2. Brielle
Six Months Later
Loud music blasted through the pill shaped Bluetooth speaker. I loved to work with a mix of genres as background music—neo-soul, R&B, rap, pop, hip hop, and country all shuffled through my playlist.
“It’s a low stock in the notebooks and pink pens,” I called out to my assistant, Jaria. I folded the glue edge of the bubble mailer and smoothed the shipping label horizontally over the package. Then I placed the sealed package into the bin of completed orders and crossed the name off my list.
“Got it. I’ve marked it low on the website and will add it to the cart of our bulk shipment. Is there anything else we need to add right now?” she asked.
I shook my head. “Nah. I don’t think so. You’ve already added the T-shirts and hoodies, right?”
She nodded. “Yep.”
“Then we should be good to complete the shipment. This was the last order on my list, so we can clean up and head out.”
“This is why I love working for you,” Mikale informed me.
Mikale was an employee of mine who helped with shipping and packaging.
He was a cutie patootie but would skin me alive if I ever said it aloud.
Mikale stood all of five feet, four inches, shorter than me, but packed a fierce personality in his small build.
He was a great asset to the team and always kept a fun atmosphere when we worked together.
It was so wild to reflect on my life over the last six months. Jana’s death shook me to the core. In the beginning, I hardly ate or slept. When exhaustion finally forced me asleep, I would wake up in a deep sweat from my mind replaying the moment I held her lifeless body in my arms.
It took maybe a month for me to kick the grief to the back of my mind.
The revelation came when I was watching an old video of ours.
The video was us out at brunch. We were talking about our goals and where we saw ourselves by the age of thirty.
I realized I still had a lot of work to do and wanted to incorporate some of Jana’s goals into my life.
As a result, I’d created Jana’s Jewels. I went around the state to find hidden gems and Black-owned businesses to support.
Besides highlighting places and people, we sold merchandise.
We had clothes, notebooks, pens, lanyards, stickers, and sold digital eBooks.
In the first month, I made five hundred dollars.
I thought it was so amazing to see the support, but in the second month when I hit five thousand dollars, the support blew me away.
In just four months, I’d garnered over twenty thousand dollars doing what I loved.
It was amazing because I could give a decent amount of money to my assistant and employee.
I prayed that by the one-year anniversary I would see six figures.
As I placed the last bin in the trunk of Mikale’s car, my phone buzzed in the pocket of my jeans. I pulled it out as I walked back into the building to get my purse. I saw a message from the group chat with Tava and Lynae.
TAVA:
Bri, baby we miss you, Stinkabutt.
It had been almost two months since we’d all seen each other.
I was too focused on my growing business to take time out to go out with them.
Part of me blamed them, but it was an irrational thought.
They couldn’t control where the bullets went.
They allowed their flight or fight instincts to kick in, and I had done the same thing.
My thumbs hovered over the keyboard as I fought to find the right words to reply.
ME:
I miss y’all too.
LYNAE:
Wyd tonight?
ME:
Nothing special. I have some wine chilling and was probably going to kick my feet up and read a book.
TAVA:
How about you dust off those knees and come out with us tonight. It’s Nae’s birthday and we would love it if you joined us at the club to celebrate. You down?
ME:
Which club? Also, aw shit! Happy birthday Nae!
LYNAE:
Only the hottest club in CC. I know the owner, so I get a discount on the section and bottles. I’m trying to go up for my twenty-seventh.
ME:
I can’t miss my girl’s birthday celebration. Send me the details and I’ll make sure I pull up on y’all tonight.
LYNAE:
LETS FUCKIN GOOOOO! THE GIRLS ARE GETTING BACK TOGETHER.
TAVA:
*sent one attachment*
I hearted Lynae’s message before I opened the picture Tava sent of the birthday flyer. I reacted with a thumbs up on the image before I closed the thread and placed the phone back in my pocket.
“Alright, crew. That’s a wrap for today.
Let’s make sure the order is placed before you leave, Jari.
Mikale, send me the receipt once you’ve dropped off all the packages to the shipping company.
I set up the direct deposits earlier, so y’all should start receiving your weekly pay starting on Monday.
” I said my final spiel before I grabbed my purse, keys, and insulated water cup.
With a final wave, I left the small office space and skipped to my car in the front of the building.
When I entered my vehicle, I exhaled. It had been a while since I’d gone out for fun. Everything was a business opportunity these days, so switching gears may be hard for me to do.
Lord, give me the strength to show up for my girls.
“You can do this. Tonight will be fun.” I hyped myself up as I climbed out of the car. I adjusted the long, black dress that stopped at my ankle. The neckline plunged down past my breasts, but they stayed in place thanks to the boob tape I used to keep them from spilling out.
I applied the shiny clear lip gloss as I sauntered across the parking lot to the front of the club.
The bass was so heavy I could hear it from outside the door.
The line at the entrance was wrapped around the building, but I refused to wait.
I walked up to the front, and the closer I got, the more familiar the security guard became. What were the fucking odds?
“James?” I asked as I closed the distance between us.
