text: Amaunet  Jendayi Taking the Risk 
   
   
   1 
   She wakes up to find herself in a queen-sized bed, trying to sit up she winces in pain and catches her breath. Struggling through the pain, she is able enough to try to see where she is. Because she knows, she isn't at the hospital or her own house. 
   Looking around she notices very expensive items such as the real wooden black dresser, a towering entertainment center complete with a 60-inch flat screen television, along with some other things. Also, the nice silk sheets she is wrapped in and the silk pajama set she now realizes she has on. Seeing her reflection in the television set, she gasps. 
   Two black eyes, bruises on her mocha colored face, and a busted lip. She wants to move closer, the pain disable her to do so, rendering her immobile. Lifting the sheet, she sees that her legs are propped up on pillows, her right ankle wrapped tightly in some bandages. It looks swollen, but she cannot feel the pain or tell if it was broken. 
   The jiggle of the doorknob causes her to flinch and her muscles tighten. She grimaces as her tight muscles make the pain circulate through her other muscles. 
    A dark chocolate young man with dark blue jogging pants on and no shirt ambles in carrying a tray. Her heart beat increases at the strange man, she sits there in pain. His Muscles rippling from his arms as he carries a medium black steel tray full of breakfast food: eggs, pancakes, bacon, grits, and apple juice. 
   Their eyes meet and with a bright smile, he greets her, "Nice to see you're up." 
   Her mind not really noting who he is, she stares blankly at him but smiles when he sets the tray in her lap. However, his face did look very familiar, however, when she tried to remember; a migraine would shut it down. "I wanted to bring you some breakfast before I headed out for a run." He places his hands on his hips while he watches her dig into the breakfast. 
   She looks up at him and nods. 
   "Okay." He claps once, "Bathroom is over there." he points to the right and she tries to look at the bathroom entrance but the pain only limited her to look half way, then back at him. "There are fresh towels and wash cloths. I have also, asked my personal assistant to do a little clothes shopping for you, so you could have something to wear other than that torn and dirty dress. She should be by here soon." 
   He looks at his watch. She nods chewing on the bacon, not feeling so comfortable eating with him standing there. "If you need anything my pager and cell number is on the nightstand." She looks to her left next to the bed; there is a black nightstand that matches the black, white, and a little blue theme going on in the bedroom. 
   She turns back to him. "The maid...err...butler Jere, who is tending to the kitchen can help you as well, okay?" She nods; he ambles up to her and kisses her forehead, then leaves. 
   She cringes when he kissed her forehead, her eyes widen and her breathing turns rapid. She scrunches her face up, not understanding what made him think in his right mind that she would be comfortable with that. Aside from him kissing her even if it was on the forehead; she loved the attention she is getting. Especially, the breakfast in bed idea. She has never been served breakfast in bed before. She was always the one giving the person the food in bed. However, they never returned the favor. 
   She only wishes she could remember who this extremely sexy man is and what happened the night before. However, trying to remember only brought on a serve migraine. Grabbing the television remote from the nightstand, she turns on the television hoping to ease the migraine. 
   Flipping through the channels, she stops at the news channel; she hates the news because there is so much sadness in the world. However, no one really tried to change the sadness, but the people that did, were treated badly and shot down. All because people don't like change. 
   The face of her ex-lover, Patrick West’s picture is plastered on the television screen. Gasping, she turns the volume up to get a better hear. She flinches again because of the unexpected surround sound system. 
   "Just in Patrick Larkin West, suspected murderer, drug dealer, and also suspected of having an underground prostitution ring has been captured today. Police found Mr. West hiding out at his baby mom's house in the closet..." The reporter informs. 
   She turns down the volume. She knew that he was always sleeping with his baby mama, for all of the 4 years they have been together. Even when he denied it. She knew better than that. She also figured out he had been sleeping with other females as well. 
   To her, it was a bullet dodged when she went to her doctor for a regular checkup and everything came back clean. 
   Sighing, finally finished with her meal, she sets the tray on the empty side of the bed and looks at the business card that the young man had left her. 
   Picking it up, she reads his name, "Tyson Reese; Apex Sciences Computers. Computer Science Engineer." 
   The name does sound very familiar to her, but as she tried to think on where she'd heard his name, the serve migraine started to rear its ugly head back in. She pushed the thoughts aside for now. 
   Swinging her legs over the edge of the bed, she gently gets out of the bed, putting some pressure on her left ankle. She winces a bit but then hobbles to the bathroom; using the wall as a guide and support so that she wouldn't topple over and fall. 
   Switching the light on and looking into the mirror, the image of her nearly scares her. The worriment and wounds on her face are completely visible. Including the new editions. Seeing this, her hazel-green eyes begins to swell up with tears. She couldn't believe that she let him do this to her, beat her so bad, so many times for so long. 4 years of abuse and miscarriages, all cause he didn't want any more kids or thought they weren't his own. 
   She really couldn't believe that she let him do this to her. Continue to do it to her after the first time he hit her. She sucked up the tears, she's been strong for so long, and she had to keep on being strong. She could not think of a reason why she should keep on being strong, but she knew that she had to do so. 
   She had every reason to break down and cry on this bathroom floor, but she didn't. Just like all the other shitty things that happened in her life, from her mother selling her to her drug dealer boyfriend for a quick fix at the very tender age of 10 years old, then to her 'stepfather' sexually abusing her from 7 to 16 years old. Through all that, she never once shredded a tear or complained, she took it. Took it because she knew that the more she cried or whined, the harder her mother would beat her with whatever her mother could find or whatever was in arms reach. 
   Staring in the mirror at her own image, hypnotized by her scars and bruises. Her thick, curly brown hair that stops at the end of her shoulder blades lay a mess on her head. Her 5 foot 4-inch frame and voluptuous build made her the target for thugs, gang bangers, hustlers, drug dealers, and pimps. Undesirable attention. Her skin is a light skin complexion with a slight dark tint from always being outside. 
   A knock on the bedroom door causes her to jump and almost knock over some bottles on the bathroom counter. Steadying the bottles to make sure that they don't fall on the floor. She limps to the bedroom door, once again using the wall for support. "Who is it?" 
   "It's Tyson's assistant." 
    She opens the door and in rushes Tyson's personal assistant with both arms full of shopping bags, struggling to not drop them. She quickly puts the bags down and plops down on the bed. 
    "Ugh," She groans tiredly, dropping some of the bags on the floor and the others on the bed. 
   Closing the door, Aynslee limps to the female laying on the bed. 
   "I am Maryanne Cortez, Tyson's personal assistant," She gets up and places the bags that were on the floor onto the bed. 
   She continues to speak, "Okay, I didn't know your style but Tyson did tell me your size." 
   She dumps the contents of one bag out on the bed and shuffles through the shirts, jeans, skirts, and dresses. Maryanne then looks up at the young lady's face and winced at how bruised up she looks. 
   Touching her chin, she gently turns her head this way then the other way, looking at the wounds and bruises. 
   She inhales sharply, "They hurt?" 
   "A little." She answers meekly. 
   Maryanne nods and hums, "Hm, I have something for them, but not sure if it would work." Still sorting through the clothes and dumping the other bags contents onto the bed, "would you like to try it?" She asks looking at the female. 
   She nods. 
   Maryanne grabs her purse and she rustles through it. 
    "It amazes me how everything else that I have is organized to a T except this purse," She chuckles finally finding what she is looking for; a red small jar. 
   Patting the bed next to her, she sits down, and Maryanne catty corners her body. She opens the jar and the very strong odor of grapes arises from the jar, the cream is a light blue. 
    She applies the cream to her face, where the scars, wounds; new and old and mostly the black eyes, "Okay, let that sit for 2 minutes then you can rinse it off." She puts the top back on the jar and puts it back in her purse. 
   She nods feeling Maryanne get up from the bed, Maryanne speaks, “I came up with that myself. I use to be a doctor/lab tech." 
   "Hm?" Aynslee tilts her head. 
   Maryanne chuckles, "I know, a doctor to a personal assistant. A Huge change, right? Especially with the salary." She lays out the clothes neatly on the bed. "When Tyson hired me, I didn't expect to be doing so many computer technology stuff that deals with my field. I thought he would just make me sit behind a desk; file papers all day, run errands, and type things. Boy was I wrong." 
   She hears Maryanne rustling with another bag and hears a thump on the floor, causing her muscles to tighten again; making more pain course through her body. 
   Maryanne pats her lap to soothe her then continues to speak, "But sometimes when there isn't an assignment to be done, he lets me come up with my own stuff. He doesn't pressure me to sell my product either. Unless, I pitch it to him. Oh...times up." She says looking at her watch then helps the young lady up and guides her to the bathroom and runs the water for her. 
    Shuddering slightly while she bent over to wash her face, she thought to herself that no one has been this nice to her since she found out about her spoiled half-sister; Luna who lives with her mother on the nicer side of town. 
   Finishing washing the cream off her face, she looks at herself in the mirror. Her eyes sparkle at how majority of the wounds, scars, and bruises on her face is gone now, even the ones from years ago. She never thought that she would see this day where all the damages would be gone. 
   All most near tears, she hugs Maryanne. "Thank you." 
   Caught off guard by the kind gesture, smiling Maryanne hugs her back gently as not to hurt her further. 
   "You are welcome. Tyson never did tell me your name." 
   Letting go of Maryanne, the young lady steps back, "Aynslee Desiree Geneva Velasquez." She says softly sitting on the closed toilet seat, she places her hands in her lap and looks down at the shaggy white rug. She picks at the curly squiggles coming out of the shaggy rug with her toes. "People call me Aynne or Lee." 
   Maryanne nods. "That's a pretty name." 
   "Thank you." 
   Maryanne gently pulls Aynslee up and helps her into the bedroom. "Well, Aynslee, Tyson would like you to get dressed for dinner tonight. So, you have the freedom of picking your own outfit out." 
   Seeing the clothes lined up on the bed, Aynslee limps to them and looks at them. There were piles of pretty shirts, cool jeans, a few business skirts, and really cute summer dresses and casual dresses. "Wow." She picks up a lavender colored short spaghetti strapped dress. "This is really pretty. Is this silk too?" 
   Maryanne nods while Aynslee goes to the full-length mirror and puts the dress up to her figure. "I love it. Can I keep it?" 
   Confused at the question, Maryanne nods, "Yeah, it's all yours. The clothes and the shoes." Aynslee looks at Maryanne, Aynslee's face glowing with excitement and tears of joy. 
   Clothes were something that Aynslee wanted as a child, but her mother would always blow the money on drugs and whatever else. She limps to Maryanne, still in some pain, but the excitement overrides that, "Really?" 
   Maryanne nods again still not really understanding where she was going with this. Aynslee squeals and looks at the clothes on the bed, "I'm going to try them on. Stay here okay?" She snatches a few jeans and shirts and dresses, then quickly hobble-limps to the bathroom. 
   Maryanne sits on the bed facing the bathroom door waiting for Aynslee to model the clothes. 
   
   
   
   2 
   Tyson Reese 
     
   Jogging through a wooded trail and taking in the lovely scenery, his favorite place to jog and think, his mind wonders to the night before. Never has he seen a female under so much stress, before that night. 
     
