"How come I can't leave ya? Talk to myself at night,

wondering why I feel like I am tied down to someone who's making me cry more than making me smile."

~SAME SIDE (Jessie Reyez)

°~°~°

If Aiden had made a true bet, he would’ve been a few dollars richer now, not that he would’ve needed it. Minutes went by with the couple arguing to a point glass truly got thrown across the room. As to what Kenya could’ve heard, of course.

Usually, she would’ve minded her business, and it would’ve been the wisest thing to do seeing she didn’t know the family, but breaking glass followed by a pregnant woman screaming wasn’t something she could ignore. Her long legs practically sprinted into the dining room with Aiden hot on her heels.

“Miss White are you—.” Kenya’s words fell dead on her tongue when she saw shards of a broken vase scattered on the floor and surrounding an unmoving Giovanni, sprawled out across the tiles. Tightening her lips, her back straightened as Aiden made an abrupt stop by her side with his heterochromia eyes wide, “mummy, again?”

“He forcibly grabbed me. He asked for it!” Bernice defended with her eyes teary, “will you help me get him up?”

Kenya sighed at this with a shake of her head. She made her way to the unconscious body and instructed Bernice to sit when she tried assisting. With a bit of struggle, Kenya leaned the man against the wall corner then went to sit before the Jamaican woman. Not saying a word, she took Bernice’s hands into hers, examining for any splinters of any size. When she found none, she rose to her feet and asked, “where are the cleaning supplies?”

“That’s fine.” Bernice smiled softly, a small tingle in her fingers from the contact, “I’ll clean it up. I made the mess.”

“Right. It’s late you should rest.” Kenya insisted as she turned to Aiden, “point me to the cleaning supplies?”

“Dammi un secondo.” The little boy said then bolted off in the direction of the hall.

“Are you sure you’re okay, Miss White?” Kenya with worry on her face, “you’ve been crying.”

Bernice only nodded with a sniffle as she looked down at her husband, “it’s the hormones. Just sleepy, I guess.”

“Why—,” she began, but cut herself off with a shake of the head, “let’s get you to bed. I’ll set Aiden for bed too, then I’ll leave.”

Aiden returned with a broom and a scooper shortly after that. Placing it to lean against the wall, he simply stood by the door as he watched his mother take the outstretched arms of Kenya. His brow cocked as he took in how gentle she was being with his mother, a sentiment he never saw much from his father towards the beauty. He frowned at that looking to his father as the two women left the dining room arm in arm.

Though Aiden was young, he was very smart. Ahead of his time actually. Thus far, the child had skipped two grades having the eight-year-old in the sixth, threatening to leap on over to middle school. A child prodigy was what they called him, it was exactly what he was. His memory was impeccable, his boldness and class performance outstanding and his willingness to learn was up and beyond. There were many things he picked up on. His mother being hopelessly in-love with his father and his father’s ability to take complete advantage of it. Which was why the first time his mother knocked him out with a TV remote his heart bubbled with a satisfaction.

Giovanni knew what to say and do to have Bernice as putty in his arms, and though Aiden died to offer his two cents, TV taught him it was no one’s place to get between a married couple. Drama shows had him fear that, though he doubted his mother would blow up at him to mind his business. She would probably point out his age and how he never understood love at in his youth.

Brows crinkling, Aiden creeped with caution pass the broken glass to his father and stoop. He examined his father’s facial features, the oblong shape, the scattered subtle, long eyelashes, the soft edged lips. The man was handsome in a gruff, older man sense, but with belief or not, he was younger than Bernice. A tale that Aiden didn’t understand since what he’s found on the internet told him women were usually younger than their partners. Why was his aging milk of a father with a black-don’t-crack older woman?

Taking his small hand, he slapped it across his father’s face, momentarily dragging the Italian man out his unconsciousness. Not wasting a second, Aiden asked hoping this would work as he saw in movies.

“Why did you cheat on Bernice White?”

“… I love her.” His words grumbled as his head leaned to the side, his eyes still closed.

Aiden sucked his teeth, “foolishness.”

“Last room down the hall… stay in it until tomorrow if Landon isn’t here to drop you off… I’m sorry you had to see that.” She apologized.

Ken only smiled with a nod, a small urge to took the woman before her into bed. She ignored it though and turned to make her exit. Bernice sat in the bed with her hand on her baby bump with her eyes suddenly teary again. Happy Kenya didn’t look back to see as she exited, Bernice laid in bed and allowed her tears to fall.

It hurt knowing Giovanni did what he did and even after five months, the pain hadn’t decreased. Maybe if she finally had sex with him it would have her warm up to him better, or maybe they should try counselling again. She wasn’t sure. Maybe some fun and a break from work could help her. Then again, all she knew was work. Fun hadn’t been an option in years.

