"They say pain is growth, I hear you.

I just wanna make it stop, all this hurt."

The day had came and gone, they did everything that Aubrey missed, even visited the museum of Sex. Now they were on the way to meet Ms. Sheila, Dave got the address from his second mom Mama J who would be there helping cook dinner. He envied Reek, and how his mother didn't put any conditions on her love for her son.

Of course she wanted to see him do better and make legal money, but she also accepted that he was a grown man, and would make his own mistakes. She prayed for him every night, and let him spread his wings "call me every night cause you'll never be too grown to get your ass whooped" Mama J left him at the airport with those words.

Dave sighed, squeezing Aubrey's hand as soon as she knocked on the door for him. Danny looked between the two "Whew child, I'm shook for you."

Of course Reek and Tommie came. Reek only invited Danny and Zoie because there was going to be food, and it was no point in them wasting money. Danny agreed but not before being extra:

"You really think I wanna go to a dinner, where there's about to be some possible drama, good food, and spilled tea? Then you are absolutely right. Zozo Hand me my clutch. Those my three favorite things"

Aubrey hadn't forgotten about visiting her parents, in hope for happiness. She almost gave up almost 24 hours ago, because there was no way she could find it without giving up her identity. Then Dave had hit her with an address, and told her he had his connections. That led to another hour of sex. He made her pussy throb.

The door swung open, and Dave stood shock, and the woman in front of him wore the same expression. Closing the door in our face, she opened it once again. "I just had to see if this was real" Wrapping her son in a hug, she bursted out into tears. "My Mushi" she hugged Dave making him laugh.

"Oh I've missed you, come in, come in. This is why Joyce made me cook. Look at my stinky Reek" Pulling him in a hug, she smiled at the people behind her. "Introduce me to your guest" Her eyes scanned everyone behind.

"Oh ma, this is my girlfriend Aubrey, she's the one that convinced me to come. My best friend Tommie, she's Reek girl, crazy ass Danny and Zo. Zo is a new addition" Wrapping his arm around Aubrey waist, she smiled wide.

"It's so nice to meet you" Aubrey held her hand out, and she pulled her into a hug.

"Call me Sheila, oh you're just as pretty as can be with your freckles. Thank you for bringing my baby home. I have so many stories to tell you about Mushi, I haven't been able to do this with any other girl." She laughed.

"How has my son been? He's still mean?" Danny raised a brow, as Sheila grabbed the photo book from the bookcase.

"Hey mama, it's nice to meet you too, but girl has he been? He look like the type that used to pick his scabs when he was younger, those always the mean ones. He didn't start changing until Aubrey came around" Sheila mouth fell she burst out in laughter.

"Ooo, I know he used to bite his nails down, have little stubs." Aubrey added in joking on Dave.

"Y'all gone leave my bro alone" Reek tried not to laugh, walking in the house.

"We can roast you, you was definitely the type that use to push the inside of your eyelids down." Tommie shot at him, Sheila nodded her head laughing. They scanned the house, it was beautiful.

"Thank you for the house Dave." Sheila smiled at him, she didn't accept much from him, but moving out of the projects and getting some stability was something she would accept. The projects were getting dangerous and she didn't want to be the next victim. A bullet didn't have anyone's name on it, and your birth certificate didn't come with an expiration date.

"You know I got you ma, I'm sorry it took me so long to come back." Sheila face frowned up, she shook her head

"I could've done something too, I could've attempted to reach out to you. This was my fault. I caused all of this, you're my son. Colossians 3:21."

Dave chuckled lowly, his mother was still the same throwing bible verses at him, he learned to memorize them. However, Everyone knew Dave had transitioned Religions, and now Allah was his protector.

"Come on ma, we leaving that in the past. I'm here now. Trust me when I say we're good." Sheila smiled, and Mama J walked out hugging Reek and Dave at the same time.

