Gone and Never Coming Back

I woke up to the smell of maple syrup lingering in the air and the sound of bacon sizzling in the kitchen that was only about a few feet away in my little ole apartment. I crawled under the covers some more and tried to fall back to sleep, Chris was the dream I’d been having.

If this love only exists in my dreams, don’t wake me up.

“Aaliyah I made you some breakfast.” Cameron said standing over me, I could tell because it seemed to be no more light coming through the blanket.

“I am not hungry Cam, but thanks.”

“It’s good mommy!” Cayden smacked at the lips, I could imagine his sticky hands from all the syrup Cameron probably gave him.

“How much syrup do you have?” I called.

“Come look and see!” He challenged.

Cameron laughed and stepped away, with his heavy feet that were heard through out the whole apartment, and maybe even down stairs in my neighbors home.

“Dang Cam, pick up your feet! Worst than Cayden.” I laughed snatching the covers off and stretching.

“Don’t you know it’s good to have big feet Aaliyah.” He smirked at me passing me a plate of food on a tray.

I laughed. “Oh no, thanks for telling me.”

“Gotta remind you.”

I nodded, “So Cayden is it safe to eat or no?”

“Mommy its so good! The bacon might make you fart, but it’s still good.” Cayden beamed from the dinning room.

“Fart? Oh lord.” I giggled taking a piece of pancake into my mouth and grinning. “Some one can cook.”

He plopped down on the couch. “At least we know it’s not you.”

I laughed. “Oh please ! I can cook really well, you can ask Jada.”

“Why would I ask her, when you can show me?” He asked raising his eyebrow.

“Who said I wanted to show you?”

“Show him mommy!” Cayden shouted. “I want Cameron to come over and make breakfast a lot of times.”

I smirked. “Well ask Cameron does he want to come over and make breakfast a lot of time?”

I liked his company. He was sweet, nice and caring. He didn’t make me do or say things I didn’t wanna. Plus he was a true gentleman, the only thing in the way was Jada. I couldn’t do that to her.

“I’d love to.” Cameron smiled.

“Eat up Cay! Long day ahead of you.”

I didn’t know exactly where we were going with this and what was next after him spending the night at my house, and holding me until I fell asleep. Then making me a delicious breakfast, when I woke up. I just hoped his intentions were good.

- - -

Cayden and I arrived at Jada house and she was sleeping lazily on the couch with out a care in the world. I hated that Cameron had to be the one to make her like this. Any other man, she would have just jumped back up and went on the prowl.

“Auntie Jada.” Cayden called kicking off his shoes like home.

“Aye, we are leaving soon!”

She stuck his tongue out at me and scurried to go and find Jada’s dog to bother with, leaving us to talk.

“Jada, come on get up girl.” I said shaking her arm. “We’re suppose to be going to the mall.”

“I don’t wanna go Leah.” She said in a hoarse voice.

I laughed. “Just get up, let’s talk.”

Cayden came running back into the living room carrying Jada’s poor dog in his arms like he was toy.

“Put him down!” I yelled.

“Yes tell your baby to put my baby down, before I get him.” Jada smiled stretching out.

“Like my new swagger Auntie Jada?” He asked flexing.

I covered up my face hiding the grin on my it, Cameron was teaching him a lot of nothing these damn days.

“Oh hell no! Who taught you that? Them public schools Aaliyah! I’m telling you let me get him into a private school.” She scolded.

“Mr.Cameron taught me!” Cayden smiled.

“Mr. who?” Jada raised her eye brow.

I bit my nails and looked up to see the sadness on her face. Obviously she had figured out what Cameron it was.

“Can I talk to you alone Aaliyah?”

“Go find the dog.” I said to Cayden, and he ran off.

“Aaliyah how could you?”

I eyed her. “Were just friends.”

“You let him meet Cay! Nobody meets Cayden, if you don’t like them a lot.”

“He’s nice.” I fumbled with my keys. “It’s not that serious Jada.” It actually was, but I didn’t know what else to say.

“Yes the fuck it is! You’re suppose to be my best friend.”

I had come to the conclusion I wasn’t being very best friend like by being around my best friend’s ex boyfriend. I didn’t even mean it like that. It wasn’t like Cameron had feelings for me, or I had feelings for him.

“You’re a tripping Jada!” I yelled.

One minute she was all over me and the next, she was tripping because I was around her ex man. Did she even like men?

“No you’re a tripping! Just come back later girl, let me spend time with Cay.”

I rolled my eyes and gathered my pocketbook. “As you wish Jada.”

