His Emancipator🖤 [His Duet #1]

CHAPTER TWENTY

I can feel the weight of Darelle's stare. I don't know if he realizes, but my peripheral works just fine. His gaze is so ardent that I shift under it.

From what I've gathered from Olivia, my mom was what anyone would want in a best friend. The duo was a force to be reckoned with. My friendship with Kira has nothing on what they had.

"I'm telling you your mom, was the best." Olivia reminisces, pulling a lock strand from her face. The woman is beautiful and it is enunciated in the striking features her children got from her.

Arielle's light brown skin that matches Darelle's has the fiery glow of dawn. Her dark curls drop to her shoulders like a waterfall.

"I'd do anything to have her here right now." Olivia's nostalgic voice whispers.

"Me too." I whisper.

"We can share my mom." Elle inputs in a bid to ease the foul mood.

I shoot her an appreciative smile. "Thanks Elle."

Olivia begins clearing the table so I get on my feet to help. "No I'll do it." Darelle says. Electricity strikes my pores when he pulls my hand away from the dishes.

Olivia drops a knowing smile at us. "You both sit. I'll clear and wash."

"I'll help dry." I insist.

She chuckles, "Stubborn just like your mama."

"What can I say? I want to know more."

She just smiles and leads us to the kitchen, dishes in hand. Darelle and Arielle sensing our need for privacy, they scatter if to somewhere but not before Darelle makes me promise to call him if anything comes up. You'd think his mom will hurt me.

"I never wanted to lose contact with Celine you know," Olivia begins somberly once we get to the sink. "But sometimes when you're in love, your judgement is clouded. An early pregnancy led to a rushed marriage and moving to a different city. That was the beginning of my downfall."

A lone tear drops from her eye, keeping her hands busy with washing. "I stayed. I tried to make it work Keilee, I really did. To the point I got pregnant for him again. I thought a second child would keep him from gambling and alcohol instead it did the opposite. Darelle had it the worst but that's not my story to tell."

She sniffles quietly. "Till date I still blame myself what my son had to go through because I was too weak to walk out of the marriage." Be as it may be, she is still one of the strongest women I know. This house and his son's success is proof enough.

"When Elle turned four, I said to hell with trying to salvage a marriage that died ages ago. I picked my kids and the little savings I had and left. And what better town to return to than where I grew up. Except what I didn't know is that mine and Celine reunion would be at her funeral."

Olivia is now shedding refractory tears and I find myself joining her in silent tears.

"I was there that day Keilee but I'm sure you can't remember. I cried for my best friend, I cried for the years we spent apart, I cried for you, I cried because I couldn't remember the last thing I said to her."