(A.J.'s POV)
"Hey Ajah," I said hugging her. "How was your trip?"
"It was cool, I met a lot of my relatives on Mom's side,"
"Did you meet your Uncle Desmond?"
"Yeah, he was really cool." I had been friends with MaKentreey's brother Desmond when we were growing up.
"He says hi A.J." MaKentreey said.
"Hey MaKentreey,"
"Hey A.J."
"Well, I have to go call Leela, Daddy I think Mom has to talk to you about something." She said leaving the room. I could tell MaKentreey was really excited about something; I could see it in her eyes. She walked over to me smiling.
"A.J. I have to tell you something." She said. She reached for my hands and I took hers into mine.
"What is it?" I asked, finding myself smiling too. I was praying that she was telling me that she had fallen in love with me too.
"I'm getting married." My mouth drooped open and I dropped her hands like she had some deadly contagious disease that could spread like wildfire.
"What?" She looked at me confused. I looked at he hand and saw the diamond engagement ring on her hand for the first time. I took a few steps away from her. "A.J. what is it?"
"Nothing,"
"Aren't you happy for me?"
"Hell n…yes, of course I am," She searched my eyes and I knew she knew I was so far in love with her. Then I felt my mind snap. My eyes automatically flew to the picture of her and me on the table next to my favorite chair. It was a picture of us at Kevin's party, a year before Ajah was born. We looked so happy. I picked the picture of and threw it across the room. It hit the wall in such a force that it shattered into a million unfixable pieces, just like my heart. I left the room and went into my bedroom. I laid down on the bed.
"A.J., I had no idea," she said from the doorway,"
"Just get the hell out of my house MaKentreey, and don't bother coming back!"
"A.J.-"
"Get out!" I heard her walk away silently. If a crying man was only half the man, I was half a man that day, because for the first time in years, I actually cried.
(2 Weeks Later)
(MaKentreey's POV)
"He's still in love with me Jamie,"
"Who?"
"A.J."
"How do you know?"
"He didn't take the news too good, I saw it in his eyes."
"This is a good thing,"
"No,"
"You love him too right," I nodded.
"Yeah, unfortunately I do, but I'm engaged Jamie, I can't do that to him,"
"Yeah I know, that is a problem."
"But enough about that, I have an engagement party to get to, I'm late."
"Did you invite A.J.?"
"Yeah, he's one of my best friends besides you, but maybe I shouldn't have."
(A.J.'s POV)
I walked into the room and there she was. Her eyes were locked on mine as soon as I saw her. She walked over and immediately hugged me. "A.J. you came, thank you so much." I hugged her.
"Of course I came, I wouldn't miss it,"
"A.J., forgive me for being so insensitive to your feelings,"
"Don't worry about it, I guess I shouldn't be feeling those feeling anyway…after all, you never loved me did you MaKentreey?" Her mouth dropped over then she refused to look at me. Bingo, my plan was in action.
"A.J I …Never mind."
"No tell me,"
"I have to go, I really am glad you came," she said giving me kiss on the cheek then left. It was there I saw it she was in love with me. I saw Ajah walking up toward me.
"Hey Daddy,"
"Hey Baby,"
"What's wrong with you?" she asked. I shook my head.
"Nothing,"
"You don't' want her to get married do you?"
"I'm happy for your mother."
"But you'd be happier if you were the groom?" She asked grinning. I picked her up.
"Yep, as a matter of fact I would,"
"Then go talk to her,"
"I think I will," I put Ajah down and went over to where I had seen MaKentreey go. I politely excused her from the conversation she was having and led her into a room where we could talk in private.
"What is-" I silenced her with a deep passionate kiss that I had been holding back for so long. She seemed surprised and tried to push me back at first, but eventually she finally gave in. I pulled back and looked at her. "A.J., what was that for?"
"I know you know how I feel about you,"
"I kind of guessed when you threw our picture against the wall and kicked me out," I smiled.
"Yeah, sorry about that you know how my temper is,"
"No problem, I'm used to it,"
"But what I want to know is…how do you feel about me?"
"A.J., I don't think we should be discussing this,"
"Just say it MaKentreey, it's between you and me,"
"No, I refuse to be having this conversation with you," She turned away from me and tried to exit the room. I grabbed her arm and pulled her back to me.
"Too late, we're already having it,"
"I'm engaged,"
"But not married, just tell me what you feel when you look at me," I saw the tears welling up in her eyes and fall down her cheeks. "Why are you crying?" I asked wrapping my arms around her.
"I messed up A.J., I did wrong by you and Ajah…I never told you the whole truth A.J."
"What are you talking about?"
"I didn't tell you the whole truth why I left,"
"Why did you leave?"
"I…I got scared."
"I know, you were only sixteen when you were pregnant,"
"No A.J., I was scared of you,"
"You know I would never have hit you or anything, baby you know that,"
"Not physically, Alex, I knew you weren't ready to be a father, I didn't know if you were going to stay around, or decide you didn't want us…so I left you before I gave you the chance to leave me, I hurt you before you could hurt me. I loved you A.J., with all my heart, but I know you didn't love me."
"But MaKentreey, I loved you too,"
"No, -"
"Don't tell me how I felt. Who was there from the first doctor's appointment to the last, who helped you pick out the clothes, Who massaged your back when it was so sore you couldn't sleep, who snuck you into their room when you and your parents had a fight, and who bought you that gold necklace that I know you still wear under your shirt?" She touched the necklace.
"You did A.J."
"So don't you dare tell me that you were afraid, you knew I loved you, you knew because I told you,"
"I know-"
"And now you are marrying someone else when you know damn well that I want and deserve you,"
"I'm sorry, I can't"
"How do you feel about me?"
"I love you still, I never stopped, but A.J., you promised yourself to someone else,"
"But I made a promise to you seven years ago, when you first told me you were pregnant, I told you I would always be by your side."
"I have to go," she said.
"Just remember Entreey, I am a very persistent man, after all, it did take me two weeks to convince you to go out with me."