     
     
   -Last night-- 
     
   At work, he leans back in his chair behind his huge black marble desk awaiting for some appointments to come through before he leaves for the day. It was a Friday night, the boy's night ever since high school. They were to meet each other at a new bar called Black Asylum at 9pm. Tyson looks at his watch and the time reads: 8:45pm. He knew that if he were late, he would have to buy the first two rounds of beer. He did not want to do that because the last time he was late, his boys ordered that top shelf beer, and nearly cost him over 3,000 dollars each. 
     
   When his phone rings, he jumps and answers it, "Hello, Tyson Reese speaking." He heard whimpering, crying, and sniffling. "H-hello?" He stammers a little concerned, he looks at the caller Id and doesn't recognize the number, then he hears a faint, "help me...he's gonna-." The line goes dead. 
     
   He tries to re-dial the number, but the line was dead. Then his cell phone rings causing him to flinch and hit his knee on the under part of his desk. He answers his phone as he then tries to trace the call from the computer that set on his desk, while rubbing his hurt knee, "Hello?" 
     
   "Tyson...man. Where are you?" A male's voice squeaks through the speaker part of the phone. 
     
   "Lorenzo, something came up," Tyson says his fingers flying as he quickly pulls up a map of where the call came from. His heart beat against his chest as if this is a mission to find out where that call came from. 
     
   Lorenzo Wynn is the brawns of the group, always has a different female every night and never settles down with just one. "Something like what, dog? Come on. 
     
   "Work-related." He looks closely at the map and realizes where the place is while lying to Lorenzo. "Really? It's a new spot, though. Come on. 
     
   Lorenzo's voice already had an annoying squeak to it but when he whines that's what made Tyson want to commit bloody murder. 
     
   "Dude, I am serious. Look," He gathers up his things as the location of the address is being printed. "It's really important. Something that I can't get out of. I promise I will try to make it next Friday." 
     
   Lorenzo sighs, "Alright, I will tell Dillon, Isaak, and Roderick that. 
     
   "Thanks. Appreciate it," he hangs up and hurriedly grabs the paper from the printer along with his bags of papers. 
     
   Looking at the map, it had led him into the dangerous streets of downtown Valley. He slowly creeps as other cars zoom past him, in the dead of night. Most of the street lights aren't working and Tyson's high beams needed some serious touch-ups. His GPS beeps indicating that he is at the place, he parallel parks between two very raggedy looking cars and straps up with both of his AF-1s just in case. 
     
   He gets out of his car, closing the door and locking it. This place is the splitting image of a childhood hang out, but the houses are boarded up and looks like it's about to be condemned. Next to it the condemned house and stores, there is a musky smelling, dark alley. Being back down here brought back painful memories. Especially this alleyway, he enters the alleyway, finding nothing or anyone; just as he is about to turn around and think that it was all a hoax. He hears a faint, pained moaning sound coming from it. Cautiously, he makes his way down the alley using his flashlight app on his phone to see and having his hand on his gun that is tucked in the back of his pants close to his spine. 
     
   "Hello?" He calls out, cautiously walking towards the sound. 
     
   The deeper he walks into the very stank alley, the louder the pained moans grew. Reaching the end of the dark, musk and alcohol-smelling alley, he finds no one until he turns to his left by a black dumpster. He looks beside the dumpster and sees the beaten body of a female. He kneels down and checks for a pulse, it was faint but there. He lifts the female off the ground and rushes her to his car. 
     
   She begins to swat at his face, but he calms her down enough to make her stop so he could see where he is going. Putting her in his car, he spots two dudes walking down the street, towards him with their guns drawn for some reason. 
     
   Tyson knew there was no specific reason as to why they drawn their guns, but Tyson ducked behind his car door as the unknown dudes started shooting. Tyson pulls out his pieces and aims at the first guy and pulls the trigger. With a loud bang, the guy goes down; groaning and his partner takes off running, leaving his partner behind. Fearing that he would come back with backup, 
     
   Tyson closes the back door, got in the driver side, and peels out of there. 
     
     
   Stopping at the very top of a rock mountain, he looks out over the town of Quarters. It is so beautiful this time of the morning. His cell phone rings disturbing his personal time to himself. He pulls it out of his pocket as a cool breeze of wind cools him down. "Hello?" 
   "Hey, it's Maryanne." 
   Concern hits him, "What's wrong?" He begins quickly walking down the rock mountain. 
   "Nothing, really. She is showing me the clothes that I picked out for her. She really is a nice young lady, Tyson." 
   Tyson smiles knowing that Aynslee is and has always been a very nice young lady. Knowing that she is okay, he slows his pace and continues to take in the scenery. He felt anew since he found Aynslee. "Yeah. She is." 
   "I don't understand how did she end up the way she is now?" Maryanne suddenly lowers her voice to a whisper. 
   "A few bad choices and the rebellion point takes over when someone tries to tell her right from wrong. She doesn't want to hear it, but she owns up when she is wrong. Also, the upbringing that she was raised in caused her to be one tough cookie. She had a hard time with drugs on and off during a few years of high school and a little through college as well." He nearly trips over a log but catches himself. "Will she be ready for tonight?" He didn't really want to discuss all of Aynslee's business too much. 
   Maryanne nods, "Yes, she will. But, I don't think she remembers you all that well." 
   "She will after tonight." He replies with a smirk on his face. 
   Maryanne whoops, "You are bad." jokingly. 
   Tyson laughs, "It's not even like that." 
   "I know. But okay, she is coming back out of the bathroom." 
   They hang up as Tyson reaches the entrance of the trail, gets in his car. "A lot of bad choices." He repeats to himself as he drives off. "More like no one ever cared about her except her half-sister; Luna." He thinks out loud to himself as he stops at a flower Shoppe, he puts his shirt on that is in the passenger seat and then enters the Shoppe. 
   There are flowers of all kinds and rarities, the Shoppe smells of dirt and fruit. He smiles at the familiar smell. Tyson looks at some Lisianthus' when an elderly lady of 76 years old; the owner; walks up to Tyson. "Ahh, back so soon, Mr. Reese?" 
   Tyson flashes a smile at the lady, "Yes, ma'am. But being another reason this time." 
   "Oh? New lady friend?" The elderly lady playfully nudges Tyson's ribs. Smiling, he rubs his ribs, "You can say that, Mrs. Kina." 
   "Well...I got some new flowers in two weeks ago." She walks towards the back of the store and Tyson follows. She stops at some yellow golden flowers that resembles a rose, but it was not because the roses are at the front of the Shoppe; being the most bought flower. Mrs. Kina picks up a dozen of the golden yellow flower, hands them to Tyson, and he takes them; examining them. "They are so pretty. What are they?" 
   "Ranunculus'." 
   Tyson arches his right brow in question to what she just said. She laughs then starts coughing, "Excuse me." 
   He places a hand on her back to make sure she is okay. She pats his hand to let him know she is alright. He drops his hand. She continues, "They are Buttercups." 
   He smells them and smiles, "Wow, I think she'll like these. But, what are those?" He points to some white, pink, and red and some deep green foliage. Mrs. Kina looks to where he is pointing. "Oh," She ambles over to them. "These are Camellias, another new shipment." 
   "Okay. I would like two Buttercups, three Camellias, four Dahlias, and three Zinnias." 
   "Good choice." They walk up to the register and Mrs. Kina rings him up. "That would be $10.19." He pulls out his wallet and hands her a Platinum card. She takes it and swipes it, then hands it back to him. "Would you like for my daughter to arrange them for you?" 
   Tyson didn't even see Mrs. Kina's daughter. He nods. She goes to the back and then is followed up front by a female with round beige eyes, thick straight hair the color of milk chocolate, a pale complexion and is short with an angular build. "Tyson, you remember my daughter, Noelle?" 
   "Yes." His eyes seriously bulged out of his head at the sight of Noelle standing there in front of him. She didn't really look any better when he last seen her. 
   Noelle smiles widely at Tyson while she rearranges the flowers on the counter for him. Mrs. Kina goes to the back to pull more flowers. "When are we going to talk about what happened?" Noelle says when she is sure that her mother is out of earshot. 
   Tyson frowns and responds, "There is nothing to talk about." in slight anger. 
   Noelle wraps the flowers up tightly in some red and blue wrapping paper. "I believe there is. You-." 
   "You never told me that you were married, until your so called husband tried to kill me in that restaurant that night I was celebrating my sister's birthday." 
   "I wanted...I was gonna divorce him for you. That's the honest truth, you showed me a lot that my husband hasn't even shown me, Tyson. I know I messed up, but..." She hands him the flowers as her words trail off. 
   Tyson takes the flowers. Noelle continues, "Lil Marvell is waiting to see you." 
   Angered, Tyson whispers wanting to yell, "You know that he ain't none of my children. The doctors even told you that he ain’t mine with that DNA test. So, stop!" With that, Tyson storms out. 
   
   
   
   3 
   Aynslee Velasquez 
     
   Aynslee had Maryanne leave when she found her knocked out on the bed snoring after Aynslee put on the last outfit around 6:50pm. Maryanne was sleepy drunk and didn't know what was going on when Aynslee woke her up. When Maryanne left after making sure Aynslee would be okay. 
     
   She took a nice hot shower, something Aynslee hadn't had in a very long time, she knew that Tyson would be back soon, and she could have sworn that Maryanne said that he was taking her out to dinner tonight. Her ankle didn't hurt as bad as it did when the pain meds she found out she was on wore off. So, she is walking a whole lot better, still limping a little but not very much to the point where it could be noticed. 
     
     
     
   Coming out of the bathroom, steam slithering out behind her, she looks outside. It is dark and there are plenty of street lights and cars zooming by, and some cars are parked. Looking at the clock it reads: 8:45pm. She didn't know when Tyson would be here so instead of daydreaming about how the dinner is going to go, she took her time getting ready. 
     
     
     
   Straightening her hair, painting her nails with nail polish that Maryanne bought her along with the clothes, shaving (using NAIR) on her legs; she sometimes laughed at herself because she could not remember the last time she tried to get all dolled up for a date. Except in high school and her first date with Patrick. The thought of Pat made her skin crawl, but she knew that he'd find her, somehow. 
     
     
     
   Even whenever he was in jail, he'd have his "goons" or "boys" always keep a close eye on her to make sure she wasn't "creeping". When it was really him that was doing all of the creeping behind bars with random girls, his baby mama, and the occasional male oral for extra favors. 
     
     
     
   She steps into the vivid red dress that is medium length and skirt that flares out when she twirls. 
     
     
     
   The sleeves are a mid-arm, along with the black wedges. She checks herself in the mirror and smiles at herself. She knew that she look good, but deep down there is a boiling insecurity about her weight that nearly claimed her life when she was in the 12th grade. 
     
   Throwing up so much has caused her many issues and she was on the brink of death. She was always weak, sometimes she could hardly speak, and her skin was always dry no matter how much lotion or shea butter she put on, also she was always sick and barely made it out of high school due to too many sick days. But, she always made sure that her grades were always on point, in high school or in the hospital. She wanted so much for herself and not even being bulimic was going to stop her. 
     
