"In this world and generation, we have to accept change. Though it always hurts us, we just have to accept it and move on."

"Holding unto the past is like trying to prevent a heavy rock from falling over a cliff. It weighs you too much, almost as if it wants to take you with it to a dark path and it is a challenge to keep holding on. Do this for yourself. For freedom....let go."

______________________________________

Jace's POV

Today was the day that I would visit where Julia once lived.

But I didn't want her to know. So I had to be very nonchalant.

"Where are you going?" Julia asks from the bed yawning. She looked look an absolute goddess stretching like that. I had to resist the urge to stay here and not leave.

"I'm going to..." My mind goes blank knowing that I had no excuses.

"I'm going to make sure that my dolphin is okay?" I sigh.

"Oh yeah sure, why don't we just go and pet some tigers while we're at it?" She chuckles. "Its okay, you don't have to tell me, but you can kiss me goodbye."

"That, I'll definitely do." I smile kissing her. I rub her stomach, knowing that she was on her monthly. She usually didn't make a big deal out of them because she didn't really like to mention it.

"I'm in pain." She mumbles. "Maybe if you stay with me the pain will go away."

I chuckle kissing her stomach. "Nice try."

"Worth a shot." She chuckles, hugging me. "Be safe. I'll be waiting for my treat tonight." She says. I chuckle at her, kissing her neck softly.

"I will. See you soon." I blow her a kiss going through the door.

..........

"Hi, is this where the Pepper's used to reside?" I ask a lady who smiles at me brightly.

"No, but she used to live in this community." She

"No, but she used to live inna thid community." She puts on her shoes closing the door. "Yuh wah mi show yuh?"

"Yes please." I smile in thankfullness.

As we walk in the neighbourhood, I couldn't help but notice the children, the adults as they play with them, they way each person waved at me, making sure to give me a genuine smile despite not knowing me. They didn't even look at me differently because of my skin colour.

Then it dawned on me that this was so much more than a community, it was a family.

"This place is beautiful." I whisper.

"Mi know, that's why mi love it." She smiles. "Mi never get yuh name."

"Oh I'm so sorry." I turn beet red when she chuckles at me. "My name is Jace Pellington. I'm Julia Pepper's boyfriend."

"Julia?" Her eyes go wide. "Yuh a our sweet little Julia man? Watchya! Julia have man." She chuckles making me laugh with her.

"Yes, I'm Julia's man." I chuckle. "I didn't get your name."

"Him even talk nice." She shakes her head. "Julia find a nice one man." I smile at the compliment. "Oh, an de names Mrs. Gratsomeblur."

"That's a very..."

"Wierd name?" She chuckles. "Mi know. Just like Pellington."

"Okay, its a tie." I smile at her.

We arrive at a peach colour house. From my angle, it looks like a three story house, warm and welcoming.

"This is it." Her smile falters a little. "No sah, mi miss dem bad."

"Everyone loves her huh?" I ask, still looking at the house where my baby used to live.

"Ye." She whispers.

"Mrs. Gratsomeblur wah gwan?" I turn around only to be meeted with four teenagers who seem to be the same age as me. "Who dis?"

"Oh, this a Julia man from foreign." She chuckles tapping my back. "Mi soon come, mi haffi tell Shigglebottomsnort."

I chuckle once again at the woman, as she hurridly walks away.

"Your- Julia' man?" The girl with two puffs in her hair questions. "As in, Julia Pepper?"

"Yes." I smile.

"A lie." The boy at the end says with timidness.

"Mi jesus." The other guy says.

"Unuh stop act like ediat." The girl speaks up, smiling at me. "My name a Tezza. Da one here a Tahmar, Mizah, and him a Joseph."

"Nice to meet you guys." I smile.

"Julia and I were best friends. The four a we was her bess fren."

"Really?" My eyes widen. "Your the four friends she talks about all the time."

"She talk bout we?" Tahmar asks. I nod, smiling. "Yuh know from when she nuh call we?" I frown at the sadness in her tone.

"Trust me. Its not like that. She hasn't forgotton any of guys. She cares a lot about you guys. I swear. She has just been through a lot that you wouldn't even imagine."

They look amoung themselves. "We know that. Is she still sad bout har mama?" Josepth asks.

"Not really. She has beem through other stuff that just had her world turned upside down." I explain, hoping to cheer them up.

