What's Left of Us
Page 10

“Ohmigod, were you having sex?” she squeals. Yes, Aundrea’s thirty-one-year-old sister just squealed in my ear.
“No!” Aundrea exclaims, shocked by her sister’s bold words. Her cheeks flush a light shade of rose. God, I love that color on her.
Passing Aundrea, I trace the color with the back of my hand and she leans into me. “I’m sorry,” she whispers.
“Don’t worry about it.” I press a lingering kiss to the top of her head before leaving her alone with Genna.
From the bedroom, I hear part of their conversation.
“What do you need, Genna? Where’s Jason?” Aundrea’s voice comes out clipped and I must admit I love her feistiness. I make a mental note to bring it out again later.
“He was on call tonight and went in to the clinic. I didn’t need anything—sorry. Like I told Parker, I was in the area and thought I’d pop in.”
“No, I’m sorry. It’s fine. I didn’t mean for that to come out the way it did. Come in and sit. We weren’t doing anything.”
I wouldn’t exactly say that.
“I know I have bad timing sometimes, but I figured it’s Friday night so you two would be up.”
“Yeah, your timing has never been the best.” Aundrea giggles and I smile.
“I’m making a mental note to always call before I come over.”
Please.
I quickly rinse out my mouth in the bathroom then stretch out in our bed, trying to relax from the interruption of our heated encounter. The soft pillow hugs me and I let my thoughts drift away from their conversation.
The memory of the morning after Aundrea and I met pops into my head. I haven’t thought about that morning in a long time. A slow smile forms at the thought of waking up to a loud bang and footsteps leaving my apartment—or, rather, trying to sneak away. I don’t think I’ve ever moved so fast in my life. I almost killed myself getting my feet in my boxers and crashing into the side of the bed. If it hadn’t been for my quick reflexes, I would have fallen.
Finding my apartment empty, with no luck in the hallway, I remember slamming my apartment door so hard I thought I knocked it loose from the hinges.
I laugh at the recollection. Breaking my door would have made me even more pissed.
A weak cry comes from the other room, and gets louder, bringing me out of the pleasant memory. Genna’s soothing voice follows.
Getting out of bed, I realize I left my shirt in the living room, so I take a white undershirt off the top of the tall folded pile of laundry. The same pile Aundrea promised she’d put away last week. Not holding my breath for that to happen.
I walk into the living room to find Genna sprawled out on our couch. Her feet are crossed at the ankle and her hands are resting behind her head. Aundrea’s walking in small circles singing a made-up lullaby to Hannah, who’s wrapped securely in a blanket.
In a few short strides, I close the distance to Aundrea and wrap my arm around her waist. I look down at the cute little peanut all snuggled up. She’s blowing bubbles and cooing at the buzzing sound her lips make.
“She seems content now.”
“Auntie Dre has her,” Genna says, giggling.
Aundrea always said she wanted to spoil her sister’s kids, and believe me when I say she’s spoiling Hannah. She watches her every chance she can get, holding her until her arms can’t take it any longer, and buying her anything that—according to her—is “cute and girly.”
She’s a great aunt. A natural, really. She has a way of knowing what Hannah needs before she cries for it, a way of calming her, and an overall aura that glows around her whenever Hannah’s in her arms. This is why I know she’ll make a wonderful mom.
I give Aundrea a quick peck on her temple.
“Either of you ladies want a sandwich? I’m going to make one.”
“No, thanks,” they reply together. Sometimes it’s scary how much they sound alike, given how different they are.
Once I’ve piled meat and cheese on my sandwich to perfection, I rest my shoulder against the doorframe and watch my wife.
Aundrea continues to smile and sing to Hannah. I am transfixed by her. Even in a plain T-shirt and jeans, hair piled in a messy bun on top of her head, and no make-up, she’s the most beautiful woman I have ever seen. I take in every curve of her body, the outline of her mouth, the freckles that are perfectly placed on her cheeks, and every strand of her thick beautiful hair that falls around her face. She’s just as beautiful as the day I made her my wife, if not more.
When she looks up, our eyes meet. Her smile widens, flashing her white teeth. Her eyes dance with mine and everything around me stops as I zoom in only on her, in what feels like slow motion. Just that one look has me aching. Her smile means everything to me.
Handing Hannah back to Genna she comes over to me, snuggling into my side. Resting her head on my shoulder, she wraps her arms tightly around me.
“You’re staring off into space.”
“I was?”
She nods. “With a big grin on your face, too. What’s on your mind?”
“You,” I say, glancing down at her clasped hands that are resting on my side. Her wedding and engagement rings glint up at me. We engraved part of our vows on the inside of each of our wedding bands. It makes me smile every time I look at either of them: a constant reminder of what we mean to one another. Hers says infinity and mine says my love, my life, my friend. We didn’t share the engravings until our wedding day.