A Dangerous Game of Love (11 page)

“Yes mommy.”

“Well mommy brought her princess an outfit to make her a real life princess.” Jumping up and down excitedly, she waited for her mom to pull out her gift. Tiffany pulled out a pink Cinderella type dress with sparkles, a tiara and clear plastic shoes.

“Do you like it princess?”

“Yes mommy. I’m really a princess. Can I wear it now please?”

“Sure baby, ask daddy to help you in it while I go get the camera.”

Batting her eyes up at her father she asked him, “Can you help me please daddy?”

A sucker for his daughter Carlos agreed. “Sure sweetheart.’

“Baby girl c’mon your shower is ready,” Gavin called out from the door way. Snapping out of one of her fondest memories, she wiped away the tears that had fallen, got up out of the bed and headed towards him. As she was walking pass her dresser her eyes stopped at a picture sitting on top of it. It was her in her princess getup smiling at the camera with her mom bent down at her side kissing her cheek.

“You ok lil mama?” Gavin asked as he was undressing her.

Smiling at him she told him she was. “I’m fine baby.”

Officially Missing You…

Standing in front of her parent’s grave, Aniya tears fell rapidly. To say her heart didn’t ache every time she thought about them would be a bold face lie.

Gavin, Gio, Gia, and Nicole stood a few feet away from her giving her privacy but still standing in the distance where they could see her. Bending down on her knees she placed a fresh bouquet of pink and orange roses; her mother’s favorite.

“Happy birthday mommy, I love you so much. Today you would’ve been forty-three. To this day I still can’t believe you’re gone. Each year should get a little easier but it just continues to get harder. I miss you dearly. You were the greatest woman to eve
r walk this earth. The apple of my eye, my shining star, and the right to my wrong. The love of my life and I was your princess. We had our little arguments but that never changed our love; we cried together, fought together, laughed together, we did everything together. Even when I was in the wrong not once did you ever turn your back on me, you stood beside me and I love you for that. Any and everything I ever needed or wanted you and daddy made sure to get it for me. I can still remember you calling me saying, “Princess Mommy’s in the mood to shop” or “Princess just calling to tell you how much I love you baby.” Then there was that time you fought hard with me against daddy to let me have a boyfriend, no matter how mad he was you still stood ya ground until he gave in. Never would I have imagined you leaving me so soon, it was too soon. You and daddy weren’t supposed to leave me, y’all were supposed to grow old together and watch y’all grandkids grow up. You were supposed to meet my husband and help pick out my wedding dress, and plan the wedding. The day I lost you, not only did I lose my mother I lost my best friend. This isn’t supposed to be my life right now; no matter how hard I wish this was just a nightmare and I could wake up from it…I know I can’t. I know you’re looking down on me, you and daddy. I know I have to be strong for y’all, you wouldn’t want it any other way. Give daddy a kiss for me and continue watching over me. I miss you and love you more than words could ever explain. Until I see your beautiful face again, happy birthday mommy,” Aniya expressed. She crumbled to a fetal position letting out a gut wrenching cry.

Seeing their best friend broken like that, Gia and Nic were getting ready to run to her aid but Gavin beat them to it. Rushing to his lil mama he picked her up off the ground with ease. Wrapping her arms around his neck tightly and crying into his chest she told him, “I m
iss her Gav, I miss her so much! It’s not fair. She should be here be with me, they both should be here with me Gav.”

“Ssshhh its okay baby. It’s ok. They love you remember that, they might not be here physically but they’re in your heart,” he told her as he walked to his car.

“Aye G, meet me at my crib,” he told Gio.

“She’s good right?”

“Yeah lil mama is good.”

“Iight we’ll meet you there.”

The ride back home, the car was filled with gloom. No music, no talking, just the sounds of Aniya’s sniffles. She sat with her knees to her chest and kept her head down. Her nose was running, she had dry tears covering her face, and her hair was messy but she didn’t care. Nothing mattered at the moment, the hurt, pain and emptiness she felt overpowered everything else. She tried so hard to be strong, but she couldn’t stop the tears from falling. Looking over at her and seeing her bawled up hurt his heart. Grabbing her hand, he brought it to his lips and gave it a soft peck. He continued holding it as he drove. What could he possibly tell her that he hasn’t already said? What could he do to take the pain away? He couldn’t find the answers, but he needed to figure out something quick. Seeing the love of his life looking so helpless and down was tearing him apart.

“B
aby do you need anything or want to stop somewhere before we go in?” Gavin asked.

Instead of answering him with words she lightly shook her head telling him no.

“You sure? Because I don’t mind stopping for you lil mama.”

Swallowing her cry she softly answered, “No I just want to go home and go to sleep.”

“Ok you got it baby.”~~~~~~

“Gio speed this damn car up. Niya needs us and you want to drive all slow and shit.” Gia yelled at her brother.

“Yo ma, I know you’re feeling a way or whatever but you better calm you ass down and stop yelling at me before I hurt you.”

“Fool please you’re not going to hurt nobody. Just do what I said and hurry the hell up.”

“Yo GIANNI shut the hell up, you yelling in my ear acting crazy and shit is not going to make me drive faster. You are distracting me so close that big ass mouth of yours.”

“You are so slow yo; you can’t do two things at once? Pull the car over and let me drive then,” Gia demanded.

Nicole sat in the backseat laughing her ass off, no matter what being around them two you were sure to get a laugh. They always went at each other. Any other time she would’ve intervened but with the current situation she needed a laugh.

