90s Love

Chapter 16

"I'm not about to hurt her feelings."

"So you want us to do it?" Will asked, amused.

"Y'all I really don't think it's that deep." My voice cut into the conversation. "All we gotta do is let her know straight up that this isn't good for her."

"Good, so you'll do it," Kay concluded.

"I ain't say-" I bit my lip to keep from saying more once the door opened and the girls came back into the room with their snacks.

"I got you these. I know you like them." Rocky handed her cousin a bag of chips.

"Thanks." Dre just opened the bag, looking my way, encouraging me with his facial expressions to speak up. Will even went as far as to kick me before I could do what they wanted.

"Rocky, can we talk?" I blurted out. "Outside."

Her face showed slight apprehension, caught off guard by my words. "Sure." She got up and led us out to the hall, waiting until I closed the door behind me to speak. "What's up?"

"We don't think this is the best thing for you to be doing Rock." I started off slowly. "Being with Dre all the time. I get you love him and you wanna be with him but he's starting to get better and do things independently."

"He's in a wheelchair," She bluntly responded. "How is that getting better and doing things independently?"

"Rocky, he just wants some time for himself, y'know? He understands you care and you don't need to be here 24 hours a day to show that. It's summer and I think he'd much rather have you be out having fun with us then being here."

"He told you that?" She asked me with some slight hurt.

"Kinda." I nervously fiddled with my fingers. "Why don't you just cut the visits down to an hour? Or start coming every other day like your Mom?"

"I guess I can."

I placed my hand on her shoulder for some comfort, she was speaking but wasn't convincing with her words. "He's okay, and he's only gonna get better." Rocky nodded softly. "Now, let's go get some ice cream and see what's going down on the blacktop."

A small smile came on her lips. "Let's do it."

"Yes." I beamed, opening the door, looking to the girls. "Yo we out, let's roll."

"Oh thank god." Will sighed.

All of us saying our goodbyes to Andre.

"You're welcome." I told him.

"Thank you!" He shouted as we exited, making me smile.

🖤

I didn't get back to the house until a little before our usual dinner time. And I was physically exhausted. The girls and I ended up on the blacktops playing ball before entertaining some of the younger kids at the park, and those children had energy for days. I was out of breath and winded after one round of tag.

And we played five rounds.

When I entered my house I made a beeline for the couch to rest my body. I closed my eyes for a minute only to get startled by hearing someone snicker from above me. I opened my eyes to see my father looking back at me clearly amused.

"Why you acting like you just worked a 12 hour shift like your mother?" He joked.

A smile came on my face as I pushed myself to sit up. "I went to the park and played with the kids after I saw Dre in the hospital." I informed. "They wore me out."

Lucky for me, once my parents understood the circumstances of why I left and what happened when I did, they dropped their anger and let me be. So him smiling in my face wasn't something that I had to second guess.

Dad took a seat next to me. "How's he doing?"

"He's doing okay. He might get discharged soon."

"He's gonna be in that wheelchair, right?"

"Yeah." I nodded.

"I heard around that they arrested the man." He told me and my first reaction was to let out a laugh.

"Well that's a first."

He wasn't amused by my bitter humor. "You okay?"

"Yeah, I'm all good." I assured him, showing him a smile. "I'm just glad he's okay."

"I know you feel like we might not get you. But I do." He brought up, making me look at him curiously. "One of my best friends got shot when I was Kelly's age. He walked in while some thugs were robbing his Grandmother's house. And he didn't make it."

It was a story I never heard, or a similar experience I never knew we shared. Dealing with Andre's near death experience was emotional enough for me, I didn't know how I'd handle it if it was an actual death situation. "I'm sorry."

"You don't always gotta act like you're good all the time you know that, right?" He looked me in my eyes. "Your Mom and me try our best to protect you from all that, but it's just the life we're living in. It's hard to understand and cope with things that are out of your hands. But we got your back no matter what. I was lucky I had my parents be there for me."

I appreciated and valued his effort. "Thank you."

Dad smiled softly. "That's all the thanks I'm getting?"

I let out a small laugh before hugging him tightly, letting him hold me for a while. Knowing I needed this just as much as he did.

"You smellin' a little funky." He commented, breaking our peaceful silence.

"I've been running around!"

A laugh escaping his lips as we pulled away from each other. "Go shower and I'll make us some burgers."

"Sounds good." I agreed with a smile before rushing off.

Knowing I wasn't in this all alone kinda made some of the pressure go away. It reminded me that life is about growing and overcoming.

So as hard it was to grow, eventually, I'd make it on the other side.