   But now she knew better than to try that again all because her mother told her that she was always fat and ugly. But after that hospital stint, Aynslee knew that she was lying, only because she; her mother; was the one that was ugly and obese. 
     
   Hearing a car pull up, Aynslee walks up to the window to see Tyson getting out. She couldn't see what he was wearing, but she was so happy that he was here. Finding herself almost running to the bedroom door, she had to remind herself that she barely remembered him and that she needed to slow her roll. She didn't want to appear to be a fast ass like most of the young females out here. 
     
   Tyson knocks on the door then opens it to see Aynslee standing in the mirror trying to fix her hair. "Hey." 
     
   Jumping at the voice, Aynslee turns around to see Tyson wearing a black and white suit with a tie, not one of those clips on ties that Patrick wore. It is a real tie. "Hi." She turns back to the mirror. He walks over to her, "Are you ready?" 
     
   She sucks her teeth, "No, my hair. This piece..." She holds the strand between her index finger and thumb, "it won't stay out of my...face." She begins to get even more frustrated, wanting to snatch the strand out and let that be that. She would just have to have that one bald spot on the front of her hair near her forehead. 
     
   But, Tyson steps in before she could snatch the hair out, "Let me see." She moves the strand to his hand and he twists it around his finger, pulls his finger out, and the strand coils to the side of her face, out of her face. Gasping a little jealous, she playfully shoves him giggling, "Where did you learn that?" She grabs a black jacket that goes with the dress. 
     
   "I have sisters. Two older and two younger. The older ones taught me hair, nails, makeup all that and the younger ones taught me tea parties and dress up." He says with much pride and no shame. 
     
   Aynslee chuckles as they exit the bedroom and walks down the hallway and down the stairs. Aynslee didn't realize how huge the house was considering that she stayed in the bedroom all day, talking and laughing with Maryanne. As they walk past the kitchen, she peeks in and sees a few staff members cleaning and some cooking something while the others sat around small folding table playing cards. 
     
   They stop at the kitchen entrance, Aynslee cranes her neck to get a better look. The kitchen is massive and resembles a fancy restaurant kitchen. "Jere?" 
     
   Jere; a tall man with a very feminine build, full beard and a small moustache, and thick, straight, short chocolate colored; gets up from the small folding table where he and a few other staff members are playing cards. He steps to Tyson and Aynslee, "Looking good, ma'am." He eyes Aynslee. 
     
   Tyson playfully gets jealous and strikes a pose, "What about me? Don't I look ravishing?" 
     
   They all share a hearty laugh. Tyson grabs Aynslee's hand while saying to Jere, "We are going out for the evening. So, y'all can do whatever. Just don't mess up the house." 
     
   Jere does a soldier salute, "Yes sir!" Aynslee chuckles as her and Tyson exit the house. 
   
   
   
   4 
   Aynslee Velasquez 
     
   Whilst the limo came to a halt, Aynslee smells the flowers that Tyson had bought earlier and gave to her once they got in the limo. She then steps out once the driver opens the door, follow by Tyson. 
     
   Aynslee stares at the huge bright neon red and lavender colored marquee letters above the entrance of the beautiful restaurant. She had no idea what the name of the restaurant is because it the letter is in a foreign language and too bright. Tyson takes her hand, she flinches a little and he gently touches her fingers. "It's okay." He smiles, "Shall we?" 
     
   She too smiles as they enter the establishment. Upon entering the smell of expensive food, invades Aynslee's nose making her scrunch her face up in disgust. They stop at a small podium where a male with a handlebar mustache and a saddening color gray suit looks up from whatever he is reading and says with a fake French accent, "Name, please?" 
     
   Aynslee goes into a giggle fit while trying her best not to do it out loud, at the man's attempt at the French accent. Tyson smirks and answers, "Reese, table for 2." 
     
   The man looks at what Aynslee believes to be a registration book, "Ahh, yes." He bends over and pulls two menus from under the podium, "Right this way." 
     
   He commands straightening his tie and walking out into the crowded restaurant. They follow. The restaurant is very nice and looks extremely expensive. There are couples dressed to the nines, sitting across from each other, and chattering silently amongst themselves. Some couples are holding hands and smiling at each other. The man stops at a booth next to the window. "Here we are, sir." 
     
   Aynslee slides in and Tyson gets on the other side of the table and slides in as well. The male sets the menus in front of reach of them. "The server that will be serving you tonight will be Miss Lori. She'll be around soon for your drinks. The wine menu is on the table." Tyson and Aynslee look at the wine menu next to the napkin dispenser and back at the male. "Have a nice time." He walks away with his shoulders back and head held high. 
     
   Aynslee couldn't help but titter at the male once again as she picks the menu up to look it over. An instant frown washes over her face when she sees the prices of the food, even the appetizers were over $50.00. Tyson notices the frown and he frowns as well, "It is okay. I got it." He assures her, she pulls a weak smile still not so sure. 
     
   But, there was nothing that she could do about it, she didn't have a job or any kind of money to pick up the tab if she wanted to. When she did have a job, she didn't like for too many people to pay for her things because she always knew that they would want something from her. 
     
   After a few minutes of looking over the menu, a lady about in her mid-30 bounces overlooking overly bubbly, the lady's ocean blue eyes settle on Tyson then Aynslee. "Hi," She says with a southern drawl, that definitely was not fake and a smile. "I am Miss Lori and I will be your server tonight." She introduces while she puts down two wooden coasters. "Do you know what you want to drink?" She takes out her ticket pad and pen. 
     
   Tyson looks at Aynslee and Aynslee sighs not really knowing what she wanted to drink, but on top of that she couldn't even find the drinks on the menu. Tyson speaks up, "We'll have Champagne." 
     
   Miss Lori writes it down and asks, "Chilled?" Tyson nods while Miss Lori writes the drink order down, "Okay, do you know what you want for your appetizers?" 
     
   Tyson looks to Aynslee and Aynslee shakes her head. She didn't know what any of these things on the menu was. Like what the hell is a veal? And caviar? She had no clue as what she could eat. She closes the menu and sighs, rubbing her temples. 
     
   Tyson looks at Miss Lori and answers, "We'll start out with the steak salads." He looks to Aynslee and she perks up, nodding. He nods as well while Miss Lori writes it down. "Okay, the entree?" Tyson looks at the menu rubbing his chin. "Do you want the noodle Alfredo chicken? Or the top sirloin steak with a side of mashed potatoes?" He asks Aynslee. 
   "The noodles." She answers. He looks at Miss Lori; waiting for his order. "Oh...I will have the steak." She writes it down, "Alright," Taking the menus she says, "Your drinks and salad will be here shortly." She ambles away. 
   Aynslee had never been in any place this fancy and upscale before. There is a light chatter amongst the other couples, the atmosphere is soothing, the lighting is slightly dimmer just enough to give that romantic feel, and to give a romantic feel there are colored unscented candles on some of the tables. The change was very overwhelming for Aynslee but on some other, level it is very nice to not eat fast food all the time. 
   "How's your leg?" Tyson says breaking her thoughts. 
   Aynslee moves it around under the table, "It's good. Doesn't hurt as bad." She starts fiddling with the coaster. 
   "That's good. Maryanne helped with that." Tyson credits Maryanne for coming up with a pain cream that works almost instantly with the side effect of dozing off for a few hours or so. 
   Aynslee 
     
   "She's a nice person." Aynslee agrees nodding her head. "I feel like I know you from somewhere . . ." Aynslee says lightly tapping the coaster on the glass table, wanting to go ahead and get it out and in the air. 
     
   Tyson leans forward. "We went to high school together. I was the all American nerd. We were best friends along with a few other people." 
     
   Aynslee tilts her head to the right, trying her best to remember through the migraine. The tapping of the coaster stops; remembering, "YOU! You're Tyson "Pop" Reese?" 
     
   He flinches at that nickname and scrunches his face a little. "Yes, I am." He got the nickname pop because he had such bad acne and the teenagers would say Pop! While walking behind him. He sits back while Aynslee smiles, "Wow. Long time." 
     
   Tyson nods, "Very long time." smiling. 
     
   Their eye connection is broken when Miss Lori bring the champagne ice bucket and two wine glasses. She sets them down on the coasters and pops the cork off the wine bottle causing people to cheer. 
     
   Aynslee did not know what the cheering was about, but she too cheered, that caused Tyson to chuckle at her. Another waitress that almost resembles Miss Lori; places the salads in front of Tyson and Aynslee. Miss Lori shoes the waitress away while she pours the wine gently in the wine glass and places the champagne bottle back in the bucket of ice. "Your entrees will be out shortly." She then touts off to tend to another couple at a different table. 
     
   Aynslee opens her napkin and sees two forks, two spoons, and one knife. The pairs of silverware looked the same to her, so she picks up one fork and starts to dig into her salad. Tyson notices that she is using the wrong fork but says nothing to her; all he could do smile. 
     
   
   
   
   5 
   Patrick Larkin West 
     
   The visiting room is loud with the clamor of convicts speaking to their families, friends, business associates, and lawyers. 
     
   Patrick West sits at a small child like faded pink table alone as he looks around for his homeboy. All of the other tables were taken, that is the only reason why he is sitting at the child's table. 
     
   His cynical brown eyes look at the clock, "Shit, but the time that nigga shows, I will be in a fucking box under the jail." 2 minutes later, a rusty old- young man with a yellow bandana around his forehead sits at the table with Patrick. "About time. Nigga." 
     
   "Dude, shit ain't good." 
     
   Patrick all but raises his voice, "Da fuck you mean "shit ain't good", Chubbs?" He slams his chains that are cuffed to his wrist down on the table; angry. 
     
   "Fuck. Someone saved her. We don't know who or how he figured out she was there, but someone got her out of there." Chubbs explains. Patrick nods. "There was a shootout and he shot Mel, man. So, I ran." Chubbs continues explaining. 
     
   Patrick's eyebrows knit together in fury, "You two were supposed to finish the job. Not half-assed it. And your bitch ass ran?" He whispers to Chubbs, Chubbs leans into Patrick whispering as well, "You did not tell us that she was a fighter. It was hard to even knock that bitch out. Talking about kill the bitch. Hell, the way she was fighting you'd think that she wanted to live." 
     
   Patrick laughs uproariously that made some people turn to look at them. But, just in an instant that laugh was replaced with a scowl, "Da fuck y'all bitches looking at?" 
     
   Everyone that was looking turn around and goes back to their own conversations. 
     
   Patrick's eyes Chubbs, "Yeah, she is a fighter alright. As many black eyes that girl gave me, it's still a fucking miracle that I can see. But, I never said that it would be an easy job, Aynslee ain't no punk. The girl can hold her own when she isn't on drugs. That's why I told y'all to drop her favorite drug in the mail slot." 
     
   Patrick stares at the table in deep thought, "Then you guys must have bought that weak ass shit from one of these fake ass dope dealers. But, I want y'all to find her. Put Sinab, Damien, and Loko on it. I want every city shaken down and every crack house, jail cell, and friends' house checked. I want full reports on what you guys find." Very annoyed at the task. He couldn't believe that he asked his boys to do a simple but not so easy job and they half-assed the damn thing. Fuck! 
     
