Aaron's Fall (17 page)

“Who is this?” Asia asked.

“Its Shanna.”

“How did you get my number?” Asia asked perturbed.

“How do you think; Aaron talks to me. He’s really getting tired of coming to your rescue. He won’t say this to you, he doesn’t want to hurt your fragile feelings, I told him I’ll take care of it, that’s why I’m calling you; stay away from Aaron, he’s mine. Oh, and by the way he’s sorry he didn’t make it to court we had some business in Macon, we both hope everything went okay.”

Asia gasped shocked. How dare Aaron talk to Shanna about her problems? This was the last straw.

“Tell Aaron to stay away from me.” Asia said hanging up the phone. Asia decided immediately it was over; she wanted nothing to do with Aaron ever.

Aaron raced to his parent’s house in a panic. Damn it, he had missed Asia court appearance. Shanna had called him, stranded in Macon, her car had broke down and he gone to Macon to get her. When he got back, he went straight to the courthouse, but everyone was gone.

“Mom, Dad!” Aaron called.

“In the den Son,” his father called back.

Brie and Trevet were not pleased with their son. His father was especially angry with him. Trevet rose, standing as tall as his son does.

“Where were you Aaron?” Trevet asked anger in his tone.

Brie stood beside her husband, Trevet was livid;

“Calm down Honey,” Brie said looking at the anger in his face.

Aaron took a step back, frowning. He’s never seen his father this angry.

“What’s going on Dad?”

“Where were you Aaron?” his father repeated.

“How’s Asia?” he asked.

“Where were you Aaron?” his father repeated.

“Dad, something came up, I tried to get back, but by the time I got there you were all gone, I....”

“What was more important than seeing to Asia?” his father interrupted.

“Shanna broke down in Macon, and I …”

“Shanna,” his mother said incredulously, “That woman is a manipulator, Aaron you can’t see through that,” Brie said stated.

“Mom, what was I suppose to just leave her there,” he said in his defense.

“Yes,” his mother said. Aaron stared at his mother with surprise.

“Son, you should have at least called, let us know where you were,” his father stated.

“Your right, Dad, I’m sorry,” Aaron said dejected. “Did she get off?”

“Yes, the case was dismissed,” Trevet told him, “but not before Bass attacked her right in the courtroom, his hand around her neck, they couldn’t get him off her.”

Aaron froze. “Is she alright?”

“Do you really care Aaron?” his father spoke.

“Dad, you know I do.”

“I can’t tell, you better get your head straight Boy, I mean it, she needed you.”

Aaron head fell. Disgusted with himself. He did it to her again.

“Dad, I’m sorry,” Aaron said sadly.

“I’m not the one you should be saying that to.”

Trevet shook his head, and pulled his son in to his arms.

“I love you Son,” Trevet said releasing him. “Go see Asia.”

Aaron exhaled and rushing from the house. Brie shook her head.

“He’s worst then you,” Brie stated to her husband.

“What do you mean?” Trevet said frowning at his wife.

“When is he going to realize he loves that girl?”

“Probably when its to late,” his father surmised.

Aaron stood at Asia door. The door opened. She stood silently looking at him, but didn’t invite him in.

“What do you want Aaron?” she finally said brusquely.

“Baby are you alright, I rushed... Aaron said.”

“What do you want?” Asia asked again, interrupting him.

Aaron looked at her. He saw the marks on her fair skin; he reached out to touch her.

Asia backed away from him. Aaron frowned, confused by her reaction.

“I’m sorry Asia, I know your angry, something came up, I got back to late, and...”

“Shut up Aaron, I don’t care that you weren’t there, how dare you talk to your girlfriend about me!”

“What are you talking about Asia?” Aaron frowned confused.

“You wanted to be rid of me, well Aaron, you’ve gotten your wish, I never want to see or hear from you again, and tell your girlfriend not to call here again!” she screamed at him slamming the door.

Aaron stood at the door staring at it. He growled angrily. “Damn you Shanna,” he muttered. He cursed again, and left to go deal with Shanna.

Aaron was sitting in the den at his parent’s home. He hadn’t talked to Asia in well over a couple weeks, she refused to see him or talked to him. Everyone he talked to seem to be helping her stay away from him. Brie looked at how, miserable her son appeared without Asia.

“Mom, you were right, Shanna is a manipulator, she called Asia, telling her I wanted her out of my life, now Asia won’t see me or speak to me, have you seen her?”

Brie shook her head. “Yes son, I have, and she just as miserable as you, but you made this bed, and only you can figure it out.” his mother advised.

