? It can't be a one time thing with the child involved. I mean unless..." He stopped and looked around.

"Unless what dad?"

"Eric is this little boy yours?" His father asked walking to the couch that his son and I just had sex on.

"I'm the only father that Aden has ever known." He answered causing the him to stop before sitting.

"It seems like that is the truth. You both seem to be happy and while I would have liked to known about it..." He said noticing the attachment.

"Thanks dad." Eric cut him off. I sat there like a child in the principal's office for the first time.

"You all plan on marrying each other?" He looked at both of us.

"Hopefully she will say yes if asked." He responded. His father moved on.

"What about kids? More I hope." Eric's eyes shot to me.

"I don't think so. Not soon if at all." I said knowing it was a problem.

"First time I have heard that." Eric spoke.

"I guess we can put all of this in the table now since my son didn't feel the need to come see me like we planned." Solomon handed him a folder that I hadn't noticed before. Mr.Graham proceeded to pull out a pen and his cell phone placing them both on the table.

"I'm going to assume that I can speak freely because Ms.Amari was asked to stay." I looked at Eric who held my son as he slept.

"Yeah. I'm going to put him down." He took Aden to room.

"Amari, I am very sick ok and I didn't know how long I have left. With that, I need to retire soon and while it about 6 months early it's happening." He spoke to me as if his son  wasn't down the hall.

"Now not sure if you have siblings but Eric doesn't and in true only child fashion he isn't ready to deal with the reality of him losing a parent." I watch him flip though the file as I heard Eric come back down the hall.

"I have come to terms with the my illness and I am comfortable leaving my business and whatever else to him. So I am here to talk about confirm that two Mondays from now is my last day as CEO." He paused to make sure I understand.

"Dad I admit that I was avoiding you. But this morning Amari and I had a conversation. She told me that because I have your blessing I shouldn't be concerned." He sat.

"So Amari needs to speak before anything clicks huh?" His father joked.

"Son you are all I have. You are my Legacy and I need you to stop acting like a kid so we can get this work done. This is hard for everyone but I'm the one dying." Eric winced at his words.

"Look. If you want to stay in Texas instead of New York that's fine but things need to happen before Monday to make it happen. Like the ceremony. It will be private just like the one my father and I shared..." The conversation continued and his father included me on certain aspects.