The Bridge

Chapter 10

Aubrey

Aubrey: roll your eyes at me again and daddy will hop the first flight down there to spank that ass, try me.

Aurelia: 🙄🙄🙄🙄🙄🙄🙄🙄🙄🙄🙄

I reread our text message thread and laughed out loud for the fifth time. She was really gonna test my ass. That's okay I got you baby.

"What's so funny?" Chubbs asked while we were in the kitchen eating a late breakfast.

"Lia"

"What she got going on?"

"I'm 'bout to pull up on her ass, can we get the jet ready within the next few hours?" I asked curiously.

"I mean, yeah but why you tryna go now?" He asked taking care of an itch on the back of his neck.

"I just miss her, can you take care of that for me please?"

"Yeah I gotchu" he said picking up his phone to make the call.

I was starting to get use to the long distance thing. We had a whole schedule laid out as far as how we would handle communication and did our best to stick to the plan. The flight there was uneventful. I asked chubbs to tag along, I wanted him to meet the person who has been making me happy as of late. Chubbs is my right hand. It's important that any girl I chose to be with, that they get along. He is always around as well the rest of the crew.

Fall was definitely here in full swing. It almost felt like winter was trying to make an early arrival with how fucking cold it was for close to mid October. We finally arrived at Lia's apartment complex and I could feel myself getting anxious. I couldn't wait to wrap her frame up in a hug. Fuck, I couldn't wait to do other things too, it has been more than two weeks.

I walked up a flight of stairs with Chubbs tailing me. I reached number 416, Toronto's area code. I made sure this was the apartment she stayed in when I bribed the new owners. My way of laying claim to her and she would be reminded of it constantly. 

I lightly knocked on the door with roses in hand and couldn't help but smile while I waited. That was until the door opened and some random ass nigga opened the door.

"Who the FUCK are you?!" I said. I could feel my anger start to boil over. I pushed past his ass and entered. He took a few steps back trying to regain his footing after my forceful entry and I turned to him eyes blazing with fury.

"Hey Eric?! I found it..." Lia came into view from the hallway waving a card in the air and stopped in her tracks when she laid eyes on the three of us. Chubbs was on the couch observing the action quietly. When I saw what she had on I flipped my shit.

"Are fucking serious right now?!" I yelled at her backing her into a wall, "You got this Nigga in the apartment I fucking pay for Lia?!"

"Yo man chill, get the fuck out her face she ain't do shit!" Eric said coming to her defense while approaching us.

"Aye dont tell me how to talk to my woman, no one asked your punk ass!"

"Well Nigga maybe someone should! That ain't how you speak to a lady!" He said getting in my face.

Two seconds before shit was about to get worse Aurelia spoke up. It was the first time I really got a good look at her. Her eyes were puffy and red from crying.

"Eric can you please take the key card a leave", she said holding her hand out impatiently waiting for him to accept it.

"Aurelia, I aint leaving you like this..."

"You deaf Nigga, get the fuck out!" I screamed cutting him off.

"Nigga FUCK YOU!" He shouted back. I made a move towards him but Lia pushed me back.

"Eric stop, please take the card and go...please!" Lia begged.

Eric's faced softened as he looked into Aurelia's eyes and quietly took hold of the card, "I'm in 419 if you need me". He threw daggers at me before he exited the apartment.

Aurelia

"What the fuck was that Aurelia, why was he here?!"

Aubrey had been shouting for a good ten minutes going on about my attire and Eric, so much so that I just shut down. I hated when people yelled at me. I never had any energy to shout back and it just put me in a bad space mentality. My parents did this to me all the time. I hate that I couldn't stand up for myself. Especially when I feel I am innocent of accusations. I pushed Aubrey away from me and walked briskly to my room.

Aubrey followed close, "Where are you going?!"

"To my room Aubrey, oh wait I'm sorry, technically it's yours, yeah?

"Don't do that!!"

"Don't do what Aubrey?"

"Start talkin' slick and shit!"

Aubrey followed me into the master bathroom as I turned on the faucet to the tub, "Aubrey I cant do this." I didn't bother lookin' at him.

"What the fuck is that supposed to mean?"

"THIS", I turned to him and motioned a finger back and forth pointing between the two of us. "I cant argue with you right now."

I could feel the tears begin to slide down my cheeks, "if you cant stop yelling at me to hear me out then maybe we should just stop and continue this conversation tomorrow", I sniffled, crossing my arms across my chest.

Aubrey stared at me for what felt like forever before his face softened and he stepped into my personal space to reach behind me to turn off the faucet. He took a deep breath and grabbed my hand and led me to back into the bedroom where he motioned me to sit on the bed. He squatted down in front of me and ran his hands up and down my thighs, "I'm sorry for blowing up...I'm listening, talk to me. Who is he and why was he here?"

I wiped at my tears with my fingertips, "His name is Eric. I work with him at the nursing home...well, not exactly. We have different shifts so I have only really just occasionally see him around. He said he just moved into a unit close by and was introducing himself to some of the neighbors, he asked for a key card to the gym because he hadn't received his yet so I said he could borrow mine until then. That's it."

Aubrey's adams apple bobbed in his throat and nodded his head, "baby, I'm sorry. I wasn't thinking and I jumped to conclusions..."

I lifted head and met his eyes. "Yes, you did", I said quickly cutting him off.