Once they got in the car, AJ called Denise and asked her if she wanted some company. She excitedly said yes and hung up on him. AJ laughed and called her back.

“Mom… we’ll be there in about a half hour, okay?” AJ laughed into the phone.

“Can I make some dinner or something? I just finished making some meatballs and sauce.” She replied.

“Ma… whatever you’d like to do. Love you.” AJ said and hung up the phone.

“She cookin’ again?” Ciara asked.

“You up for pasta?” AJ asked.

“You know I love pasta. I just have one more stop before we go to your mom’s.” Ciara explained.

“You want to go by your old house, don’t you?” AJ asked.

“If it’s not too much trouble.” Ciara replied. She wanted to see it again.

“Not at all.” AJ replied and made a left to go to their old neighborhood. He had since bought his mom a new home and gave her a monthly stipend so she didn’t have to work.

“Who lives there now? A nice family?” Ciara wondered.

“I think the Joneses still live there. They bought it about a year after the accident. I use to date their daughter, Jessie… I don’t know about now.” AJ commented.

“Wow… the house looks great.” Ciara replied as AJ pulled up across the street and put the car in park.

“Yeah… I take good care of it.” AJ said to himself, he didn’t tell her that he owned the house, that he owned most of the block to stop developers from tearing it down to put up a strip mall.

“Mr. McLean… how nice to see you!” Mrs. Jones declared as AJ and Ciara got out of the car.

“Hello Mrs. Jones. How are you today?” he asked. Mrs. Jones was planting flowers around one of the trees in the front of the yard.

“Just fine… thank you. You just missed Jessie and her husband. They were here for the weekend with the twins.” Mrs. Jones explained.

“How is Jessie and the clan?” AJ was so polite with Mrs. Jones.

“Just fine, just fine… what brings you to the neighborhood?” she asked.

“Remember how I used to talk about the family that lived here before you did? This is Ciara, the daughter.” AJ explained and introduced the two women to each other.

“Ah yes… your mother was just here a few days ago. Very upset and hysterical.” Mrs. Jones said.

“I’m sorry about that. She’s not right in the head. I hope she wasn’t a bother?” Ciara replied.

“Not at all dear. I’m glad you’re here though… she left something behind. Come on into the house with me.” Mrs. Jones said to them both.

“Um, if you don’t mind, I’ll just wait in the car. I’m not prepared to go back in there.” Ciara said rather quickly. AJ knew right away that a panic attack was about to hit.

“Fine… fine… I’ll be right out with it.” Mrs. Jones didn’t seem to mind that Ciara didn’t want to go into the house.

“You okay?” AJ asked as soon as Mrs. Jones was in the house.

“Yeah, I just know that if I go into the house, we won’t make it to your mom’s. I’ll be okay.” Ciara managed to smile. Mrs. Jones came back out of the house with a thick manila envelope.

“What’s this?” Ciara asked as Mrs. Jones handed it to her.

“Somehow your mom knew you’d be by and told me that if you came by, that I was to give this to you.” Mrs. Jones replied.

“Thank you, Mrs. Jones. Take care.” Ciara shook Mrs. Jones’ hand.

“You kids stay safe now. Buh-bye.” Mrs. Jones replied as AJ walked Ciara over to the car.

Ciara stared at the manila envelope. She wasn’t sure she wanted to open it. Once they were on their way again, she placed it behind her. AJ wasn’t going to ask. He knew she’d open it when she was ready.