Page 114 of Shâhzâdeh

“I think you are grossly underestimating your success if you’re calling yourself an entrepreneur,soer. Mogul is far more accurate.” Ms. Babette playfully bumped her with her shoulder and Mrs. Warren pulled her into a hug.

“I feel like I’m unprepared for you all and I’m doing the wrong thing. Should I call for room service to bring up some refreshments?” I started to turn toward the room phone but Ms. Babette stopped me.

“What have you been doing the whole time you’ve been in this room?” She was looking around in confusion and I wasn’t sure what I should be doing.

“Just sitting. Thinking.” I shrugged and spoke honestly because I didn’t have any idea what to do with myself.

“You’re not trying to back out of this are you?”

“Never. That didn’t cross my mind.”

They both looked relieved and I didn’t want her to think I wasn’t fully committed.

“Shiiit you’re better than me. I was more than worried about marrying Michael’s ass and I was more famous than he was. But those NFL hoes were going to have me under the jail.” Mrs. Warren folded her slender arms over the chest of her cream silk blouse.

“For what reason?”

“For fighting. I was more than ready to bust any of those bitches’ heads behind my husband.”

“She’s not lying either. Many bribes went into ensuring that her freedom was a foregone conclusion.” Ms. Babette rolled her eyes and I could see she was teasing but I knew she wasn’t lying. As stunning as she was, Ms. Pat had an aura that she didn’t take any shit.

“But would that not give her absolute freedom to behave the way she wanted to?” The more that she spoke, the more I felt like she and Jada were kindred spirits.

A smirk danced between the two of them as though she were trying not to laugh. “Basically. But they knew not to try my man again. Word spread pretty damn fast that Michael Warren had a crazy wife. They would be okay with trying him despite how many times he refused, they thought he was going to get worn down. But me? I had a crazy right hook. You can’t take the Detroit out of the girl, no matter how many couture gowns you put her in.” She started to playfully shadow box and if this was how she was hitting women, it was no wonder they backed off.

“Thankfully, you haven’t needed that in a long time.”

“You almost make me feel like you testing my gangsta, Bab.” Mrs. Warren crossed her arms and cocked her head like she wanted to go swing on somebody just cause.

“There is plenty of potential for foolishness tomorrow. Right now we are to get her prepared for the wedding. You are going to be massaged until your brain is numb, waxed if you would like and have a deep scalp massage. I’ve been giving strict instructions that you can’t leave the spa until you’ve fallen asleep. This is part of his father’s culture but let me tell you, it is more than worth it. You will be oiled, lotion and pampered until you feel like a bowl of jelly.” Ms. Babette clapped her hands happily and I was excited by her excitement.

“That sounds like exactly what I need right now. I have to thank you Mrs. Warren—”

“Girl, if you don’t call me auntie—” I wanted to laugh but the look on her face told me I’d better not.

“Sorry. Auntie Patricia. The clothes that you sent over were beautiful. I didn’t put your name together with Midas’ last name.” Xerxes had come in with an entire clothing rack full of items saying they were from his aunt. He gave me no indication his aunt was the designer of the items.

“Not that I wanted you to, but you didn’t research this family before you agreed to become a part of it?”

“No.” Now I was wondering if I should have.

“And why not?”

I took a deep breath and told her the truth. “Honestly? Because I trust Xerxes would tell me whatever he felt was necessary. It will probably take me a long time to just see you as Maman Babette or Auntie Patricia because you women have already set yourselves in my mind as larger than life to me. Mrs. — Auntie Patricia is a mogul and how you command a room maman is more than intimidating in the best ways. He sees you all how I’m sure you desire to be seen- as just regular women who love their families, That only reinforces the reason I trust him so easily.”

Mrs—Auntie Patricia stood there stunned and Ms. Babette had her lips formed in a small o before the former spoke up. “Well damn. The damn girl has me wanting to kiss that boy I made and go snuggle under Michael for a few hours.”

“If you have this one ready to cry I know you are truly something special. I want you to ask me whatever it is you think you want to know. I don’t care how personal it gets, I’d rather you be prepared than to be miserable.”

“How did you balance it all? Being the women that you are in business to the mothers you obviously were to Xerxes and Midas. I don’t even know if children are in our future—”

“They are.” Maman Babette grinned far too knowingly for my liking. She’d talked to me about her roots including her ancestors that worked hoodoo and voodoo. I didn’t know there was a difference but I researched both.

“But I want to do that and not lose myself. I’ve worked hard to become this Vanya. As wonderful as Xerxes is, I don’t want to be just his wife.” I picked at my hands feeling the smooth gold band that had been placed there as an engagement ring. Apparently, the more elaborate ring was saved for the wedding day and I was truly already satisfied with this one. I knew he was going to be over the top with whatever he did.

“Honey, he wouldn’t marry a woman like you to strip you of everything he found attractive about you. He likes that you are ambitious. He loves seeing you work in your passion. I’ve seen the way you have found us exactly what we wanted. You have a gift. A natural talent for what you do. He would never try to squash that.”

“If he did, we’d both have something to say about it.” Auntie Patricia waved her finger between the two of them to emphasize they would’ve beaten Xerxes’ ass.

---