Cleaning Tracks (25)

As I'm leaving out for work I hear the doorbell ring. Not expecting anyone I'm hoping it's not a random pop up from a relative. Unfortunately, it's worst. It was Bobbi but I'm Having a great morning so it doesn't even phase me.

"Good morning Bobbi, what are you doing here?" I ask cheerfully.

"Heyyyy Lance, you know I'm here to take care of your wife while you're gone." She replies loud and obnoxiously.

"Well these days I don't need much help." I say still smiling as I pass her by the door on my way to the car.

I'm glad I'm in such a good mood today because it's taking away from my nerves for meeting with Quick this morning before we go back to the court room.

When I arrive at the office I see Zach in the lobby, lounging as he normally does. Seeing him had me more nervous than having to speak with Quick again. This guy is my best friend and I have just been giving him the cold shoulder.

"Yo, Lance!' It didn't take long for him to spot me.

"Hey man." I wasn't as excited to see him since I know he's probably hurt.

"Yeah, hey. Where ya been dude? I've been hitting you up and nothing. Haven't seen you around here lately. What's going on?" His tone changes drastically at at this point.

"Well it's just been a lot going on. You know how it can get sometimes." I reply somberly.

"Yeah, well. I'll just let you get to it. We sound like we're sleeping together." He laughs lightly then turns and leave.

As much as I'm hurt that I'm not as close to my best friend like I should be, I also realize that being around him isn't in my best interests right now. He is everything I do not need to be and I cannot say I'm strong enough to be around him and end up like him. Even if it's just a fraction of him rubbing off on me, I just can't risk it. Now for awkward moment number two. I have to convince Quick that I have everything under control, which I do, I just need him to be on board.

As I approach my office I see that Quick is already in there and I swiftly turn around to talk to our receptionist.

"Tracy, hey good morning." I say gently

"Good morning Mr. Ely, there's a ma..." I interrupt her.

"Uh yes, there's a man in my office, why...how did he get in there." I'm very confused at this point.

"He's scary. I had maintenance let him in. I'm so sorry." She was very apologetic.

"It's fine." I really meant that when I said it too because she's right, he's scary. I hurry back to my office.

"Mr. Ellis, how are you?" I say firmly as I reach out to him for a handshake.

"This witness, are you handling him or am I." He doesn't stand to shake my hand, shit he doesn't shake my hand at all.

"I want to assure you that I have everything under control. This witness will ever be heard from again after today's hearing." I'm ,hoping he believes me at this point.

"Well, you better be right."

In the courtroom I'm confident because I am certain this is all about to come to an end as I ready to bring Mr. Watkins to the stand.

"Your father wrote that note for us, correct Mr. Watkins?"

"Yes"

"Is it true that your father likes to write stories frequently about things that go on around the neighborhood?"

"Yes, he does."

"So was it a note you read or was it a part of one of his stories."

"Well it was in his journal..."

"So this can be on of his stories?"

"Yeah but why would he lie about that.?" Mr. Watkins is now clearly disturbed about what I am saying about his father.

"I believe in regards to stories it's called fiction Mr. Watkins. Does your father watch a lot of news broadcasts?"

"Yeah." He is clearly annoyed at this point.

"Has he ever seen my client on the news?"

"Of course, we all have."

"How does your father feel about Mr. Ellis?"

"He shares the same hatred for him like the rest of the community."

"Hmm, is it also true that your father suffers from dementia." I got him. I can see the other lawyer's devastation in his eyes.

"Yes." He softly replies as his teeth cringes.

"So your honor if we are going to let a dementia ridden writer who apparently hates my client decide this case we should just end this here." I say confidently as I approach my seat.

"You just earned a mother fucking bonus my nigga." Quick whispers as I take my seat as he tries to hide his grin.

"I hope you have another witness Mr. Hale. With no no murder weapon and now a discredited witness I'm leaning towards dismissing this case." Judge Pratt said also showing obvious discomfort.

"I um..your honor, I do no..." Hale is quickly interrupted.

"Yes he does." The voice is faintly familiar but I cannot pinpoint it. Both Quick and I turn to see who interjected and we are both shocked to who we see.

"If you don't have a plan for this one it will definitely be handled by me personally and I will be glad to do."

Well there goes that bonus.

That Aha Moment (24)

I sit in my car and let out a sigh of relief and laugh. Quickly I cease the laughter when I realize I should have never been in this situation in the first place. This is the first time I seen everything that has happened over the last few months was my doing. I have to be better, I cannot lose Ari. I went crazy with her just being away a month so I don't want to find out how I would feel if I lost her for the rest of my life. 