   An annoying buzzer buzzes letting the inmates know that visiting hours are over. "I want her dead," Patrick says as he is hauled away to the general population. 
     
   The annoying wall to wall chatter and dominoes being banged dramatically on the filthy steel grey tables of the jail hall, made Patrick all the more enraged then to top it off with the fact that Aynslee got away. 
     
   He wondered how in the hell did she escape?! He sits at the second to last table, the only clean table in that jail hall. 
     
   "Nigs, don't know how to clean up after themselves," Patrick says as she signals his cell mate over. 
     
   His slanted blue eyes, fine black faded style hair, wide chest build due to working out 24/7, and deeply tanned copper tone skin completes his thick eyebrows. With a wide gap, he walks over to Patrick, holding his jumper pants up. Smiling, he gives Patrick dap, then sits down straddling the bench. "Sup man?" 
     
   Patrick shakes his head, "Nun much, Royce." He looks around the general population of murders, thieves, pimps, drug dealers, murder suspects, DUI's, and abusers. Royce smiles half his teeth missing and most replaced with false due to a fight yesterday. "Did you get that lying, cheating bitch?" 
     
   Patrick frowns and gets angry all over again, "Nah, man. She phoned help after I told them two fools to make sure she had no way of communication. But, they either didn't listen or she had a backup phone." 
     
   Royce titters and drums his fingers on the table, "Probably calling all those nigs she was fucking with and got pregnant by." 
     
   Patrick scoffs knowing that was the truth. "Plus, where she get money to get a phone? Her lazy ass doesn't work at all. So how the fu-." 
     
   "One of them fools she was messing with. She probably put it down on him so good that he bought her a phone and all those other things she got." 
     
   Patrick continues to stare out into the population. "Yeah." His mind forming into a deeper hate for Aynslee; just from that information along. 
     
   He blinks turning to Royce, "I am having it fixed right now. And hopefully they will actually kill that lying ass bitch instead of thinking or assuming that she's dead." 
   A female police guard/officer walks up behind Patrick. "Patrick West." 
     
   Patrick looks at the female officer, "Sup, officer Sheyn?" He gets this goofy smile for the brown eyed female officer. 
     
   Unfazed by his smile, she cuts her eyes at him. "It's time for your therapy session with Dr. Morris." 
     
   He scowls; he hated it, but it is mandatory for him to go while he is in this hell hole. "Ight. Catch ya later, Roy." He gets up and Royce nods to him a 'see ya'. 
     
   Following the female officer down an empty hallway, Patrick tries to strike up a conversation. "So, how's your sister doing?" 
     
   Officer Sheyn sighs in annoyance, "She's fine. Not like you care, so why are you ever worried about her?" 
     
   They stop at the end of the hallway and turn to their right where a sandy closed door set. "I do worry about her and I do care about her. She is the mother of my kids. How can I not worry about her?" Patrick almost whines. 
     
   Officer Sheyn rolls her eyes, "Yeah, along with your son and daughter. They are suffering because you chose to do the things that you do. They need a father and I wouldn't be surprised at all if my little sister left your ass for someone better. Someone that can actually help her." 
     
   She knocks on the door, a little irritated at the fact that he actually thinks that he is doing the right thing with his life. But she was not the one to try and get him in line. 
     
   "But, I do. I told you the story behind Aynslee; the whore. I felt like I had to take care of her-." Patrick tries to spin a lie but is interrupted. 
     
   "Just a minute." A male voice says from behind the door. 
     
   "Take care of her when she told me that she was pregnant. But, when she lost it, she latched onto me." Patrick continues to explain. 
     
   The door opens interrupting Patrick's sentence. Officer Sheyn waves Patrick in then closes the door behind her, not wanting for him to explain anymore. She knew all about his lies and cheating ways from her sister. Night after night when her sister would call her crying about what Patrick had done or what she saw Patrick doing. 
     
   Leaving the two male together alone, Patrick's therapist is a 40 something-year-old man with amber colored eyes, heavyset figure, and a thin mustache. "Okay, Mr. West, sit down and let's get this over with," Dr. Morris demands. 
     
   Patrick plops down on the sofa and rests his head on the back of the sofa while Dr. Morris prepares for his client. Patrick hated these therapy sessions. "Alright, we started...err...stopped with Aynslee and how you two met," Dr. Morris says flipping through the notebook that has Patrick's name written across it. 
     
   Patrick sighs and sits up. "We met when she was attending Winter University for Journalism. She was always busy with clinical, papers; always doing something for herself to get into a higher grade." 
     
   "Hmm...Okay. That's what really attracted you to her?" 
     
   Patrick had to admit, smiling a little bit, "Yeah, she had that 'go-getter' mentality that was sexy to me. She didn't need to depend on anyone, so it took her a long time to let me in. To trust me." 
     
   "Did you tell her about your child and wife?" 
     
   Patrick sighs giving a little scoff to his answer, "No, I knew that Aynslee would want nothing to do with me if I told her about that. I helped her pay for school, books, and all that so she wouldn't have to work those two jobs just to pay for school." He rubs his hands together and looks at some of the bruises on his knuckles from fighting men and Aynslee. He sighs, he hated these sessions, but they were mandatory for his sentencing if he wanted to get out early or be up for parole. 
     
   "When was the first time you hit Aynslee?" Dr. Morris asks fiddling with his pen. 
     
   "Our second-year anniversary. She wanted to go to some fancy restaurant and I had other things to do. She kept nagging me about it...I just snapped at her. The next thing I knew, she was huddled in a dark corner of my condo crying and hugging her . . . knees." He caught a tear just as it was about to slide down his cheek. He didn't like talking about that because he never thought he would really hit Aynslee at all. But, it came down to it and the drugs that he took got the best of him that night. 
     
   "All the while, she's in there by herself while you are at your wife's house with your child?" He writes down notes. 
     
   "Right. I started drinking a lot because the wife was stressing me about some other girl. The wife is a hood chick, but she is not stupid and knows when something is amiss. She knew that there was someone else, but I denied it and kept it moving." 
     
   Dr. Morris nods, "Okay." 
     
   "No...Wait....it wasn't in college that I first met Aynslee" Patrick says really thinking about the very first time he had met her, ". . . It was high school. Seras High. Her 11th-grade year and everything else happened accordingly." 
     
   Nodding, Dr. Morris scribbles that down and moves on to the next topic of the matter. "Tell me about the pregnancies." Dr. Morris wanted to touch on everything...or at least half of the Aynslee issue. 
     
   "She got pregnant first at 19 years old after she graduated high school and got accepted into college. Yeah, we were fucking but I knew she was cheating with her best friend. I forget his name, but I paid for her to have the baby aborted. Then around the same time that she got her abortion, I found out that my other girlfriend was pregnant." 
     
   "But, you let your other girlfriend keep the baby. Why is that??" 
     
   "Because I knew that she was faithful to me. So, I wanted to be a father to my child." Patrick says truly believing what he could remember a few years back. 
     
   "Did you ever think about how Aynslee felt after the abortion?" Dr. Morris tilts his head to the left. 
     
   Patrick felt himself tearing up as something pull on his heart strings, "No. I just knew that she started whoring around before we met." At least, that's what he was told by quite a few fellow students at the college campus. 
     
   "Who told you that and who was she supposedly whoring around with?" Dr. Morris asks. 
     
   "Some students had told me about it. But, now the more I think about it or have thought about it. I am not so sure that they meant her. Because there were two Aynslee's. There was Aynslee Velasquez; my girlfriend and Ansley Kiet; head cheerleader. They use to call her Anyslee...because she would sleep with any—-." As his words slowed and the smile on his face fades, as he mentions the second Ansley, realizing what he had done. He had mistaken one Aynslee for the other and caused a huge fight amongst Aynslee Velasquez and Aynslee Kiet that day during P.E. 
     
   Dr. Morris nods while Patrick groans at his past memories and his own past mistakes. "Okay. Go on." 
     
   "Yeah, so Aynslee kept getting pregnant. At one point, when she was spending the night with me, I got so stoned and drunk. I killed...the baby." More tears swell up in Patrick's eyes, coming to terms with what he had done was taking a huge toll on his feelings. He never wanted to reveal or relive this part of his life, because it was one of the painful parts. "She was in the hospital for months. Not just because of the baby, but she slipped into a deep depression. A depression that would have caused her to seriously injure or kill herself. I visited her and told her that it was one of the drug dealers fault because he took some of my clients from me. I told her that I was sorry." 
     
   "Another lie." Dr. Morris questions but already knowing the answer. 
     
   Patrick nods. "The beatings got more and more frequent and anything triggered them. Dishes in the sink, clothes on the floor, no food on the table, anything so small." 
   "Did you ever hit your wife like that?" Dr. Morris asks feeling a little disgusted by his actions. 
   "A few times, but she knew what it was when I walked in that house. I didn't have any issues with her, Aynslee was/is very head strong. But, when she fought back and knocked me unconscious. She left..." He chuckles, remembering that night, "packed her shit and left. Found her a small condo on the other side of town about 3 hours away. I convinced her to come back, but she wouldn't stay with me. Quickly, my mind knew she was cheating again. Why would she not want to stay in the house I bought us?" 
     
   "So she wouldn't have to hide the beatings from anyone?" 
     
   Patrick wipes his face once he realizes that he was still crying. "If she didn't piss me off, it would have never come to that." Blaming Aynslee. 
     
   Dr. Morris shakes his head is not believing what he is hearing, but he has heard far worse than what Patrick is telling him, "Did your father ever hit your mother?" 
     
   Patrick scoffs with a smirk, "All the time, but it was because she'd always do something wrong." He leans back resting his back on the sofa. 
     
   "Did he hit you?" 
     
   Silence came to Patrick, giving Dr. Morris his answer, "Do you remember how that felt?" 
   Patrick nods the frown getting deeper, "Not good. Hurt a lot actually. But, all it did was make me a stronger man and he taught me that that's the only way to keep a female in the line." Patrick smirks, proud of what his father taught him. "Sometimes it works and sometimes it doesn't." He shrugs very nonchalantly about the matter. 
   Dr. Morris sighs wrapping up the session, "Alright, I will see you next time at the same time, so we can touch bases on that matter." 
   Patrick nods glad that the session is over. 
     
     
   
   
   
   6 
   Tyson Reese 
     
   He was glad that the dinner went well. Tyson looks out the window of his office, the sun's rays lighting up his office. He swivels his chair from side to side in front of the window in deep thought about Aynslee. He felt blissful from the dinner he had with Aynslee last night. 
     
   He almost forgot how great of a conversationalist she was. She didn't look ill a like a crackhead, so what was she doing on that side of town? That really did rack his mind up. The day when he found Aynslee still rings horrible thoughts in his mind, he touches his chin. 
     
   Tyson knew that's where she grew up at but back in high school, both of them along with two other best friends made a pack, a vow, a deep promise to never come back to that side of town ever again. What made Aynslee go over there? 
     
   The ringing of his office phone scares him; flinching and almost falling backwards in his chair. He catches the corner of his desk to make sure he did not fall and swivels towards his desk and answers, "Apex Science Computers; Tyson Reese speaking." 
     
