Love Don't Live Here Anymore (The Love Collection Book 3) (24 page)

Summer placed the last of her garments into bags and stacked them up on the kitchen counter. She brought all of Akia’s things to the trunk of the SUV and closed it. When she turned around, Vincent was exiting his vehicle. She looked back at the house because Braxdon was still in there and prayed that’s where he would stay until Vincent pulled off.

“I got your email,” he said when he finally got within talking range. “So you’re leaving, huh?”

“Yeah, it’s about that time. I need to be back home, where things were normal,” she said and laughed.

Vincent placed his hands in his suit pants pocket and nodded.

“Vincent, thank you for all that you’ve done for me, from start to finish. I couldn’t have asked God to bless me with a better friend. And that, you have always been.”

“So you forgive me for being a jerk?”

“Of course. I can’t hold that against you,” Summer stated slyly.

“Thank you too,” Vincent said. “And not just for forgiving me but for teaching me how to love.”

“Huh?” Summer asked, confused.

“I learned a lot from our friendship. I learned that sometimes you have to give work a break and find time for the important people in your life. I learned that we should never take someone for granted. Being around you has taught me a lot, so much that Meisha saw a change in me and wants to give us another chance,” he admitted.

Summer smiled. Even though she wanted to feel jealous, she realized she couldn’t. Vincent had been with Meisha long before she’d come into the picture and if he wanted to make it work with the woman he had almost married, then she had no room to feel anything but happy for him.

“That’s great, Vincent. I really hope things work out for the both of you. You two make a really cute couple and I’m sure your babies will be beautiful.”

“Babies? Whoa! Let’s just start with one for now.”

They both laughed.

“Fair enough,” Summer said.

The movers pulled up and Vincent used that as his cue to leave.

He leaned in and gave Summer a big hug. “Don’t ever hesitate to call me if you need anything, you hear me?”

“Yeah, I hear you. Thanks, Vincent.”

The two of them hugged once more and he let his hand hold onto hers as long as he could before distance tore them apart. Summer told the driver what pieces to take to the storage facility. Just as they pulled off, the Salvation Army truck pulled up to collect the rest of the goods.

Braxdon had carried all the things she was taking to her rental truck. She did a once over to make sure that she hadn’t forgotten anything and when she was satisfied with her check, she and Braxdon retrieved the last couple of duffle bags.

“Akia, you ready to go?” Summer asked and Akia nodded.

Summer grabbed ahold of her hand and headed toward the front door, with Braxdon right next to her. When she got ready to close the door, she heard her house phone ring inside. She found that to be odd because she had requested that the service be shut off yesterday.

“Hello?” she answered skeptically.

“Hi, this is Amy Wright from AEG Energy. Can I speak with Ms. Summer Hughes, please?”

Damn telemarketers
, Summer thought. “I’m sorry, ma’am, but she doesn’t live here anymore,” she said. After disconnecting the call, Summer unplugged the phone from the jack and left the house. She locked the doors and put the keys back through the mail slot like the property manager had advised her. Braxdon walked them to the truck and placed the last of the belongings inside. He walked Summer to the driver side and held the door open until she got in.

“My goal is for us to be together, Summer. And if you don’t want that, please let me know, but don’t, I repeat, don’t play with my emotions. If I’m not what
you
want, then you need to let me know that.”

At first, Summer found his statement to be odd but she reasoned that he must have seen her interact with Vincent and questioned his position in her life. “Braxdon, I’m not sure what I want in life besides happiness. But what I am sure of is that I care for you the same as you care for me, and if I give anyone a chance, it will be you. Thank you for all your help today.”

“I wouldn’t have it any other way. I’m gonna miss you, Miss Lady,” he said for the tenth time.

“I’m going to miss you too, Braxdon. You’re going to visit soon, right?”

“Of course. What’s the name of that website again?”

Summer sucked her teeth. “It’s called Skype. See, I knew you would forget. Write it down or something,” she suggested.

“Nah, I got it. It’s written on my heart.” He smiled, and then leaned into the window and kissed Summer deeply. “Drive safe, baby, and call me whenever you feel like talking.”

“Yeah, that’s if you don’t call me first,” she stated.

After Braxdon fared Akia well, he tapped the roof of the car and stepped back so she could drive off. Summer rolled up her window and eased out of the driveway. She beeped at Braxdon and blew him a kiss. He waved to her until she was no longer visible. Summer couldn’t deny that she felt a void in her heart already. She missed her friends. She missed Ms. Honey, Eugene, Vincent, and especially Braxdon. But she missed the life that she and AJ were supposed to live.

Everything happens for a reason
, she said to herself. Summer placed her shades on her face and got ready for the long drive that awaited her. “Dallas, here we come,” she announced and turned on XM radio to help get her through the miles that awaited her.

Summer and Autumn were scrambling to get everything ready for tonight. Autumn and Abaki had agreed to host the New Year’s party and they still had some last minute things to take care of. Their friend Stacey and her husband and kids were due to arrive today, as well as some other special guests, and Autumn wanted to make sure that she got everything on her list.

“Sweetheart, relax. You are acting like a wild woman,” Abaki told her.

“Babe, how can I relax? I feel like I still have so much to do.”

“Like what?”

“I have to clean the rec room,” Autumn said.

“Done.”

“The bathrooms.”

“Done.”

“I have to prepare the desserts.”

“Done.”

“What about the decorations?” Autumn asked.

“Done,” Abaki told her.

“Abaki! When did all this get done? Because as of last night, it was all still on the to-do list.”

“Last night, after I put you to sleep, I stayed up and handled the rest of the things that needed to be done.”

“Oh baby, thank you so much. You have no idea how relieved I feel. Poor Summer. I feel like I’ve been working her to death since she got here.”

“Where is she?” Abaki asked.

