A Love found in Affliction

Chapter Eight

Aaron nodded and Elaine got out and waved to him. He pulled out and she watched his car disappear into the traffic.

Aaron spent the entire morning with his real estate agent and he finally got his place and had it furnished and his belonging moved in.

It was now evening and Aaron parked outside the gym where he was going to meet Dante for a workout and a kick boxing session.

An hour later after warming up their bodies, Dante and Aaron faced one another.

“Ready to get your ass kicked Clark?” Dante smirked as he positioned himself.

“In your dreams Steele”

Dante swung and Aaron blocked and aimed a kick. They spared for a few minutes but Aaron had a tough time keeping his head focused. Dante got a clean hit and Aaron crumpled.

“What the fuck man?” Aaron growled as he grabbed his left ribs.

“Don’t ask me. You are the one who is miles away. What is going on?” Dante asked as he pulled up Aaron.

“Nothing” Aaron said as he flexed his trunk, making sure everything was still intact.

“It’s Olivia isn’t it? Man how can you still feel for that woman?”

“I don’t want to talk about it. Leave it.” Aaron snapped back. He didn’t know what he felt and what he didn’t feel anymore. Sure he craved Elaine’s company but his heart was still torn apart by that woman, more from what she did to their child, and his head was messed up by his past. How could he equate Elaine into all of this?
He was sure what he felt for Olivia was love but now he had his doubts.

“You are still seeing Dr. Ashford?” Dante asked referring to the shrink he used to visit.

“No, I haven’t seen him for a while now” Aaron said. No one except Dante and Rose knew what he went through right from his childhood up till now. They knew every little detail and yet they were always by his side, never judging.

“I think you should again. I feel like you are stuck again in a weird place.” Dante said as he shrugged.

“Last time I checked we were kick boxing, when did this turn into a therapy session?”

“You know what I am saying. Olivia has messed you up again. Maybe you loved her, maybe you didn’t but you are not able to get any closure and let it go. That, my friend, is toxic.”

Aaron raised his eyebrows at his best friend.

“What?”

“Just shut up Dante” Aaron said he headed towards the showers, he was no longer in mood for any kick boxing. He cleaned up and headed out of the door. Dante had beaten him to it.

“Just think about what I said” Dante said as he climbed into his car and pulled out of the parking.

Aaron made his way back home. He entered his new penthouse and threw his gym kit near the door and walked over to the bar next to kitchen and poured himself a drink.

He looked around. In mere hours, everything was set up. No one would have guessed this place was empty early this morning. Aaron had kept the décor of the house. It was recently renovated. So all he had to do was get it furnished and have his belongings shifted in.

“It is high time I give my secretary a raise” He muttered to himself. He finished the drink and decided to order Chinese for dinner and call it a day. However what Dante had said kept rattling his brain.

Elaine knocked and waited for Sam to open the door. She wasn’t able to make it to lunch with her as she was called in for an emergency. A 25 year old was driving a bike without a helmet and she spent the next five hours trying to put his skull back in shape.