Driving home I begin to feel overwhelmed. I've never thought about being married when I was younger, all the way up to college. Honestly, I did it because that's what you're supposed to do. This is the first time I've felt like I can actually do this, you know be with her for the rest of my life. Of course I get myself together as I pull up to the house.

It's not too late when I get home but it looks like Ari has already went to bed. The lights are all out, when I walk up to the bedroom I see the tv is off. I'm actually glad, I just want to admire her. 

After I get all ready for bed I just sit at the foot of the bed and just look at her. I'm just thankful. My mother used to tell me she would sit at the foot of our beds sometimes and just admire what God has given her. That is exactly what I am doing. At this very moment everything seems so surreal to me.

I'm not even supposed to be here right now. I was the guy who had all the women and got all the attention he wanted. There was a time when I thought I needed that. Now here I am, I have her. Someone who has been in my corner from day one. She's stuck by my side through everything. The fact that I almost have myself to someone else is now suddenly sickening. 

I feel a tear run down the side of my cheek. Usually your first reaction is to wipe the tear away but not a tear like this. This is the purest tear that I have ever had, the perfect balance between love and understanding. In this tear was no guilt which a lot of my tears have had before. 

I can't remember the last time I had prayed but now felt like a great time. I stand up and go right beside Ari on the side of the bed and drop down to my knees.

"God, I know it's been awhile since we spoke but I also know you'll hear me out. First off I'm sorry for taking so long to thank you for what you've done for me thus far. For the longest time I've just believed I deserved everything that I have and I don't. I especially did not deserve a woman like Ari. Don't get me wrong, I'm thankful for everything else you've done for me but this woman you gave me Lord, she is my finest treasure. I mean you said it yourself, he who finds a wife finds a good thing, or something like that. I'm a little rusty on the scriptures. Well I mean that's all, I just really wanted to thank you for her and tell you I will be the husband that I am meant to be. Oh and amen."

I stay at Ari's side to speak to her while she sleeps.

"Thank you baby for getting me over my fear of relationships. For showing me that one great woman is greater than all the women on earth. I know that I've messed up a lot recently but stick with me because I will make you happy for the rest of your life. I love you and thank you for keeping me."

I get up, kiss Ari and crawl into bed with the only woman I hope to ever share a bed with for the rest of my life. 

Crazed (23)

I still can't move as thought after thought runs through my mind. I honestly believed every word she said when she told me we hadn't done anything. Why would she lie, we could've had this conversation a long time ago. I just got out of the doghouse and this is something I could lose my marriage over. If I go back and tell Ari now she's going to think I was lying when I initially told her I didn't sleep with the woman. Any way I look at it I come out the loser. 

Then again, she did lose the baby and she said she's leaving. Ari never has to know. Shit, I wouldn't have known if I didn't visit this crazy woman in this hospital. Some things you have to take to the grave and this is one of those instances. 

I finally gather enough energy to raise up from my seat even though I must look just like a zombie the way I'm moving. 

"Well Viv I have to go now, best of luck on everything. You are a smart woman so I am sure everything will work out just fine. But I have to cut ties with you, right here, right now. This has gone way too far already. "I say with clamy hands and no emotion at all. 

She sits up and laughs. "You have to be kidding me. You got me pregnant and I lose your baby and all you have to say is good luck? Wow! Pathetic, you are pathetic!." She begins to scream. 

I walk out not responding. I probably deserve everything she's dishing out but I have to drop this. 

As I walk out I see a nurse walking my way, apparently annoyed. She must've heard the raucous. I want to stop her to ask but I can't. We pass one another. I turn back. 

"Excuse me, mam?" I say afraid that what I was just told is about to be verified. 

"Yes sir, do you need something?" It's clear to me that she's annoyed now.

"I'm sorry mam I don't want to bother you, never mind. I say beginning to walk away again. 

"No, I'm sorry it's fine. It's just been a rough night." She smiles and is welcoming now. 

"Look I just left this room right over here and had a talk with the young lady and I need to know something." I say quietly. 

"Oh, you must be him." She says with smirk and chuckle. 

"Him? Who's him? Me?" I'm confused. 

"Yeah, the daddy." She begins to laugh some more.

"Um did I miss something? What's funny?" I say kind of upset she would just laugh in my face like that.