   "You said you would call me back." 
     
   Tyson sighs at the annoying voice on the other end of the ling, "Noelle, I said no such thing. Plus, I told you that I wanted nothing to do with you and you know why." 
     
   Noelle sighs, "But your son..." 
     
   "That ain't none of my children," Tyson yells thankful that his door to his office is closed. "I told you this." 
     
   "He is your son, Tyson. He wants to see you. Please." Noelle begs. 
     
   "No, he is not. The doctors said so when he needed a transfusion. Our blood types do NOT match!" 
     
   "Doctors are a bunch of quakes and don't know what they are talking about. He is your son, Tyson. Please, believe me. I want you to have him in your life...or him have yo-." 
     
   "He is not my child." Tyson angrily slams down the phone causing the side of the phone to crack. He rubs his temples and puffs out a stressful sigh as he looks up at the ceiling. He did not understand why she thought that the kid was/is his. 
     
     
     
   After he found out that he and the baby had different blood types, he had the doctors check everything else right down to the baby hairs on the baby's head. The DNA was not a match anywhere. As of now, he did not know what to do about Noelle and the whole jest of the baby matter. Then finding out Noelle was already married, when he was about to propose to her. Her husband comes out of nowhere and threatens Tyson to stay away from Noelle. 
     
   He didn't understand why females lied to him? Or why he picked such shitty options. He really did have a thing for Noelle, but that thing was long gone now. He just wanted a decent female with something going for herself other than having a husband that runs around and sells dope all day. He wanted a female that does something for herself without the help of a man but just wanted a man for the company. 
     
   Not sexual company either, but the real company. But the old days were long gone, where gentlemen were actually gentlemen and ladies were actual ladies. Now, there is a variety of personalities from both male and female going on. 
     
   His door creaking open interrupts his thoughts. He looks up to see Maryanne standing there, "I knocked." She informs him. 
     
   He must have been so deep in his own thoughts and feelings that he didn't hear the knock on his door. "It's fine. Come in." 
     
   Maryanne sits on the sofa to the right of his desk. "You have a meeting with Brownie Jordan for the merging of your two companies at 2:30pm." She reminds him of the schedule. "Then, at 5:30pm you and Tam Blusteel have a meeting about my concoction that I made a week ago." 
     
   She looks at Tyson, "something bothering you?" 
     
   Tyson sighs. "Naw, just work. What would happen if I took a rain check on those meetings?" 
     
   Maryanne pulls a notepad from her back pocket and flips through the sheets in order to find what she is looking for. "Okay. Found it. The reschedule would be on Thursday at 7am with Jordan and for Blusteel...10am." 
     
   Tyson nods. "Okay, that's good." He stands and packs up his things. He seriously needs a personal day, considering the fact that he hadn't taken one since his father handed the business over to him. 
     
   "Are you leaving for the day?" Maryanne asks standing. 
     
   Tyson nods holding the door open for Maryanne to get out, he closes the office door. "Well..." He stops in the middle of his sentence. 
     
   Tyson walks to the elevator door. Maryanne follows behind him asking him, "Where are you going?" 
     
   Tyson repeatedly pushes the 'down' button. "With the fellas. I need to think, like really think." The elevator dings and opens up. Tyson gets on the elevator.  "Cover things for me, please. Don't go overboard." The elevator door closes and goes down to the ground floor where executive parking is. He gets off and walks to his car. He is suddenly thrown into his car face first and a cold steel pointing to his neck. 
     
   "Where's Aynslee Velasquez?" The gruff voice demands. 
     
   "I honestly don't know." Sweat rolls down Tyson's face as fear settles in making his heart beat quicken. 
     
   "Yeah, you do. I know you do." The unknown assailant pushes the gun into the back of Tyson's neck a little harder. "I want to know. Where is she at!" 
     
   Tyson sighs trying to stay calm, "Look man. I do not know where Aynslee is. Last time I saw her was when I picked her from that alley. The next morning she bounced, I swear man." 
     
   The unknown assailant chuckles stepping off Tyson but still has his gun aimed at the back of his head. Without a pause, Tyson draws his own gun. The masked assailant's eyes widen in fear. "I told you I don't know where the fuck she is, bruh." 
     
   Tyson's guns is aimed directly in the middle of the assailant's forehead, also with his finger gently tapping the trigger. Thinking if he should pull the trigger or not. It would certainly make his day to actually be able to dead a nigga and get away with it like he used to be able to do. But, now cops had stepped up their game and would call swat faster than anything else. 
     
   "A'ight dawg." He drops his gun and takes off running at full speed. Whilst hauling ass, he mumbles, "Man, fuck orders! I am not dying for any female." 
     
   Blinking a little stunned, Tyson couldn't believe that happened. A thug that ran from a gunfight after trying to be all hard. All Tyson could do was blink in confusion as he got into his car shaking his head. He throws the gun on the passenger seat and drives out of the parking garage. 
     
   
   
   
   7 
   Aynslee Velasquez 
     
   Aynslee stirs her hot tea with a very thin and small straw whilst sitting at a local cafe waiting. There were a lot of people out this lovely Saturday afternoon, chatting and walking with friends and family. Just to enjoy a relaxing day for Aynslee is always a good thing, especially knowing that Patrick is in jail for all those charges. 
     
   But, Aynslee continues to look over her shoulder every once in a while, knowing that she couldn't let her guard down. Today, she is going to do just that. A small female that almost resembles Aynslee taps her on the shoulder. Aynslee turns around and smiles. 
     
   She stands up and hugs the female. "Hey, Luna." 
     
   Luna hugs her half-sister back with the biggest smile and a mouth full of metal braces. "HEY." 
     
   Luna is slightly darker than Aynslee and had shorter curlier hair, but no one could really tell that they were half-sisters. They always were told that they were real sisters, which was never a bad thing because that is what they considered themselves to be. 
     
   "Sit down. Sit down." Aynslee says excitedly. Luna takes the seat in front of Aynslee; placing her massive purse that resembles a huge duffle bag; to Aynslee; in the seat next to her. Aynslee never understood nor liked the whole purse concept. They always got in the way and then some females would use their purse as a trash bag, which Aynslee always found so disgusting and vile. 
     
   A female waiter comes up to Luna and takes her order of chamomile tea with lemon and a blueberry bagel. The female waiters goes to fill the order in. Luna tucks her own sandy brown hair behind her ear. Aynslee slightly sips her now lukewarm tea. Aynslee utters, "So, what's new? How's dad?" 
     
   Luna rolls her eyes with a smile, "Dad is dad. A hot mess in that house of his with that gold digging girlfriend of his. My husband Makio is great and we are expecting." She squeals the word 'expecting'. 
     
   Aynslee squeals as well. Luna reaches into her massive purse and pulls out the lengthy pictures, hands it to Aynslee. Aynslee takes the pictures and looks at them. The sonograms of Luna's baby, a sense of jealousy swells up along with some tears. But, she swallows her emotions and put a smile on for her sister. "Wow, Lulu." 
     
   Luna takes the pictures, "Yeah." She looks lovingly at them and puts them back in her purse. The female waiter comes back with Luna's order and with 
     
   Aynslee's special order of soup. "Anything else? Would you like me to warm up your tea, miss?" She asks Aynslee, Aynslee nods. The female waiter takes her teacup and walks off into the café. Then comes back with Aynslee's now hot tea, she moves on to another table. Aynslee and Luna smile at each other. 
     
   Aynslee didn't know what to say about Luna's pregnancy, a warm hand touches Aynslee's. Aynslee looks up at Luna touching her hand for a sense of comfort . . . which starts to bring back memories. The only soft memory that she has. . . 
   
   
   
   8 
   Aynslee 
     
   
   13 years earlier 
   
   
     
   
   
   Aynslee at 13 years old coughs violently due to her mother's cigarette smoke being blown in her face whilst her mother tries to fix her hair bow that lays crooked in her naturally curly hair. " 
   
   
     
   
   
   Hush up now. I knew I should have made you go get a perm with that birthday money that your grandparents gave you. But, NO..." Her mother spat annoyed at the situation and the bow. 
   
   
     
   
   
   Aynslee stood still . . . well tries to stand still while her mother angrily fiddles with the bow and mumbles about her first husband cheating and the daughter that came with that. Aynslee couldn't understand the rest of it, it died down to wordless mumbles. The doorbell rings. "Don't you move?" Her mother warns wagging her bony finger in Aynslee's face as her mother goes to answer the door. 
   
   
     
   
   
   Aynslee stood on a small stool in front of the full-length mirror. Her long hair covered some of her left eyes, her mother hated that, so that's why her mother was trying to pin it back with a huge ugly pink flower bow. The bow didn't even match the color of the dress. 
   
   
     
   
   
   Aynslee gets off the stool and goes through the clear hair box that set on the bench next to the mirror. Finding on a pretty blue hair clip that matched her green and blue frill dress that her mom got her at the thrift shop earlier that day. She goes back in front of the mirror and pin her hair away from her eye, then looks at herself in the mirror. Highly satisfied with the way she looks. It's also been a while since her mother had bought her anything for Aynslee. 
   
   
     
   
   
   "AYNSLEE! Get in here!" Her mother yells. Aynslee hurriedly rushes to the living room then stops in her tracks when she sees a little girl about the same age as she. They both blink at each other, Luna smiles and hugs Aynslee, Aynslee hugs back. Upon letting go, Aynslee goes to a very tall man standing behind Luna. 
   
   
     
   
   
   He squats down and twirls Aynslee around, she giggles as Luna joins in on the spinning, both their dresses flaring out. He kisses Aynslee's forehead, he stands up as Aynslee's mother blows smoke into the man's face. The man is attractive, in general, Aynslee knew that he is her father because of their eyes, nose, and mouth shapes. Also, because she had seen him plenty of times standing outside talking with her mother. 
   
   
     
   
   
   Aynslee never knew about what, but she would always guess that it was about him seeing Aynslee. But, her mother saying no for whatever reason. What Aynslee really didn't understand was how he saw her mother as attractive. Maybe it was long ago, the man grabs Aynslee's hand along with Luna but Luna grabbed Aynslee's other hand instead of her father's. 
   
   
     
   
   
   "I will have her back by 10:30pm." The man says. Aynslee's mother blows more smoke as she squats down to Aynslee. "Behave Aynslee! I mean it. Act like you have some common sense! For once in your life." Her mother warns, growling, then standing up and waving them off. 
   
   
     
   
   
   The day was filled with fun. They went out to eat, on the way to the restaurant the man introduced himself as Carvel Killian, Aynslee's father as well as Luna's. Also, had Aynslee and Luna ditch the frilly dresses and change into some brand new jeans, graphic tees, and high top sneakers. The restaurant was a high-end place, but it was full of screaming kids, video game noise, and the smell of garment pizza along with other unknown foods to Aynslee. 
   
   
     
   
   
   She and Luna got money from their father and took off for the arcade in the back and middle of the restaurant. Aynslee remembers passing this place on the school bus and on the city bus. She would beg her mother to go especially when Aynslee was invited to a friend's birthday party. Her mother would reply, "You ain't got no friends. You going somewhere to screw." Whatever that meant. But now, all that mattered was that she was there. 
   