I guess most of the time she was a good friend to me. She helped me out a lot when it came to money and Cayden. A little clingy, but Jada was a good person at heart.

I walked right out of there waving good bye to Cayden and heading on my way. I didn’t have much to do today, but think about Chris and what would I be doing if Chris was here. It was whatever though.

Chris

I had a well needed meeting with the mob leader Alberto. I had things to get to the bottom of with this man. I was tired of him blandly disrespecting me like I was nothing. I wanted out of all of this and I was going to get out, straight like that.

The double doors opened and I sighed before taking a step forward and his chair spun around, and faced me. I didn’t know if he was living life on Cinema or something but this shit wasn’t cool by me.

“Christopher Breezy, it’s a great to see you.” He smiled.

I sat down and eyed him, I bet he could seek and smell the hatred that I had brought into his office. Anyone with 5 senses could.

“What can I help you with?”

He couldn’t help me with much. I ran my hands across my scruffy beard and let out a deep breath before talking. “I told you I want out.”

“I’m sure you got my message, Mr.Breezy.” He laughed.

“I got it alright, But I’m not okay with it.” I clenched my jaw.

I had to come to my senses that if I didn’t play my cards right I wasn’t coming out of here, unless it was in a box. Alberto didn’t play when it came to his money and I didn’t play when it came to what I wanted.

“You should of thought of that when you went off fucking with my daughter, and stealing my shit. What do you call your self? ‘The Takers’ All over the television doing unbelievable heist’s?”

I didn’t know how he knew that, and if he knew everybody else could know that it was us causing these heists once and a while. This man did know everything.

“Yeah I know.” He laughed.

“I didn’t know that was your daughter Alberto.” I said sternly.

“What about my money son? It’s my money too!” He laughed standing up and walking around the desk. “You have so much potential, Sometimes I wish I could just turn you into an Italian and it all will be set.”

I huffed. “I don’t want to be into this shit anymore.”

“So you’d rather be a Taker instead of a dealer for Alberto?” He asked making quotation marks when he said Taker.

“Yes.” I muttered. “Any day of the week.”

“I don’t want to kill you Christopher Breezy, So please get out of my office and come back with my money.”

I stood. “One thing I do, is get the job done.”

“I get the job done too too, so remember it. Encrust it in your mind.”

- - -

Alberto’s comment had me feeling off the edge and I just was waiting for the gust of wind to give me one more push. Like the feather on the camels back. I couldn’t take this shit.

I arrived at the spot I always came to when I needed to get away. It was a place where me and Aaliyah used to turn to.

I sat on the edge of the bench and heard the music play from the distance. My head was covered in a hoodie, and I was just going to retire the night by sitting here and listening to some jazz.

I sipped on my Jack Daniels and gulped at the burning taste in my throat. Some how some way I was going to tell Aaliyah I was alive.

I felt someone’s presence on the bench and looked to my right to see Aaliyah prompted next to me with her legs in India style.

“Leah.” I mumbled.

She turned to me quickly. “Chris?” She jumped up. “What the fuck is wrong with me tonight!” She screamed grasping her hair.

I eyed my feet and stood up still holding my bottle of Jack. “It’s Cameron.” My hood fell off my head. “What you doing out here, it’s 12 Am.”

“I don’t know, I don’t know what to feel.” She walked into my arms.

“Where Cayden?” I asked taking another gulp wrapping one arm around her.

“With Jada.” She replied. “Could you throw that out?” She asked.

I nodded inwardly and walked towards the water and tossed the bottle over the hedge and walked back over to her. “Now come here?” I asked.

“Yes.” She muttered, and walked back into me and put her head below my chin. “I don’t know what’s wrong with me, I swear I thought you were someone else.”

“Who?” I asked.

I knew exactly who she thought I was, and she was thinking correct. I am Chris. Christopher Brown. The man that left her with a 5 year old son and all.

“I don’t want to talk about it.” She said bluntly into my chest. “Not tonight.”

“Alright, I told you, you don’t have to just stand here.”

I wrapped my arms around her and she sniffled into my chest. I don’t know if it was because she was cold or crying.

“Why do you deal with my cry baby antics?” She asked looking up with a red nose and eyes.

“Because I understand you’re going through something rough.”

“This isn’t your problem Cameron, you’re too nice.”

It was my problem, and she didn’t know how much of mine it actually was, but I needed to remind her some how that Chris still alive.

“It’ll come around, to you.”

“No it wont.”

“If only you knew.”