Toni-
I lay in bed thinking about what happened yesterday in the parking lot. I wanted to believe that it was just my imagination but I know it was real. After Ken asked me to work for him I decided I would because although I don't have to pay any bills, I still need to put food on this table. Yesterday after I got home and did some yoga to calm my racing mind I had sent him a e-mail telling him I would work for him but told him a list of rules we both needed to follow so that we could act more professional.
"Toni it's time for me to go to school!" Tamar yells coming into the room with Skai. I look up to see them both fully clothed and waiting for me. "I will be down in a little while Tay just let me finish putting on my clothes" I say to her and she nods before walking out leaving me with my thoughts again.
What happened yesterday? I question to myself as I look down at my hands. I slowly left them up and point them at an object willing it to move or something but nothing happens. I groan falling back onto the bed "maybe it was all just in my imagination" I mumble and stumble out of the bed to get ready for my first day on the job.
The ride to the children's school, then to work is smooth and I soon find myself walking into the building I rushed out of just yesterday. I walk up to the front desk and am greeted by the same sweet lady that was here yesterday. Loretta Ken told me her name was when we were e-mailing each other.
"Well nice to see you again Toni, are you ready for your first day?" She asks and nod smiling at her "it's good to see you also and I'm as ready as I can be" I say. After chatting for a few minutes she gives me my badge that let's me go anywhere in the building before sending me upstairs to Ken's office. I have to mentally prepare myself on the ride up to his office and way too soon I find myself standing outside his closed door.
I take a deep breathe before knocking on the door firmly, I feel my heart jump as I hear his deep but also soft voice call out "come in." Words that Joelle once told me "look Toni there is always fear in life no matter where you are, but how you handle that fear tells the world who you are" she said my first few days on the 'job'. I didn't understand her then but I do now, I just wish she was here to help me through this. I reach up to squeeze the necklace around my neck before straightening out my clothes. Maybe I should have put on a dress?
Before I can talk myself out of it I open the door and walk straight into Ken's office and I can feel my nerves wrecking hovac on my poor stomach but am I going to show him that? No! I can't show him how much I miss him holding me at night, or how much I miss him sanging in my ear when I can't fall asleep, or him telling me jokes about his family, and especially him driving both of us over the edge over and over again as I scream out his na-
"Toni?" Ken interrupts snapping me out of my thoughts that were taking a dangerous turn. I blink a few times to clear my head before focusing on him "sorry, what did you say?" I ask taking a sit in front of him. He cocks his eyebrow at me suspiciously before looking down at a file he was going over before I came in I'm guessing. "I said I'm glad you decided to come" he says and I feel myself blushing much to my displeasure "well we are adults Ken so I assume we can keep everything in the past and be professional" I say formally causing him to sigh and he stands up before walking around to where I'm sitting and he stands beside the desk facing me.
"Of course we can... So um first order of business is for you to get a proper tour of the building, it's a pretty big building but I'm sure you won't have a problem remembering where everything is" he says teasingly breaking some of the thick tension that was surrounding us. "I'm sure that won't be a problem Mr. Edmonds" I say standing up and turning to leave but I feel a tug on my wrist making me turn around "Ken, Toni please call me Ken" he says biting his lip looking absolutely irresistible.
I take a much needed deep breathe before giving him a small, nervous smile "lead the way, Ken" I say to him.
Kenny-
We walk through the main part of the building downstairs with her walking in front of me even though she told me to lead the way. But I have no problem with that since I get to check her out from behind. Ever since yesterday since seeing her for the first time jn almost three months, I couldn't take my mind off of her. How she look, the sweet smell of her, those big brown eyes that are always so fullv of warmth and mystery, that thick hair that I used to love to grab onto when I was thrusting into her from behin-
"Ken? What floor?" The temptress in front of me asks sadly drawing me out of my erotic thoughts and I look up to see we are already in the elevator. "Oh um, we are headed to the fourth floor" I tell her and she presses the button causing the elevator doors to shut leaving me and her in the small space that immediately fills with awkward tension. "So...how is Skai doing?" I ask and her face immediately lights up at the mention of the bubbly baby. "She is great! She is growing up so fast and is starting to form more words other then mama and Nana" she says with a laugh making me chuckle as I think of the little girl who looks so much like her mommy. "And she should be walking any day now, I swear my hair is turning gray just waiting on her and Tamar is adjusting so well away from my mo..." She blurts out before quieting down making me frown.
"Tamar? Is that the little girl that was with you that day you came and packed up?" I ask her as she ducks her head down to avoid my stare. "Yeah my little sister" she tells me meekly. "Oh. Adjusting so well away from what?" I ask just as the elevator dings. "Nothing, I just meant that since she have been down here she has been doing well" she says vaguely before exiting the elevator.
