It's just a week time skip

Last chapter was a week time skip too😂

If it's ever a MAJOR time skip like a month + I will let y'all know

Other than that I just put it somewhere in the story or you'll pick it up in due time

Enjoy

-2Q

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ANDRE

I watched as Kathryn unboxed Darnell's clothes. This was the first time she touched anything. She attempted to sell the house but she couldn't bring herself too. She brought me along to help her sort out all of his things.

His death took a toll on her. She wakes up early, makes breakfast, and then sits on the couch and watches Lifetime. She barely speaks. If she does it's usually stopped by tears.

"Do you want this?"She asked softly.

I looked at the Hawaiian shirt in front of me, "I'm gon have ta pass on this one baybeh. That ain't ma style."

She sighed and placed the shirt in the charity pile, the only pile. She refused to keep anything. I was surprised she asked me.

"He wore this on our 3rd year anniversary,"She smiled.

She held up a orange shirt. It was a nice polo. She held it too her chest and the water works began.

"I never knew...I never fucking knew,"She sobbed.

I placed my hand on her shoulder, "No one knew baybeh. Ya can't blame ya'self e'erday."

She didn't say anything. She just continued to cry. I wrapped her in my arms. I wiped the tears falling from her face. This was a daily routine for us.

"You know he burned himself? Every single patient he lost, he had tattooed in his skin."

"I didn't know that baybeh."

"He lost over 45 patients. That's not bad, considering he worked in the ER. I hate he thought he could save everyone."

"E'erybody got flaws Kathryn. His flaws were just his biggest fea'," I spoke. "Phrey extremely ugly. That's his flaw, but it's not his fea'. Ya in danger when ya worse flaw ya biggest fea'."

"My biggest fear is never having kids,"She whispered. "That's my worse flaw."

I turned her head so she was facing me. Tears continued to stream down her eyes as she looked at me.

"Kathryn baybeh ya gon have kids. Ya tha best fuckin person on this earth. Ya put ya'self through hell fa me. God gave ya a lil trouble but at tha top of tha mountain is blessings on top of blessings. Ya gon have kids baybeh. We gon have beautiful kids."

A little smile escaped her lips, "Who said I wanted your kids?"

I gently pushed her off of me as she laughed. I grabbed a box of Darnell's things and threw it in the corner.

"Don't Darnell got family or somethin? Ya can't go through this whole mansion by ya'self baybeh."

"His sister lives in Toronto. She didn't even come to the funeral. His mother is very sick, so she can't do it. The rest of his family wants nothing to do with him. I don't have a choice."

"Let's hi'e a cleanin service. We could bring tha goodwill by and they can get what they want. Ya can't go through this baybeh."

She stood up and dusted herself off, "You're right. I'm just going to get the meaningful stuff."

"'Ight I gotta go check on Marah. Ya good by ya'self?"

She nodded. I kissed her forehead and walked outside.

KATHRYN

I looked at all of the items around me. Tears began to stream down my face as I thought of Darnell. I hated myself for everything that happened to him. I never hated Darnell.

You realize how much you messed up when it's gone. I should've forgiven him for everything. I never should've treated him so terribly. He didn't deserve that from anyone, especially me.

"Look at this?"I whispered as I pulled out his belongings in his drawer.

He had our wedding pictures in there. I remember that day like it was yesterday. We had a small extravagant wedding. It was exactly what I had dreamed as when I was little. I never dreamed of divorcing my husband and then watching him die in my hands.

Everything that day was so sudden. I always knew Darnell was different, but I didn't know he was suicidal. I never knew he burned himself. I never knew he tattooed scars in his skin. We hardly touched, so I never got to see. I just couldn't believe he left.

I removed the box of his valuables from his drawer. The first item I found was his first gold chain. Once he paid off all of his student loans, he bought a custom made gold chain for the both of us. I still have mine, but I don't wear it often. It was beautiful and way to expensive to actually be worn. He wore it when he didn't have to work. He really loved it. I took it out and placed it in the to-go box.

The next item I found was his first stethoscope. He cherished this thing so much. It was his favorite thing. I smiled as I saw his initials engraved in the side. I ran my fingers over it. It was jagged because he did it himself. He wasn't the best with handiwork. I placed it in the to-go box.

I pulled out his photo album from when he was younger. I opened the book and immediately saw his bright smile. He couldn't have been any older than three or four. He had on a orange striped shirt, some khaki pants, and some dress shoes. Even when he was young he dressed nicely. His sister stood beside him in her dress. I laughed. She hated dresses and you could tell from the picture. She looked annoyed. I flipped through the book and saw more pictures of them.

His sister wasn't too fond of him. They stopped talking when she told his family she was a lesbian. Her mother disowned her, and since Darnell was so young he didn't have a choice but to side with his mother. If only his mother knew he wasn't even Christian, his sister and him would be best of friends. I hated that they couldn't make up before he passed.

