TOMMIE (COMPLETED)

NINE

The next day, Tommie was discharged from the hospital.

She walked out feeling her freedom immediately being returned to her. She was relieved to be leaving.

Staying there represented all the pain and struggle she was ready to leave behind. The sun shined down on them as they made their way to Scrapp's white Audi A7. Scrapp took the time out to pack all of Tommie's gifts from Stevie into the trunk before they left.

"So I can't pick up anything from my house?"

"For what?" Scrapp snapped, "Whatever is there can be replaced."

"They wouldn't have to be replaced if I could just go get my shit, Scrapp. I don't see what the problem is."

Scrapp put the car in park and stared at Tommie in silence. "Look, maybe this is too much for you. I'm not tryna rush you or pressure you. You have a family, T. You had a nigga before you met me, so maybe you should give that another try. Maybe it's just time for you to go home."

"I had a family. You're my family now, Scrapp. I'm sorry. Fuck it. Let's just go."

Tommie looked out of the window at the cars passing her by. Orange lights on the bridge flickered with each passing car. Tommie tried to detach herself from the situation with Ace.

The life she had lived for so many years was slowly being erased with every mile Scrapp drove.

Although she was ready to start her new life, it was still hard for her to let go. Scrapp was perfect for her. He stayed by her side when she needed someone the most, and she owed him.

She owed it to him to be the person that he wanted her to be, so Tommie swallowed all of her nerves and reservations. She was ready.

She wanted Ace to fade into a distant memory, so she sat back and enjoyed the ride with Scrapp. She tried to go to sleep, but her mind wouldn't turn off.

Suddenly her phone started to vibrate. She had forgotten about the cell phone that was wedged inside her purse. Tia grabbed it out of panic on their way to the hospital.

Tommie struggled to clear out the old faded receipts and tubes of various colored lip glosses and lipsticks to find the ringing cell phone at the bottom of her bag, but she dropped the phone to floor in shock. It was Ace...

$$$$$

"Tommie, you can't ignore me forever. I know what I did was wrong. There's no excuse. I don't expect you to forgive me right now, but I hope that one day we can get back to where we were. I love you, T. Please call me back."

Tommie listened to Ace' message on repeat. She didn't know how to respond. Deep down, she wanted to call him back, but she was broken.

Nothing he could say would heal the emotional and mental scars he left, but Ace was a drug for Tommie. She knew he was bad for her, but that didn't stop her from wanting him. She was addicted.

As soon as she and Scrapp got back, Scrapp had to meet up with SAS and Stevie leaving Tommie at home alone.

It was their first night together, so he needed it to be perfect. Scrapp loved the idea of her being there when he woke up and there when he went to sleep at night, but he hated that he was in the streets so much.