All That Matters by Paulette Jones Page A

of his family she was the only other person that he talked to about the struggle he went through to make the decision to live out his dream.
    ‘No I’m not I was just home like a month ago remember…you blew me off to go dance with Jen…come give me a hug.’
    Ayida complied with the request and melted into Sedric’ arms he held on a little tighter and longer each time which she was well aware of the pull between them but refused to let herself get caught up to much in him.
    Lately she had been doing her best to not even think to long hoping to erase some of what she felt for him. He sensed every time she fought with herself over him and wanted to do all he could to remove her hurt he just wasn’t in the place he needed to be to know he could be there for her completely.
    ‘So your home for a while now or just another quick visit?’
    ‘No off season be around for a while…So what are you up to after you leave Levis?’
    ‘I…I have this thing I’m going to with a friend.’ Her face had gone all red and she couldn’t meet his eyes. To Sedric it made her even more irresistibly innocent but it was clear there was something she didn’t really want to say to him.
    ‘Wassup…you don’t want me to know about your friend ?’
    ‘I didn’t say that.’
    ‘Wah dat face abou?’
    ‘Mi didn’t mek ah face Sedric.’ She was just stubborn enough to fight back when he called her on something and he loved every bit of it.
    ‘Okay so who is the friend I’m sure I know them?’ He laughed it off and tried to pull whatever it was out of her.
    ‘You do know him …well kinda Evan Finn we all went to primary together but then he moved before we started at Vincent.’
    ‘Evan that was on the rowing team….he lives down near the village right?’
    ‘Yea his family does his dad is a fisher but he lives on his own now…near the downtown there are new apartments down there.’
    He took a few minutes to take in and process what she was saying mostly because not once had she ever mentioned having a guy in her life let alone being more than involved than just casual passing’s.
    ‘So you and Evan are together?’ His insides started to feel mushy and his heart picked up pace a little as the look came back over her face again. Nobody had that power over him like she had and he knew it.
    ‘We have been out a few times but were not a couple not yet.’
    Not yet …it stung hard but why was the real question they hadn’t been in a relationship in over two years. When they did see each other things always remained in a “ friendly ” basis and absolutely nothing more.
    ‘Ah okay hey I have to run down to the market my mom has this huge list of tings for me to bring back. You should stop by when you get some time we’re having a ting for Nanny K you should come for it.’
    ‘That sounds nice when is it?’
    ‘Friday…stop by I know everyone will love to see you…likle more okay.’
    ‘Okay.’
    His body released some of tension he was holding when she was out of site. He wasn’t exactly free and the better man in him didn’t want to do wrong by her. But there was part of him that hated the entire thought of anyone but him in her life in that way. The truth of the matter was he had caused the issues between them with his stupid mistakes so he couldn’t be to upset over it. It still stung like hell though.
     

***
    ‘Sedric son yuh ah long time.’
    ‘Mr. Flee…how yuh? I come by last month you were away.’
    ‘Mi daughter take me foreign….busy busy place London. Da people dem on the go all di time.’
    ‘Wow I didn’t know she moved to London that’s a big move, she doing big tings I see.’
    ‘Mi say she duh to much…but she happy so mi don’t speak for it yuh know.’
    ‘You’re the best Mr. Flee…mi have a big list for you here we’re gone party for Nanny K this weekend yuh know?’
    ‘Mi hear dat, yuh know mi always fancy Lily and Kay, when we in primary they both have that long pretty hair