"Oh you don't know?" She turns away from me and talks to a couple of nurses sitting around. "Ladies this is the daddy." She said making quotes with her fingers and laughing hyseterically.

"Mam please tell me what's funny." I'm fed up at this point. 

"Sir, between you and me, that bitch is crazy. She swears she had a miscarriage because of some stomach pains. That's only because the woman who beat her up kicked her in the damn stomach. We just have to keep her crazy ass until one of her looney family members picks her up. But they're flying out to get hers so unfortunately she'll be here for a couple of days." She says once again laughing and walking off for good.

Wow is all I can think. I feel a little lighter with every step I take as I make my way back on to the elevator. By the time I'm walking to my car I have a little pep to my step happy as shit she was lying and even happier that she is leaving. Now I can go home and continue on with life with nothing more to hide. 

Boom Goes the Dynamite (22)

I walk as if I'm going to the elevator only to turn around when I know Ari is gone to leave right back out to the door. It's horrible that I had to lie but she would have had a fit if she knew where I was going. So many questions would have came up: "Who is she?" "Why are you visiting her?" Where do you know her from"?. We all know how women can be and it would have just went on and on from there. It's just better to avoid that all together and just go check to see if Viv is alright.

I get in my car and begin to drive. I find myself afraid of what I may see at the hospital upon arrival. How bad is it? Did they tell her it was because of me? This entire thing is just getting worse and worse as layers are pulled up. 

I arrive at the hospital pretty fast and get all signed in so that I can go up and see her. I get on the elevator and there's nobody else on it so the silence is killing me. Some small talk beforehand would have eased my mind a bit. The elevator finally stops. I step off and immediately I am greeted by a nurse who directs me to the correct room.

I arrive at the door and see a body lying there still. Back towards me, seemingly looking outside of the window. I speak.

"Viv?" I say unsure of if it's even her or not.

The body still lie still as I walk closer.

"Viv, it's me, Lance." Still nothing. I walk closer to the motionless body expecting a random person just sleeping. Instead it is Viv and she is very much awake. She is just staring outside of the window crying silently. I sit down in the chair at the foot of the bed and just start talking.

"I'm so sorry for what's happened to you. It's so cowardly that someone would even do this to you. Just know that I'm here for you and that we miss you back at the office." I lean in and try to get her to look at me but I'm unsuccessful. 

"Bullshit Lance." She says breaking her silence.

"What? What's bullshit?" I say at a loss. 

"You're the only one to show any type of care. This is an unforgiving field obviously.  But I didn't expect anyone else to come so it's fine, it really is. You, I expected you to come. We shared a connection." She was bawling at this point. 

"Well yeah, we had a nice friendship around the office and beyond." I try to make her feel a little better. 

"Lance our connection was way more than that." She chuckled during her crying which I found strange but disregarded. 

"Uhhhh I don't really know what you're talking about but I hope you get well real soon so that you make it back to work." I get up out the seat I was in attempting to leave. 

"Oh Lance it was much more than that." She said finally looking away from the window and directly at me. 

"What are you talking about Viv?" I am very interested in what she has to say now. 

"Do you honestly think you just crawled in my bed and didn't touch me. I know you're a man but damn you can't be that naive." She rolled her eyes and laughed a bit more.

"You're lying and I don't understand why." I'm upset and thrown off balance a bit. 

"You think I'm lying? Ok, go head out there and ask the nurse about this miscarriage that I just had." Suddenly the laughter stops.

"Miscarriage of what?" I barely make that sentence out.

"Goddamn Lance do I have to spell it out? You were drunk and crawled into my bed and we fucked. I mean fucked and you gave me alllllll of you. With me being lonely here, I received it when I shouldn't have. Then I learned I was pregnant and was hurt but overwhelmed at the same time because I don't have anyone in the city. The glimmer of hope I just had is gone now too so I'm leaving like we talked about before. I cannot take it here anymore I have to leave. 

My heart is in my stomach. I cannot not make out one word to respond to what I just heard. She could be lying but at the same time I am terrified to ask the nurse. I sit back down to let everything sink in. I may sit there for an hour without moving a muscle, I'm numb. 

The Games Continue (21)

As I sit with my jaw in my lap I can't help but think better Viv than Ari. This is an prime example why I do not let word get out that I am married. That could have been Ari in that hospital and who knows what could have happened to our son? All that aside I still feel horrible about what happened to Viv. I almost feel completely responsible for what happened to her.

