Gone and Never Coming Back

A family dinner

Aaliyah

I could tell by the huge frown on his face that he didn’t wanna go. His eye brows were furrowed and his lips were plopped out damn near touching his chin.

I breathed fixing his tie. “Cay.”

“I don’t wanna go.” He mumbled. “I wanna play the game..”

I rolled my eyes. “It’s not what you want Cayden.. I told you that we were going to dinner earlier.”

“Isn’t that auntie Jada guy friend anyways.” Cayden said looking at Cameron sheepishly.

Cameron laughed and stood up from the couch. He had been waiting for me to get Cayden under control so we could leave for 20 minutes.

“Can we talk little man?”

Cayden crossed his arms. “I guess so.”

Cameron picked him up and they walked down the hall for a few minutes. I could hear Cayden laughing at whatever Cam was saying. I smiled inside.

“Okay I’ll go mommy.” Cayden came back with big dimpled cheeks. “And I’ll be good.” He looked back at Cameron.

I chuckled. “Well let’s go.”

- - -

Cayden sat beside me as Cameron sat across from me. Even now and then Cayden would kick his legs up while concentrating on his drawling. He liked to draw, art was his thing. Just like art was Chris’s thing.

“What you drawling there?” Cameron eyed him.

We hadn’t even got to talk about anything, but it looked as if Cameron was having a great time. The smile on his face never disappeared.

“My daddy.” He looked up and smiled.

Cameron smiled softly. “Oh yeah?” His voice had a small quiver.

“Yes.. My mommy will tell you.”

I palmed my face and my heart sank. It was pretty sad that I couldn’t dare talk about Chris for too long.

Chris

I eyed her and something in my heart broke. I was a fucking idiot for leaving. Deep down I was trying to protect her but the least I could have done was give her a reason.

She struggles with a kid which I think is my son day and night. And the Aaliyah I used to know never stressed about anything. She always had money in her pocket and school was all she cared about.

“You alright?” I asked as she lifted up her glass to drink.

“I’m fine.” She forced a smile.

Cayden eyed her like he knew her too well, and I thought it was pretty cute that he cared about his mama and how she felt. He was so young but it looked as if he wasn’t oblivious to anything.

A text flew in from Mijo and I eyed it.

You out fucking bitches and we got taking to be doing tomorrow morning, 6 sharp don’t be late!!

I laughed laughed and Cayden smiled towards me.

“My mommy says when you have dimples that mean god came down and poked your cheeks. I got them too.” He smiled wide pointing.

I could see Aaliyah melt in her chair with a small grin eyeing the both of us. “You are right Cayden, my mom used to tell me that.” I laughed.

I was the one who told Aaliyah that.

“It must be true then!” Cayden shouted tapping Aaliyah. “It’s true.” He chuckled.

She bent down to kiss his cheeks. First she kissed his left side and then went on to his right side and mushed his hair. I used to do that to her.

“I can’t!” I shouted.

“Huh?” She asked looking up from Cayden at me. “What are you talking about?”

I thought about what I was doing. “Nothing.” I couldn’t tell her.. Not now anyways. She’d probably toss the remainder of her drink in my face and call me a crazy lunatic. Or maybe a selfish ass hole.

She smiled nervously. “Oh I was about to say.” She laughed. “So what should I tell Jada about this huh?”

“You grown right?”

“Yeah.” Aaliyah replied in a child like voice.

“Okay then.” I laughed. “Check please!” I called to the waitress.

Aaliyah

Cameron weaved in and out of traffic as he drove me back home. He turned the music system on and our song instantly came on. Chris and I song.

Differences

I slid down in my chair trying not to look obvious. It was just yesterday when Chris and I played this song until we couldn’t anymore. I wanted to just ball up and Cry.

Cameron wasn’t making it any better because he was bobbing his head to the beat just like Chris would.

- - -

Chris slid his arm around the back of my chair and pushed some pieces of hair out my face and smiled softly.

“My whole life has changed, since you came in. I knew back then you were that special one. I’m so in love, so deep in love. You make my life complete, you are so sweet no one competes. Glad you came into my life, you blind me with your love. With you I have no sight.”

He sang softly into my ear as one hand held the steering wheel.

“Girl you open me, I’m wide open. And I’m doing things I never do. But I feel so good, I feel so good. Why it take so long for me finding you?”

I blushed softly and pushed his face away and he turned back to pay attention to the road still singing softly.

“Our song?”

I smiled and nodded changing the song to something fast.

“HOOCHIE MAMA!” I sang dancing in my seat.

“She ain’t nothing but a hoochie mama! Hood rat Hood rat hoochie mama!”

“HO I love ya big brown eyes, and the way you shake your thighs! Acting like your so damn cute let a real nigga just knock them boots. Don’t need no confrontation all I want is an ejaculation. Cause I like them ghetto hoochies!”

“Now this is our song!” I pinched his cheek.

“This too.”

- - -

“You okay?” Cameron asked.

I hurried to wipe the tears. “Drive faster, please.”

I couldn’t take being reminded of him, and it was getting worst more and more each day, I was too through.