That makes my chest feel warm. “Okay. Thank you,” I say softly, offering her a small smile. I stretch out my hand. “I didn’t catch your name?”
“Lizzie,” she says, shaking it gently.
“Nice meeting you, Lizzie.” I nod before heading down the hall.
I walk into the room and instantly smell us. It’s faint, but it’s there. I glance toward the bed. The crumpled sheets. The twisted pillows. The silk ones I had on the bed, now half on the floor. The flashbacks, still fresh. Still echoing.
We made love on these.
I pull the sheets off the bed slowly, feeling a shiver run through me. His scent is all over them. Mine too. It makes me pause. I bring a corner of the sheet up to my face, inhaling. My stomach flips, and a blush creeps into my cheeks.
I shake my head and chuckle softly.Girl, focus.
I scoop them into the laundry basket along with the clothes and head toward the laundry room.
When I open the door, I blink.Wow.Even the laundry room lavish. Marble countertop, neat rows of labeled jars, the scent of eucalyptus and warm cotton in the air. I place the basket down, soak in the space for a beat, then start loading the machine. I add the detergent and set the cycle. A soft hum starts.
I get back in the room and glance around. I start tidying up. This man really love a dark space. Everything just… gloomy. Black sheets, grey pillows, like he’s mourning something.
Not under my watch.
Today, I want it to feel a little softer. A little more…me.
I rummage through the linen closet, pushing past every shade of black and charcoal until I find something different. Silk. Light. A soft beige set with blush undertones. Perfect. It takes me forever to find pillowcases to match. Well, thirty minutes. But in cleaning time? That’s basically a year. I take my time spreading the silk sheets over the bed, smoothing them with my palm. The sun hits them just right, like satin under honey. The music from the TV plays behind me. SZA, maybe Summer Walker. One of those moody, pretty songs that make you feel everything. I hum along, fluffing pillows and smoothing out the fresh sheets, the soft scent of detergent filling the room. With each touch, it starts to feel warmer. Less his room. More ours. After a while, my phone starts ringing. Mama. I smile and answer, watching her settle into the sofa on the other end.
“Hey,” I greet her, still smoothing my hand across the bedspread.
“How yuh do?” she asks, eyes scanning my background like she already knows I’ve been up to something.
I let out a soft laugh. “Mi good… mi just give Nickoi’s room a makeover. Him have the place looking too manly and mi couldn’t work with that.”
Mama bursts out laughing. “Lawd Gad,” she chuckles. “Mek mi see!”
I prop the phone on the bed and glance at the final touches. “Gimme a sec, Mama… mi a go fix the cushions quick quick.”
I fluff and angle them with extra care, then step back with a satisfied grin before picking up the phone again and turning the camera around.
“Whew! This lookrealgood, man,” Mama claps excitedly and I beam, proud of my little transformation. Then I hear another voice getting closer. Gavin.
“A cuz gyal do this?” he asks, squinting at the screen.
I can’t help but laugh. “Yes, a me same one.”
“No man… da bed deh look big and comfyeech, like mi coulda come spread out and get a good night rest,” Sash jumps in, dramatic as ever.
I laugh harder. “Hi, Ms. Extra.”
She forces her head into the frame, flipping her curls for full effect. She’s wearing a sleek, wavy black lace wig that’s actually laid to perfection.
A it she a show yuh enuh. Yuh think Sash easy?
“That nice,eeeh!” I compliment, smiling.
She fans herself like she’s on TV. “Mi seh, Clova angle triangle it! Mi tell yuh already a she a mi hairdresser now. Yuh did feel a joke?”
“Mi believe yuh now,” I say through my laugh. “Mi a go get a short style soon.”
Because yuh pregnant, yuh hot all the time and this long hair just a bother yuh.