Even with that horrible news in the air the bigger story is still that of the father. He was living a double life. I just wanted to get the money for winning this case and now I'm at the point where I don't want any parts of it at all. I didn't know any facts at the beginning and now I know way more than I need to. The job would have easily been done without these random outbursts of facts shoveled my way. The worst part of it all is that it's shit I can't say to anyone but people need to know. Just the other day the boys mother called begging me to tell her if Quick shot her son, which he did. How messed up would it be for her to find out that her husband may have caused the entire thing because of some weed?

I don't even want to think about it anymore. But now I'm stumped with a new question, do I visit Viv in the hospital? Of course I do, I mean we are still friends and I am kind of the reason why that incident happened last night. I grab some things from the office and head out of my door and who else do I run in to but Zach.

"Whoa buddy what's the rush?" He says as I bump into him causing him to drop some papers.

"Had an emergency man, I just need to run." I say helping him grab the papers left on the ground,

"Oh man, is Aria alright dude?" He lowered his voice and sound very worried asking me the question. As much as a dickhead Zach is he does a really good job helping me keep my secrets.

"Ohhhh okay." He gave me sort of a smirk and didn't say anything else, he probably knows exactly where I'm going.

Already caught leaving the office, I figured that I would slow myself down so that I don't run into anyone else. As I exit the elevator on the main level of the building my phone begins to ring, it's Ari.

"Hey babe." I say answering the phone.

"Hey, I was just wondering if you would like for me to meet you for lunch?" As sweet as she asked I know that she wants me to say yes.

"Damn baby, I wish you would have told me earlier. I am up to my head in things to do here today, I wasn't even going to take lunch." I sound pretty convincing.

"Oh alright, it's cool. I was just asking to make sure anyway." She wants to come so bad and I do need to spend more time with her or she'll be calling that other nigga again.

"You know what, I'll take an hour lunch whenever you get here baby. You're more important than anything I got going on over here anyway." I say walking away from the crowd.

"No babe. I don't want to take away from your work." She says clearly lying.

"I'm not taking no for an answer. Matter of fact, I'm going down to the lobby now to wait for you so get your fine ass down here quick so I can get back to work." Good thing I was leaving work early anyway because now I look like the hero husband.

"Okay, I'll be there in thirty minutes!" Haven't heard her that excited in a long time now and we were only having lunch.

I go sit down in the waiting area to wait for Ari. I do feel bad for lying, again, but it had to be done. I couldn't just tell her I was going to the hospital because one hundred and one questions would have been asked and I would have been set back an entire month of hard work and good behavior. It's just a small lie anyway, just a hospital visit to a friend.

My phone vibrates as soon as I begin to doze off in the chair. I look and it's a text from Ari telling me that she is outside. I go out to meet her and she is there standing outside the building looking fine as can be. I go up to her and kiss her without even speaking.

"You are a new man Ely." She says in shock.

"I have to make sure I don't lose you to anyone else." I say looking down deep into her eyes.

"So where do you want to eat?" She asks me smiling ear to ear.

"You ate already didn't you?" I say with a smirk.

She puts her head down trying not to look at me because she is a horrible liar.

"Aria!" I laugh.

"Yes, oh my God, I was so hungry though baby. It was the baby." Now she was laughing too.

"It's cool babe let's grab a hotdog and then some ice cream and just go for a little walk." I say smacking her butt as we walk away from the building.

"That thing getting a little thicker ain't it?" She did a little dance to go along with it.

"Uh huh." I say stopping in my tracks as she continues to walk so I can admire.

This is what we got away from. We just always had fun no matter what we were doing and it feels good to get that back. I just want it to stay so that we always feel fresh. I catch back up with her and grab her hand.

"I hope I'm not keeping you from your work too much babe." She set her head on my arm and pulled me closer to keep herself warm.

"No, I can just stay a little longer and get things done. It's fine, this is better." I tell her.

We walk for a few blocks before stopping to get a foot long dog and big ice cream to share. Just her being here made me feel a lot better about the entire day. Like none of the stuff was actually happening. We walk around the city a little and goof around a lot before heading back to my building.

"Well I hope I didn't get you home too late Ely." She says trying to sound like we were still kids.

"I think my mom may be sleep so I can just sneak up." I play along.

"How about you sneak back out later and come to my place." She says walking away.

"I'll be there." I say trying to whisper but loud enough for her to hear me as I walk back into my building.