He looked me up and down. Those dark brown orbs scanned me completely before they locked with mine. He licked his lips. “Brielle.” The hint of a smile pulled at his lips.
“Hey . . . It’s been a minute. How have you been?” I asked as I rubbed my arm nervously.
“I’ve been good. How have you been?”
“I’m blessed. I’ve been enjoying life and using my platform to honor and remember Jana.”
He smiled. “That’s beautiful. You look amazing.”
I could feel my cheeks burn at his compliment. “Thank you. Some of my friends are here for a birthday celebration. I had to come correct with a cute and subtle look.”
“You’ll be the finest woman in the club, fa sho.”
“Sir, please.”
“I’m just being honest.”
“I appreciate you. I know you probably have a lot of work to handle since the line is wrapped around the building. I should let you go.”
“They’ll be a’ight. I’d rather talk to you,” he replied.
I giggled. His fine ass had me giggling like an idiot. “They not finna jump me because I’m keeping them out of the hottest nightclub in Cade’s Cove.”
“You ain’t know by now you’re safe with me?” he asked.
I gulped. “I know.”
“Good. Got a nigga feeling like Bruno Mars. I’d catch a grenade for you.”
I hollered. My head fell back as I laughed deep from my belly. “Stop. You’re so corny.”
“Maybe I knew it would make you laugh. Your laugh is cute as hell.”
I covered my mouth as my giggles continued.
“Nah, don’t hide that beautiful smile.” He lifted his hand up to remove my hand from my mouth. Our gaze was locked. I wanted to lean in and kiss him, but I stepped back and shifted my weight on my feet.
“Brielle!” I heard the familiar squeal from Lynae. I craned my neck to find them in the sea of people. Within seconds, Tava and Lynae were in my arms, hugging me tightly. I let out a soft breath as I held them back. It had been so long since I’d been around them, I almost cried.
“Happy birthday, Nae Nae!” I sang as I hugged her tightly.
“Thank you, boo!” Lynae responded.
“Bitch, you look the fuck good! Body tea, titties sitting, hair laid to the heavens! What lace, friend?” Tava spun me around as she continued to compliment my look.
“You see me? I see you! Baby, the body is too nice. When did you get all that ass back there?” I asked as I took my turn spinning her around.
“You see it? You see it?” She gave her ass a little twerk as I hyped her up.
“And let’s get into the birthday girl!”
We hyped each other up for a few more minutes before I returned my attention to James. “Pat us down, James,” I sang.
He licked his lips. “I just need to check your bags and IDs. I wouldn’t mind rubbing you down though.”
“Oop! I know that’s right.” Lynae clapped.
We opened our purses and let him shine his flashlight inside. When he gave us the okay, we entered the building, and the music vibrated through my body. We were escorted to our section on the top floor, and drinks were poured immediately.
“Show ’em how good those knees are, Bri!” Lynae shouted over the music as a popular NOLA bounce song played. I stood up, put my hands in the air, and made my ass move like Jell-O.
“Fuck it up, Bri! Fuck it up!” My friends cheered as I danced.
Throughout the whole night, my mind continued to go back to James. I wanted him badly, but I couldn’t have him. The only time we crossed paths was when he worked. It seemed like there was always someone or something interfering with us connecting.
“If I could move my ass like, Bri, I would have the entire world eating out of the palm of my hands,” Tava stated plainly. She shook her head as she poured another round of shots from the top shelf tequila bottle.
“Girl, please. You’re out here living life! You got sugar daddies funding your lifestyle. You’re utilizing your assets.”
Lynae agreed with, “Exactly. Men love all shapes and sizes. Don’t let the internet fool you.”
I loved that Lynae and Tava were girl’s girls. They supported women, uplifted women, and protected women as best they could. I loved their genuineness. I loved that no matter how much time had passed, we all remained positive and loving toward one another.
Tonight showed me just how much I missed my girls. I needed to make more effort to keep in touch with them.
“Your man is headed this way,” Lynae teased.
My gaze lifted to see James walking up the stairs. I doubted he was actually headed our way because there were several sections on the top floor, but the closer he came, the more my stomach fluttered with butterflies.
“That’s not my man.”
“Yet.” Tava corrected.
“Why are y’all so invested in my love life?” I asked, somewhat joking. My tone was light, but I was curious of the answer.
“You’re always putting your love life on the back burner, Bri. We’ve known you almost a decade and you either end things, ghost people, or run from a good man.”
I bit down on my bottom lip because she posed a valid point. “I have my reasons.”
“That’s your right, for sure. However, we wanna see you in love and being loved. You deserve it,” Lynae explained.
“I appreciate y’all.”
I wanted to deaden the conversation before we took a turn too serious for the club setting.
They weren’t wrong. I ran from love because I’d watched my mother break my father’s heart, then he turned around and broke countless women’s hearts.
The saying hurt people hurt people was too real for me.
I didn’t want to find myself on the wrong end of a heartbreak.
It was always best if I fucked and ducked to save my heart from a potentially detrimental relationship.