“Up in her room, talking to her boo thang,” Autumn said.

“She’s really feeling this guy, huh?”

“Yeah, I think so. All they do is stay on Skype and talk on the phone. I’m glad she found someone though. She seems really happy.”

“Yeah, me too. What time is everyone due over?”

“Well, I told the Douglas family and the Barcelos nine o’clock. What time did you tell your friends?”

“About the same. Africans are more punctual than you Americans; so they will probably be here early,” Abaki said.

Autumn slapped him on the arm. “I’m always on time,” she reminded him.

“You’re the exception, my chocolate angel. I love you.”

“I love you more, Abaki.”

“Oh, whatever! You too always lovin’ on one another. What time is the food arriving? I’m feeling ravenous,” Summer said, interrupting them.

“I told the caterer to be here no later than seven-thirty p.m,” Autumn replied.

“Oh, good. That’s in no time. Let me go get myself and Akia dressed. Do you guys need help with the babies?” Summer asked.

“No, baby sis, we’re good. I bathed them all last night, so all I have to do is freshen them up and get them dressed. Thanks anyway.”

“No problem, big sis. See you in a few.”

Autumn took that as a cue for her and Abaki to go shower as well. The kids were taking a nap, so that was a perfect time for them to get themselves together. At eight o’clock, guests started arriving. Like Abaki had predicted, his friends were the first to arrive, followed by Autumn’s colleagues, and then Stacey and Stephon. Karl and Chaianne were not too far behind them, and the party was in full swing. The kids were having a good time in the rec room while the adults entertained themselves nearby in the lounge area. The music was jumping and the drinks were flowing.

The doorbell rang and Autumn asked Summer to get it.

“Coming!” she yelled as she walked toward the door. When she opened the door, she couldn’t believe her eyes. Standing there was Braxdon and Brenda. Summer let the tears escape her eyes. “Baby, what are you doing here?”

“I missed Christmas with you. Now did you really think I would let you bring in New Year’s alone? Well … without me?”

“Hi, Brenda,” Summer said as she picked the little girl up and hugged her. “Come on. Let me introduce you to everybody,” Summer said.

Summer walked Braxdon around and told him everybody’s name but not before putting a glass of Henny on the rocks into his hand. She knew how nerve wrecking first-time introductions could be and wanted to give him something to help take the edge off.

She was so glad that the husbands received him well. They all liked AJ and she was a little worried about how they’d take to Braxdon. Summer wasn’t about to kid herself. She could tell that they all had questions but was nice enough to put them to the side until another time. For now, it was New Year’s Eve and they were all looking forward to the festivities that were still to come.

Once Abaki took note that all their guests were there, he announced that it was time to eat, and everyone got up to get some food. Summer grabbed Braxdon by the hand and led him to the table. “I’m so glad you’re here,” she said to him.

“I’m happy to be here.”

“How did you know my sister’s address?”

“Well, to make a long story short and a short story shorter, when you called me from her phone, because I wouldn’t answer your calls after you threw me off our doorstep, I saved her number because I knew it would come in handy. So I called and got her and your brother-in-law’s blessings to come visit, and here I am.”

“Resourceful. I like that.”

“No, Abaki is the resourceful one. I was going to drive, but he told me to save my energy and told me I would have a plane ticket waiting for me when I was ready. That was dope. I also thanked him for looking out on the school tip. He’s one of a kind, yo, for real.”

“My brother is so sweet. Well, I’m glad to see you both.”

“What if I told you I was here for good?”

“No, stop!”

“Seriously. Siyahna made the decision to go into the military. She gave me full custody of Brenda and her blessing for me to move here. Everyone knew how miserable I was without you and suggested I make the move. She must have felt it to and decided not to keep me from being happy. Gram even told me to come. She said she wasn’t going to be here forever and wanted to make sure I secured a great woman before she left this earth. I taught her how to Skype, so she’s excited that we will be able to communicate that way.”

“Oh, Braxdon!” Summer cried. The tears streamed down her face and at that moment she knew she loved him. She had never felt so good about such news. She grabbed him tight. “You’re going to love Dallas,” she said.

“I love anything you’re a part of.”

“But what about school?”

“Well, I’ve done my research and they have a program here. I start in two weeks.”

“I am so proud of you. Sounds like you really took the initiative to better yourself.” 

“I told you I was serious. I’m a changed man and I have you to thank,” he said, and then kissed her on the cheek.

Summer smiled sweetly and then excused herself from the party. There was something that she needed to do and it couldn’t wait. She went up to her room and closed and locked the door behind her. She got on her knees.

“AJ, baby, I know you hear me and I know you are aware of what’s going on. Please don’t feel like I’m being disloyal to you. You will always be my first love and that will never change. I heard you loud and clear when you came to me and I’m doing exactly what you asked: moving on. I love Braxdon and if he wasn’t good for me and Akia, then I wouldn’t have him around. The only thing I need now is your blessing, baby. Please come to me some way, some how, and let me know you’re okay with all this. I know it seems silly, but for some reason I need it. I need to know that you are giving me the green light to love again. To establish the family we never got a chance to create. I promise I’ll never forget about you. I also promise to remind Akia every day of how much you love her. Keep looking after us, baby. I love you, Ajamaal. I always will.”

Summer stood to her feet. She glanced at the ceiling and blew a kiss to her love. She walked to the door and as soon as she touched the knob, she heard a thud, not a loud one but loud enough to make her turn around. When she did, she noticed her pocketbook had fallen on the floor. The closer she got, she could see that something had fallen out. Summer bent to pick up the paper and saw that it was a photo she and Braxdon, had taken at one of those photo booths at the mall. Placing the picture close to her heart, she took in a deep breath. “

“Thank you! You never fail to please me. Until we meet again … Goodbye, my love!”