Recalling her younger cousin and her offers of unforgettable fun, Bernice pulled out her phone and dialled her. A part of her knew there would be some form of regret sooner or later after the call, but with desperation to heal or to forget for even a second, she sat and listened to the ringing. Breath shaky, she wiped a tear, a smile hinting at her lips when she heard the strong, raw patois bellow in her ear.

“DUTTY SKETEL GYAL BERNICE WID E GOOD PUMZ! A trap white man with the goods and all these tingz.”

As Kenya swept up the shards; both big and small. Aiden sat on the floor in a corner to himself as he watched. He was deep in thought about what his father’s response was. It puzzled him. If he loved his mother, why cheat? He didn’t like that. If disloyalty and betrayal was love, Aiden despised it for making his mother cry, making his mother hurt. It was utter crap, she didn’t deserve it and if that was the case his father didn’t deserve her.

The poor boy cried in silence thinking about his mother’s hurt. He did this a few times, but he tried to keep it away from his mother. She had enough on her mind already, he didn’t want to add to her depression and pain. Poor Aiden didn’t even remember Kenya remained in the same room as him as a light sob left him, pulling her attention to him just as she scooped up all glass from the floor.

Resting the sweeping supplies to the white wall, she circled the dining table and sat beside Aiden.

Kenya could’ve started talking right then and there, let the kid know she had been around the same and worst whilst she grew. Give him an explanation about love being complicated and it hurt sometimes, but she went against that. The truth was there was no justification for betraying the trust of a person who loved you to the core of their being and her being a person herself who hated love, wanted to stay true to herself. True to Aiden.

“Come here.” Kenya frowned, her eyes almost wanting to water when the little boy looked up at her with a sadness in his eyes, one she knew all too well when a child.

He didn’t hesitate to lurch forward and wrap his arms around her, “I just want mummy happy. All she does is work and take care of us. Why did he have to break it? Break her.”

“There is no good reason, so don’t question it. I’ll try to be here for you as much as I can. Promise.”

Aiden sniffed, “and what about mi mama?”

“Her too.” She answered with a sigh.

This had the eight year old cuddle further into her, “and teach me Japanese and Korean?”

“As long as I’m here, kid.” She chuckled gently rubbing his back.

Kenya rolled her eyes at her sentimentality. After time and time of distancing herself from people, she sat on the floor with a kid she barely knew making promises she wasn’t sure she could fulfil.

She felt stupid, but a crying child would always have a place in her heart. No matter how much she hated society and its people.

Hopefully this wouldn’t end bad for her or Aiden. Hopefully.

Bernice couldn’t sleep. Not even after the phone call with her cousin. They spoke long about how she felt and Leanna easily pushed aside her loud personality to comfort her family. It had Niecy smiling, but the heartache wouldn’t subside.

Was she stupid for loving her husband this much? She probably was, but it didn’t stop her from sliding out of bed and walking back downstairs with a comforter and two pillows beneath her armpits.

Shutting the lights off, she turned on the one on her phone and found herself sitting on the tiles beside her husband. His eyes never opened, but his mouth did, “mia amore.”

“I’m sorry.” She whispered placing the pillows on the floor beside him. As she stacked them, he soon moved to lay his head there. Bernice coiled into him and tossed the thick blanket over their bodies with her head resting on his strong chest.

“What for, baby?” he asked, “I deserved it. I apologise for squeezing your arm so roughly. I—… I never should’ve done it. Are you bruised?”

Shaking her head, she kissed the centre of his chest, “just a little. And I’m sorry for not being enough for you. I should improve. I should be home more often like a wife should be. I’m sorry.”

“I’m such an asshole.” He cursed himself, “you are more than enough, il mia amore. I was blind… stupid. You have no faults. I am all to blame. Don’t blame yourself. Please.”

A warm tear dampened his plain white t-shirt having him tilt her chin up to meet her dark yet shiny gaze in the dimly lit room, “I was weak… and I apologize for behaving sex deprived. I am insensitive. I just hope we can move pass this. Five months feel like years right about now.”

“I love you, Giovanni. So much. You must be tired to hear that.” She whispered, her gaze meeting his pale blue eyes.

“Ti amo anche io bellissima.” He folder her back lightly pulling her chin up to meet her lips with a graze, “and I will never get tired of you saying it. May I kiss you?”

Bernice only nodded in response with a lick of her lips.

He kissed her. Her body tingled all over and the pairing fireworks reminded her how much she truly loved him. A love that felt as fresh as the day of their first kiss. Her heart fluttered as she basked in his tight hold on her, as if she would run away in that minute.

After their kiss, they only laid there silent, cuddled into one another and Bernice listening to his steady heartbeat until they both fell asleep.