A Woman of Her Word

Rider

Gabby walked out of her last class of the day, drained and aggravated. She had 3 chemistry labs from 9:25am, each one lasting 2 & 1/2 hours and it's now 6:45, pm. Not to get her confused, She loved Forensic Chemistry, but this schedule was killing her. She jumped in her truck and dialed her mother's number before pulling out of the parking lot.

"Hey baby girl" Her mothers voice filled the car.

"Hey ma how you doing?"

"Good working hard working hard how you doing?"

"Tireddddddd ma, I just got out of my last lab and my bed is calling meeeeee"

"Ya bed ain't going nowhere finish your homework before you get in that bed u know how u are."

"Mommy I have a whole week to finish this, it can wait for my nap."

"Ok whatever them grades slip that's that ass...so what's up?"

"Yes ma'am. What time is your flight landing so I can make arrangements for somebody to pick yall up if I can't."

"Ummm I think 4:30 in the afternoon I'm not sure I have to ask your father. But don't worry we got a rental so we would be fine."

"You know Gabe gonna be upset right?"

"No he's gonna pick up your brother, me and your father are going to check into the hotel and after that we have plans."

"Well excuse me...y'all got it going on. That makes my life a lot easier though. Make sure you tell Gabe what time to pick Lexy up."

"Ok so tell me how your day went because you sound like you need to vent"

5 mins later Gabby was pulling into her driveway. Still on the phone with her mother, She walked inside and greeted her roommates before dragging herself to her room. As her mother went on to explain a situation that happened at work, Gabby placed her on speaker. While responding "uh huh" "wow that's crazy" "So what else happened?" and "sheesh" she stripped her clothes and climbed into bed. The only sounds heard after that were her mother calling her name briefly before hanging up.

~

Shad pulled into Gabby's driveway parking next to her and getting the flowers, A life sized and a regular sized teddy bears and the bag full of her favorite chocolate from his passenger seat. He took a deep breath before knocking on the door.
Aj looked up from her notebook to see if anyone else was around to get the door before she got up. Making her way to the door she peeped through the peep hole and saw nothing but fur.

"Who is it?"
"Shad"
"What u want? "
"To come inside."
"Why? what u have with you? and is any of it for me?"
"Cuz I want to, none of ya business, and no"
"Oooooh sorry, Wrong answer try again next time on Who is it. thank you for playing" Aj turned from the door and started to walk away until Shad lightly kicked the door.
"Cmon Aj stop playing"
"I ain't playing" Aj swung the door open. You can't get in here unless you sharing."
"Damn man you can have A chocolate."
"Witchya cheap stingy ass. Thanks though" she reached in the bag took 3 chocolates and walked back to her book. Shad came in behind her setting down what he brought before going to make sure he locked the door.
"You should be majoring in extortion. Where's Gabby?" He asked returning to the living room.
"Don't think I ain't try. I think she's still asleep she came in an hour ago drained, today was her long day. " Aj responded while finishing her doodling In her notebook.
"Well Ima let her sleep I ain't gonna wake her up just for bad news."
Aj's head shot up and glared at Shad feeling her ears grow hot "Bad news like what? What you done did now? Damn Shadow you always fucking up."
She felt her ears growing hotter by the second. She already had a bone to pick with Shad and now was the chance.
"How?? I ain't even do nothing! & my name is not Shadow"
"You gonna act like you wasn't in Gabbz room on the phone with some broad when you first got back? You lucky she ain't key ya car or pay shawty a visit cuz you know I was advocating for it."
"You always chatting. Shut up Aj. I wasn't on the phone with nobody important it was a girl that's digging Travis and she coming to me to put her on." Aj stared at him with a "yeah right" look. "I'm serous trust me that girl ain't nothing compared to wifey. And why she ain't say nothing? That ain't like her ."
"That's what I said but she ain't wanna have a case on her hands so she got right with the lord and moved on"
"Y'all are something else but anyways I'm getting deployed again and Idk how to tell her."
The room was silent for a minute while Aj stared at Shad hoping he would smile and say he was joking. He didn't.
"You know you haven't been home a month yet right?" All she could do is sigh as he nodded.
"Tell me about it. " He saw Aj starting to say something. "Figure of speech Aj" they both laughed before Shad took a deep sigh "uuuugggggghhhh how ima tell her yo!? This is gonna kill her"
"Dont tell her yet. Its gonna throw her off her game remember when you left? Let her get through the...wait when are you set to go out? "
"That I don't know. It's confusing, I was supposed to be assigned to a certain unit and I went to that briefing today they're set to leave in August but my god father pulled me and Trav so now I know nothing until My briefing tomorrow."
"Damnnn homie..."
"I know"
"Well don't tell her until after you've been briefed she gonna ask a million questions and you gotta have all the info"
"True"
"Then after we all gonna go out I'll plan something cuz she gonna need to take her mind off of it."
"Thanks Aj. "
"No problem...just be safe"
"Always. "