Ariya:
The load in the dryer was almost done, I had my back pressed to the wall as Rylan sat atop the machine with his legs swinging. I heard the door open and glanced back to see Amara with her laundry.
"Night loads?" She asked while setting her basket a top another machine and sorting the clothes.
"Yup."
After closing the machine she walked up to Rylan and hopped up beside him.
"And who are you?" She asked tentatively.
"I am Rylan, who are you?" He giggled.
"I'm Amara, I happen to live right beside you." She tapped his nose with her pointer finger.
"I've never seen you?" He asked, I lightly tapped his shoulder with a scold.
"Be nice." I mumbled.
"Sorry."
"How old are you?" She asked, slightly leaning her head down to converse with Rylan.
"Four!" He helped up the four fingers with a smile and I chuckled. She laughed while rubbing a hand over his head.
"So he's starting school in the spring?"
I nodded while walking over the machine to check the clothes and pat Rylan on the head. He giggled while pushing me away.
"I'm gonna make lots of friends!" He jumped.
"I bet you will." She smiled.
"Which school did you enrol him in?" She asked while leaning back on her palms with a furrowed brow.
"St Paul's."
"That's right by my Uni, if you ever need someone to pick him up I'm right there." She smiled. I nodded.
"I'll note that."
We all sat in a peaceful silence until the heaving sound of Rylan's breath caught my ear. I twisted head to see him with a hand on his chest while Amara started down at him with wide eyes. I quickly walked up to him while pulling out his inhaler. I pulled the plastic cap off and held it to his mouth. I pushed the metal part inwards and let him inhale the medicine. His breathing began to slow and I rubbed his back.
"Is he okay?" She whispered.
"Yeah, it's dusty down here." I nodded.
"My brother had asthma." Amara said while itching her chin.
"Had?" I asked, pulling Rylan into my arms and letting him rest his head on my shoulder.
"He died."
"I'm so sorry." I shook my head.
"It's alright, he wasn't.. in pain or anything."
I moved around to coo Rylan as the machine went off and we both jerked.
I put Rylan on my back as I packed the dried laundry in the basket, finally closing the machine and waving bye.
She smiled and I left.
After we made it upstairs I laid Rylan in my bed and let him shuffle under the covers as I folded the laundry at the foot of the bed. He peaked his feet out to stick them under the warm clothes.
Suddenly my phone began to vibrate and I dropped the underwear in my hand I walked out into the hall so I wouldn't bother Rylan.
"Hello?"
"Is this Ariya Kingston?"
There it was, his voice caressing my ears as a chill rolled down my spine.
"Uh.. yes." I spaced out for a second before running hand over the top of my head.
"I hope this wasn't intrusive, I wanted to let you know personally."
"We wanted to offer you the job of our analyst."
I wide smiled grew upon my face and I held the phone to my chest while staring up with my eyes closed.
Thank you; I mouthed.
"Hello?"
"Oh, yes! Thank you so much." I responded.
"I expect you in by next Monday."
"Yes, Mr. Johnson, thank you very much."
"Have a nice afternoon." He said before the line went dead. I placed my phone in my pocket before walking back in the bed room.
-
I tucked Rylan in just before the buzzer buzzed and my brows furrowed.
I walked up to the buzzer and held the intercom down.
"Hello?" I asked.
"It's William, buzz me up."
"You know the code." I told him with a chuckle in my voice.
"It's on my phone and I dropped it in the toilet-it's a long story just buzz me up, please it chilly." I heard his shiver and unlocked the door for him. A couple minutes later he came through the door and smiled.
"So, what was so important that it couldn't wait till tomorrow?" He asked while shrugging his shoes off.
I walked over to the sofa right before spinning around on my heels to face him as our chests bumped together.
"I got the job."
"You got the job?"
"I got the job!" I slapped a hand over my mouth realizing that Rylan was asleep. William's eyes widened and I nodded.
"No!"
"Yes!"
He picked me up in his arms and spun around, I wrapped my arms and legs around him and planted my lips against his.
"Mhm, I love you."
"I love you too."
He let me down and I smiled up at him.
He tilted my chin up with his hand and smiled back.
"I'm so proud of you."
I could feel the tears building up as he cupped my jaw ever so lightly.
"I'm serious, I'm the luckiest man right now." I urged the smiled back but failed as tears accompanied it.
"Thank you." I smiled.
He walked me over to the small dining table and I watched him pull out the food I had made today.
"Dinner date?" He asked.
"Yes please." I sighed. He began to plate the food on two plates before we sat down.
"Truth, im so nervous. So nervous." I nervously chuckled and he nodded.
"Just keep taking your meds and you should be fine." I loved William but he never understood. He never understood what it was like. The meds wouldn't just magically make all my anxiety and ptsd go away now would it.
"Okay." I nodded with a small smile.
I leaned over to peck his lips and returned with a small smile.
"I love you."
"I love you too."