Getting The Girl

Chapter 5

Howdy

May 18,2023
4:22pm
You

After a few minutes, we got out and walked to the front door. Kehlani hesitantly raised her hand and knocked on the door.

Eli's mom, a short, older woman answered the door after about thirty seconds. Looking up at the two of us, she smiled softly and quickly ushered us inside.

"Please...come in."

We both stepped inside, Eli's mother closing the door behind us as Kehlani pulled her into a warm embrace.

"I can't even begin to imagine what you're feeling. Y/N and I are taking it pretty hard so you must be devastated."

I offered a small hug to Eli's mother, unsure of what to say. What could you say?

"I appreciate you both coming over. It's nice to know that Mookie had actual friends. I always told him he didn't need to be such a social butterfly. Focus on what he wants to become and leave the fake friends behind. He's always been hardheaded though."

Kehlani and I both laughed and Ms. Downer smiled softly.

"Please excuse my manners. Come sit down. Can I get you two anything to eat or drink.

I walked over to the couch with Kehlani behind me and shook my head.

"No ma'am, we're fine. We just wanted to come by and offer our condolences. He was such a joy to have. A true gem."

Ms. Downer nodded and sat across from us, resting her shaky hands in her lap and for the first time today, I got a good look of her face. She was clearly hurt her son was dead but she didn't look like she'd been crying or anything of the sort. She looked strangely at peace.

"When I heard about what happened last night, I knew it was only a matter of time. I feel....guilty for thinking such a thing now but I always knew someone would end up coming for my baby. I never wanted that to be a reality. No mother does. But when I heard the news, I couldn't help but feel like this day was coming from the get-go."

Kehlani rested her hand atop Ms. Downer's smiling weakly.

"Do you have a clue who might've done this to him?"

Ms. Downer's smile faded making Kehlani quickly pull back.

"I-I'm sorry that was rude of me to ask."

"No no honey, you're fine. I just don't have a clue who his murderer could be. Elijah was loved by most but he was no angel. He had his demons like the rest of us."

"Demons worth killing him for though?" I spurt out.

Ms. Downer and Kehlani looked at me and I put my head down.

"I'm sorry. I just don't understand what was so bad about Elijah that he deserved to die. No one deserves to be killed. I just- I..."

Ms. Downer placed her hand on top of mine, making me look up at her. She looked at me with a sad smile.

"You really cared about him. Didn't you?"