   
     
   
   
   Afterwards, they went swimming and Aynslee was taught how to swim by her father with a little help and words of encouragement from Luna. Aynslee is a really quick study. 
   
   
     
   
   
   Later it was time to go home, Aynslee dreaded the very idea of going back to where she was not wanted or loved. She even begged her father to let her stay with him and Luna. Luna cried while her father explained to Aynslee the court system would not allow it. 
   
   
     
   
   
   That was the last time she'd see Luna and her father, her mother had said. But, Aynslee was not about to let her mother steal her only joy away from her. 
   
   
     
   
   
   So, Aynslee would sneak out and her father would pick her up from the corner stop and take her to school sometimes. However, when Aynslee got out of high school and went to college. She was relieved that she and Luna were taking the same math and literature classes. 
   
     
   Present 
     
   Aynslee didn't know what to say about her sister's pregnancy, but she really is truly happy that her sister had found someone that she can really trust and start a family with. 
     
   A warm hand grazes her hand, Aynslee looks up to see Luna touching her hand and handing her a napkin. She takes the napkin, Luna signals to wipe her face. Aynslee dabs her face and looks at the napkin, small tear drops were on it. She hadn't even noticed that she is crying, smiling she dabs her eyes again and sniffles. "Sorry." 
     
   Luna frowns at her sister, "I know that both of your babies would have been at least 6 or 7 years old. In the 2nd grade or 1st grade." 
     
   Aynslee had to pull herself together, she just had to. No real reason why. "Yeah, they would but there is no telling how many I've truly had." She jokes and Luna smiles along with her older sister. 
     
   After their light lunch, they walk down the strip and enter a thrift shop. There really weren't very many people in the thrift shop, Aynslee looks around at the very tidy store. Most stores on the strip were unclean and full of dust; not this one. Bauhaus is what the store is called. 
     
   Luna goes towards the baby things which is in the very back of the store and Aynslee moves to the business clothes located to the left of the shoes in the front of the store. She seriously needed a job and she knew that her old job of being a corporate receptionist probably wouldn't take her back after all the days Patrick made her miss. 
     
   But, it is worth a try to see if they would. She picks up a few nice looking skirts and then remembers that Maryanne bought her clothes but not enough for a job or an interview. She grabs a loose buggy. 
     
   "Hey, that's my fuc-Aynslee?" A female says about to go off but when she sees who it is, she thinks twice. 
     
   Aynslee stares at the female and her own eyes widen in shock, "Noelle? Noelle Jellel?" 
     
   They hug each other and say their greetings to each other as well. Noelle says, "Wow, you look marvelous!" stepping back to look at Aynslee. 
     
   Aynslee looks at Noelle's beady, tired coffee colored eyes, baggy clothes, messed up straight neck- length weave, very narrow build, and dark chocolate skin tone. 
     
   "So do you." Noelle scoffs, "Psh, girl. No need to lie to me. I know I look a hot mess, but it's the life of motherhood." 
     
   Aynslee nods as a little boy runs up to Noelle holding a faded red fire truck that's missing a wheel. "My goodness." Aynslee looks down at the little boy. "Well, hello." 
     
   The little boy smiles and blushes a little. "Hey." Aynslee pinches his cheek, gently and he slyly scoots behind Noelle. Aynslee smiles, "He is so cute." 
     
   "Thank you. He will be...5 years old, next month and trying to do a cartoon-themed party is running me ragged." Noelle laughs. "What's going on with you?" 
     
   Aynslee answers. "Here with my sister; Luna." She nods over to the baby aisle. Noelle looks to where Aynslee nods to, "Oh, I see. Didn't know you had a sister." She turns to Aynslee, "What else is new?" 
     
   Aynslee sighs, "Finally, left that boyfriend of mine with a little help." Noelle shoes her son away to the toys. "Ugh, I am glad to hear that. No, kids?"" Aynslee shakes her head, "Not yet, but I am looking for a job right now." 
     
   "Oh, I know that a company that deals with computers is hiring. It is called..." She snaps her fingers trying to remember the name of the company, "Oh yeah...Kaleidoscope Company because of all the different colors that the motherboard of some computers and laptops have. Hell, I don't know." 
     
   Aynslee nods liking that idea, since computers and literature is what she majored in when she went to college. Patrick tried to get her to drop out and depend on him completely. But she was not having that. When she graduated in computer science and landed a job with a big corporation as a receptionist/computer tech, she would often make more than he did. Which really caused a huge fight within the household. 
     
   "What's the company's address?" Aynslee asks. Noelle shrugs her bony shoulders, "I know that it's off the interstate slight right." She uses her hands to direct herself on how to get there so that she can make sure she is telling Aynslee the right thing. "It should be on the left 5 miles from the old Burger King. If you can remember all of that." She titters. 
     
   Aynslee nods hoping that she could; because her memory has been a little foggy since that day. Luna comes up to Aynslee and Noelle. "Hello, I am Luna. Aynslee's sister." Luna introduces herself. "Noelle. I and Aynslee were best friends back in high school." Noelle informs. Luna nods and says, "She told me about all the trouble you two would get into." Luna teases causing Aynslee to gasp and Noelle to smirk and roll her eyes. Luna turns to Aynslee telling her, "They didn't have the car seat I wanted so they said they'd order it for me." 
     
   Aynslee did not know that thrift stores could order anything. Luna looks at the skirts in Aynslee's hands, "Paying for those?" 
     
   Aynslee nods, "Yeah. Mind doing it for me?" 
     
   She hands Luna the clothes and a Platinum card from her back pocket as Luna nods. Luna takes the card, "Tyson Reese? Yall re-connected after a few years now?" Luna teases as she arches her brow on a more serious note. 
     
   Aynslee giggles, "Something like that." Luna purses her lips together and goes to the counter to pay for the skirts and shirts. 
     
   Aynslee turns back to Noelle whose face has suddenly dropped, "What's wrong, Noelle?" Aynslee asks concerned. 
     
   "Huh? Oh, nothing. I have got to get out of here, really. Got a lot of things to do for this boy's party. Son?" Confused, Aynslee nods while her son comes running and grabs his mother's hand and they leave the shop; abruptly. 
     
   
   
   
   9 
   Patrick West 
     
   Another day in the hellhole, he didn't know what he was going to do. He's heard from some of his henchmen about the progress on finding Aynslee; none. He felt like he was in a huge game of Hide N Seek with this broad and she is winning. Around the same afternoon, he got a visit from his lawyer, telling Patrick there is no bail at all and the next hearing isn't until next month. 
     
   Also, that he has a very good chance of going to prison without parole. Patrick got irate and cursed the lawyer out because he wanted to be out on the day of his son's birthday. For that he spent 2 whole weeks in solitary confinement. Now that he is out, he had no clue what he needed to do, so he call his baby-mama/wife; Noelle. 
     
   "Babe, I miss you so much. You have no idea." Patrick admits. He never missed Noelle because she was always there but now that she isn't, he wanted her. It took him at least 4 tries just to get her on the phone, but he didn't question it. He knew that she is dealing with his kids and trying to get them in line while he is gone. 
     
   "I miss you too. I saw an old friend of mine at the store a few days ago." Noelle says perking up a little bit. 
     
   "Oh?" 
     
   "Aynslee. She and I use to be best friends back in high school...isn't that something? I didn't even know that she was still living here. I thought she would been living the high life somewhere else." 
     
   Patrick could feel a lump form in his throat and his throat dry out, but he swallows it down enough to answer, "Really now?" 
     
   "Yeah. She was so smart and pretty as well." 
     
   "What does she look like? Now, I mean?" Patrick needed a description to give his men so they can complete the mission of icing Aynslee because none of them really knows what she looks like now. Patrick knew that she didn't look like the skinny crack whore that she used to look like. 
     
   "Uh..." A crash sounds. "Shit...Brayson stop it!!" Noelle yells. "Sorry Patrick, your son...Don't hit your sister! Stop. Boy!" Noelle yells again then returns to the phone. "I have got to go. Your kids are fighting now and your daughter just backhanded your son." 
     
   Patrick laughs, "That's my gir-." 
     
   "NO! The way they fight is not normal. Bray-godly...Alexandria sto-...Gotta go, Pat." Before he could say by she already hung up the phone. He made a note to himself to send Noelle a few grand to pay for Brayson's party and her to shop for herself; on Tuesday. 
     
   Hanging up the phone, Patrick turns to see Officer Sheyn. 
     
   "Therapy time, west." 
     
   "Duh." Patrick back talks, jokingly. Sheyn cranes her neck and it cracks, not in the mood to be played with. Patrick widens his eyes, "Sorry, sorry. I didn't mean it like that." 
     
   Walking down the hallway, Dr. Morris' door is open and Sheyn shoves Patrick in the office and walks off. Patrick sits down on the sofa as he waits for Morris to come in. Doing these therapy sessions, Patrick feels as though he has made some type of progress. 
     
   Dr. Morris walks in and sits down, grabs the notepad for Patrick off the bookshelf behind him. "We left off with...you're..." he flips through the notepad, then grabs Patrick's folder from the small coffee table beside him. Flipping through that, he answers, "Childhood? That's where we wanted to really touch bases with." He explains while getting in the position to listen to Patrick. 
     
   Patrick sighs, "Right. Born to Tanya Ewing and Phillip West. I am the youngest boy of 10 children. 5; 3 older and 2 younger sisters and 4 plus I equals 5 brothers." He looks up at the ceiling trying to think what else to tell Dr. Morris, shaking his head he starts with schooling, "Uhh, I went to school until my 10th grade year, then dropped out because it was boring. I felt as though I was too smart for all that mess they were trying to teach us. My oldest sisters got much of my parents praise because they went on and went to college to 'be someone' as my parents put it. All the while, I and my second older brother; Sylis. Got none. No praise, no love, or affection. All my other siblings went to be their own persons, you know." 
     
   Dr. Morris nods making notes. Patrick continues jumping from schooling to his siblings to his father, "The first time dad hit mom was when I was 13 years old. He hit her because dinner wasn't ready when he got home from a very hard and long day of work." Patrick frowns slightly, remembering the way his mother swirled about when his father hit her, "It was scary, the way she swirled around and would catch herself on the counter, but he told me that's how a man...real men keep their bitches, females in line. So, I went with that. Me and my brother. 
     
   Dad started hitting her more frequently. For whatever reason, clothes, shoes, dinner, noise, dirty house, anything would really set him off." 
     
   Dr. Morris nods. Patrick goes on, "But things changed when I and my brother; Sylis got home from school; mom wasn't there. Instead, there were police cars and an ambulance in front of the house. Neighbors from other hoods came to be nosy. My siblings gathered ar-." He starts to choke up and covers his eyes, "They told us that dad had beaten mom into a coma and they had taken her to the hospital." 
     
