"You don't have to have it all figured out to move forward."

Chris Omar Vaughn

"Chris, how's downtown looking?" Reuben asked me at work.

I removed the paper cup from my lips and tossed it into the trash by the water fountain.

"Uh, good. Good." I answered, sticking my hands into my pockets.

"Good. I'm really proud, liking the initiative you've taken on that project," he offered.

I smiled wide. "Thanks, Fish. It means a lot to me, the restaurant."

"Yeah, that's good. Anyway, there's a project down in, uh, Port Ember, New York, they're looking for bright minds, extra set of hands. It's a real up and coming city, full of millennials, ugh. I'd go but, well, I'm too busy. I'd love to have someone from this chapter go and visit, though?"

I stopped and stared at him. "New York? Me?"

"Well, who else?" He chuckled, finally looking up from his iPad.

"Uh," I stammered. "for how long?"

"It'll be three months starting after next week, or so."

I gritted my teeth. Next week I had plans with Morgan. I know she wasn't up for it right now but we mentioned a bunch of Black Friday shopping, and I hoped it would make her feel better - get some stuff for her and the baby.

"It's the holidays, man," I reminded him in case he forgot.

"It's an opportunity of a lifetime, man," he mocked me.

I laughed small then it faded. "I've never not spent Christmas with my family."

"Well get used to it; it's called adulting. Tell you what, I'll forward the email to you with the details. Think about it, okay?" He clicked his tongue before starting down the hall.

"Guess I have to look up flights to New York..." I mumbled under my breath as I paced to my office.

***

"Good work, bro," Jabari thanked me for spotting him at the gym.

I snapped out of my thoughts to slap his hand in a shake.

He flexed in the mirror and then headed for the locker rooms and I trailed him.

I sat on the bench and checked my phone for any missed notifications. Some missed texts from my mother, work calls, and none from Morgan.

I sighed and tossed my phone in the Adidas bag.

"Wanna get some food?" He asked me, changing his tee.

I shook my head, seeing the time.

"Gonna go check on Morgan, make sure she's okay." I let him know.

He nodded with a pained look on his face. "I haven't seen her since the funeral. Jas said she hasn't returned any of her calls or texts. How she holding up, not good, I guess?"

I dropped my head.

It was hard, for sure, dealing with Morgan since the accident. I wanted to be there for her but it's like she didn't want me to be. That's just her being strong.
Mom told me it would take time, but how much?

It's not that I wanted her to move on with life already, 'cause you can't just move on from that, but I missed the person she was before this happen.

"I don't know if she's eating o-or sleeping, she hasn't been home, she's staying at the b&b worrying my mother sick."

Jabari hung his head and breathed out deeply. His hand fell on my shoulder and I tensed up.

So many people told me "sorry" and put their hands on that same shoulder at the funeral that it didn't even feel right anymore.

It's not a competition but Morgan isn't the only one who lost them. We all mourned Quinn and Callie. This was sad for Penshaw, the whole town came out to support.

Jabari let me gather my things before he said anything else about the matter.

I threw the strap over her shoulder and headed out of the gym, barely waving at anyone who spoke to me as I exited.

I slammed the back door shut once my gym bag was on the seat, and leaned against the truck.

"Man," Jabari exhaled. "You know I'm here for you if you need anything, right?"

I nodded and he palmed my head, chuckling.

"If you can, bring Morgan over to the crib tonight. It'll do her some good being around her friends," he suggested, hand out for me to slap.

We did our handshake and then he said he loved me, stepping off the sidewalk to cross the street and jump in his Hellcat.

"Hey, Chris, how's it going?" A random person said, walking by on the street.

I waved stiffly, trying to remember where I saw this middle-aged lady before.

She pulled the airpod from her ear and said, "Really sorry about your loss. How's the family?"

***

"Mom!" I shouted, walking into her house.

The smell of sweet potatoes made me smile and trek towards the kitchen instead of where I was originally going, to the living room for football.

"Someone else gave me another 'I'm sorry' pie!"

Since Morgan's parents left town, everyone was consoling my mother and our family, I guess because we're close to Morgan.

No, but I loved Quinn like she was my own niece. Everyday seemed so different without her lighting up the town.

By the looks of it you wouldn't think Mary knew what she was doing in the kitchen, the place was a mess, but she was a regular ole' Martha Stewart.
Thanksgiving at The Vaughn's was always a spectacle, I wouldn't miss a dinner for the world.

"Baby I'll be sittin' here waiting on you to come home again. I won't leave. Promise I'll be here to the very end; by your side to protect you and to love you and to be with you for life. Come on home to me, Charlene..." I sang along to the Anthony Hamilton song serenading the room.

"What do you know about that?" Jasmine turned around the corner and flashed a smile at me.

"Girl, that's my song." I cracked up, reaching for a hug.

"Mhm," she sounded, nudging me out of the way so she could reach some utensils.

"What are you doing here, I thought we were having something at your place?" I asked, confused.

Jabari rounded the corner next and dapped me up. "We called Morgan and she didn't want to leave the house. So I figured we'd bring the party to her."