Not up to keep going back and forth with his sister, knowing how she wouldn’t shut up until she got her way Gio pulled over on the side of the road. He walked to the passenger side and Gia climbed over to the driver’s seat. As she adjusted everything to her liking both, Nicole and Gio strapped their seat belts on. Gia drove as if she was a NASCAR driver. Pressing hard on the gas, Gio’s BMW zoomed on the highway. Going a little over 95mph, Gia was sure to cut the twenty-five minute drive down to fifteen.

That’s what Family is for…

Gavin parked the car and was at Aniya’s door before she had a chance to move. He unbuckled her seatbelt, picked her up and carried her inside the house upstairs to their bedroom. Placing her on the bed he was extra gentle with her while getting her undressed, he handled her as if she was a porcelain doll and was scared he would break her. By then she had stopped crying but had no energy to do anything, so she let him do everything for her. He dressed her in one of his t-shirts and a pair of boxers. When he was finished tucking her in he was getting ready to join her but the ringing of the doorbell stopped him. Remembering the girls and Gio were coming over, he placed a kiss on
her forehead while telling her he would be back up to check on her later.

Pushing Gavin out the way as soon as he opened the door, the girls rushed upstairs to be by Aniya’s side. Kicking off their shoes and jackets they climbed in the bed with her, one on each side of her and just held each other. For the past four years after each visit the girls would climb into bed together being Aniya’s strength.

Downstairs Gavin and Gio were having a drink in the kitchen. While they were at the cemetery the Chef came to his house and made dinner. He had his mother come over also, he didn’t know the chef and wasn’t comfortable letting him be there alone. When he told his mom that he needed her to watch his house while the chef cooked for them she told him off, saying she could’ve cooked for him for free instead of having him waste his money on a chef that didn’t cook better than her. The only way he was able to get off the phone and to calm her down was by agreeing to let her make the dessert.

Taking the covers o
ff the food, he checked and saw that everything looked up to par. There was a platter of jerk shrimp with pasta, yellow rice and sausage, hot wings, candy yams and broccoli. For dessert his mom cooked Aniya’s favorite; red velvet cake with vanilla frosting.

“Yo G, how you holding up?” Gio asked.

“I’m good, my feelings don’t matter at this point all I’m worried about is Niy and making sure she’s good.”

“I feel you, but I know it’s not easy for you either.”

“Yeah you’re right especially when I have to see my lil mama hurting the way she is. All I want to do is take the pain away from here. If I could I would have her give me all the pain and hurt and carry it for her. But that’s why I’m going to take her away, maybe a change of scenery and tranquility will help her.”

“Word I hope it does…” Gio said.

Hearing laughing coming from upstairs put a slight smile on Gavin’s face. Glancing at the stairs before turning to Gio, he asked “Aye G what you think their doing up there?”

With a raised eyebrow he replied, “Leave it to my sister, I bet you they’re drinking and talking shit.”

~~~~~

“Oh my god Niya, remember that time that dude was trying to hit on ma and dad looked like he was going to strangle him,” Nicole said while laughing.

Cracking up at the thought, “Yes girl if my mom didn’t grab him and whisper in his ear he probably would’ve but whatever she said calmed him down.”

“Niya you and ma had your dad wrapped around your fingers. He spoiled the hell out of both of y’all. Shit you know you had it good when he even spoiled your friends,” Gia stated.

“Word up, but y’all were his daughters also, him and mommy’s. Remember he said if you call him Mr. Carlos instead of pops or dad you weren’t welcome in his house anymore. And instead of disagreeing with him mommy told y’all to y’all her ma because she was cool.”

The girls were drinking straight out of the Ciroc peach bottle Gia had pulled out of her bag. Aniya thanked God each and every day for her sisters. This year was slightly different though, because not only did she have them she now had Gavin and he was such a blessing. The more time she spent around him the more he reminded her of her father, maybe that’s why she loved him so much. She knew that both of her parents would’ve loved him if they had got the chance to meet him. Grabbing both Nic and Gia hands she held them tightly.

“You ok?” Nicole asked concerned.

“Yeah I’m fine…I just want to y’all how thankful I am to have you guys in my life. Not once did I ever have to go through anything alone. Y’all both had my back countless times I’m just blessed to have great sisters. I love you guys I swear I do.”

“Oh god…she’s drunk. Nic take the bottle and hide it,” Gia joked, “But nah seriously though, you know I love you that goes unsaid. I’m always going to be here for you. No questions mama.”

“Niya you know you don’t owe us no thank you or anything. We do what family is supposed to do. You should know by now that we will never let you go through anything alone. And I love you too.”

The continued to pass the bottle around until it was done and they were left tipsy. Feeling it and hungry, the girls made their way downstairs. By that time the guys had moved into the living and we
re watching the Miami Heat vs. the New York Knicks game. Walking up to where they were sitting Aniya found a seat on Gavin’s lap while Gia and Nic sat on the love seat.

Wrapping his arms around her, he whispered in her ear asking if she felt better.

“Yeah baby I do and thank you for being here for me. You know I love you right?” she asked.

“You know I got yo lil mama and I love you more. But let me ask you something.”

“What?”

“You drunk?” He asked with a smirk.

Groaning, “Oh my god really Gav? That’s how you feel?”

“What? I’m just saying…you know how you get when you drink.”

“Oh whatever…I’m hungry.”

“Yeah you’re drunk but c’mon get up I had food prepared for us,” he said tapping her thigh for her to get up.

Seeing them get up Gia spat, “About damn time. I thought ya’ll were going to keep whispering secrets forever. Niggas over here is starving and you playing message in a bottle and shit.”

Everyone started cracking up at Gia and her silliness.

“Hell up mini G, you could’ve made you a plate already,” Gavin countered back.

“I didn’t want to be rude and eat before everyone else.”

Gio sucked his teeth while Nicole asked, “Umm…but when aren’t you rude?”