Too Nice

XXIII. Decision (M)

"Why don't you just go to her house?"

"So she can kill me? I know she still has my dad's gun. I'm not stupid. I'd shoot me too if I were her."

"You ain't gotta worry about that. I'll kill her before she even attempts to hurt you."

"Ike," Andrea warned. Her husband of 30 years was an expert at running off at the mouth. She sometimes found herself trying to defuse the physical situations he started just by saying a smart ass comment. Andrea had warned him of his reckless ass mouth and Ike took the hint, but right now he was 2 seconds away from getting popped in the mouth.

"What? I'm not playing. You know my aim is godly. I'll shoot the shit outta that artery in her arm. That's all it takes," Ike continued to brag. Graduating at the top of his class in the police academy really got to his head. He used it as a threat whenever he got into arguments. Ike thought just thought the threat was super effective, but Andrea really knew it was the gun that was hooked to his waist the scared people.

"Ike!"

"What?" He grunted as he turned over to face his wife who was standing in the bathroom. Ike still found the now 50-year-old woman stunning. Years of military and police training did her body good. "If I were you, I would stop trying. She doesn't want to see you. Oh well, fuck her. You have 3 other kids that-"

A loud smack echoed throughout the whole room as Andrea's hand made contact with Ike's face. It felt like someone threw a brick against his cheek. Andrea's hits were no joke. "Didn't I tell you that I was going to start knocking the fuck out of you every time something stupid came out of your mouth?"

Ike sat up speechless. What else could he do? He couldn't tell if the look on her face stunned him or if it was the slap. Angering Andrea was not an easy task. It usually took a lot, but whenever her youngest daughter was talked down on all signs of happiness vanished.

"Now listen, dammit. I'm not saying the reason she's like this has nothing to do with me. Trust me, I know I had a huge part in it, but what you're not about to do is continue to disrespect her. I let you talk down to her all her all her life. I understand I made some bad choices but right now you are acting like a big ass baby. I forgave you. Why can't you forgive me? Now please, stop acting like she caused this!"

The emotions were becoming harder and harder to suppress. She tried to stop them but the hot tears had already started flowing down her cheeks. Andrea crying was an incredibly rare sight, even for Ike. This woman was tough as nails and it hurt him anytime she broke down like this. Ike wasted no time in pulling the love of his life to his chest and apologizing. Even after all the drama in the past years, Ike still loved the woman like they married yesterday.

"I saw her a few weeks ago, Ike," Andrea sobbed into his chest. "She looks even worse than when I saw her at the funeral. She's taking Mamu's death hard. I don't know i-if it's drugs or if she's avoiding food altogether. Dammit, Ike! She's so skinny and it's scaring me. I'm afraid I'm going to walk into the station one day and- and I'll get a report that-"

More sobs came from her throat. Just the thought of any of her kids being found dead hurt her deep inside. Andrea treated Amari's siblings like golden children. Birthdays, Christmas and other special occasions- They had it all. Amari, on the other hand, still gave her mom that beautiful smile even if she didn't get a single candle for her birthday.

"Baby, stop. Don't worry about any of that. She's going to be ok," Ike sighed as he continued to rub circles in Andrea's back. "We just have to convince her that she won't be stepped on anymore. You love her... I love her. Come on baby, stop crying."

Andrea tried her hardest to stop her tears, but with Amari's crumbling body still fresh in her mind it felt almost impossible. The way she walked out of the community center nearly made Andrea scoop her up and take her home. She had a slight limp and her face would churn painfully with each step. She looked like she could collapse and die at any given moment. Andrea would hold her breath whenever a strong wind came. Amari would literally blow away. It was a heartbreaking observation but she knew all of this was her fault. Everything she'd done to her youngest daughter still plagued her mind. Andrea knew that there was only one way to be at peace with herself and her daughter.