Page 146 of Don Caselli

“I would like to find someone before going on a girl’s trip with Zoya… you should come,” she invited.

“Zoya wouldn’t mind?”

“These are her best friends. I know of them, but it would be nice to have someone with me, too.”

“I may have someone to watch Dennis for you.”

“Who?”

“My mom.”

“Avril, really? I loved her, and she taught me how to swaddle him better. Is she a nanny?”

I shook my head, while grabbing a pair of heels. “She’ll have a lot more time on her hands, and ain’t nothing like a Caribbean mama raising your baby,” I joked.

Stevie stared at me. “Would she be open to it?”

“I can talk to her. I’m sure she would love to help you out.”

She took a deep breath. “Great. Now, we need to find our outfits for tonight.”

What was supposed to be lunch and shopping turned into Stevie remembering that she had an event at the gallery tonight and she wanted me to attend with her.

“Do you ever wish you didn’t have security with you all the time or lived in a fortress.”

“My house is not a fortress,” she objected.

“Stevie, have you seen your home?”

She looked at the heels she tried on in the mirror. “Mavie makes all of this worth it. When I search his eyes, I know there is no other life I would rather live. Plus, I been out there and it’s very much dirty and ghetto. For your information, we don’t sit behind our walls all day, either. We travel and live our life off the grid… I have a fake vlog that I make, and we watch it together.”

“That’s cute.”

She looked at me. “You can always come spend the nig?—”

“Stevie, I am not staying the night at your house. Not with the way you’re staring at me, and your husband wanting to kidnap me… I will pass.” We both busted out laughing and finished shopping.

We spent the afternoon eating, laughing, and shopping in a private shopping room. Anything I asked about, the personal shopper was coming back into the room with it. The view of Manhattan was perfect, as the sun crashed into the room while we took pictures, while I was vlogging.

Out of respect, I made sure not to get her face in the videos. The clips that I did get, I would just edit whenever I got aroundto editing it. Stevie wore a black, long-sleeve dress that hugged every curve she was trying to hide.

Her baby weight looked amazing on her, although she was struggling with it. Her strawberry blonde hair was pressed straight, and after shopping all day, she was able to brush it out the wrap that it was in.

The tie-dye satin maxi dress fell to the floor and covered my heels. My back was exposed, and my hair was brushed up into a bun, with a few curly pieces framing my face. It was a cute pull together, and I felt sexy in it.

I sent Landon a few pictures showing him before we left. Since I was with Duke, I didn’t need Jett, and he headed to do something for Landon. Stevie was texting as she looked at her baby that was next to her.

“I need you to sleep, little buddy… I miss your daddy, too,” she snickered, as she sent a text message off, and then looked at me. “Nervous?”

“For what?”

“Nothing. Just asking.” She covered it up, and I looked out the window, as we drove further into the city.

When we pulled up, Stevie kissed Dennis, as Jett held the door open for us. “I’ll hold Dennis down, Steve-o,” he assured her.

I stepped out the back of the car wondering why we were at the library. It had been a while since I found myself here. My mother used to take me when I was younger because it was so big and beautiful. It was considered my version of a shopping mall, but with books. All the details were breathtaking.

Recommendation: Listen to “So High” (Single Version) by John Legend

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