A Heart After All

As We've All Grown

Huey dropped everyone off at home. Riley went inside with Caesar, Cindy, and Jazmine.

"Come walk with me," Huey says to Jada. She groans,

"Am I in trouble?"

"No. Just wanna take you for a walk. It's been a while since we've talked."

Huey and Jada begin walking down the street. 

"What's up?" Jada asks. Huey shushes her. "How are you gonna ask me to walk with you if you don't wanna-"

"Jada, just take in the fresh air and be quiet."

Jada closed her mouth and put her hands behind her head. She enjoyed the fresh air as her and Huey walked.

"You know," Huey begins after a while, "Sometimes I forget you're not a kid anymore. That you've finally grown up."

"Yea."

"But you know you won't always have to do things alone, right?" 

"Yea, I know. You'll always be here and so will Riley."

"Yea."

There was another moment of silence.

"Jazmine and I had a talk the other day."

"Is that so?"

"Yea, she told me I'm not really that heartless."

"I know."

"She asked me if I was ever nice to you and Riley."

Jada only listened.

"You know, if I ever seem like I don't love you then it's not the case. I do love you Jada. I mean, you're my little sister and you take after me a lot."

"I know."

"It's just hard, ya know?" Jada looked at Huey. "Ever since mom died and dad never being around, it's been hard for me to have faith in things. It's hard for me to let people in because I'll always have to worry about if they'll be gone."

Jada could tell Huey had been thinking about this for a while. They stopped at a park bench and sat down.

"When I saw you on the ground, motionless and weak, so many things were going through my mind. I didn't know whether or not I'd lose you, whether you'd fight through it or if you'd lose. I didn't know if I'd ever be able to see you again," tears started rolling down Huey's cheeks. Jada wiped them. "You and Riley are the only ones I've got left. Honestly, I'd rather have you around than Riley."

Jada chuckled. She looked deep into her brother's maroon eyes and saw something she hadn't seen since they were kids. Fear. Jada wrapped her arms around her brother's neck and held him close.

"I'm not going anywhere," She tells him. "Not for a long time."

Huey and Jada walked more, getting ice cream that was at a parlor in town.

"So, how's you and Jazmine?" Jada asks, pulling a spoonful of vanilla ice cream in her mouth.

"Surprisingly, she's still with me," Huey says.

"Come on, Huey. I know you're a soft on Jazmine."

"Yea, whatever."

"Have you talked to Tom?" Jada asked. 

"Why would I?" Huey was caught off guard by her question.

"Because we still have Jazmine. As long as he knows, we won't get charged for kidnapping if Sarah finds out."

"I don't think she'd do that," Huey says.

"I'm not sure," Jada replies. "Sarah might be a sweet white woman but she can also be full of surprises. She's smart."

Huey thinks for a while before saying,

"I'll talk to him. Hopefully he understands why I did it."

"He will. As long as he has a precious princess he'll be fine. Plus, Jazmine seems a bit home sick. Maybe letting her go home would help."

Sorry the chapter is short. I promise the next one will be longer!!