Sterling #3
I didn’t mean for her to feel guilty again so I interrupted her before she apologized again. “No, it’s not that. But you’re the one who helped him hire me. Being the wife of a player might change how you look at me.”
When Billy’s whole face dropped I knew I’d insulted her despite that not being my intention.
She folded her lips and then released a breath that I knew was her way of trying not to fuss me out.
“I hope you know that nobody here cares about the fact that you found your person in Money. Hell, you seem to be exactly what he needs outside of what you’re doing with Ami.
And in my eyes the way you love her only solidifies that you’re the right person for him.
Too many women would be jealous. Would try to be manipulative, but I could tell then and now you’re a genuine person.
And if what I said offended you, I apologize.
There is nothing wrong with being with someone who allows you to do what it is that you want to do.
I want that for every woman in this world.
If it’s as simple as running a business or as complex as taking care of home, women deserve to have the choice. ”
“You said complex as taking care of home.” I knew she had to have help because her business was booming and she was extremely successful. Hearing her value the help she had was a completely different outlook from how my mother viewed the people who worked for her.
She laughed, and I couldn’t understand what was funny.
“I have four children, Sterling, FOUR.” She wiggled her fingers and said four like even her ass was shocked she had so many.
Now I was laughing right along with Billy.
“I’m never going to knock anyone who takes care of home full-time because I know firsthand what it takes to do that.
I have my mother, my husband’s adopted mother and his father who are all on call to help us and we still have additional help.
I know the privilege I have in being able to have help and I would never put another woman down for her choices. ”
Billy’s words had me on the verge of tears and I knew she was only trying to reinforce that she wasn’t judging. Aphrodite trusted her and so did Aldrich so opening up to her seemed like a safe bet.
“Thank you. That’s my own insecurity coming out.
My mother has basically told me I needed to settle for any man because I physically couldn’t get a top-tier man and working was beneath me.
I don’t know why they work so hard and then expect their children to be everything they aren’t. I don’t have kids—”
She barked a laugh and then nodded her head toward where Aphrodite was sitting with Ami. “That baby that you were carrying on your chest would definitely like to have a word.”
I grinned my heart warming at how easily she assuaged my fear. “You know what I mean. But I like being with her and looking after her. I always said I would just have my maternal urges filled by being a nanny but—”
“But it’s different than that now, right? Because your emotions are there.” Her voice softened like she completely understood what I was saying and I could only nod.
“Yeah, and I enjoy making sure that everything is taken care of. I have a lot of pride in that but it still makes me feel like I gave in to her machinations and it pisses me off.”
“Didn’t you go to school?”
“Uh yeah you saw my credentials.”
“Right. Credentials, plural. You have a master’s in nursing. You’ve been a travel nurse for the last few years. That’s nothing to sneeze at. You graduated from Johns Hopkins—”
“Yeah, but it’s not Ivy so she’s not impressed by that.” Which was ironic because my mother didn’t go to an Ivy League school herself.
Billy’s lips tightened, and I could see her trying to be kind. It didn’t work, though. “Respectfully, fuck her.”
I laughed because the vehemence in which she said it was funny but also made me feel protected.
The same way I did when I spoke with Aldrich, Aphrodite or any of the people I’d met here so far.
“Wild that you started that off with respectfully because it was anything but. Not that she didn’t earn it.
Do you stick up for everybody like this? ”
“I can’t help it. It’s the big sister in me. I don’t like feeling as though people are being picked on for no reason. I go into protector mode but please tell me if I’m being overbearing. I’ve been working on it.”
I stared at her because I didn’t believe she thought her overprotectiveness was a flaw whatsoever. “You have?”
She smiled sheepishly before she shrugged unbothered. “I’ve been meaning to work on it but it keeps taking a backseat. People like to play with my people far too much for my liking. As you can see from Natalie’s shitty behavior there’s always a bitch standing in line to be checked.”
“And it really makes your day to do so.”
Her grin matched mine and she nodded without remorse.
“Hell yeah. They should be glad it’s me and not Lyric or Rye.
Rye swings first and has me get her out of trouble and Lyric likes guns.
I’m really the lesser of the evils.” She stopped and eyed me up and down.
“But with the way you cleared Natalie and her little minions with that read I definitely have a kindred spirit.”
I cringed cause I was really trying not to remember how I’d behaved. “Thank you. I know I’m not Ami’s mother but I hate for her to even feel my vibes when I go off like that.”
“I know from experience that girls will seek the love their fathers showed them or denied them and will immolate the strength and love of their mothers that made them feel safe. Ami won’t ever feel any negative vibes from your handling business.
She’ll see that you’re not about to let someone treat you or her disrespectfully. ”
I nodded and handed my card over to finish purchasing the boots and the jacket. I’d got them because I knew I’d regret it later if I didn’t.
“I appreciate that very much. I have a tendency to think negatively first.”
She smiled gently and nodded as if she understood exactly how I felt. “That’s learned behavior so you can unlearn it. We want to be perfect for the people we love and thinking that we’re falling short will make you act out of character.”
I took the bags and thanked the woman who had boxed up my purchases before we walked back toward the table.
We dropped off our bags before filling our plates and sitting down to enjoy our meal.
Natalie and her people were gone and I was happy just to sit around and have girl talk without the mean girls.
“Are you going to tell us how you got access to this box? I’m all for stunting on a bitch but I also hope you didn’t have to go through hoops to get this done.
Like the way you cleared that ho when she tried you, though.
” Lyric gave me a wink of respect but I could tell she was concerned that I was overextending myself or she was worried about the cost of everything.
I glanced around and saw everyone but Aphrodite looking at me intensely. “I promise it’s not costing me a thing.”
I knew what her look of disbelief stemmed from. She wasn’t counting my pockets but she was again concerned because they probably knew the cost of a box.
“As I said it’s a family benefit.” I shifted before placing the burnt end in my mouth. I knew immediately that they came from Sampson’s restaurant because they were perfectly glazed and had the perfect balance of meat and fat.
“Family?” I could hear Rye’s wariness at the question and I wondered if she had beef with her family too. I knew there was some type of political scandal involving her birth father but I wondered if she hated all her relatives.
I put down my fork and wiped my mouth before checking on Ami who was happily playing in her stroller.
“My family owned the land that they built the new stadium on. They put a clause inside the contract stating we got a discounted suite for the lifetime of the stadium. Our family trust is set up so that any business interest we have is distributed equally among the family members, the box is one of those interests. My relatives aren’t big on organized sports and normally they rent the suite out for a profit on their weekends.
I took advantage of never having used it at all and secured it for the weekend.
” I gave the explanation and then picked up my fork, hoping the conversation would continue on but the silence was deafening.
When I glanced up I could see all eyes looking at me like I’d grown another head. All except one.
Of course she knew.
“So you’re like…a Black American princess.” Lyric’s eyes were wide like I was some type of unicorn.
I shook my head hoping they weren’t going to feel weird about what I’d said. “Nope. Just regular nanny Sterling.”
“Well, you were never just that.” Aphrodite gave me a look like I needed to stop counting myself out and all I could do was nod.
“How long have you known?” That question was directed to Billy because it was clear she wasn’t at all surprised about my confession.
She folded her lips together and gave me a look like she’d been caught red-handed. “Since you were hired. I trusted the background check that your cousin’s company provided but that still wasn’t something I was going to risk. Not with the sensitivity of Money’s situation and a little one involved.”
Her explanation was unnecessary but I appreciated her wanting to ease my mind that she didn’t think I was a weirdo.
“Understandable. Normally, folks stop before they get into the full history, but once they start to hear the Sanders name the treatment flips.”