March 2nd 2023
Dallas, Texas
2:27 am
Rashad tucked his bottom lip into his mouth as he focused his attention on the screen of his iMac, "What the fuck?" He fussed to himself as he read the error message as he attempted to sign into Amina's hulu account. She shared the password after she realized he liked watching SnowFall on there, but it was evident that the password was now changed. A knock on the door sounded, which irritated him more.
"What?" He called out, only to not receive a response. Instead, the door moved open and in walked Gianah. "You okay?" She questioned.
"Man—what do you want? And ain't you posed to be working?" Rashad questioned. He watched as she inched closer to him, her Blue's button down shirt was opened enough to reveal her cleavage. Her nipples were hard enough to showcase that she had both of them pierced. "I'm on break." She finally replied once she was in front of him.
"So what you doing in here? Go eat or something." Rashad spoke as he fixed his attention back on the screen. Gianah used her pedicured hands to grab him by his chin as she seductively leaned closer to him. "That's what I'm trynna do." She spoke, causing Rashad to scrunch up his face.
"Yo—get the fuck back and take yo ass out there and work." Rashad replied. Gianah's face fell into a pout as she furrowed her eyebrows together in confusion. "Don't you got a girlfriend?" Rashad questioned.
"So." She shrugged, "You got Cass up here mugging everybody that look at you and that other girl bringing you flowers and shit—I'm trynna see what the hype bout." She added. Once Rashad looked over again, he noticed that her buttons were freed from the loops, now fully exposing her breasts.
"Put that shit up son." Rashad spoke as he popped up and headed over to the door, swinging it open and stepping to the side. "Don't bother clocking back in—just go home." He added. Gianah walked in Rashad's direction as she buttoned her top back up.
"You can pick up your last check on Friday." Rashad announced, stopping her in her tracks. "Last check? You're firing me?" She questioned all at once.
"I told you not to bother clocking back in." Rashad spoke in a duh tone. "But—but I need this job!" She fussed.
"And I needed not to see your fuckin chest." Rashad replied as he pointed to the door, "Rasha—" is all she could get out of her mouth before he cut her off. "Get the fuck out."
She stepped over the threshold, allowing Rashad to close the door behind her. He let out big sigh as he walked back over to his desk, his phone lit up with a call from Amina. Her photo and contact name took over the screen, sending a sense of urgency through his body. Rashad sat down before reaching for the ringing iPhone and answering it. "Hey Suge." Amina's dulcet voice greeted, Rashad could hear how sleepy she was through her voice. Living single could be heard in the background from her TV, letting Rashad know that she was definitely on her way to sleep.
"We ain't cool nigga." Rashad joked, causing Amina to lightly chuckle. "Why not?" She questioned.
"You changed the hulu password on me—got nigga up here and can't even watch my lil show." Rashad spoke, Amina laughed. "My bad. I forgot to tell you me and my auntie used it to announce her pregnancy." She replied.
"Oh shit, tell Auntie I said congrats." Rashad spoke as he mindlessly gently knocked his hand against the wooden desk, "It's a boy or a girl?" He questioned.
"We don't know yet, she barely 5 minutes pregnant." Amina chuckled, "Answer the FaceTime, so I can see you." She demanded. Rashad did as told, pressing the lime green button. Soon, Amina's face appeared on the screen. Even with her satin bonnet on her head she was still so ravishing. Her fluffy baby hair was left out of the bonnet, while the rest of her tresses were inside of the bonnet. Her face was shiny, indicating that she completed her nightly skincare routine and topped it off with serum.
"Pretty Mama." Rashad spoke as he eyed Amina, causing her to smile. "Why you up so late?" Rashad questioned. Amina shrugged as she brought her hand up to her eye to use her fingers to toy with her eyelash extensions.
"I guess I can't sleep without you having me in a chokehold." She chuckled, causing Rashad to do the same. That was the best sleep for Rashad as well, simply having Amina near him. Even her snores had become routine for him, kinda how people used rain noise to fall asleep. Amina began to uncontrollably chuckle, which snapped Rashad out of his salacious daze. "What you laughing at kid?" Rashad quizzed. Amina laughed harder and harder, making Rashad furrow his eyebrows and laugh as well while awaiting the explanation.
"Remember when you called me Scarface, that night I came to the club looking for my mama necklace?" Amina questioned, still laughing. "Oh yeah—ya lil smart ass mouth had me tight." Rashad chortled.
