A Lily Among Thorns

𝙲𝙷𝙰𝙿𝚃𝙴𝚁 𝚂𝙸𝚇

"Yeah. You doing alright? You didn't show up to church yesterday."

Guilt burns into Celai's face. "Yeah, I just couldn't. I had to get my sleep hours back."

Julian chuckles, calming her nerves. "I get that. Just wanted to make sure you were okay."

"Yup, I am. I'll be there this Sunday."

"I hope so," he says. There's a hesitation on his end. "You ate yet?" he asks.

Celai swallows. "No," she fibs.

"Well, are you up to head to Waffle House with me?"

"Are you serious?"

"Yeah. I haven't been able to take my mind off of it since I bought it for you the other day."

She laughs. "Okay, sure."

"Send me your address and I'll be there in... twenty?"

Celai looks down at her clothes. "Thirty."

He laughs. "Alright. Be there in thirty."

"Bye," she says and they end their call. After texting him her address, she walks out Kassima's room and back to the kitchen.

"What did Brian need?" Kassima asks.

"Why do you have Julian's number?"

"Girl, don't question me..." A smirk spreads on her face. "But to answer you, he gave it to me since I couldn't be in the hospital around the clock like he could. I wanted to know everything, even the stuff you didn't want to tell me. Did he need something?"

Celai shrugs nonchalantly and walks away. "Yes, but it's not concerning you," she says with a smirk identical to her mother's.

"What do you mean?" Kassima questions.

Celai begins trotting up the stairs. "I'll be back before I have to go to work. But for now, I'll be at Waffle House."

"You just ate breakfast though."

"That's crazy because I don't recall that happening."

Celai heads to her room and instantly starts looking for a better outfit than what she has on. In no way is she trying to impress Julian, but she does want to look a bit more appealing than she currently does. After several drawers slam and hangers fly, she ends up with something matching her intended vibe and she takes one last look in the mirror.

"You better hurry up," Kassima says, startling Celai. "I think I just heard a car door close."

"Already? I told him thirty minutes."

"It has been thirty minutes."

Celai looks at the clock on her wall and finds Kassima to be right. She looks back at her. "Do I look okay? I didn't get to try on anything else."

Kassima gives her a look of adoration that she's never seen before and nods. "You look really nice for someone who's not interested in Julian."