“She won’t even let me explain.”

“I’m sorry Aaron, I said I was not going to get involved, but why don’t you just admit you love Asia.” his mother said.

“Because I don’t Mom, I care.” he stated.

“Well, it seems like love to me,” she replied shaking her head. “I don’t understand, you men think you give up living if you admit your love for someone, take your father, he tried to deny he loved me, thinking I was too fragile, I knew what I wanted all the time, it was your father who was scared to commit.”

“I’m not scared Mom, I see the love you and Dad have for each other, I don’t have that with Asia,” Aaron said.

“You can’t compare what your father and I have, everyone is different.” Brie told him.

“Is it so wrong for me to want that kind of love for myself, Mom?” Aaron asked.

“No, Son its not, but you better decide what it is you want, or just leave Asia alone, you just can’t keep her hanging on like you’ve been doing, so maybe you need to let it be for now.”

“I miss her Mom.”

Asia was over at Brie’s for lunch. She and Brie had become very close, they spent a lot of time together, and Asia could talk to her. Brie didn’t ask her about Aaron, they actually didn’t talk about him. But Brie knew Asia still loved him. It had been a few weeks since Asia had slammed her door in his face, she was determined to stay away from Aaron. She worked day and night on her music. Between photo shoots, and making videos, she didn’t have time or the energy to deal with her feeling about Aaron. Her phone rang. It was Benny, her manager.

Asia listened as he talked. By the time she hung up, she was grinning broadly.

“What Asia, what?” Brie said excitedly.

“For You,” has gone platinum!” Asia cried excitedly. Brie and Asia were hugging and laughing with glee. Trevet came out to the patio, to see what all the excitement was.

Brie saw her husband. “Trevet, Asia gone platinum!” she cried.

“Well ladies get on the phone, this calls for a celebration,” he said laughing.

Aaron arrived at his parent’s house to several cars parked in the driveway and along the street. It seems his parents was have a party. He found everyone in the backyard.

He saw all his friends there, then he saw Asia, sitting with another man, they were facing each other, holding hands. This was the first time he had seen her in weeks. He watched them. Asia was smiling, and every so often, she would throw back her head and laugh happily.

Martin saw Aaron, and went to him.

“Hey man, isn’t this great, Asia song went platinum.” he informed.

“Really,” Aaron said wryly-eyeing Asia.

Martin looked in the direction of Aaron’s attention. Martin smiled. Aaron was jealous of Asia manager.

“She looks happy right?” Martin said. Aaron didn’t respond, he just left Martin standing alone, and went in search of his parents.

Brie and Trevet were sitting with Martin’s parents.

“Hello,” Aaron said to cordially to everyone.

“Son, did you hear, Asia gone platinum,” his mother stated happily.

“Yeah, I heard.” he said looking at his mother.

Brie frowned. “You don’t seem happy for her Honey,” his mother said.

“Who’s that with Asia, holding her hands?” Aaron asked glaring at them.

“Oh, that’s Benny,” his father replied.

“Benny?” he repeated.

“Asia manager,” his father stated.

“He seems awfully friendly, can he be trusted.” Aaron asked, still looking at them.

“I hand picked him myself, Son, he can be trusted.” Trevet told him. Aaron looked at his father, his face unyielding

“Why didn’t you get a woman, Dad?”

“Because Son, Benny is the best in the business, a man with integrity.”

“Asia seems to like him a lot.” he stated harshly.

“Yes, she does.” his mother stated. “Go say hello,” Brie told him.

Asia saw Aaron coming towards her. Her heart picked up its pace in her chest. Its over, she told herself. But why did he still affect her so much.

“Hello Asia,” Aaron said wryly his face stony.

“Hi Aaron, this is Benny, my manager,” Asia introduced. Benny rose and extended his hand. Aaron ignored his outstretched hand.

“Yeah, I heard, what else does he manage Asia?” Aaron asked sarcastically.

Asia frowned. Aaron took her hand pulling her from the chair she sat.

“We need to talk,” he said pulling her into the house.

“What is it Aaron?” Asia asked when they got into the den.

“Are you sleeping with him?” Aaron asked bluntly.

“What? He’s my manager Aaron,” Asia stated firmly.

“So are you?” he insisted.

“I’m not answering that Aaron!” she said turning to leave him. Aaron didn’t follow her right away; he had to get a rein on his anger. Asia had just stepped out of the patio door, when he stopped her. He grabbed her arm turning her.

“Tell me Asia!” he demanded.

