The quiet felon/ BWWM

Chapter six

August 29/2020

By: Denisha

         After Teagan picked up Ace from his job, she noticed that he was acting different he wouldn't participate in conversation. She knew he was quiet, but he wasn't this quiet. If it was any other week, she would have been more active in asking questions on why he was acting this way, but she just wasn't in the mood.

Right now, she was on her way to M.J's shop. When she walk in the door it was a calm and quiet atmosphere. She was appreciative of that. M.J knew that it was the week anniversary of Teagan's mom death. She knew to come at her with a different approach.

"Good morning, Bestie." M.J said softly.

"Hay." Teagan said with her mind deep in a book.

"Here is your order." She said with a soft smile.

"Mhmm."

Ace overheard their conversation. He had came into work early to avoid seeing Teagan at home. He knew something was up because of the way she was talking. She would always use her manners and talk more.

"What's up with her?" He asked his sister as she came away from Teagan's table.

"It's her mom's death anniversary tomorrow."

"How did she die?"

"You know for you to be avoiding her, you sure are concerned."

"How did you-."

"I just know and she OD'd."

"When was this?"

"About a year after you went to prison."

Ace felt horrible because he knew that he was being an asshole that whole day. He wanted her to be happy. He knew that he didn't know her all that much, but he was starting to have a little soft spot for her. And he knew that avoiding her wasn't helping her so he decided to put his reasoning aside and try to comfort her as much as he could.

Meanwhile Teagan had just gotten done with her book. It was time for her to go home. She knew that her house was close to M.J's shop so she didn't have to wait on Ace to get off work. She got up and said a quick bye to M.J then she got in her car and went home. Once she made it there she was emotional a song that her and mother used to sing coincidently came on and it had her in tears.

She had been through a lot living with her mother. Growing up with her mother was hard. From when she was a baby up until she was eight, she had a good childhood. She got everything she wanted, lived in a good neighborhood, got good grades, and had good friends. Once she was 10, she was old enough to know that her mom wasn't always sober give or take. Her father just sat there and watched the whole thing go down.

Teagan and her mom had just moved to Ohio. Her mom had moved in with her girlfriend. She met M.J there and they have been friends since. She had just started to realize that her mom was showing symptoms of being on drugs. She would go to sleep in the middle of conversations, vomit, inconsistent in doing things and she could never keep a job.

Teagan felt alone most of the time except for when she was over M.J's house. She has seen multiple therapist and they have diagnosed her with clinical depression. She has been dealing with it alone. She never told anyone about her situation not even M.J.

Teagan was so in her head that she didn't realize that Ace had made it back home. Ace could feel the tension in the atmosphere. And he already knew that Teagan wasn't in the best of moods. He heard sobbing coming from her room. He took off his coat and hat then he slowly walked to Teagan's door.

He knocked twice. After a couple of seconds of sniffling he heard a quiet voice. "Y-yes?"

"Can I come in?"

"Why?" Teagan asked knowing the answer but not knowing why he cared.

"Because your crying Muffin." He sighed when he heard her voice crack. He was never one for mushy stuff and emotion, but he knew that she needed comfort. Slowly the door opened, and Ace saw a sight that he never wanted to see again. There were tears running down her brown cheeks. The tip of her nose was a little red, her brown eyes were bloodshot red, and her eyes were also puffy.

She sat down on her bed and he sat beside her. "What's wrong?" He knew what was wrong but he didn't want to seem as though he was in her business. She vaguely explain what was wrong.

"Do you want to talk about it?" Ace asked and Teagan shook her head no. Ace wasn't going to force Teagan to talk. He knew that she probably didn't feel comfortable enough to talk to him about something so important to her.

"C-Can I have a hug?" She asked quietly with a shaky voice.

Ace opened his arms wide while he scooted closer to Teagan and embrace her in a warm hug.