Shakedown (20)

Even though I know Ari and I have a lot to work out I'm glad she came back last night. Plus it's been a month since I got any so the sex we had last night was magnificent. It's something about when you miss someone and you're both angry with each other that creates fireworks in the bedroom. Unfortunately, that was last night. Today it's back to work. 

I've stopped hanging with Zach as much around the office, not only was I becoming the terrible husband he is but I was also getting his horrible work ethic around the office. I've also stopped lunch with Viv, I still consider us friends but clearly I need to keep my distance. I'm definitely making changes to help keep this marriage afloat. However, there is one thing I still haven't done. It's still a secret at work that I'm a married man, soley for safety reasons. Just this week Quick threatened me. If he knew I had a family at home there's no telling what he would do. 

That being said I go through my normal routine. Shower, brush my teeth, get dressed, put my ring in the shoebox and get up to kiss Ari before I leave. 

On my way to work Quick's words at the courthouse still lingered in my ear. I still have no clue who he was referring to when I spoke to me so I wasn't too worried. 

I get to our floor and everyone seems to be low-spirited. Even Zach and he was always seemingly in a good mood. 

"Yo man what's up with everybody?" I ask him.

"You didn't hear dude?" He says as if  I'm the only person in the office who hasn't heard the news.

"Nah man what happened?" I say puzzled.

"Viv, she was attacked last night dude, she's in the hospital." 

"Attacked!? What? Why? By who?" So many questions 

"Man nobody knows the entire story, they're trying to figure things out today." He says hanging his head down.

"Wow, that's crazy and so random. I mean you hear about attacks on women but you never think it would be some you know." I say to him still in shock.

"Yeah dude, only this may have not been random we don't know yet." He said walking away. 

That's when it hit me. I hurry to my office and sit down. This had to be just a coincidence but it could also be what Quick was talking about. I make the call and nervously wait for him to answer.

"Mr. Ely." He answered calmy as if nothing were going on. 

"You're a coward." I say.

"Whoa why the hostility?" He said as he laughed.

"Nigga you know what the fuck I'm talking about." I reply in almost a whisper to be certain the rest of the office doesn't hear me. 

"You know Mr. Ely you should really watch your language or they'll know there's a nigga in their firm." He's no longer laughing at this point.

"You attack a woman!? Shit I shouldn't be surprised, you shot a kid." I say enraged. 

"Look for the last time, that was an accident. Haunts me every night. He was in the wrong place at the wrong time. His father should have been smarter."

"What?" I'm instantly confused again. 

"You thought I was just riding around looking for niggas to shoot? There's a method to my madness."

"Please, explain." I say trying to learn something new about this entire situation. 

"I was shooting at the kids father. See he robbed one of my boys for thirty pounds of weed! Thirty fucking pounds. That's sixty thousand dollars. I'm not a savage, I do good for the community you know that. I went to him and asked for the weed back with no problems. You know what this nigga said to me?" He asks.

"What?" I say reluctantly. 

"This nigga says fuck you. I'm like, oh shit ok. The next day we ride out to the niggas crib to find him. I called one more time to ask again and guess what this nigga does!?" He says clearly animated.

"Fuck you." I say coldly.

"Nigga that didn't sound like a question like I should've been but I'll let it slide because this may be a lot to take in. But yes this nigga says fuck you, again! So shit I get out the car and there he is walking from the side of the house. I start firing. I can't hit this nigga because he was hiding behind the car. That's when a kid came riding on a little bike down the street and he yelled out son stop! I turned towards the kid and fired three times. Never looked to see if I hit him, I really wasn't trying to hit him. I just wanted to scare him so I could get my shit back." He said. 

"But you didn't so what are you going to do now, shoot as his wife?" I say sarcastically. 

"Since I didn't mean to hit the lil nigga I figured he can keep the shit. I mean what's sixty thousand anyway? Maybe I taught his dumb ass a lesson." He says effortlessly. 

I'm in such a shock that I can't speak.

"But anyway I didn't attack that woman. Like I said, I'm not a savage. That was a fucking dyke that I sent to scare her little ass. If she could fight she would've been cool but instead she got her ass beat. But hey, if you do your job right shit like this wouldn't even happen." He said before he abruptly hung up the phone.

 

Welcome Back (19)

Driving home I can't help but think about what Quick said. Why'd her mention a female? Who is he talking about? My mind wandered until my phone rang, I answer through the cars Bluetooth. 

"Lance Ely." I say assuming that it's the office calling. 

"Baby?" It's Ari.