“Why Aaron, aren’t you sleeping with Shanna?” Asia countered.

“I want to know Asia, now!”

“You know Aaron, I’m tired of this back and forth with you, you don’t want me; if I were it shouldn’t concern you!” she stated. They voices were getting loud.

“So now that you’ve got it all, you don’t need me.”

Asia mouth dropped opened astounded. “Need you Aaron, you said I was too needy, you can’t be with me, make up your mind Aaron.”

“Are you sleeping with him!?”

“I’m not answering that Aaron!” she replied turning away.

Everyone was trying not to listen to them but they were becoming very loud.

Aaron pulled her to him. “I miss you Asia,” he whispered.

“I don’t miss you Aaron,” she lied pulling away from him.

“Why Asia, are you sleeping with him?” Aaron yelled at her.

“Are you sleeping with Shanna?” she yelled back.

“I don’t want her, I want you.”

“I don’t want you anymore Aaron!” she lied, as her heart felt like it was bursting into a million pieces.

“Damn it Asia, are you sleeping with him?”

“Go see Shanna, Aaron,” Asia said dismissing him, turning to walk away. Aaron grabbed her arm, her eyes widened with fear.

She pulled away. “Your no better than Marcus and Bass, you think you own me don’t you? You think you can come and just piss in this tree anytime you want, and the bad thing about it is I allow you to, because for some crazed reason, I thought I loved you!” she shouted at him.

“I helped you Asia, I was there for you, and you needed me!”

“Make up your mind Aaron!” she yelled back at him.

Asia sighed defeated. “I loved you, not because of the things you did, but for the man I thought you were, not for the way you treated me, or because I needed you, I loved you because you were my light, but your just like them, you want to own me, well Aaron I don’t need you nor want you!”

“Don’t forget Asia, I remember where you come from!” Aaron said cruelly. Asia felt like she had been slapped in the face.

Everyone at the celebration was listening to them now, they couldn’t help it, they were screaming at each other.

“I know you’ll lay beneath any man anytime he wants you, hell you did it for me!” Aaron said sardonically

Trevet rose from his seat. “Aaron!” he called, “That’s enough!”

“Is that what you think of me?” she asked in a choked tone. Asia stood there staring at him, searching his face, not wanting to believe what she was hearing.

Of course, he didn’t think that, yet seeing her with Benny, and not seeing her for weeks, has clouded his good sense.

“Answer me!!” she screamed.

“Are you sleeping with him? Aaron repeated venomously.

Martin was holding Tia back. Wayne and Eddie wanted to punch Aaron in the mouth.

The tears that filled Asia’s eyes spilled over.

“Why didn’t you leave me in Macon?” she asked defeated.

“Tell me Asia, is this your new life now from one man to the other, will they make you smile like I do Asia?”

She looked up at him; tears flowing down her redden cheeks.

“I’m sorry I ever met you,” she said lowly.

“Like you had a better option!” he stated harshly.

“I’m sorry I ever met you!” she screamed at him.

“Not as sorry as I am!” he yelled back to her.

Asia walked away. Trevet stopped her hugging her. Benny went to her putting his arm around her shoulders.

Aaron gritted his teeth. His father stood in front of him, and Trevet wasn’t happy with his son.

“She sleeping with him!” Aaron stated glaring at Asia’s back. He looked at his father face.

“I’m leaving Dad!”

“You’ve crossed the line, this time Son,” his father said testily, “Benny is a happily married, with children, but let me tell you this, don’t ever let me hear you blatantly hurt her again, she been through enough in her life, she deserves to happy, do you understand me!” he said through clenched teeth.

“Dad?”

“Say you understand!” his father yelled.

“Yes sir.
“You do realize you may have ruined any chance with her.,” his father stated calmly.

“Good!” Aaron said and stormed off.

Chapter 10

Asia lay across her bed going over the itinerary, Benny had for her. She told him she wanted to do any thing that kept her from Atlanta for a while. Benny understood. Asia rolled to her back, replaying all the hateful things Aaron said to her. The ironic thing about it is she still loved him. She tried focus on her schedule. She and the Coz would be flying out to the BET studio, to go on BET Live; she had to rehearse for her second video that was to be filmed in Florida. Chez, Wilson and Rhonda were now traveling with her. She didn’t worry about packing Rhonda took care of that. They just wanted her to get some rest; they would be out of town for over a month. Clive was planning a concert in Atlanta for his new recording artists, with Asia headlining. She needed this time away from Atlanta and away from Aaron.