The One Who Grounds Me (Book 1) (EDITING) (Completed) √

Chapter Fifty-One

Tristan

"This looks delicious." I said. Picking up the spoon, I scooped up some rice. The smell of spices and curry teased my nostrils. I pushed the spoonful of rice in my mouth, groaning. The rice was so mellow and soft, the faint traces of butter melts on my tongue. I scooped up another spoonful.

"How is it?" Tiana asked, watching me with a fond smile.

I swallowed what was in my mouth, before speaking. "Scrumptious. This is a work of art."

She snickers. "Babe it's only curry and rice."

"Mhmm." I hummed. I took a sip of my pineapple juice. The tangy taste of tang swarms my taste buds. ".... I'll hire you as my personal chef." I said, placing the cup on the table.

"Mhmm? Personal chief? Are you saying you wanna eat these kinds of foods for the rest of your life?"

I smacked my lips together. "Have you ever heard the saying?"

"What saying?"

"Once you go black, you can never go back."

Tiana burst out laughing.
Lifting a piece of chicken breast oh my spoon, I shoved it inside my mouth. The chicken was soft, it easily dissolved in my mouth.

"Isn't that..." Tiana titters, shaking her head. "... you know what never mind."

"No, what were you going to say?" I asked, chewing slowly.

"It's not important." She scoops up some rice on her spoon. ".... I was thinking...."

"Mhmm?"

She clears her throat, squirming in her chair nervously. "Maybe we can go hiking or something tomorrow."

That peaks my interest. ".... don't you have to go to the hospital tomorrow?"

After shoving the spoonful of rice in her mouth, she dabs at her lips. "No. I need a break. I've been going to and forth since we came here. I'm tired and I just want to go out and have some fun for just one day without thinking about that... witch."

I touched her hand.

"..... I think I'm gonna sign the papers. I'm gonna let them pull the plug on her." She said, staring at her plate.

"This must be hard for you."

"You've been through worst and you're still here. I'm sure that I'll be fine." She leans back in the chair. "She's gonna die either ways. So I think it's best I put her out of her miseries."

"None of this is your fault."

"I... I just...."

"Just nothing, Jesus Tiana, you've done more than enough for that woman! You've done your best. You never told her to get behind the wheel while she was high!"

This was affecting her more than it should. I pushed a piece of meat around on my plate. Dear God. I was tired of watching Angela cause her so much pain.... I was tired of standing on the sidelines, feeling useless.

Tiana picks up her plate wordlessly. She ambles over to the small kitchenette. Dropping my napkin in my plate, I followed behind her. Tiana was hunched over the sink, her left hand covers her mouth, as her shoulder shook.

"I'm a murder, she is still alive and yet... yet I'm contemplating pulling the plug!" Tiana said, spinning around to face me.

"You're not a murderer." I said, patiently.

"But.... but... but...." Tears rolls down her cheek. She wraps her arms around her body.

"No buts." I stepped in front of her. Tiana looks up at me. She was vulnerable. I circled my arms around her shoulders. She immediately clings to me. Her nose nestled in chest. I laced my fingers through the strands of her hair.

"Let's go on that hiking trip tomorrow."

Tiana sniffled. "Alright." She responded. ".... it's just so funny. I'm here crying over a woman who never cared about me.... I'm so stupid."

"That woman doesn't deserve your tears."

"I know... but... but I just.... can't help it. She's my mother Tristan. Even after all that she has done to me, I still feel obligated to help out as much as I can." She pulls away. Tiana turns her back to me. "I have not one good memory of when I was a child. My school life was hell... I use to get bullied because of my weight...." She sniffles again. "And then... my home life was worst. I always end up in the hospital. If it's not a broken ribs, then it's a broken hand, a black eye or swelling in the cheek. A wound in the back of my head. Or a simple burn on my back.... my mother made it hard for me... she always does and I'm just here... bawling my eyes out because her organs are failing her. I'm ridiculous."

"You're not ridiculous."

"You're just saying what I wanna hear. I am ridiculous."

"Just shut up! You're a lot of things Tiana." I grabbed her by the shoulders, forcing her to turn around. "You're beautiful, sexy, feisty, weird, mischievous, lazy, caring, crazy, smart, inquisitive, kindhearted, you wear your heart on your sleeves. You are a worry wart...." I cupped her cheeks. "You're noble... Jesus the other day I watched you gave away all the money you had in your purse to an homeless person! This list goes on and on Tiana! You're not a nobody! Yes you're dense sometimes, but that's okay... you're not ridiculous. You just have a caring soul and that's okay."

Tiana squeezes my arms.

".....you're not a murderer."

She finally meets my eyes. Her eyes glistens as she stares at me, with vulnerability. When all the fight left her body, I pulled her back into my arms. Her body quakes.

".... Tristan." She said, with uncertainty.

"Mhmm?"

"I'm scared..." She said, trembling.

"It's okay, I got you."

"You never fail until you stop trying."

"Forget past mistakes. Forget failures. Forget everything except what you're going to do now and do it."

😶 no more negativity.

This chapter sucks. I know. Night night.