Page 21 of The Millionaire Mortician
Once I was out of the bathroom, I applied lotion to my skin, then sat at my vanity to do my makeup. My pixie cut was freshly shaped up and styled, so I didn’t have to worry about my hair.
My phone buzzed, alerting me that I had a text message.
Talina: Everything is in place. The deejay is here and already bumping music. The event planner did her thing with the decorations. You have nothing to worry about. Just get dressed, look cute, and come.
Reading Talina’s message made my nerves relax because I was so tense.
Milan came out of our walk-in closet and looked good as hell in this cream suit I picked out for him. He preferred to wear darker-colored clothes, so seeing him actually put on something light was refreshing.
“You gettin’ dressed or nah? Mav just told me he and the guys ‘boutta head over,” he informed me.
“Yes, yes.” I jumped out of my seat and went into the closet to get dressed. I put on a cream jumpsuit to match Milan, with a pair of black YSL heels and a clutch.
Within a few minutes, both Milan and I were looking ourselves over in the mirror and loved what we saw. We really looked the fuck good together.
“Let’s go,” he demanded.
We didn’t even get a chance to eat breakfast as planned. As soon as we hit the ground floor, we headed out the front door.
As we’re leaving, my phone rang with Talina’s name on the screen.
“Yeah,” I answered.
“Girl, where are you? Folks are lined up outside already!” She sounded overly excited.
I laughed. “Relax, I’m on my way. Don’t let nobody in ‘til I get there!”
Twenty minutesand a little morning traffic later, we had finally arrived. By the time we pulled up, the block was lit. Balloons in black, gold, and cream waved in the breeze. A deejay booth sat outside, blasting R&B and hip-hop. Neighbors and friends crowded the sidewalk with cameras flashing. The storefront signDai’s Do’sgleamed under the sun as if it were dipped in diamonds.
I felt tears welling, but I quickly blinked them away. It was too early to get emotional.
Talina came running out with her dramatic ass, hugging me tight. “Bitch, we did it! Look at this!” she squealed.
Milan and I greeted the people, then made our way inside one last time before the ribbon-cutting ceremony to ensure everything was indeed in place.
Inside the salon was everything I had imagined. The mirrors sparkled, the chairs were lined up perfectly, and the products were stacked neatly on the shelves. There was this smell of fresh paint mixed with a hint of hairspray. Every corner lookedperfectly intact and ready for business. My stylists stood behind their stations, smiling and looking good as hell.
“Okay, let’s do this,” I announced once I was satisfied.
Stepping back outside, I was given the mic to say a few words, and that I did. I kept my speech brief and to the point, making sure to thank everyone involved.
When I cut that ribbon with the big ol’ scissors they gave me, the crowd cheered like it was the Fourth of July. Cameras flashed, and people clapped, while I swore I felt my mama smiling down on me from heaven. My chest got tight, and my eyes started watering again, but that time I allowed the tears to flow.
I didn’t speak much about it, but losing my mother at a young age and never knowing my father had affected me in a lot of ways. However, instead of becoming a victim of being parentless, I used it as motivation to become better. So, getting that far was definitely an emotional milestone as well as a physical one.
Inside, it was nothing but good energy. Music was bumping, champagne was flowing, and there were plates of catered food on every counter. Clients were already seated in chairs for complimentary touch-ups and trims, just to showcase what we could do. People kept telling me how proud they were, how the shop was exactly what the neighborhood needed.
Every now and then, I caught Milan standing in the cut, just watching on with a smirk. He’d shoot me a wink, giving me reassurance of how proud of me he was. Maverick and the rest of the guys showed up, of course, and were very supportive. Maverick’s annoying ass even bought Talina and me some roses.
Around the middleof the day, just when I thought the excitement couldn’t get any higher, Milan disappeared outside for a little while. The next thing I knew, people started screaming excitedly.
“Daija! Girl, come outside!” Tremeka called out.
I frowned in confusion, but I didn’t have time to think as Talina grabbed my arm. “Come on, sis.”
When I stepped out, parked right in front of the salon was a brand-new, all-black 2025 Mercedes-Benz G-Class, shining so hard under the sun that it looked fake. A red bow sat on top like some shit out of a commercial.
My knees damn near buckled. “Milan... what the fuck is this?” I quizzed.
