Page 52 of A Hood Wife And A Rich Goon

“Really?” Toni wasn’t sure how to take that.

She didn’t have female friends. Her and Symphony lost touch a while back and Toni figured it was for the best. Outside of Bull, she didn’t have a lot of interaction at all with adults. Now, here this beautiful girl was, offering to help her, and her chest tightened. She didn’t know Lotus from a can of paint, but her genuine aura put Toni at ease.

“Yes. I have two nieces that I helped raise. It’s nothing.” Lotus waved her off and peeled her coat off.

She handed it to Jewel, and he hung it on the coat rack near the front door.

“Okay. Bull is in the basement handling some last-minute business, and I got like fifteen minutes to get myself together.”

“Point me in the right direction,” Lotus encouraged.

“Oh, you are like an angel dropping on me right now.” Toni dragged Breeze to the steps, and Lotus followed.

“I’m going to find me a damn drink and wait on Rhema.” Jewel moved down the hall through the last of the decorators and disappeared into the wide spaced kitchen.

Lotus admired the home vibes of Toni and Bull’s house as they started up the steps. Toni was all over the place, yammering away a mile a minute while dragging Breeze along behind her as he continued to devour the brownie in his hand. Stopping outside the door with Bijou’s name in wooden letters coated with pink paint, Toni reached for the knob.

“Breeze, go inside, sit at the table, and finish that brownie. Don’t move,” Toni warned with a finger pointed in his face.

He didn’t utter a word as he sat down. She pulled his t-shirt over his head while he continued to go to town on the dessert that was now all over his face and fingers. Spinning in her Ugg slippers to face Lotus, who now stood beside Bijou’s crib as she sat up, rubbing the sleep from her big, brown eyes, Toni sighed.

“Well, hello gorgeous.” Lotus scooped her into her arms, and Bijou barely batted and eye.

“Jou Jou, this is Lotus. Right now, she’s the best friend that Mommy has. So, can you let her help put your clothes on?”

Jou Jou nodded, and Lotus smiled.

“Okay, her dress and shoes are right over there.” Toni pointed to the rocking chair in the corner with Jou Jou’s little yellow shimmery dress and silver shoes.

“Let me go grab my stuff and Breeze’s suit, and I’ll be right back.” Toni fled the room, and Lotus tittered before looking into Bijou’s little sleepy face.

“It’s okay, baby girl. We here to turn up tonight. Lolo got you,” she soothed her.

By the time Toni came back with everything she needed, she was almost hyperventilating. Bijou was dressed and in the corner playing with her toys as Lotus finished wiping Breeze’s face and hands with baby wipes.

“Okay, here’s his suit. I’m just going to stay in here and get dressed too. I’ve been preparing for this night for weeks, and I should have known everything wouldn’t go as planned.” Toni shook her head and stood in front of the full-length mirror.

She quickly removed the spiral rollers from her head.

“Bull didn’t want a party to begin with, but I had to be the dutiful wife and try to put something together anyway, despite his stubborn ass.”

“He is your husband. I think it’s cute.” Lotus chimed in. “Come on, Breeze, let’s get you dressed so you can be handsome.”

“Cute damn sure ain’t the way to describe me and Bull.” Toni applied a quick beat to her face, giving her a natural glow before she removed her robe, keeping her back to her as she snatched up her dress. “But thank you so much for helping. I probably would be somewhere crying in a corner if you hadn’t offered.”

“You looked like you were overwhelmed.” Lotus tittered.

“And I damn sure am. I just want everything to be perfect. He deserves it. He goes above and beyond for us. I just want him to know he’s appreciated.”

Toni slipped into her deep V low cut shimmery yellow dress and took a moment to take in her reflection. Her long hair fell over her shoulder in layered deep waves. Lotus couldn’t lie; she was beautiful tussling some of her hair. She quickly stuck her feet into her silver platform heels. When she turned to face her, Breeze was nearly dressed, and his eyes lit up before grinning.

“Pretty Mommy.”

“Yo’ mama is a baddie, Breeze,” Lotus corrected as she adjusted his tie.

“You don’t think it’s too much?” Toni checked, self-conscious as hell as she peered down at herself.

“Pssh, you the host. You supposed to look better than all the other bitches here,” Lotus quipped. “Just add a little mascara and another coat of gloss, and you are good to go. Just like Breeze here.” She finished with his tie and presented him to his mother, whose mouth spread into a pleased grin.