"You ate that lil one, I can't lie." Amina spoke, "Shit had me lost for words—then you walked away like you knew you ate that shit." She added.
"I knew I did." Rashad lightly chuckled. "I went from Scarface to Mama—ain't life crazy?" Amina replied.
"As fuck." Rashad agreed. He couldn't say he knew that him and Amina would turn into a thing, nor did he contemplate falling in love with her. He knew opposite attract, but he wouldn't use that to describe him and Amina. He felt like they were alike in so many ways, and that's what gravitated them toward each other. "I love you Mi." Rashad announced.
"I love you too Suge." Amina replied with a smile on her lips. "When your first client?" Rashad questioned.
"7:45." Amina answered, Rashad looked over at his computer to catch the time. "Damn Mama, by the time you lay down and fall asleep foreal it's gon' be time for you to get up." Rashad spoke.
Amina let out a yawn as she nodded her head, "I know." She agreed. "I wanted to take you to breakfast, but we can do dinner instead." Rashad spoke, Amina smiled.
"Okay." She replied. Eventually, Amina drifted to sleep in the middle of the conversation. Rashad decided to stay on the phone, on some middle school shit, while Amina slept.
March 2nd 2023
Dallas, Texas
12:13 pm
"Boy, you can't get no higher than this—No." Amina sang with Beyoncé as she used a spray bottle to slightly soak the deep wave wig she freshly installed on herself. "You got a paddle brush?" Amina questioned Chalyn as she turned to her. Chalyn nodded her head yes as she bent over and opened both cabinets. Shortly, she popped back up and handed the brush to Amina before grabbing her NYX lip pencil, and continuing to do her lip combo. Since Amina just finished doing her hair, she assumed that Chalyn was about to take pictures of herself.
"I like this apartment better than the one you had before." Amina announced. Although it was the same building, this unit had more character to it. "I do too—the neighbors over here are better too." Chalyn added, reminding Amina of the noise complaints her friend always had. She explained that her old next door neighbor was a music producer, and would work on beats all throughout the night at full volume.
"Ro help me put up my projector last week—now, all I need is a cute little popcorn machine for decoration." Chalyn explained, Amina looked over at her friend to see her pursing her lips together to evenly mix her lip combo. "Ro came over here?" Amina raised her eyebrows as she smirked.
"Amina." Chalyn paused as she turned to her friend, "What happened to everybody can't know where I stay?" Amina chuckled.
"Bitch you running up my pressure up." Chalyn jokingly held her temples, causing Amina to laugh. "We're friends—but not like how you and Rashad were friends...we ain't touching privates." Chalyn replied, Amina paused before laughing.
"I don't know what been chewing on me." Amina joked as she brushed through the wet deep wave hair in sections, making the curl pattern pop. Suddenly, Chalyn phone began to ring, which interrupted the music. Chalyn walked out the bathroom the retrieve the phone. Shortly, she walked back in with a confused expression on her face.
"What's wrong?" Amina questioned, "A random ass number FaceTiming me." Chalyn spoke as she contemplated answering. Amina grabbed the phone from her friend and answered the call.
"Who is this?" Amina questioned as she pointed the camera to the ceiling. "I was wondering the same thing...somebody put this number on my car, outside the Target by the Galleria mall." The man replied, Amina couldn't put a voice with a face since his camera was pointed to the ceiling as well. Amina quickly passed the phone over to Chalyn. She found it funny how he called once Chalyn's hair was freshly done and she was feeling herself.
"Oh, Hey—I'm Chalyn, I just wanted to compliment your continental's wrap—is it custom?" Chalyn spoke, causing Amina to lightly chuckle. It was always funny to see your friends transform from friend to lover girl. Chalyn's voice was always normally sweet, but now that she was on the phone, it was even sweeter. Amina excused herself from the conversation and went out to the living room. She kept herself occupied by scrolling through her explore page on Instagram.
She figured the call was going good, because 20 minutes later, Chalyn was still on the phone. Amina got up from the couch and made her way back into the bedroom. She sat on the bed and watched as Chalyn paced around her bathroom, smiling with the phone pressed up to her ear. "Okay—you too." Chalyn spoke before ending the call and running over to Amina.
"What y'all talk about for so long?" Amina eagerly questioned. The length of the conversation and the beam on Chalyn's face had her drawn in. "Everything—he's 30. And he works in cybersecurity. No kids—no wife, and he asked me if I wanted to go for a ride tonight." Chalyn explained.
