Darker The Forbidden Berry

“Do you think I’m going to be a good mom?” Aja asked, glancing at Jaleeyah, worry flashing in her eyes.

Jaleeyah smiled and slid across the couch, putting an arm around her and tugging her close. She nodded and pressed a gentle kiss to Aja’s temple.

“That is the last thing you need to worry about Aja,” she murmured. “You’re going to be an amazing mom.”

Aja relaxed in her friend’s arms for a brief moment before patting her leg and standing.

“You’re a good friend, Jaleeyah.”

“That’s what I aim for! Glad I could deliver. Where are you going?”

“Oh…I’m just stepping out for a few minutes.”

Despite all the time she and Finn spent together at different events, Aja just hadn’t gotten comfortable around large groups of wealthy people. There was still a part of her that felt like a fraud. She felt like she was just pretending that she belonged here. Sometimes she couldn’t help but wonder if everyone secretly felt the way Finn’s mother did. She’d tried to shake off her interaction with Linda, but there was something about it that stuck with her.

Aja stepped out of the main living room and walked past the hallway where the large front door was situated. She stopped mid-step, noticing a pile of mail on the floor. She’d never had a mail slot growing up, but she had to admit it certainly was nice. It made her feel more like a grown-up.

She walked over to the pile of mail and grunted as she squatted down to pick it up. There was no more bending over for her. As she lifted the pile of mail, one of the letters got loose and fluttered to the ground. She sighed and set what she’d managed to hold onto on the console table before snatching up the one that had gotten away from her.

When her eyes finally settled on the return address, her whole body went very hot and then very cold. It was from her college. More specifically – the art department.

“Aja?” Finn called, walking down the hallway with a glass of sparkling grape juice in his hand.

“Finn…I-It’s here,” she whispered, holding the envelope as her legs began to shake.

Finn crossed the room and set his glass down. He wrapped his arms around her, concern etched into his face as he guided her to sit on the small bench in the entryway.

“What is it?” He asked, glancing at the envelope.

“It’s…The letter about the gallery,” she explained, her voice coming out as a strained whisper.

“Oh! Let’s open it then!”

Aja had the letter clutched in a death grip, her lips shaking. She turned to look at Finn with wide eyes.

“What if I didn’t get in?”

Finn offered his usual comforting smile and he tugged Aja into his lap and moved so smooth and quick she hardly realized it had happened.

“Then I will buy you your own art gallery where you can display anything you want, my love.”

The fear began to subside and her face relaxed a little. She looked at the letter and then at Finn. Aja still wasn’t used to someone sweeping in and fixing all of her problems for her. She’d been on her own for so long and she’d been expected to fend for herself. It was going to take time to get used to the simple solutions that Finn offered. She nodded slowly and took a deep breath.

She slid her nail along the lip of the envelope and tore an opening large enough to remove the letter. She took another deep breath before slowly folding it open, glancing over the keywords. She got to the end and slowly started to read it aloud.

“…It is for these reasons that we have chosen your piece to be in the 56th annual student gallery. Congratulations. We will be reaching out with more details shortly.”

She turned to look at Finn and a grin spread across her face. She threw her arms around his neck, clutching the letter and letting out a joyful laugh.

“I did it, Finn!”

He rested his hand on her back and rubbed gently.

“I never thought you wouldn’t. You were the only person with any doubts, my love.”

She held onto him for a little bit longer before finally releasing him and pulling away. He planted a tender kiss on her lips and stood, offering his hands.

“Let’s go enjoy the rest of our party? Do you want to tell everyone the good news?”

Aja shook her head as she took his hands and stood facing him.

“I’ll let Jaleeyah know once everyone is gone. I want this to be about Bean. Not my art.”

Finn nodded and led her back to the room, leaving her in the archway that led back into the large family room. As he walked away, Aja just stood there, smiling and watching everyone around her in a happy haze. The baby began to kick against Aja’s hand and she chuckled softly, nodding. In that moment time seemed to slow as Finn turned back and smiled at her, gesturing for her to join him.

She smiled and crossed the room to stand beside him, knowing that this was how she wanted to spend the rest of her life.

The end.