"We're sorry, we sound selfish don't?" Mizah frowns.

"No, no no. I understand. She hasn't forgotten about you guys. But I understand how you must have felt. And you're still her best friends."

"Julia found de one man." Tezza smiles, hugging me. "What's yuh name?"

"Jace Pellington." I smile. Tahmar eyes widen at me and they all laugh letting me laugh along.

"Y'all are perfect for each adda man. Same weird last name to bauxide." Mizah says.

"So Jace, come mek we give yuh a tour." Joseph smiles.

..............

"That was when Julia did small." Tezza smiles.

We were inside Julia's childhood house, looking at pictures of Julia and me getting a tour of the place. Someone who was a good friend of Julia had actually moved into this house and left Julia's room exactly the way it was and were fine with us looking.

I chuckle at picture of a mini Julia, smiling at the camera with two front teeth no where to be found.

"I love it." I stare at it. Taking in her little small self. She was beautiful even when she was small.

"You really love her don't it?" She says from behind me.

"More than you could ever know." I whisper.

"I'm glad she found someone like you. She deserves you." I smile, turning towards her as the other guys enter the room. "But why are you here?"

"I came to get some things for her birthday." I sit down on her bed, I'm surprised that I can still smell her delicious scent.

"Really? That's only two days away." Tahmar smiles and Tezza sits beside me.

"I know, I want to make it her best." I smile at her.

"It will be, I just wish I could there." Joseph sadness didn't go unnoticed. As well as everyone else in the room.

"Everyone inna the community wishes to see her. We miss har a lot." Mizah says. An idea pops in my head and I smile in mischief.

"I might be able to sort something out." I smile at them and they do the same. "You'll get to see her, I promise."

"We're counting on it. We want her to get back the feeling of how fritters, jerk chicken, festival, bammy, sweet sop and ackee taste." Joseph smiles and I nod in agreement. Even though I have no idea what what those foods are.

My eye catches the sight of a picture frame with a mini Julia and a women who looks exactly like her.

"Is that?..."

"Yes. That's Julia's mama." Tezza cuts me off.

"She...she's beautiful." I say in awe.

"She was. Yuh know? Julia used to go to her grave everyday and talk to her. She tell us dat when she leave, she did feel sad seh she couldn't do that anymore." Mizah says.

"Really?" I ask in disbelief.

"Yeah, if anything, that a her birthday wish." Tahmar. "And to see us."

"Birthday wish huh." I say in thought. "I know exactly what I'm going to do for Julia's birthday. But you guys can't tell her."

"We won't."
"Got it."
"Ye mon."

"Your alright Jace." Tezza smirks, rubbing my back playfully, making me laugh at them.

I already love these people. Because not only have they become my new friends, they were also becoming my family.

.................

"So, what is it going to be?" Julia purrs as she crawls on the bed slowly towards me. I gulp, luttibg my phone on the night stand.

"I don't know what your talking about." I bite my lips when she places a kiss on my neck.

"Jace, you know exactly what I'm talking about." She whispers in my ears. I grab her waist, placing her on my lap.

"You want your treat now don't you?" I whisper, trailing her neck with kisses.

"Yes. Y-you promised." She says shakingly. I smirk, knowing that she's given up dominance and now has me in charge. And when I'm in charge.

Everything goes the way I want it to go.

"I did. Didn't I?" I whisper huskily, biting her neck teasingly. This caused her to moan shyly, hiding her face in my shoulders.

"I'm gonna give you your treat then." I say lowly before flipping us over.

"What's that?" She whispers.

"Your gonna love it." I smirk. I kiss her slowly, torturing her to no end. I use my tongue to explore her, knowing she loved it.

"Then show me." She whispers. Her eyes are no clouded with desire, as she tightens her hold on me.

"Oh I'll show you." I kiss her chest, making it heave up and down.

"When?" She gasps when I press my body against hers gently. I kiss her nose smiling softly.

"On your birthday."

I burst out laughing when she pushes me, laughing along.

I might not give her the other treat sge wanted...well, not yet, but I know, that on her birthday...

She'll be in for a great treat by me.

************************************

A/N: Wow y'all, we're like, so close to the ending and I honestly can't believe it.

Hang in there you guys. Just in case you needed this...

It will get better over time :)

Ily guys ❤