"So fast? After one conversation? It's giving me Jeffrey Dahmer." Amina raised her eyebrow, causing both girls to chuckle. "You think I should go?" Chalyn questioned as she sat on the bed next to her friend.
Amina shrugged, "What happened to staying single?" She questioned. Chalyn kissed her teeth, "I'm riding his car Mimi, not his dick." She replied.
"It won't hurt to date around—when I was in those relationships, I was immediately confined to them only." Chalyn added. Amina didn't reply, she only slightly raised both of her eyebrows.
"Let me call this private investigator." Chalyn spoke as she reached for her phone, causing Amina to laugh. "What's his name?" Amina questioned.
"Carter." Chalyn answered, "No last name?" Amina questioned, Chalyn shook her head no. Causing Amina to slightly kiss her teeth, one of her specialties was finding people on social media, all she needed was time and their first and last name.
"Should I put his number in Cash app?" Chalyn questioned, Amina shook her head no. "Zelle—they show the first and last name." She suggested, Chalyn nodded her head as her attention was fixated on the phone, Amina assumed she was inputting the number into Zelle.
"Carter White." Chalyn read aloud. "What you gon' wear?" Amina questioned as she slid off of Chalyn's queen sized bed, and traveled into her walk in closet.
"Something chill—since we're just riding around." Chalyn answered, "Skims?" Amina quizzed.
"Not that chill." Chalyn lightly chuckled. Amina scanned around, admiring the Carrie Bradshaw esque closet. Chalyn had all kinds of pieces, new and vintage. Everything was organized by its title. Bags were with bags, shoes were with shoes, and she had a built in area for her accessories. The girls chattered as they walked around closet, throwing around options for Chalyn to put an outfit together.
March 2nd 2023
Dallas, Texas
9:45 pm
Amina eyed herself as she slipped on her Van Cleef mother of pearl earrings into her ears, she ran her hands down the sides of her body as she admired her date night outfit. A black short sleeve urban outfitters jumpsuit, a pair of Steve Madden Slinky30's, and her chrome Balenciaga Le Cagole heart bag. Since she was going out with Rashad, the contents of her bag were a Fenty gloss, a travel sized perfume, her ID, and a stick of gum.
Amina zipped her jump suit down to expose a good amount of cleavage before reaching for her scent of the night, Burberry Her. She sprayed her chest, both wrist, behind her knees, and both ankles. Her best known gem was a little bit of vanilla extract behind her ears, especially on date nights.
The sound of knocking on her door grabbed her attention, "Coming!" She yelled out as she grabbed her purse and walked over to the door. Oddly, she grew nervous once her hand touched the door knob. She let out a deep breath before swinging the door open. Amina was greeted by Rashad, who was holding a bouquet of white roses in his hands and a smile on his face.
"For you." Rashad spoke as he handed her the bouquet, "Thank you baby." Amina spoke while taking the flowers into her hands. Rashad kissed her lips before pulling her into a hug.
"I like this." Rashad spoke as he spun Amina around in a slow 360, complimenting her jumpsuit. "You just zip this down to take it off?" He questioned with a slight smirk on his face, causing Amina to do the same.
"You plan on takin' it off me?" She quizzed as she sat her arms on his shoulders, "Ripping it straight the fuck off." He replied, causing them both to laugh. They stepped out the doorway, allowing Amina to lock her front door. Rashad grabbed her hand as they began to walk, Amina scanned around in search of Rashad's Cadillac, only to not spot the vehicle.
"Where the car?" Amina questioned, looking over at him. "It feel mad good outside—I was thinking we could walk." Rashad replied, Amina's face dropped as she stopped in her tracks.
"Rashad." She slightly chuckled once she realized he was doing the same, "This ain't Harlem. You only walk in the south if you're a crackhead or a kid." She added.
"I'm just playing." Rashad assured, but Amina wasn't buying it. "So, what we riding in?" She questioned. Before he could reply, the sound of galloping caught her attention, causing her to turn around. She was faced with a white horse and a carriage.
"That." Rashad answered, "Oh my God—a horse and a carriage." Amina replied in a sing song tone. With this being her first time seeing a horse and carriage in person, she felt as if she was dreaming.
Rashad grabbed her hand and helped her inside the carriage before sliding in and sitting next to her. Amina sniffled as she held her ring finger under her eye to prevent any tears from falling, sadly, it didn't work. "Why you crying mama?" Rashad lightly chuckled as he turned her head toward him.
