Ariya

"We're home." I glanced to my left to see Khyson coming in with a hand on Rylans back.

"Hi." I smiled.

"Mama! Today we watched a caterpillar turn into a butterfly!" He jumped onto the couch beside me before I wrapped my arms around him while kissing his forehead.

"You don't have to cook today, Khyson. You've been working you all week." I stood up with Rylan on my hip as he sighed while kicking his shoes off.

"I'll help, it beats eating a TV dinner alone." I smiled to myself before he detached himself from my hip and ran into his room.

"That must get depressing." I lowly chuckled before stepping into the kitchen.

"Yeah it does."

"You still make pasta?" I asked him.

"You mean my special-"

"Yes! I used to love when you cooked for me! Oh my god!" I quickly cut him off as he smiled at me, causing his dimples to pop on his cheeks. I smiled at his reaction.

"I'll be happy to make it for you.. again."

"I'd be happy if you cooked that for me, again." I smiled.

"Remember when we had that picnic on the doc, that has still remained to be the nicest picnic I've ever had." I boosted myself up onto the counter and watched him dice the vegetables.

"I don't think anything will top that, I wonder if the doc is still there?"

"You ever went back?" I spoke softly.

"After I left, no.."

"You ever think about going back?"

"I have.. I just feel like if I did it would be to relive the feeling but the feeling would just.. it wouldn't be there anymore." He nodded in honesty.

"It was such a good time for us wasn't it?" I smiled to myself, remembering the moments we shared.

"It really was."

The next couple minutes we're silent, very silent. I tentatively watched him fill a pot of water and place it on the stove, turning the silver knob while the fire ignited on the old stove.

"You ever think about moving out of here?" He asked, keeping his back to me.

"I'm still saving, if I do end up moving I want us to stay, I don't wanna keep moving Rylan around. I want it to be a nice house, nice neighborhood with nice neighbors." I crossed my ankles to stop the swinging as he smiled at me after turning around.

"If you need any mon-"

"Khyson." I warned him.

"I'm just saying." He shrugged.

"You know I'm not gonna take your money." I sighed.

"You're really stubborn."

"Ha ha." I joked sarcastically before he dropped the noodles into the pot.

"Technically I pay you so you already take my money." He flashed me a devious grin before I tossed a cut up piece of onion at him.

The kitchen once again went silent.

"I'm gonna go check on Rylan." I spoke just before hopping off the counter and walking down the hall to his creaked open door.

"Rylan?" I called his name.

"Yeah."

"Whatcha' doing?" I sat down cross legged on his bed and he smiled.

"Can we get a dog?"

"What?" I laughed in aw as he pouted.

"A dog?" He asked innocently.

"No."

"Why not!?"

"Dogs are messy, and expensive." I brushed my hand gently over his head before nodding.

"Okay." He drowned on.

"Foods gonna be ready soon, you hungry?" I patted his back and he nodded with a neutral grin.

I gave him a quick kiss on the cheek before hopping off the sheets and out of his room. I made my way slowly into the kitchen before Khyson held out a wooden spoon to my lips.

"Try the sauce."

I touched my tongue to the spook before jutting my tongue around my mouth. Tasting the food he created.

"That's great." I smiled.

"Good." He sighed.

"Can I ask you a question?" I suddenly said with ease while maneuvering my body back onto my counter.

"Shoot."

"Did you try pursuing your basketball?"

He took a heavy breath out before nodding.

"I got scouted actually, but my grandfather always told me he wanted me to pursue business and since that was number two.." he shrugged and I nodded.

"He'd be proud." I bit my lip while remembering the day.

"I know."

I watched him palm the chain around his neck, rubbing the metal between his thumb and pointer finger.

The one his grandfather gave him.

"Food's ready." He suddenly snapped from his gaze and nodded.

"Good." I groaned. I could practically hear my stomach rumbling.

Just as I grabbed four plates Rylan came running from his room with a smile.

-

"It seems to me you love our late night talks."

"Only because you don't leave and it gives me an excuse to drink alcohol." I smiled at him from across the couch, swirling the red wine around my wine glass.

"Last time I checked you were not a big drinker." Oh yes, I was a very boring teenager, I didn't go to many parties, I liked to read and write and barely dated.

"Motherhood takes a toll on you."

"What was that like?"

"What? Giving birth?" I let out a laugh and he nodded.

"It hurts like.. a lot."

"You raised Rylan so well, I'm still waiting on my one true love." He smiled softly. Times like this it really hurt lying to him. Like a punch to the gut, a large punch to to gut.

"What about that girl from HR?" I winced at my own words.

"Kiara?"

"Yeah." I smiled.

"The only time I talked to her was when I hired her, she's a great employee but she goes through guys like nothing, I see her with a different guy like every week. Sam, John, Brody, Jody they're all the same."

"How's things with William?" He added.

"I honestly don't know, I've spoken to him once in the last two weeks and it was us meeting so I could give him back the stuff he's left here." I sighed, staring at my lap with uncertainty.

"Whatcha' thinkn' about?" He pressed softly.

"I just." I sighed.

"I just feel like a mess, that's all. This week has been.. amazing, thank you, Khyson." I smiled while nodding. Taking a sip from my glass.

"If you want my couch is vacant, since you complain how lonely your penthouse is." I joked, watching him bring the beer bottle to his lips and gulp down a good amount.

"Actually?"

"Mhm, it gets pretty hectic with Rylan."

"I'd love the setting, trust me waking up to an empty house and eating breakfast alone is not too amusing." His dimples popped on his cheeks before we both stood up.

"Can I show you something?" I beckoned.

"Sure."

I walked down the hall while feeling his presence behind me. I don't know what wave of confidence came over me but I was determined.

I lightly pushed my palm on the wooden door and made my way into my closet. Sitting down cross legged before glancing at him.

I reached forward and pulled out the old Nike box from behind the racks of clothes.

Removing the lid and pulling the stack of Polaroids out. Without any words I handed the stack to him.

I watched him remove the rubber band before his eyes scanned over pictures, wide as saucers.

I sat there in awe as he reacted.

"You kept all of these?" His voice was soft and caring.

"I couldn't find myself to throw them out." I could see his eyes turning red before I looked away. Because I knew once he shedded that one tear I would too, and I wouldn't stop.

"I remember that day at the pier." He laughed, I could hear the crack in his voice.

"When you stuffed the ice cream in my face."

"Us cooking, gosh." It seemed as if he was breathless at his own words. Something so sacred about the moments we had shared.

"Why do you have all of these.. Ariya?" He asked.

"Why did you.. show me?" He added.

"I missed us.. that's all."

That was a fat lie, I feel as if a small part of me felt guilty for keeping his son from him. Scratch that, I stayed awoke at night feeling guilty.

"Could I keep this one?" He held the Polaroid between his fingers and out for me to look at.

I scanned my eyes over the picture. It was the one we took the night on those swings. The night we slept together, the night we apparently conceived Rylan. The night that caused me to leave.

That's the picture that's been keeping me. Reminding me that he always existed and at one point there was a time when I wasn't keeping anything from him. A time when we were both happy.

"Yeah, sure." I nodded, biting down on my lip so I wouldn't protest.

"I'm gonna go, but I'll think about that offer so keep the couch empty." He smiled softly.

"Goodnight."

"Goodnight."