   He huffs out some air in order to keep the tears from spilling from his eyes. It's been a long time since he's told anyone this; the death of his mother. The only person he has ever told was Aynslee. "I lashed out and the cops had to put me in handcuffs and had me to sit in the back of the squad car. Dad was being hauled off to jail or prison. The next day, mom was pronounced brain dead. So, we; as siblings decided to say our goodbyes to her and have them pull the plug. The living arrangements worked out to where: I and my brother; Sylis stayed with our oldest brother; Daedrus and his wife Haelyn until college. We didn't want anyone going to an orphanage and knew that mom wanted us to stay together." He rubs the tears from his face, "whoop." 
     
   Dr. Morris nods and looks at Patrick and nods at the tissue box sitting beside him on the sofa. He takes a tissue and wipes his face as Dr. Morris began, "So, you developed that from your father? Correct? The abusive part." 
     
   Patrick nods, "Yeah, I even suggested it to Daedrus for his head strong wife, but he wouldn't and told me that hitting a female is a punk's move." Patrick scoffs and raises his voice a little, "She always walked all over him. Telling him to do things she should be doing." 
     
   "Such as?" 
     
   "Cooking for one. Cleaning, changing diapers...you get the idea. All she did was run around on him and fuck with other dudes." 
     
   "Did she work?" 
     
   "Hell if I knew. She was hardly there. So, I never got to ask. But when I was 17 they kicked me out for raising my hand to their 3 and 4 year old daughters." 
     
   Horrified, Dr. Morris asks, "You were going to strike their kids? For what reason?" Disgust filled the Doctor's stomach as he felt the bile rise up in his chest. He chokes it back. 
     
   "Making too much noise, I had homework to do for my GED class. So, I just raised my hand as if I was going to hit them. It was to scare them. Daedrus kicked me out, I told Sylis but he betrayed me and stayed. That left me homeless for about a good year and a half." 
     
   "That's when you got into the game drug?" Doctor questions. 
     
   "Right and when I caught my first charge also when I met Aynslee." 
     
   "Okay. Hard childhood. Adult hood a little worse." 
     
   Patrick nods and leans forward. 
     
   Dr. Morris goes on, "You met Aynslee during," He flips through pages of the notepad and stops at the middle, "Her college years?" 
     
   Patrick nods. "Actually..." 
     
   Dr. Morris looks up, "I met Aynslee in high school before I met Noelle. So, it was before I dropped out however, there were two Aynslee's. There was the one I dated and the slutty cheerleader. So, when they would talk bad about one I always thought they were-." 
     
   "Talking about your Aynslee?" 
     
   "Right. Which they probably were but I didn't say anything about it to anyone. I just made my own assumptions." Patrick says nodding his head, knowing that they already touched on this subject. But, he didn't mind repeating it so the Doctor could take it down again. 
     
   Dr. Morris; in his profession isn't allowed to judge or make judgments but the way life is/was for Patrick seemed all wrong. Really wrong. But, who is he to make that kind of judgment? Not God. 
     
   "So, you and Aynslee met in high school along with Noelle." 
     
   Patrick nods at the statement. 
     
   "Alright. Aynslee didn't want to date you in high school?" 
     
   "Uhh..." He nods, "yeah. Cause I was dating Noelle." He confirms. 
     
   Dr. Morris nods and jots that down. "But, in college, despite you still dating Noelle and being engaged to her. You still tried to get with Aynslee?" He asks going over notes from the notepad. 
     
   "Correct." 
     
   Dr. Morris looks at his notes and none of it made any sense to him. None! He drops his pend and rubs the bridge of his nose. 
     
   "Okay. Freshman year of high school, I met Noelle and Aynslee, they were best friends." Patrick begins breaking down the relationship of the love triangle. 
     
   Dr. Morris nods and picks up his pen and begins writing what Patrick is saying down to try and get a better perspective of what Patrick is saying and thinking. His fucked up thought process. 
     
   "Aynslee was serious about her grades and wouldn't date me. So, I dated Noelle instead, since she wanted to be with me and she was not bad looking either." 
     
   "Okay." He continues to write. 
     
   "So...I dropped out but still dated Noelle then I moved and found Aynslee at College campus." 
     
   "Okay. So, she got out of the hood?" 
     
   "Yeah. She let me pay for her books sometimes. And then that's when she and I started dating." Patrick says trying to get his own mind right and make sure he is saying the right things at the right time. 
     
   "She didn't know about Noelle?" Dr. Morris squints. 
     
   "No. She asked, but I always dodged the question." 
     
   "Two-timed?" 
     
   Patrick chuckles, "Damn, Doc. The way you make it sound..." 
     
   "Yeah, well...that's what it is called when you date two people at the same time." 
     
   Patrick blinks then a smirk, "Well, that's the thing with us drug dealers. But," his face turns serious, "we aren't pimps." 
     
   Dr. Morris nods but he didn't really understand that concept or Patrick's frame of mind. Still frustrated, Dr. Morris says, "Alright, I do believe our time is up." He looks at the wall clock above the bookcase full of legal books and patient behavior books. "Yeah." Dr. Morris wraps up the session as Patrick stands up. 
     
   "Thanks, Doc." 
     
   "You're welcome." He says secretly glad that he is leaving. His thought process is so dysfunctional that Dr. Morris wanted to shank him himself with the pen he was jotting down the notes with. 
     
     
     
   Patrick leaves nodding yet feeling good but horrible at the same time as he was confessing his wrongs to Dr. Morris. Everything plagued him from his mother's untimely death by the hands of his father to himself putting a hit on Aynslee and getting her strung out on drugs. Without warning an emotional wave hit him, which makes him stop in the middle of the empty hallway. Leaning against the cool wall, he looks at the ceiling. "Damn, I really messed up big time, mama." 
     
   A tear falls from his eye, quickly he wipes it away when he hears footsteps coming. Getting off the wall, Patrick continues to walk down the hallway and passes Officer Sheyn escorting another inmate to Dr. Morris office. Patrick kept his head down as to make sure they didn't see the ram emotion coming from him. Especially, the inmate that's being escorted. The inmate is a whole different story. Once in the general population area, Patrick shook off all of the emotion and mumbles, "She deserves it, for messing with those other niggas." 
     
   He smiles and finds a group of his friends. 
     
   
   
   
   10 
   Aynslee 
     
   (6 months later) 
     
    Aynslee wipes her hands on her gray baggy sweat pants as she finished moving the last box into her two bedroom condo. She looks around at the mess of boxes, her sister then hobbles up the stairs and plops down on the leather blue sofa in the living room. Luna huffs and places a hand on her growing belly. 
     
   "That was hard work," Luna says throwing her hand back, resting it on the back of the sofa. 
     
   Aynslee flips her now curly hair and turns smirking at her sister, "What you mean? You only carried 2 lamps and 1 chair." 
     
    Luna lifts her head up enough to see Aynslee standing with her hands on her hips and her lips pursed together. "Pregnant. Hello!" She circles her belly with both hands while kicking off her shoes. 
     
   Aynslee shakes her head and begins to unpack the boxes marked in green Sharpe "Dishes". She had to move out of Tyson's house, he'd become overly possessive to the point where Aynslee barely made it to her interview with the computer company Noelle told her about. She didn't understand what was wrong with these guys she chose. At first they'd be really sweet to her but when she tries to get something going for herself, they changed into complete monster demons. 
     
   Though, Tyson didn't hit her, Aynslee wasn't about to stay around until he did so. She'd been in the hospital too many times, so many that 90% of the nurses and doctors know her by name along with her chart. Plus, now she has a job and signed a sign in bonus which is how she was able to get her condo on the decent side of town. 
     
   Silently putting up the dishes, when she hear her sister lightly snoring. Sound asleep in the sofa with her hand resting gently on her belly. Aynslee smiles and moves onto the next task. Entering her bedroom, the master bedroom she nearly trips over a box and a small baggy falls out of her pocket. She catches herself and then eyes the baggy, snatching it up. Examining it, she sits on the bed, the mattresses of the bed. Sighing, she fiddles with the baggy and stares at the white and yellow substance tightly wrapped in the baggy. She inhales the smell of the baggy and closes her eyes. It smells of the honey crisp apples she use to eat as a little girl. 
     
   It has helped her in a lot of situations, the mind of a druggie. The call of the drug is calling to her, it sensing her stress and weakness for it. She rolls the baggy all over her face. Her heart beat speeds up and she can feel the hard thump of her own pulse against her skin. Coming to her senses, she quickly stands up, goes into the bathroom, and flushes the drugs down the toilet. She swore to herself that she would never turn to any type of drug again. No matter how stressed out she got or how upset a situation made her, never resort to any type of drugs. Starting to itch all over, feeling beads of sweat roll down her face, 
     
   Aynslee quickly yet silently heads outside in the cool November air. She inhales it and walks down the busy street, bustling with people. She finally got a place on the good side of town, proud of herself she is. She has made it this far without her drug of choice which is heroin. Why mess up a good thing? With the wind blowing in her hair, she looks up at the afternoon clouds, thinking the weather man says that it's supposed to—- 
     
   Her thought process is cut short by her bumping into a hard figure and knocking whatever he had in his hands out and on the ground. "Oh, I am so sorry," 
     
   Aynslee says bending down to pick up the books. 
     
   "Oh no, it was really my fault." He over talks her, bending down as well to pick up the books. "I shouldn't have-" He looks up at the female, "Aynslee Velasquez?" 
     
   Aynslee looks at the male and covers her mouth instantly knowing exactly who he is, but not believing it, "Tk?" She looks directly into his seductive golden brown eyes. 
     
   He smiles big. "Yeah." 
     
   "Oh, my..." She covers her mouth, shocked to see an old friend from high school. 
     
   They quickly pick up the books and move to the side so they don't get ran over by the lunch rush of people. Aynslee hands him the books she has and hugs him tightly, "What are you doing here?" His warm, dark chocolate skin felt so good against her own skin and so smooth. 
     
   "Oh, I am moving here, for my new job as Athletic Scout." He answers still smiling and hugs her back just as tight, if not tighter... 
     
   "Doing big for yourself, huh?" Aynslee lets him go and folds her arms and smirks. Trying not to drool over the muscles that bulged up whenever he would bend his arm. 
     
   "Yeah." He continues to smile while holding the books. "What about you?  What brings you here?" He playfully swats her with his books, then swipes the chest length dreads from his face, with his free hand. 
     
   "I live in the Mooncrest Condos.  The single ones around the corner. Mine is the third one on the..." she thinks and puts out her left hand hesitantly then with more confidence. "Yeah, on the left. I just needed a fresh start you know. I had to get away from that town I was living in." She looks at Tk, smiling. Her heart flutters at the highly familiar scent. She remembers him having that same smell to him when he would come to school every day. She could never place what kind of scent it was, but it used to drive her crazy. Still does now. 
     
     Tk nods, "How did you manage to find that?" 
     
   Aynslee still smiling answers, "It was the last one. It was either the single condo that they had just built or a rinky-dink townhouse with grape juice stained carpets and on the bad side of town, nonetheless." 
     
    Tk's golden brown eyes widen then he smiles, they simultaneously say, "Condo." 
     
    Tk looks at his watch, "Oh hey. I have a meeting in 20 minutes and I have to go home, shower and get dressed." 
     
   "Alright." 
     