"Because." She sniffled, "This is so sweet and thoughtful." She partially explained, while that was half of what she was feeling, she couldn't quite make out the other half. What was such a sweet moment, became a war in her mind.
"Thank you baby." Amina spoke as she leaned in and kissed his plump lips, she grabbed his goatee and found herself staring at him. His face was so perfect to her, even with his facial tattoos. The feeling of Rashad's lips on hers, took her away from her thoughts.
March 3rd 2023
Dallas, Texas
1:05 am
Rashad zipped down Amina's jumpsuit before carefully removing her arms from the outfit. Slowly, he reached under her so he could remove her legs as well. Although he had plans to take the jumpsuit off of Amina, he didn't plan on putting pajamas on her right after. She fell asleep in the carriage after dinner, and he didn't want to wake her. He knew how bad she hated sleeping in anything other than her pajamas, so he helped her do her whole night routine.
He slipped her into a satin night gown. Just when he was about to put her bonnet on, he remembered her saying something about twisting her deep wave hair before bed, so he did just that. He gave her two twist before sitting the bonnet on top of her head.
"Damn." Rashad lightly chuckled to himself after Amina let out a loud snore, "Shit don't make no sense." He whispered, surprised that she didn't wake herself up. Rashad removed Amina's jewelry and sat the pieces in her jewelry box, just how she always did. He connected her phone to the charger before sitting it on the nightstand, just when he was about to walk away he crept back over and grabbed the phone. He went to the camera and swiped over once before hitting the red circle to record. He kindly kissed her cheek before playfully sticking his tongue out and licking her.
"My baby." He whispered as he recorded them both, Amina started to stir around a bit, which made Rashad stop in his tracks. After moving around for a few seconds, she fell back into her deep slumber. Rashad softly tapped her cheek, "Fight back nigga." He joked, making himself laugh.
"Suge." Amina called out, making his eyes widen. "Wassup mama?" He questioned as he sat her phone back onto the fully organized nightstand. Rashad admired how neat the nightstand was, not even a bottle of water could stay long before Amina cleared the stand.
"Can you turn off the light?" She asked, not bothering to hear his answer before turning over and going back to sleep. "I got you." Rashad replied, he did as requested and slid in the bed. Before he could even attempt to fall asleep, he draped his arm across her lower back and pulled her closer.
March 5th 2023
Dallas, Texas
7:45 am
Amina's eyes opened, allowing a tear to roll out. She sat up and sat at the edge of the bed. Softly panting. Her heavy heart and dried tears let her know that she'd been crying in her sleep. She looked behind her to see that Rashad wasn't there, which made sense once she turned back around and met him walking out of her bathroom.
"You crying?" Rashad questioned as he knit his eyebrows together and inched closer to her. "I saw her—she looked so...beautiful." Amina voiced as tears began to edge her eyes.
"Who?" Rashad asked as he sat beside her, his face was full on curiosity and confusion. "My mama...I haven't dreamed about her since I was a teenager." Amina explained as he wiped her eyes.
"What happened in the dream mama?" Rashad questioned, causing Amina to look up at him with a smile on her face. "She looked stunning...she held my hands and told me how much she loved and missed me—I feel like I can still smell her favorite perfume—flower bomb." Amina smiled as she mulled over the dream.
"I feel like I remember her saying something about being lonely but I can't remember if she was talking about me or her." Amina added as she toyed with her necklace, attempting to remember that part of the dream. "Sometimes I wonder if I'm selfish for missing her..knowing she was in so much mental and physical pain she was in." Amina spoke before slightly biting down on her bottom lip.
"Never—that's your moms Mi and shit wasn't always like that." Rashad assured, causing Amina to sigh. "I'm glad you got to see her though." Rashad spoke as he sat his hands on her shoulders and started to massage them.
"Me too." Amina smiled, "I wish you could replay dreams." She added.
"I don't...I be having crazy dreams. Like this one time, I dreamt I was riding in a Jeep with the doors and shit off and mad fiends was trynna get in that bitch with me." Rashad spoke. Amina furrowed her eyebrows before laughing. "You better start living right." Amina spoke as she got up and headed into the bathroom, where she began her morning hygiene routine. She brushed her teeth and washed her face before walking back into the room. Rashad wasn't there, so she traveled out to the living room and found him there.