I decide to let the whole thing go, for now and continue showing her the rest of the building. "Okay so this floor is where all my recording studies are, even though I am a singer but I do have many artist come and record songs that I have helped to produce" I explain to her as we walk down the hall passing by various doors each leading to seperate recording rooms. "Is anybody in them recording today?" She asks with amazement shining in her brown eyes. "I don't know how about we take a look" I suggest unconsciously putting my hand at the small of her back to guide her. A feel a shiver pass through her but she doesn't say anything so we continue walking.
I stop her as we approach the last door in the hallway that always have an artist in there recording of writing. I can feel her excitement as I open the door and lead her through and my favorite female rapper Missy Elliott is sitting there spitting out lyrics to Da Brat. "Hold on Brat, wassup Face?" Missy say getting out her seat to hug me followed by Brat. "Hey ladies, I was just showing my new assistant, Toni, around and we was just checking to see if anyone was in here" I tell them as Toni stands beside me with a excitment drawn on her face.
"Well it's great to meet you Toni, I'm Missy Elliott and this is my homie Da Brat. So where you from?" Missy says making polite conversation getting me interested in the conversation immediately because I want to know what she is going to say. "Um, here and there, but it's nowhere like Los Angeles" she says vaguely making me sigh and I grab a hold of her hand making her look over at me.
"Are you ready, we have to finish looking around and then I have to finish explaining the job to you" I tell her and she nods tugging her hand away gently. "Okay, it was nice meeting you both" she says with a smile aimed at both of them before walking out and I watch her every step of the way until I feel a hard smack on my arm making me jump.
I turn around to see Missy and Brat smirking at me making me groan "what?" "What? Nigga you is whipped that's what!" Brat exclaims. "I'm what?" I ask stupidly and Missy rolls her eyes "whipped as in she say jump and you say how high do it while sanging I Will Always Love You in Spanish son!" Missy says before they both burst into laughter. "I am not whipped, like I said she is my assistant" I say to them and Toni's soft voice calls out my name before they can say something else "Ken?" She calls out and I turn quickly "I'm coming!" I yell out and instantly realize my mistake as I hear Missy and Brat laughing behind me. "Coming Toni my love" Missy mocks making me groan "I am not whipped" I say vehemently walking out the door their laughter echoing after me.
I walk around the corner to see Toni on the phone talking lowly "is she okay? No... No that won't be a problem at all... Okay I will be there in thirty minutes tops... Okay thank you" she says before hanging up and I frown as she turns towards me with a frown of her own. "Ken I'm sorry but I have to go Skai seems to have caught the flu so I have to go get her fr-" she starts to ramble out but I grab her by her shoulders cutting her off "okay T that's fine let's go" I tell her pulling her into the elevator.
It's quiet as we leave the building and she starts walking towards her car before stopping suddenly and turning back around to face me "where are you going?" She asks confused. "I'm coming with you" I tell her and she quickly shakes her head no "um no don't you have a job to do?" She asks me. "Toni look we can argue about this all day long but right now we have to go get Skai and you obviously aren't in the position to drive right now so I'm really your only option" I explain and she glare at me before thrusting her keys in my hands "fine" she says stalking off quickly and I have to practically run to keep up with her.
It only takes a few minutes for us to get on the road and already the silence is killing me. "So..." I say awkwardly making her sigh "Ken please, I don't mean to sound rude but shut up" she says and I frown "why are you giving me attitude to when I'm trying to help you out?" I snap at her and she rolls her eyes "well thanks so much Ken I will make sure to tap dance at your wedding" she says sarcastically making me sigh.
"Toni I'm just trying to help" I sigh tired of the back and forth. It's quiet for a few minutes before she speaks again "look, I'm sorry Ken it's just... This is the first time Skai has been sick and it's just upsetting me" she tells me sadly. I reach over and grab her hand "I understand Toni" I say squeezing her hand and she looks over and offers me a small smile "thank you" she says before looking back out the window.
We finally arrive at Skai's daycare center and we both rush inside and towards the front desk where a young, Hispanic lady is sitting. "Oh hey Ms. Braxton how are you?" The lady greets nicely "I'm fine, I'm here to get Skai" Toni says and the lady sends us on our way giving me a badge because she's never seen me around. I follow Toni down the hallway and into a medium small room filled with babies. A older white woman immediately rushes up to us "Ms. Braxton it's good to see you again, poor Skai is in the back room, we had to keep her away from all of the other babies" the lady explains.
"I get it, can I get her now?" Toni asks looking around just as a black college looking student comes from the back holding a fussing and squirming Skai who keeps calling out for Toni. "Ma ma mama!" She cries out and Toni quickly runs over to her "oh my baby it's okay momma's here" Toni coos soothingly pulling her into her arms. Skai sticks her little thumb in her mouth and rests her head on her shoulder momentarily calmed until she sees me and starts squirming again but this time calling out a different name making my heart drop to my stomach.
"Da Da Dada!"
Oh my word its been too long love bugs! ❤❤But for a minute I didn't know where this story was headed but whew I'm glad I figured it out😥