Surprised I lean up in my drivers seat to talk as if she were right there in front of me. "Yeah babe, hi!" Usually I hold back my excitement but at this point I want her to know in excited to hear from her. 

"I miss you, I want to come home." She says lightly. 

"Yes baby please come back, we will work everything out I promise! I'm in the city I can come pick you up right now. Where are you?" I haven't been this excited for anything outside of my son for a very long time. 

"I'm at Bobbi's, I'll get my stuff ready."

Before I go off to Bobbi's I stop at 7-Eleven to get us some slurpees. Both Ari and I love slurpees with a passion but who doesn't? I buy some gum as well anticipating a kiss that I've been longing. 

As I pull up to Bobbi's place I get nervous like I'm on a first date. I park my car, take three deep breaths and get out. As I make my way up to the door I can feel my heart pounding and I begin to feel sweat develop. I take out a napkin and wipe my head as I ring the doorbell expecting Ari to open the door and fall into my arms. 

"Heyyyyy Lance!" It's Bobbi.

"Hey Bobbi where's Ari?" I ask unbothered by her presence.

"Oh she in there. You want to come in?" She asks loudly.

"No not really I just want Ari to come out." I say.

"Well she wants you to come get her stuff anyway so you might as well come in." She says turning and walking back into her townhouse and up the stairs. 

I take another deep breathe and follow, closing the door behind me. As I get upstairs I see Ari sitting on the couch consoling Luke, Bobbi's little brother. 

"Everything alright guys?" I say concerned. 

"Hell nah man!" Like raised his head up to speak. 

"What's the problem?" I say moving closer to him. 

"My pop wants me back in North Carolina. I'm just getting used to it here. I ain't trying to leave now. I was even thinking about going to college up here next year!" He tells me.

"I see. When does he want you to come back?" I ask.

"Man as soon as the school year is over and that's in a few months." He says dropping his head back down. 

"Well you can always finish your last year of school there and just come back for college." I try to reassure him. 

 

"Nigga you don't know shit!" He said standing up and quickly going down the stairs leaving out the house.

"Whoa, what was that?" I turn to ask Bobbi.

"Lance he really doesn't want to go back." Bobbi tells me.

"But why not. It's a year with his pop. Wouldn't you let him come back and stay with you so he can go to school?" I'm puzzled, not seeing the problem. 

"Of course I would. He's just scared to go back. I told you before the reason he's up here is because that he got in some trouble." She says also turning her back to walk away. 

"What the hell kind of trouble?" I ask her. 

"Don't worry about it Lance." She says. 

"Bobbi just tell him, I'm going to tell him anyway if you don't." Ari chimes in. 

"Ugh. A couple of years ago Luke and a few of his friends went to a party and they got in a fight. It was late at night. Him and his friends went to their car, it was three of them, one came back out with a gun and shot back towards the group they fought and hit one kid. He didn't die fortunately but you know how the streets are, eye for an eye. One of his friends are in prison for the incident and didn't give any names but says he wasn't the shooter. The other guys spent a long time looking for Luke and his other friend but they can't find them because they both left after their friend was locked up."

She says before turning to go in the kitchen once again.

"Wow. So why would his dad even want him to come back?" I ask still very much confused. 

"His dumbass thinks it's blown over now. I try to tell him that nobody is going to forget someone who shot them in two years. They're still kids, I'm sure they still want revenge. Especially since the guy in prison says he wasn't the shooter. They want the shooter and if Luke goes back what do you think they'll think?" She says apparently wiping a tear from her face. 

"You're right. What are you going to do?" I dont really know what to do so I keep asking questions. 

"I can't do anything, I'm not his legal guardian." She says. 

"Where'd he go?" I ask another question. 

"I don't know, sometimes when he gets upset he likes to go for walks." She tells me clearly uneasy about the entire sutuation. 

"Well look, if you want I'll try to talk to the father if you think it'll help." I say reluctantly but I do want to help.

"I mean I'll ask but he's such a stubborn guy. I think it would help though so it's worth a try." She says looking a bit relieved to be offered some help.

"Well good, everything should be fine I'm sure. But I have to do what I came here to." I say grabbing Ari by the hand to lead her downstairs out the house. 

"See you girl." Ari says to Bobbi before leaving. 

As we get in the car I see that the slurpee have melted. "Well I tried to get us a little something but I didn't see that issue coming so yeah." 

"It's okay baby. I just wanted you." Ari said gesturing her finger to come here which I gladly did as I finally was able to kiss her after a long month.