I pulled out a few papers. One was his diploma. The other was his first medical degree certificate. He was so proud of this thing. He had it copied and plastered every where he could put it. I'm pretty sure there's one in the kitchen, above the microwave. He was so proud of himself, and I was too.

"Ugh, why is this sticky?"I mumbled as I unwrapped the piece of paper.

It had some candy wrappers on it. I gently took off the candy wrappers so I wouldn't tear the papers. I saw the bold letters "Kathryn" written on the front. I opened it and watched as a few more papers fell from under it. 

My dearest Kathryn,

     I guess my time has come. Hopefully this is Kathryn. If not could you please give this to her? I would hate for her not to read this. If she doesn't accept it burn it. I don't want anyone else reading this, but obviously I can't prevent that.

    So I guess I'm dead? Hopefully it was peaceful, but if not that's fine. Fate may have had other plans for me-

I rolled my eyes. I should've known he would've said that.

I know you're rolling your eyes. Stop doing that before you hurt yourself. Kathryn don't be upset. I promise in the next life I'll be okay. My time was coming soon. I was terminally ill anyways. I didn't want to tell you because I know you would freak. I had a lot of internal bleeding that couldn't be fixed. There was only so much us doctors could do, but not everyone makes it.

You probably see the burn marks. I'm sorry I didn't tell you. I felt like each patient I lost was a piece of me. I had to give them their recognition. It didn't hurt too much, but you know I'm a fan of pain.

"I'm a doctor after all,"I whispered through my tears. That was his motto. He said it all the time.

Stop crying. I promise everything will be okay. You have a wonderful family starting. Andre and Amarah are wonderful people. Andre balances you out, and Amarah is the little girl you've always wanted. It's okay to fall in love with something that's not yours. Amarah is your child regardless of what you think. You're her mother, and she's exactly what you need to get through this life.

You'll have other kids sooner or later. I'm predicting a little boy. If you have a little boy you have to name him-

"I'm not naming my child Darnell,"I giggled.

-that's not even what I was gonna say. I was going to say name him Darrell. It's not Darnell but it's close enough. I want to leave a legacy, but we never had kids.

I'm not going to hold you all day. Kathryn just remember I love you. I love you. Don't feel like I left without forgiving you, because I didn't. I forgave you way before. Don't carry that burden for the rest of your life. I forgive you Kathryn. I'll see you again...one day. Stay true to your fate. I love you.

I wiped the tears from my eyes. The note fell on the bed as I cried. I hated how Darnell was. He was planning this shit since day one. He knew he would die soon. Obviously too soon because he included Andre.

ANDRE

Phrey ran out of the house with Amarah on his back and Alayah held onto his side. He was trying to shake them off but they were attached to him. I laughed and stepped out of the car.

Amarah's been hanging out with Phrey while we get our house fixed. Insurance was still trying to sort out what happened. I didn't see what the problem was. We found the niggas who took my daughter, we killed them. The police are trying to pin everything on Darnell, since he's dead. I wouldn't let them do that though. They just messing up his legacy here and I don't want people to remember him like that. I took the blame for killing people, and we made up Darnell's suicide. We just say he actually shot himself.

Let's just say it sounded realistic cause we all know Darnell a lil...I'm not gon speak bad on dead people.

"Layah and 'Marah, ima throw y'all off me. Y'all gon fu-mess 'round and break somethin playin wit me."

"Daddy!"Marah shouted.

She let go of Phrey and ran to my arms. I held them open so she could give me a hug. She giggled as I held her tight.

"Hey baybeh girl. How is ya?"I asked.

"Good! PJ and I baked cookies while Layah played football with Uncle Phrey. I hate football but Layah loves it,"She spoke. She leaned in to my ear, "Layah is weird Daddy. She doesn't eat chocolate."

"Stop talkin' bout ya cousin lil girl."

Alayah stood behind Phrey. She hasn't gotten use to me or Kat yet. We haven't been around here as much as we should have, so I understand why she's not talking as much. Phrey told me just yesterday was the first time she's said more than, "Yes sir" or "No sir" to him.

She was adjusting well too Amarah though. It's true that little kids can just make friends easily. That's another reason why Phrey wants Amarah over here. He wants Alayah to get used to her surroundings and I don't blame him. He enrolled her into Amarah's school, even though the tuition is hella much. He said once she gets used to everything he's moving her and Amarah to a public school. He doesn't want them to be crazy private school kids. I don't blame him. Amarah becoming one of them kids who like to talk back.

"Where's mommy?"She asked.

"She's getting stuff packed up,"I spoke softly. "Na whe'a them cookies? I need ta see if ya can cook."

"I'm the best cookies cooker in the world daddy. If they had a competition I would win."

I chuckled. This child was a mess.