Amina smiled at the sight in front of her. Somehow, Rashad located her colored pencils set and the adult coloring books she ordered from Amazon. Rashad's attention was fixed on the coloring book as he lightly stroked the pencil against the page. Amina joined him at the island and grabbed one of the coloring books. The first page she opened up to was a flower, instinctively she grabbed a pink pencil to start off with.
"You know what they say bout girls that be coloring." Rashad voiced, Amina furrowed her eyebrows together as she traded the pink pencil for a fuchsia color. "What they say?" She questioned.
"Y'all be crazy as fuck." Rashad answered, Amina kissed her teeth before chuckling. "I love it...it's so relaxing." She spoke before a silence fell over them, that she assumed came from them being so focused on being creative.
"Sorry for falling asleep on date night." Amina snickered once she remembered. She could faintly remember Rashad carrying her into the house, but everything was a complete blur. "You good mama." Rashad shared the same snicker. Showcasing his pearly whites. His teeth were damn near perfect, which made it hard to believe that he never had braces.
"You twisted my hair and everything." Amina smiled as she reached over and rested her hand on his bicep. Rashad held the colored pencil in his left hand, using it for a second before switching out the color. "I told you I got you kid." Rashad replied. But to Amina, it was much deeper than that. Him knowing her routine well enough replicate it showed how vigilant he was with her.
"You know what's funny?" Amina questioned as she began to mindlessly tap the colored pencil against the marble countertop. "What's that?" Rashad questioned back.
"You call me kid, but I'm older than you." Amina explained. "Only by a couple months—you still my kid though." Rashad replied, reaching over and endearingly pinching Amina's cheek.
"I tend to attract cougars." Rashad joked, causing Amina to laugh. "Relax, I'm not on no R. Shelly shit." She playfully waved him off.
Rashad chuckled, "I'm serious Mi....I remember when I was 12, all the neighborhood kids used to come outside and play. One day this door opened and this old ass lady walked out and pointed at me, handed me $15 and told me go to the store for her—I'll never forget, her name was Miss Giselle. Every time she seen me outside, she'd ask me to her errands for her, and she'd make me snacks and shit."
"One day, I'm sitting there eating my snack—her daughter come in the house looking for her mama, she like 25...I'm 12. She eyed me for like a week, then one day, she took my virginity." Rashad concluded, causing Amina's smile to slowly drop.
"Did you tell anybody? Her mom?" Amina questioned, Rashad shook his head no. "I told my friends...them niggas gassed me for a year straight." He added with a light leer on his face.
"Babe..." Amina spoke as she shook her head, "You're a victim." She added, her voice was full of somber as her heart broke for him, especially seeing how he seemed to wear the situation like a badge of honor. It disgusted Amina to the max, Rashad was only a baby...not even a teenager yet and wasn't able to lose his innocence in love, instead, he was preyed on by someone who absolutely knew better.
"I realized a long time ago...but it's done." Rashad shrugged, "What can I do now." He added.
"Have you seen her since?" Amina questioned, Rashad shook his head no. "She ended up getting married and moving to Jersey." Rashad answered.
"You ain't gotta feel sorry for me mama—I'm not traumatized or nothing. Now that I'm grown, I know the shit was outta pocket, but I'm good." Rashad added. Amina was honestly still sick to her stomach, she realized his abuser was most likely abused as well, which made it a sad never ending cycle.
"I wanna tell you what I been thinking bout though." He announced, bringing the conversation to a lighter note. Amina nodded her head, as he ears perked up. "Opening something in Harlem—or New York period at least been heavy on my mind." Rashad spoke, making Amina's eyes widen in excitement. Although he didn't say it, she knew exactly what this meant. The idea of Rashad being out of the streets was like music to her ears, just to know that he was considering it was bliss to Amina.
"Open something like what?" Amina quizzed, "A salon...your salon." Rashad countered.
"My salon?" Amina questioned in disbelief, subtly dropping the colored pencil. "Your salon." Rashad echoed.
"You don't have to Suge—it's a lot that goes into that." Amina replied as she began to toy with her thumb ring. "But I want to." Rashad replied, not letting her ramble any further. A smile stretched across her face as she slipped out of the barstool and walked over to him.
"Thank you Suge." Amina spoke into his ear as she wrapped her arms around him. Rashad sat his hands on her waist and kissed her cheek. Amina's body ran hot as her smile slowly dropped and she started to feel that feeling again, she pursed her lips together and hugged Rashad tighter, hoping the feeling would subside.