"Except your mom put us on side dish duty," Jasmine added in a mumble, stirring the greens on the stove.

"It's 'cause we black," JB joked, taste-testing the macaroni.

I laughed at them with a warm heart. It's nice to have people in our lives that cared so much.

"Thank you, guys. For real. Where is she?" I wondered.

Jabari used his head to allude to the dining room where I would find Morgan setting the table.

She was listening to my parents talk about our family traditions and would smile every once in a while.
At least she's smiling now, I thought. Before, you couldn't pay her to.

I leaned on the supporting wall structure and crossed one ankle over the other, like my arms in a pretzel.

I was just proud that through all of this Morgan didn't let herself go. Yeah she was looking pale and had under eyes bags, but she continued to get dressed and brush her hair.

When my mom was depressed over dad being sick and leaving she didn't move from the couch. She didn't shower, brush her teeth, or change out of pajamas for weeks.

"-Chris used to wear his Indian chief costume every Thanksgiving until we finally told him how inappropriate it was," my mother laughed at the memory.

"Well, Sherry and Alvin definitely let him know that first dinner we had together, remember that?" Dad added.

Mom put her hands to her mouth and giggled. "Oh, yeah. They called us colonizers. Oh, I just love them."

"Okay, let's not tell the Indigenous costume story again, please?" I stepped in.

My parents both smiled at me and waited for me to greet them with hugs.

"How was work?" Mom asked.

"Actually, I have some good news," I let everyone know.

My eyes shot to Morgan who continued counting forks around the table.

"Oh?" Mom gushed.

"Well, what is it, son?" Dad rushed.

I felt like I needed to talk it over with Morgan first, so I did just that, pulling her to the vacant family room.

"Hey, Chris," she said small.

"Hey, babe," I replied, looking her over.

She wore a large coffee-colored knit sweater vest, black leggings, and a pair of ribbed cream crew socks.
Her hair was in two half-up pigtails, the rest fell straight down her small back. The only accessories she had on was a ring, gold rose necklace, and some matching earrings.

I wasn't sure if it was because the accident or the fact that she was no longer under Malcolm's pressure that she had settled into a more conservative wardrobe, but I liked it on her either way. Frankly, she could wear a paper bag and still make it look hot.

"I got a job offer today," I announced, sitting Morgan down on the couch.

She cracked a smile. "That's good. Congratulations, babe. Doing what, with who? What about Reuben?"

"He's the one who recommended me. It's, uh, in New York, actually, for the next three months."

The moment I feared, her face fell.

"New York? For the next three months? Chris, what about Christmas? New Year's?"

"I know," I breathed out, putting my hand on hers. "but can I really pass this up?"

She blinked rapidly. "I'm sorry. I'm happy for you, let's start there. Congratulations! Come here..."

Morgan pulled me in for a hug and held me there for a second.

When I pulled away, I caught the heavy look on her face, pulling her lips and eyebrows into a frowning expression.

"But?" I tensed.

"No 'buts.' If that's what you want to do, we can do it." She nodded with a sure smile.

"Mom's probably gonna be the most upset, but she'll understand. And you'll only be what, like, six months? We can-"

"I need to talk to you about that, actually," she said sheepishly.

I stopped listening to my own voice and focused on her lips as she tried to part them and say something.

"Um," she stammered, sniffling.

I furrowed my eyebrows as she dropped some tears.

"What? What's wrong?" I asked.

Morgan wiped her cheeks and then smiled at me, giving my body another squeeze.

"Nothing," she sniffled. "I'm just so proud of you."

"I'm proud of us," I enthused, putting my hands to her stomach.

"So, are we gonna get the good news, or what?" Dad questioned, entering the room with Mom on his hip.

"It must be good, Morgan's crying happy tears!" Mom noticed, clapping her hands together, drawing in Jasmine and Jabari's attention.

Morgan flashed a toothy smile and then said, "Excuse me, I have to use the bathroom. Sorry."

"Oh, don't be sorry," Mom cracked a laugh after Morgan. "pregnant people pee, it's normal!"

I watched Morgan pause and look over her shoulder at my mother who was smiling ear to ear, and then she hurried into the half bathroom by the kitchen.

I couldn't help but be worried about her, all the mood swings, and everything she's been through. This shit isn't easy and it hasn't been that long. I understood that without her family, her life would be totally different now. That's another reason I was excited to take this job.

"Now come on," Dad jolted, shaking me by my shoulders.

I snapped out of my head and looked at him, grinning at me like he had an extra set of teeth.

All of their eyes were fixed on me, waiting for the big announcement.

I picked the skin on my hands and revealed a smug smile.
"How does Christmas in New York this year sound?"

~~~

A/n: sorry guys again for slacking but I wanted to update this because I had it written for a week now, just wasn't connecting with it. It's kind of a filler with some expositional context so I didn't want to add on a lot and drag it out. Anyway, I hope you liked it! The good news is, I'm finally out of my funk - big thanks to oliviamj_ - and ready to write the next chapters so y'all can read them! I feel like the story is ending but trust me, there's SO much more to happen! Stay tuned!
Thank you, love you
~Nat