BEST THING

XVIII

"And I believed you. I knew you could it".

"Well your nagging voice didn't help either ". He smirked causing Áine to hold on to her chest. She could tell he was teasing her.

"You still listened though". She remarked with a eyeroll. Before he could say anything else, Amaru was cut off by the waitress taking their drink order.

"HI I'm Clarissa, I will be your waitress today. Can I start you off with something to drink?". The light skinned woman asked looking between the two while holding on to her notepad.

Amaru and Áine told Clarissa what they wanted to drink and eat then she left to the back.

"Didn't think I would find you here of all places". Amaru started once, looking right at her. She moved around feeling the eyes on her once again.

"You were looking for me?". She questioned, surprised that he would actually do that.

"Nah, not really. Just wondered where you went ". He shrugged.

"Boy don't front!", Áine playfully scoffed causing a chuckle to escape from his lips.

"You didn't really say where you going so I didn't. And besides you said you didn't want to be found ". Amaru reminded her.

"I didn't and I have my reasons". She told him.

"Tell me the reason why you left. That's real reason that we came here to talk about right?". He leaned back, getting comfortable and a clear view of her.

"Right, so it's quite a long story". She chuckled a bit. It was a habit she was slowly letting go of. She couldn't discuss her traumas without a laugh here and there

"I have all the time in the world today ". He honestly told her. Not that he was trying to be in her business but they were almost friends before she left. And she kind of owed him an explanation.

"Amaru please don't lie like that". She waved him off, not believing him.

"Nah I'm being foreal". He said causing her to raise an eyebrow. She didn't believe him but okay.

"Okay so a few months before I came to work with you, I had just lost my son who was barely two months old". She decided to tell him because she trusted him. More than anything, she regarded him as a friend too.

"Damn Ney". He mumbled. He knew exactly what she was going through because he experienced it too.

"And I had just got out a ten year toxic ass relationship with the father of my child. It was so toxic that I was holding on to a ship that had sunk into the ground and I was drowning right along with it". She explained. Amaru shook his head, feeling bad for the times he was mean to her not knowing she was battling her own demons.

"When I came to work for you, I was so far gone. I didn't know who I was. I couldn't recognize myself anymore when I looked into the mirror. I had lost a part of me when I lost my ex and my child. I was barely surviving so I decided to leave before I did more damage than good to your health. I know I should've communicated that with you but I was doing it for myself". She told him.

"Wow I'm sorry for being too hard on you. I remember being so mad at you that you could easily leave me when I needed you the most, but I just had no clue what you were going through ". Amaru sympathetically said.