“Yeah, they know. Remember, it’s what they wanted,” I reminded her.
“Oh yeah, how did you know that’s what they wanted, did my dad tell you?”
“Your dad left me a letter asking me to take care of you if anything ever happened to them.”
“Aww, okay.” Her head bobbed as she took that in. “So, I’m going with Aaron, you know him, Dad we used to watch him play . . .” I stared at Ireland as her mouth continued to move, but her words fell so soft that I couldn’t make them out. So, I just waited. From what I had read online, patience was going to be the key with her. Sources said that her mood was going to run the entire gamut and sometimes that will be within just the first few hours of waking up.
“Okay, I’m done,” Ireland announced, pulling me from my thoughts. “They are going to check in with me in Florida, but they are happy.”
A shiver went down my spine. “How do you know this?”
“They told me.” She was so firm in her answer.
“You saw them?”
“Sort of.” Ireland leaned down. “See those two butterflies on the end of Mom’s casket? That’s them. Mom always told me to look for butterflies.”
Who was I to deny what she said as truth? “Let’s go back to your house and pack up whatever we can fit into my car for you to take with us.” Ireland wrapped her hand in mine. “If you want all new stuff then we can just buy you new things.”
Vivian
“Vivian, what happened with you and Skkye?” one of the firemen asked. He was a frequent patron at Sixes and had been here the night Aaron came in to see me.
Ever since that night, the Lightning games were often on the television, and tonight was one of those nights.
“Nothing happened, we’re still friends.”
“I thought you two were more than friends.”
“Nope, just friends.”
“Why wasn’t he playing tonight? Ever since he ran out of Thursday’s game, he hasn’t played, not once.”
“He had a family emergency.”
“What the fuck?” Stella grabbed the television remote from the counter and turned up the volume.
Aaron’s face was front and center, along with a sweet-looking woman and a child who looked totally like Aaron.
“Celtics beat the Lightning seventy-four to sixty-five in tonight’s game without their star shooting guard Aaron Skkye, who hasn’t been seen since last Thursday’s game. No one has heard word from Skkye’s representative or the team’s spokespeople as to why he left the game or when he is expected to return. But we may have uncovered something, a sister station in Evansville, Indiana captured this image while covering another story at the Vanderburgh county courthouse. Mr. Skkye was spotted leaving the courthouse with Karen Koehler, a case worker with the county’s department of Children and Family Services, and a young child. Keep watching as we continue to follow the mystery of what our golden boy is up to. I’m Haley Loles with Channel Two News.”
“What the hell is this, did you know anything about this?” Stella shouted.
“Nope. He told me it was a family emergency, and we’re leaving it at that until he tells me otherwise.” I hollered back.
“What the fuck is going on?”
“Don’t know, don’t care.”
“Have you spoken to him since he ran out of the game?” Stella’s voice softened as she neared me.
“Yep.”
“How many times? When?”
“That’s two questions.” Stella gave me her evil, don’t-fuck-with-me-bitch stare. “I talked with him Friday.”
“So, you’re telling me you haven’t talked to him for almost a week? Have you at least tried texting him, relationships even those just beginning are a give and take kind of thing?”
I shook my head.
Stella sighed. “I don’t get it, that man is crazy about you, he is dead gone.”
“He still might be, but he has a major family issue that he needs to take care of first.”
The bell above the door rang, and I turned to welcome the newcomers but froze at the sight of Channel 2 News, Haley Loles along with two men, both carrying cameras with a huge mic.
“We’re here to eat, can we sit anywhere?” Haley asked.
“Nope, please leave,” I stated, trying to hold my composure. How dare she come into my establishment and try this shit?
She let out a long huff. “We’re just here for service.”
“Yep, and I’m refusing it. Please leave.”
In well-rehearsed movements, the three of them were in position revealing their true reason for being here. “Then let me ask you, Vivian Haines, Orlando’s Sweetheart, what is going on with you and Aaron Skkye and is it already over? Does he have a secret love child?”
“That’s it,” Harley ordered as she removed the mic from Haley’s hand. “You were asked to leave, and you’ve refused. Now, I’m in charge.” I smiled as Deputy Harley Scott, a great friend, guided the three of them out and other officers followed behind.
“So, I can take this as you refusing to answer?” Haley shouted back toward me.
“You can take it as you’re a bitch,” Stella shouted back. “And no one likes you.”
“That’s it, I’m headed home, Mikki you’ve got this?” I asked.
“Absolutely, go home and chill. We’ll be fine,” she assured me.
“Nope. We’re not having that.” Stella tugged my hand. “Danny, can I have a shaker, some limes, and a bottle of Patron?”
“Coming right up,” Danny shouted back as he grabbed a bowl of sliced limes and began filling a tray.
“That”—I pointed toward the door—“is just one more reason why Aaron and I would never work, I hate the media.”
“Yep, don’t we all.” Stella was placating me as she pulled me to the corner table.
We all sat while Danny delivered a stack of shot glasses, tequila, limes, and several salt shakers.
Everly, who had been sitting with some of the firemen and paramedics, joined us