   He opens his books and rips out a clean sheet, takes a pen from his pocket, and scribbles his name, cell phone number, and address. Handing it to her, "That's me." 
     
   She looks at it, "Oh, so you live around the corner." 
     
   "Yup, just pass the basketball courts." 
     
   "Alright." 
     
   "But, umm...come by when you get a chance." 
     
   "I will." 
     
   He gives her another tight hug and then proceeds to walk backward, "See ya." waving. 
     
   "Bye." She waves then turns around and walks off, resisting the strong urge to look back but she could feel his own eyes on her. 
     
   Making it back to the condo, she enters and finds her sister looking at her from the kitchen. Some of the boxes are empty and by the front door. "Where did you go?" Luna questions. 
     
   "I went for a walk." Aynslee answers, walking into the kitchen to find her sister cooking. 
     
   "Oh? For..."She turns and looks at the clock on the wall. "Almost 45 minutes?" She turns to Aynslee. 
     
   Aynslee didn't know that she had been gone that long. She smiles and stirs the pot with the sauté vegetables in it. "I ran into an old friend of mine and we talked for a while. That's all." 
     
   "Oh?" She puts seasoning into the sautéing vegetable pan. Then moves on to the pot with a lid on it, lifting the lid she peeks in it, "Do I know him?" 
     
   Slowly stirring the vegetables, Aynslee looks up thinking. The truth is that she'd told Luna about so many guys. Not that Aynslee dated 90% of the guys she told her sister about, but guys she used to like or thought were cute. "I don't know." 
     
   "Well, come on. Don't be selfish." Luna chuckles. "What's his name?" 
     
   Aynslee smiles a little bigger than normal which causes Luna's eyes to widen. "Oh no. You have GOT to tell me now. With a smile like that." She hits Aynslee's arm with the spatula. 
     
   "Braydin Carver." Aynslee nods. 
     
   "Braydin Carver? Hm...Nope. Doesn't ring a bell." She begins to put on a pot of rice. 
     
   "TK." 
     
   Luna slowly turns to Aynslee her eyes wide again and mouth in an 'o' shape. "TK Carver? The world known basketball player?" 
     
   Confused, Aynslee slowly nods. "Yeah, I mean. Basketball, I don't really know." 
     
   Luna smirks turning the stove down, "Girl, I remember when you and him would play basketball at night." 
     
   Aynslee's eyes stretch, forgetting all about those days. Braydin and Aynslee would always be out talking until dark. Sometimes, Noelle and Tyson would come, but leave early due to Braydin and Aynslee's heavy and constant flirting and giggling. Late nights on the phone and always around each other during school. 
     
   "Yeah, but he went to college and that was that." Aynslee sighs putting the spoon down on the counter. 
     
   "So did you. You and I are the only ones in the family to go to college and actually complete it." Luna informs Aynslee; smiling. "So, he is back in town, what are you going to do about that?" Luna says waving the spatula at Aynslee hoping that her older sister would make the right choice. 
     
   "I don't know to be honest with you." Aynslee admits, thinking about the info that Tk gave her before he left for his meeting. 
     
   "Psh," Luna scoffs. "Better do something before someone else gets him. Like one of these young, little hood rat, fast ass girls running around here in short shorts and tight shirts. I mean...I know from what you told me he wasn't really much. You know." Aynslee nods remembering "but, he had a little something going on for himself to get out of the hood." 
     
   Aynslee laughs, "Yeah, he did." And Aynslee used to be crazy about Tk. The same with himself being crazy about Aynslee. "He gave me his information." 
     
   She digs in her pocket and pulls out the sheet of paper; handing it to Luna. Luna looks over the paper and nods, "So, am I dining by myself tonight?" She gives the paper back. Aynslee takes it and looks over the information as well. 
     
   "No, I wouldn't do that to you." Aynslee says. 
     
   Luna scoffs, "I wouldn't mind, to be honest. I mean...I am going to be staying with you for a while. Just because I am here does not mean you have to put your life on hold." 
     
   Aynslee nods hearing what her sister is saying but she just didn't feel right leaving her here alone. "I know but..." She tries to protest. 
     
   "No, I will even help you find something to wear." Luna offers. 
     
   Aynslee smiles then starts laughing at Luna's pressure for her to get out of the house and date or set up a date with Tk. Aynslee sighs and leans against the counter, folding her arms across her chest, seriously considering her sister's offer. However, Aynslee didn't want to leave her sister alone while pregnant and soon to deliver. Luna sees Aynslee, hesitant, "If you are worried about me having the baby early, then don't be worried. The doctor said that he should be here after Makio gets back. So nothing to really worry about." 
     
   Aynslee nods still worried but on her sister's word, she nods, "Alright." 
     
   Luna claps her hands, "Awesome. I unpacked some of your clothes already and you need to do some major shopping because you have too much black and red." 
     
   "No," Aynslee swats at Luna playfully. "I have some pinks, blues, and other colors as well." 
     
   "Oh," Luna goes on to stir the rice and put seasoning along with butter in the rice. "Great. That must have been the wrong box. Now, you need to go and shower and have your hair straighten." 
     
   Aynslee runs her fingers through her thick tightly curly hair, "But, I like my hair like this." 
     
   Luna sighs in playful frustration, "Fine, fine. But, shower and I will find something for you to wear." 
     
   "But, I don't even know when his meeting is over." Aynslee giggles. 
     
   "Meh, I see. Oh well." She goes back to look over her pots of food. "Besides that, have you gotten a call from Tyson yet?" 
     
   "Ugh," Aynslee roars, "Yes, yesterday. Asking me why was I moving out and that he is scared for my safety. Also, that he was only trying to protect me." She says trying to remember the voicemail he left her. 
     
   "Protect you from what?" 
     
   "Hell if I know." Aynslee shrugs. 
   
   
   
   11 
     
   Aynslee 
   
   Present 
   
   Aynslee didn't know what to say about her sister's pregnancy, but she really is truly happy that her sister had found someone that she can really trust and start a family with. A warm hand grazes her hand, Aynslee looks up to see Luna touching her hand and handing her a napkin. She takes the napkin, Luna signals to wipe her face. Aynslee dabs her face and looks at the napkin, small tear drops were on it. She hadn't even noticed that she is crying, smiling she dabs her eyes again and sniffles. "Sorry." 
     
   Luna frowns at her sister, "I know that both of your babies would have been at least 6 or 7 years old. In the 2nd grade or 1st grade." 
     
   Aynslee had to pull herself together, she just had to. No real reason why. "Yeah, they would but there is no telling how many I've truly had." She jokes and Luna smiles along with her older sister. 
     
   After their light lunch, they walk down the strip and enter a thrift shop. There really weren’t very many people in the thrift shop, Aynslee looks around at the very tidy store. Most stores on the strip were unclean and full of dust; not this one. Bauhaus is what the store is called. Luna goes towards the baby things which is in the very back of the store and Aynslee moves to the business clothes located to the left of the shoes in the front of the store. She seriously needed a job and she knew that her old job of being a corporate receptionist probably wouldn't take her back after all the days Patrick made her miss. But, it is worth a try to see if they would. She picks up a few nice looking skirts and then remembers that Maryanne bought her clothes but not enough for a job or an interview. She grabs a loose buggy. 
     
   "Hey, that's my fuc-Aynslee?" A female says about to go off but when she sees who it is, she thinks twice. 
     
   Aynslee stares at the female and her own eyes widen in shock, "Noelle? Noelle Jellel?" 
     
   They hug each other and say their greetings to each other as well. Noelle says, "Wow, you look marvelous!" stepping back to look at Aynslee. 
     
   Aynslee looks at Noelle's beady, tired coffee colored eyes, baggy clothes, messed up straight neck- length weave, very narrow build, and dark chocolate skin tone. 
     
    "So do you." Noelle scoffs, "Psh, girl. No need to lie to me. I know I look a hot mess, but it's the life of mother hood." 
     
   Aynslee nods as a little boy runs up to Noelle holding a faded red fire truck that's missing a wheel. "My goodness." Aynslee looks down at the little boy. "Well, hello." 
     
   The little boy smiles and blushes a little. "Hey." Aynslee pinches his cheek, gently and he slyly scoots behind Noelle. Aynslee smiles, "He is so cute." 
     
   "Thank you. He will be...5 years old, next month and trying to do a cartoon themed party is running me raggedy." Noelle laughs. "What's going on with you?" 
     
   Aynslee answers. "Here with my sister; Luna." She nods over to the baby aisle. Noelle looks to where Aynslee nods to, "Oh, I see. Didn't know you had a sister." She turns to Aynslee, "What else is new?" 
     
   Aynslee sighs, "Finally, left that boyfriend of mine with a little help." Noelle shoes her son away to the toys. "Ugh, I am glad to hear that. No kids?"" Aynslee shakes her head, "Not yet, but I am looking for a job right now." 
     
   "Oh, I know that a company that deals with computers is hiring. It is called..." She snaps her fingers trying to remember the name of the company, "Oh yeah...Kaleidoscope Company because of all the different colors that the motherboard of some computers and laptops have. Hell, I don’t know." 
     
   Aynslee nods liking that idea, since computers and literature is what she majored in when she went to college. Patrick tried to get her to drop out and depend on him completely. But she was not having that. When she graduated in computer science and landed a job with a big corporation as a receptionist/computer tech, she would often make more than he did. Which really caused a huge fight within the household. 
     
     
   "What’s the company's address?" Aynslee asks. Noelle shrugs her bony shoulders, "I know that it's off the interstate slight right." She uses her hands to direct herself on how to get their so that she can make sure she is telling Aynslee the right thing. "It should be on the left 5 miles from the old Burger King. If you can remember all of that." She titters. 
     
   Aynslee nods hoping that she could; because her memory has been a little foggy since that day. Luna comes up to Aynslee and Noelle. "Hello, I am Luna. Aynslee's sister." Luna introduces herself. "Noelle. I and Aynslee were best friends back in high school." Noelle informs. Luna nods and says, "She told me about all the trouble you two would get into." Luna teases causing Aynslee to gasp and Noelle to smirk and roll her eyes. Luna turns to Aynslee telling her, "They didn't have the car seat I wanted so they said they'd order it for me." 
     
   Aynslee did not know that thrift stores could order anything. Luna looks at the skirts in Aynslee's hands, "Paying for those?"  Aynslee nods, "Yeah. Mind doing it for me?"  She hands Luna the clothes and a Platinum card from her back pocket as Luna nods. Luna takes the card, "Tyson Reese? Yall re-connected after a few years now?" Luna teases as she arches her brow on a more serious note.  Aynslee giggles, "Something like that." Luna purses her lips together and goes to the counter to pay for the skirts and shirts.  Aynslee turns back to Noelle whose face has suddenly dropped, "What's wrong, Noelle?" Aynslee asks concerned. 
    "Huh? Oh, nothing. I have got to get out of here, really. Got a lot of things to do for this boy’s party. Son?" Confused, Aynslee nods while her son comes running and grabs his mother's hand and they leave the shop; abruptly. 
   
   
   Publication Date: May 15th 2016 https://www.bookrix.com/-be2c4eacad6a275