“I’ve been holding on to the possibility of that since the day he went in. My faith is starting to dissipate and I’m wondering if I’ve been in over my head this whole time. It’s coming up on fourteen years and nothing has changed but the date.”
“What you sayin’, Momma? You breakin’ it off with Pops?”
“I don’t know what I’m saying, son. I feel like this one minute, then the next I feel something completely different. I’m only venting. Please don’t go telling that man I’m divorcing him. I don’t need him going through any more than he already is, especially if it’s a false alarm. But anyway, I’ve been meaning to tell you I ran into Mia a little while ago. She moved back to Gwendal a few months back.”
Mia was my first love and ex-girlfriend. We were together for years and I swore she was my forever. That all changed two years ago when she decided to move across the country to pursue her modeling career. Mia tried convincing me to follow her to New York, in hopes that it would give me a leg up in my own career, but it didn’t work out that way. We tried the long-distance thing for a while, but it became tiring and inconsistent. As straining as it was for me to hop on flights every weekend, I was willing to do it because I loved Mia.
One weekend, when I went to visit her, she asked me to get a pair of heels from her closet. The heels just so happened to be in the same box as an ultrasound picture and a stack of papers. It didn’t take me long to realize Mia had gotten an abortion. She swore up and down the baby was mine, but that was something I’d never know the truth about. When I asked why she got the procedure done, I got the answer I expected. We were long distance and both focused on our careers. That all was true, but for my seed I would’ve made some shit shake.
Since then, I had no desire to continue our relationship. Especially when I still felt like Mia was lying.
“Oh yeah? That’s what’s up. What she want with you?”
“Nothing much. She asked if she could come over and talk one day soon. Not that she needs to explain anything to me, but I don’t mind. We won’t make it a habit for her to come over, but I’m okay if she needs to get something off her chest,” my mother admitted.
“Well, that’s between y’all. I wish her well though. What’s up with the food though? What all you cook?” I questioned, intentionally changing the subject.
After listing everything she made, my mother made our plates and packed me a to-go plate. Lynn Scott had always been a good cook. With me being high as a kite, I knew this plate wouldn’t stand a chance. Since I had no other plans for the day, I watched a few episodes of Martin with my mother before I took all her trash out and made sure her alarm system was set. The only reason I left was because I no longer had any equipment here. I’d been meaning to get a small soundboard over here, that way I could stay over when she wanted me to. The task kept slipping my mind, but I’d be sure to do that when I got home.
Before I was fully backed out of my mother’s driveway, Uncle Dennis was calling my phone. I wasn’t in the mood to talk aboutbusiness, and for the first time in a while, I wanted to chill out and create with no interruptions.
“Shane? Do you have a minute?” he asked when I answered.
“I have a few. What’s up?”
“So, I know you haven’t given me an answer yet, but one of my loyal clients just made an appointment for Monday evening. Do you mind coming along with me to see the process? Home visits are a little different and I just want you to come along.”
Going down my mental rolodex for Monday, I came up empty and agreed to go. There was no harm in watching, and that appointment may help me with my decision.
“Ok. I can do that.”
“Okay, meet me at the office at six and we can roll together. Thank you for this, nephew. I really appreciate it.”
“No problem, Unc. I’ll see you later,” I said before ending the call.
Letting out a deep sigh, I turned my music up and drove the rest of the way home. This shit wasn’t about to stress me or ruin my weekend.
CHAPTER 2
Celeste Peterson
“Friend, it’s about time for you to hire more help. There were so many customers I almost lost my damn mind. Then, the one heffa had the nerve to catch an attitude when I told her the Golden Eagles were out of stock. Like bitch, either you wanna order them or you don’t,” my best friend Jade complained.
The two of us were currently at my storefront preparing to close for the night. Just a few years ago, I was only shipping three to five orders a week. Now, not only did I have a successful online store, but a physical location that did just as well. From custom heels and gym shoes to purses, my shop had it all. Every detail and design was created by me and I was proud of that. Luxe Addiction had started as an idea and it still felt like a dream to see it come to life.
“I’m actually interviewing someone tomorrow. He’s wanting full-time and I think he’ll be a good fit,” I admitted.
“He? And how you know he’s a good fit if you haven’t held the interview yet?”
“Yes, he. Erick is a nice young man and he’s one of the girls. He’s been working at Coffee King across the street since theyfirst opened. He’s been asking me for a while now to give him a chance, but I was nervous about making a move like that.”
“Why? As much as you have my Black ass in here slaving, you should’ve been hired help,” Jade countered as she fixed the shoes on display.
“That’s different. You know me personally. You know I’m not perfect and I’m still building. I don’t wanna start hiring people and they quit.”
That was the truth. For a while now I’d been needing help on the floor and extra hands to help pack online orders. Most nights, Jade and I would be here way past closing and it was getting old. Although I paid her decently, it was still a lot of work for just the two of us. One of the main reasons I was afraid to hire was because of the times. The younger generation wanted money but didn’t want to work. Customer service was at an all-time low right now, and that wasn’t something I wanted associated with my brand. If I were being honest, the only reason I was giving Erick a chance was because I was comfortable with him.
Erick knew fashion and I had a feeling he’d thrive in the environment. He expressed to me on several occasions that working at the coffee shop was simply a means to an end. At Luxe Addiction, he’d be able to dress up for work and make a living by selling emotions and tapping into his creative side.