"Mamas boys are here. Sheila can you believe it? Reek don't even come visit his mama. I gotta deal with phone calls. He's always busy. I should busy my belt on his ass" She pinched both of the boys making them hiss in pain.

"Leave them babies alone. Joyce this is Aubrey, Tommie, Danny and Zoie." She pointed to each person.

"Tommie that's my wifey right there, her little fine self." Reek winked at Tommie, making her blush and wave him off.

"It's nice to meet you pretty girl." She wrapped Tommie into a Hug, she looked at Dave whose arms were wrapped tightly around Aubrey, as if she would leave him.

"Oooh, Aubrey look at Dave in high school" showing the picture of him playing basketball, with his neck braids Aubrey bust out in s for of laughter.

"Remember that time him and Reek had stole some stuff from the store, and Dave fell and bust his head trying to run away. Got double ass whooping and stitches" Mama J joked on Reek and Dave.

Dave face turned red, making Aubrey laugh he kissed Aubrey lips to keep her from laughing at him. Everyone watched in awe, as the two was in there own little world. Dave stared down at Aubrey with love in his eyes, and hers the same exact way.

"I love you too" She grinned, and when Dave placed a kiss on her forehead everyone aww'd. Aubrey hid her face in Dave's shirt.

"Y'all hear that?" Danny looked around, everyone was confused

"Wedding bellssss!" Zoie screamed out, making everyone laugh. Dave on the other hand was in utter shock at the talk of marriage, unwrapping his arms from around Aubrey quickly, she looked at him confused. He didn't know anyone was expecting this from them, and now he felt as if he had to distance from Aubrey.

Yeah, he loved her and yes, he thought about the future but wedding bells weren't chiming in the back and he panicked. He didn't know if he simply didn't believe in it, or couldn't see himself marrying Aubrey and that was a problem. Maybe they didn't need to be together.

"Dave, where you going?" She watched him walk away to find a bathroom without looking back, she was embarrassed.

"Come, Come dinner is ready" She smiled at them trying to brighten up the mood that had fell.

"Mama, I got a question. Why you call Dave Mushi?" Danny was the best at changing the subject and making everyone else's mind go elsewhere.

"When Dave was 3, we watched Mulan, I loved that movie and after he seen it he would walk about trying to talk like Mushu this went on for about 4 months. So, I started calling him Mushi." Aubrey smiled at Sheila wondering if their future kids would act like baby Dave or baby Malaysia.

Sneaking off she went to the bathroom knocking on the door. Jiggling the doorknob.

"Open the door" she whispered lowly, sighing when Dave opened it up. "What's wrong with you? You can't go downstairs and act happy?" Walking in She closed the door behind her.

"Damn, nothing Aubrey I can't piss in peace?" His attitude caught her off guard, and she was genuinely confused because they were just okay.

"You need to watch how you talking to me, I'm good on your nasty ass attitude East." She rolled her eyes swinging the door open.

"Stay up here and cry little bitch" She mumbled, with an eye roll. Dave gripped her hair tightly pulling her back in, she fell on the floor.

"Watch who you talking to, you've called me one too many bitches" Dave mushed her head releasing her. Rubbing the back of her head, she fixed her hair on the verge of crying. Walking out, she smiled at Sheila taking a seat next to her.

That night she didn't speak at all.

The next day Aubrey sat on the bed with her bags packed, waiting for her Uber to show. East wasn't anywhere to be found, instead he left her in the hotel alone. She'd text him and called him all morning about going with her to her parents grave, and soon he just blocked her number.

Aubrey decided to go to JFK instead of the grave, she convinced herself that maybe someone was watching it and they would find her. In reality she just couldn't face going there alone. Her parents didn't want her to return anyways.

The text that her Uber arrived made her happy. She was ready to go.

Dragging her bags behind her, she left the hotel and headed for the airport. Instead of Miami, she was heading for LA.

——-

Releasing another chapter after this one.