T͟o͟r͟t͟u͟r͟e͟

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"Ain't nothing but a- what!" Ladie greeted me, dancing a little to the fast-paced song.

"Where you been?" I gave her a side hug, leading her towards the main lobby so that we could speak at a normal volume.

"Deceased had an emergency meeting. Someone shot up our trap house," Ladie wrinkled up her nose, "I'm glad though because I was meaning to tell my dad to relocate. I always get mosquito bites over there."

"Probably flea bites," I chuckled.

"Don't say that because you'll make me start scratching," she frowned, absentmindedly going at her forearm in the moment. Ladie had big dark brown eyes and long lashes, along with darker skin than my tawny color. Her white, loose fitting shirt was half tucked into her red dress pants, her wig of the week: wavy and in a neat updo.

"Guess what I just bought with Daddy's money?" she grinned.

My eyes automatically fell to her feet.

Clear shoes with hard sparkles adorned the sides, revealing a simple pedicure.

"One day, your father is going to look at the card he gave you and..."

"Give me a nice warm hug because I'm his spoiled daughter," Ladie finished, smiling sweetly as she hugged herself.

"I can't," I scoffed sarcastically.

"Where's Auntie Kay, I have a gift for her from my family?"

"C'mon. I'll show you the way," I hooked arms with my best friend, the scent of her expensive perfume wafting into my nostrils along with the chicken laid out at the buffet table.

"Where's Mama Kelley?" Ladie asked, revealing the gift she had for my mother's sister, which consisted of a neat little box.

"Isn't feeling well. I had to send a car for her," I said tightly. "I hope she's alright."

"She'll be fine," Ladie told me dismissively. She glanced over at me at her five feet, and me at my 5'8, "I'm sure she wanted to be here to support her sister. But I'd rather her at home...um, relatively safe, than here and stressed out."

"I wouldn't consider da House relatively safe," I stated darkly, walking ahead of Ladie in the mix and mingle of people and going up to my auntie.

"Auntie. You remember my friend, Ladie? Ladie Holm." We stood over them at their little table near the music booth, away from the other tables of the reception hall and the packed dance floor.

Everybody was currently line dancing to one of Beyoncé's songs, and little kids screamed and dashed around the tables in their Sunday's best.

"Your father has done some great things for our- um, family," my aunt glanced over at her husband who was listening in intently, chewing on a chicken wing.

"Yes," Ladie agreed, shooting me a confused look.

"Um, Ladie had a gift for you," I interrupted the awkward moment, gesturing to the box in my best friend's hand.

"Oh, you didn't have to, sweetheart," my aunt cooed.

"My father insisted. Even though our families weren't able to negotiate terms as far as our...deal earlier this year, he still wanted to support you since you grew up together. An issue happened with...our family organization and he wasn't able to attend," Ladie informed her. "Here you go."

A silvery necklace materialized out of the box as Ladie opened it tenderly for her. The diamonds were large and carefully sculpted, reflecting a hazy violet and the lightest of blues in the light. "The Kelley family colors," Ladie declared.