Do Overs

three.

As much as Aubrey portrayed himself as a very carefree and cold individual, he wasn't that. He had been guilt ridden with the fact that he'd made zero effort to get into contact with Camilla since being released. He wasn't sure whether he hadn't attempted to contact her based on fear of rejection or just feeling overwhelmed with everything going on.

"I'm here now, let me call you back" Aubrey said on the phone, staring out of the car window before getting ready to exit the car.

As he walked up to the pathway, a flood of memories were coming back to him. You'd think years without Camilla in his life would mean he would no longer be phased by not having her in his life, well it was difficult. This was the woman who convinced him to stay in school and go to college, this was the woman that had provided him with any kind of help he needed and probably the only woman besides his mother, that was important to him.

"One minute!" A female voice yelled from the other side of the front door. Aubrey looked down, waiting for the door to open.

"Aubrey..." Camillas mother, Julianna stared at him. She was more in shock, rather than disdain. She'd known Aubrey since he'd become significant in Camilla's life when they were teenagers, she was always fond of him as a person, she didn't know that much about the other side of him until his arrest.

"Sorry for just popping up like this, Mrs Dean-" Aubrey looked up, apologetically holding two large bouquets for Julianna and Camilla. He wasn't even sure if Camilla still lived with her mother, but he knew the message would get relayed.

"It's alright, come in" she forced a small smile and gestured him inside. Aubrey followed her into the kitchen where he could see (and smell) that she was cooking, from what Aubrey could remember, Julianna was always cooking, she was such a nurturing woman. He'd always said that if he and Camilla ever got to open up the restaurant they'd spoken about, Julianna would be head chef.

Aubrey took a seat on one of the kitchen stools as Julianna put the flowers he'd brought into two vases in the middle of the kitchen island, he kind of on edge about what was to come. Julianna was very protective over Camilla, Camilla was her only child. Julianna raised Camilla on her own from the age of 3 till now. Camilla's father was always in and out of trouble, he rarely came to see her but would never forget to send Camilla a gift for every holiday. Camilla's father was a hot headed Cuban named Lorenzo. Lorenzo and Julianna had met when they were 19, Julianna had then fallen pregnant which meant that both sides of their strict Caribbean families had indirectly forced a marriage to prevent an out of wedlock child. Unfortunately Julianna and Lorenzo had been involved in an accident which caused Julianna to miscarry.

Lorenzo and Julianna were only young, to them this was sad but in some sense a blessing in disguise. They went on to enjoy being married for two more years, then Julianna fell pregnant with Camilla. Lorenzo and Julianna enjoyed their little family until Julianna had found out that the car crash they were involved in was essentially Lorenzo's fault. Lorenzo was involved with a lot of gang violence, his nonchalant attitude and recklessness had nearly cost him the life of his wife and had cost him the life of his child. Julianna had then fled Toronto for a year to live with her family in Jamaica in order to let everything die down. By time she had come back, Lorenzo was in prison and she no longer wanted anything to do with him.

Camilla knew this about her father, Julianna made it no secret about the capabilities Lorenzo had. Camilla felt no way towards her father, as she'd grown older she'd wondered more about him. She did spend time with her dad but once he went back to jail when she was 14, the strained communication resumed.

"So, what's going on with you Aubrey? You look well, I see you have a beard and all" Julianna laughed softly to take the edge off things. Julianna had a lot of things she wanted to ask Aubrey, but felt it wasn't the right time.

"A lot man, a lot...but I'm trying a new ting, you know"Aubrey chuckled, rubbing on his facial hair. "I just feel bad that I haven't come to see you and Camilla, you both were there for me during my sentencing and I didn't even make time to see you" he added. Despite Julianna being against a lot of the things Aubrey did, she had tried her hardest to help his case and support him.

"You don't have to apologise Aubrey" Julianna smiled faintly, stirring the pot on the stove. "I'm sure you had things to get together, so at least I've seen you"

"Nah, it's not right" he laughed. "I know Camilla probably hates me right now, but I do want to apologise to her too"

"She doesn't hate you, she's just hurt by you" Julianna sighed. "When she told me what you said to her Aubrey, I won't lie I wanted to kill you...but as time went on I figured this came from a place of confusion"

"It did, it really did. If I could take it back, I would-" Aubrey said lowly. He was interrupted by the sound of a familiar voice calling out to Julianna. It was Camilla.

Aubrey's eyes scanned Camilla. Her hair was still in her natural dark brown. She'd gained a little bit of weight in all the right places and was even more beautiful than when he'd last seen her.

"Mom-" Camilla stopped in her tracks as she reached the entrance to the kitchen. She looked at Aubrey and let out a big sigh. It was like every feeling she had felt the last time they'd spoken had come back. For a while Camilla had told herself she was over Aubrey, she'd even tried to date others, but none were what she wanted...which was Aubrey.

"Why is he here?" Camilla looked at Julianna.

"Stop gwan like this" Julianna said, speaking in patois to Camilla, rolling her eyes.

"Mom, we spoke about this" Camilla, grew frustrated.

"C, I just wanna make things right-" Aubrey stood up, trying to make peace with Camilla.

"Why? For what?" Camilla kissed her teeth.

"It doesn't matter, he's here now. Talk to him, at least hear him out" Julianna raised an eyebrow. Growing up Julianna was a very strict Caribbean mother, it had only been around Camilla's teenage years that she'd loosened up slightly. But despite Camilla being a grown woman, her mothers word and opinion held a lot of weight in her life. "I was going to leave to let you guys speak, but this is my kitchen and my house so please vacate elsewhere" Julianna fanned them away.

Camilla sighed, waking ahead of Aubrey to the living room. Aubrey sat down on the couch while Camilla sat in the armchair.

"Camilla-" Aubrey turned himself to face her.

"You really hurt me" she looked down.

"I know and I'm sorry, I should've never handled things the way I did. I was frustrated at myself because of the situation I was in, but I took it out in the wrong person" Aubrey looked at Camilla, he watched as a small tear fell from her eye onto her jeans. "I am so sorry" Aubrey moved from the couch and bent down in front of Camilla, placing a hand on her thigh.

"I didn't wanna be crying over this shit again" Camilla wiped her eyes, speaking to herself. Aubrey stared at her for a minute, contemplating what to say or do. He knew Camilla was a very open and honest person, she wore her heart on her sleeve but she wasn't someone that cried easily.

"Please, C... just talk to me" Aubrey looked up at her.

"This isn't easy for me, I wanted to forget about you" Camilla glared. "I've done way too much for you Aubrey, this isn't to throw it back in your face but it's more so that you understand why I'm so hurt"

"I get that, I really get that. That's why it took me so long to come see you...I had to come to terms with it myself. I felt bad, C" Aubrey shook his head and stood up. "Man...I don't even know what to say"

Camilla didn't say anything, she just stood up to face Aubrey, wrapped her arms around his neck and pulled him into a hug. She was at a loss for words, she wanted to hurt him back but she also missed him. Aubrey smiled to himself, wrapping his arms around Camilla in return. He rubbed his hands along her back, familiarising himself with this again. It had been a while since he had her in his presence like this.

"I missed you" Aubrey kissed her on the hand. "You forgive me?"

"How can I not" Camilla rolled her eyes.

This was just the beginning.