“OK.”
I ended the call with a sigh. My mother was a godsend, just like Lyric. I wasn’t sure why it had taken me so long to come back home. When it came to me, they’d both move mountains to make sure that I was taken care of.
My text thread had a few unread messages. One being from Cedric, which I was anxious to open. The other was from Pam, an extension of Dewayne that made my ass itch at the thought of. She was the woman who’d birthed him but didn’t deserve to be called mother.
So, you just take my grandchildren away from their father without an explanation. And, over what? A few love licks? You don’t work or do shit. My son handles everything. You should be more grateful. There will be times when y’all fight and go through shit but to leave? That’s a weak ass move.
As much as I wanted to give her the satisfaction of responding, my energy wasn’t set up that way. I couldn’t and had never gone back and forth with her or anybody else. It was always pointless to me and always would be because they’d still have their beliefs and I’d have mine. It was the main reason Dewayne thought that he’d won every argument that we’d ever had. The truth was, I was hoping he’d hear himself talk long enough to shut up and understand that I didn’t have the capacity for meaningless words with fools. It would only make me look and feel foolish.
Instead of responding, I edited her contact. She would no longer be able to send pesky texts because she’d been blocked. I found it amusing that she’d even found the time to send such a distasteful message because whenever I needed her to get the girls for a few, she claimed to be too busy. She hadn’t helped with them once since they were born, so her input on the situation was irrelevant in my eyes.
I moved on to the more lighthearted and anticipated message of the thread. It was from Cedric. He was a frequent communicator. I liked that about him. His message had come right on time and was enough to help me forget the one I’d read prior.
Thinking of you.
His short, straight to the point message made my cheeks redden and rise. Not feeling the need for words, I simply sent a smiling emoji. I watched as the gray bubble appeared and then disappeared. He didn’t have anything to say either. Sometimes, it was like that. Words weren’t needed. Just feels.
I stood from the bed for the second time and stretched for what seemed like the hundredth time. The nap had really done a number on my body. I felt well rested and ready to conquer the world – or Luca in my case.
Just the thought of seeing him again had me bright-eyed and jittery. I bounced toward the restroom where I planned to take care of my hygiene for the night out. I wanted to brush my teeth again and slather deodorant under my arms and in between the creases of my thighs where I tended to sweat a bit too much.
The smile that reached my eyes at the thought of the knight in near sandy hair and brown eyes, startled me as I walked past the mirror. Taking a few steps back, I centered myself. My reflection was as flawless as I remembered it being but there were so many scars within that, I could hardly recognize myself three weeks ago when I stood in front of the same mirror. Now I could see exactly who I was.
“Okaaaaay!” I hyped, snapping my neck until my head tilted to the far right.
My brown hair and hazel eyes glistened as if they’d gotten a refresh simultaneously. The dark circles that had formed underneath my eyes from stress and worry had disappeared. The bruises from Dewayne’s physical assault were no longer visible on my chest, arms, and neck areas. Aside from the few pounds I’d gained during my pregnancies, I resembled the old me – the Ever I was before I allowed a man to destroy me. That, for me, was a victory.
I examinedmy wrinkly skin as I sat in the tub. I’d warmed the water three times and still wasn’t quite ready to get out. The mound of candles around me as Sade’s music serenaded my alone time had me wanting to soak the rest of the night. I couldn’t though. Lyric was expecting me at the door before the clock struck eight.
Leaning forward, I pulled the stopper up to allow the water to drain. My bubbles had dispersed and popped for the most part. They’d added a nice touch to the soak, leaving me feeling as rich as they were when my bath started.
I stepped out and grabbed the fluffy drying towel that had been hanging from the hook on the wall. It was my second bath of the day, but it didn’t threaten to put me under like the last. It woke me right up. The grogginess that lingered after such a long nap had disappeared.
Mascara.
Gloss.
Bronzer.
Ponytail with bun.
I ran down the plan for my look. I’d yet to go into my bag, but Lyric had mentioned a black dress and that was enough information for me. I wanted to make things as simple as possible and that started with a simplified look. What I had in mind wouldn’t take a full thirty minutes. I had forty to spare. The other ten would be spent on body moisturizer and pouring a glass of wine from Lyric’s impeccable stash.
When I reached my bedroom, I noticed the MK bag that I’d left in the back of Lyric’s truck on my bed. I’d forgotten it was out there until it was in my face. That could only mean that Lyric had been nice enough to grab it for me.
“Thank you!” I screamed, hoping she was close enough to hear me.
Her room was downstairs, but she somehow managed to hear me every once in a while. When I didn’t get a response, I figured she hadn’t. She knew my heart, so I wasn’t going to sweat it. I’d just be sure to tell her when we met downstairs.
I dug through the bag and found two more pieces. One was a black dress, just as Lyric had mentioned. The other was a black romper that was a soft cotton material. I laid them both on thebed trying to figure out which would match my vibe. It didn’t take long for me to choose the romper that was short-sleeved with a fitted pant.
The top of it was perfect, obviously designed to reveal a little side boob which I’d always found sexy. I’d never worn a piece that offered that bit of detail, but I’d admired women who I’d seen in one. To have one of my own, finally, had me doing a bit of a victory dance as I tucked the dress in a nearby drawer.
I used a body oil and lotion mix to coat my brown skin. From my forehead to the bottom of my feet, I moisturized every inch of visible skin. Even my freshly Naired vagina was part of the action. Once I was satisfied with my sleekness, I pulled on the seamless thong and bra to match. I had always been a sucker for a good panty and bra set. Half of my suitcase was filled with my favorites. I refused to leave them behind. Good bras had cost me anywhere from seventy to one-hundred dollars. I simply couldn’t let them go. Not yet, anyway.
I wanted my skin to soak up the moisture, so I gave it time while I ran over my curls with the flat iron and pulled my hair into a high ponytail. My goal wasn’t to get it bone straight, so I worked in huge sections to get through the thickness in twenty minutes. I parted my sides, leaving a piece of hair on each to frame my face and slightly mask the large, dangling set of earrings I’d chosen. I was usually a stud or small gold hoop kind of girl, but I couldn’t find any of my favorites, and with the simplicity of the romper, I needed my accessories to pop.
Minutes after applying three coats of mascara and bronzer to my cheeks and the tip of my nose, I was sliding into my romper. It fit like a glove, cinching my waistline and giving me the perfect amount of support for my breasts. I didn’t even consider a bra because it had my girls sitting perfectly.
