FEAR OF FLYING
With her middle aching, Lotus shifted on the bed and found it empty.
Head still fuzzy from the many tequila shots and weed she’d smoked the night prior, she reached for her banging head.
When her hand landed in her messy hair, she groaned and dared peek one eye open as the aroma of bacon permeated the air.
Sensing that she was naked, she slowly sat up and blinked multiple times to come back to reality.
This damn sure wasn’t her apartment. Holding the sheet from the bed against her naked chest, she scanned the room for some sign of Eazy, but it was obvious he was gone.
This nigga. The only thing she’d been left with was the strong fragrance of his cologne.
Scooting to the edge of the bed, she set her bare feet on the floor and snatched up her dress.
He had her fucked all the way up. She opted out of slipping back into her heels and prayed she didn’t run into his grandparents trying to sneak out of the house.
It was still when she cracked the door open and poked her head out into the hallway.
She decided to make a break for it, starting down the back steps to the kitchen, so she could leave through the back door.
“Lotus Marie Bailey, I know you not doing the walk of shame out of here at no damn eight in the morning.” Kissa stood near the coffee pot with a fresh mug in her hand when Lotus reached the landing.
Embarrassment flooded her face and she lowered her head. Shit!
“Ma, I crashed here because I was drunk,” she lied, and she was bad at it because Kissa hiked a brow and shot an unbelieving glance her way.
“Girl, you must think I’m dumb and blind.” She tipped her coffee to her lips and sipped. “But I am more than willing to hear it from your mouth.”
“Nothing to tell.” She shrugged. “I am an adult, and I don’t have to give you the play by play of who I sleep with.”
“Oh, so you woke up and chose disrespect this morning.” Kissa set her mug on the counter, and Lotus sighed, closing her eyes.
“Ma, I have a hangover. I woke up by myself in the bed of a man I barely know. I just want to go home, take a shower, and crash for the rest of the day.”
“So, you’re not going to work today?” Kissa questioned.
“No. I’m taking a few days off.” Lotus spotted her clutch on the bread stand near the door and rushed to get it so she could get the hell out of there.
She was done fucking with Eazy and all his panty dropping charm. He wasn’t going to talk her out of hers again. She had to stand her ground with this nigga, because obviously, he didn’t respect her enough to stick around when she woke up.
“You want something to eat?”
“No, but if you see Eazy, tell him to go to hell.” Lotus pushed the screen door open and stomped outside with her clutch and shoes in her hands.
She marched to her car and started it. Not waiting for it to even warm up, she took off down the block.
By the time she arrived outside her apartment building, Lotus had half a mind to text Eazy and cuss him the hell out.
Doing that would give him the inclination that she gave a damn, though, and she refused to be that with him.
She punched in her code to access her building and started up the stairs to her second floor studio style apartment.
When she tried to stick her key in the keyhole, she dropped the whole set and bent to retrieve them.
“I miss you, baby.” A familiar voice pierced her ears, and Evren grabbed her hips.
He pulled her ass toward his hard dick poking through his slacks.
“Evren, what the fuck are you doing here!” Lotus jerked away and pressed her back into her apartment door.
Smiling, he crowded her space, assaulting her nostrils with his cologne and biting down on his plump bottom lip. He tried to nuzzle her neck, inhaling Eazy’s manly scent all over her, seeping from her pores and clothes. Turning his nose up, Evren backed up.
“Where the fuck you been, Lotus?”
“That’s a question for my man to ask me, Evren, and that ain’t you. What the fuck is wrong with you? It’s over. We’re done! Stay the fuck away from me!” She gave him her back, stuck the key in the lock, and turned it.
When she pushed the door open, he grabbed the back of her neck and shoved her inside. Stumbling over her feet, Lotus spun to face him, eyes wild with fear. Evren slammed the door behind him, causing some of her pictures to rattle on the walls when he did so.
“Why the fuck you smell like another nigga?”
“You deaf or something?” she sneered. “Maybe it’s because I was with another nigga. Fucking him. All night matter of fact.”
Smack!
He backhanded her, which sent her crumpling to the floor, holding her throbbing cheek. Kneeling, Evren grabbed her by the shoulders and yanked her forward. He made sure to position himself in her face.
“You got me fucked up!”
“And you damn sure put your hands on the wrong one,” Lotus grumbled.
She swung her fist, catching him off guard when it landed against his jaw.
A sudden ringing echoed through his ears.
He teetered on his toes, and Lotus lifted her leg to kick him.
Tipping over and hollering in pain while Lotus glared at him, he tried to pull himself together.
She snatched her keys from the floor, and rushed over to a nearby table with a locked drawer.
Locating the key she needed on the ring, within seconds she popped it open.
Reaching inside, she gripped the .22 before Evren could run up on her.
Lotus made sure the clip was loaded and faced him with perfect aim.
His arms up, Evren paused mid stride, fear flickering through his light eyes.
“Give me a reason not to fill you with the clip!” she hissed.
“Lotus, baby—”
“Get the fuck out, Evren!” she spat, eyes glistening with tears, adrenaline coursing through her.
“Look…” The minute he tried to inch closer, she squeezed one off.
Pow!
The bullet barely missed his head, whizzing right past his ear and piercing the wall behind him.
“The fuck!” His eyes doubled in size.
“This is not a fucking test. Get the hell out of my house!”
Dark shadows bounced around her eyes. Evren knew better than to challenge her.
Retreating, he let himself out of the apartment.
Lotus kept enough space between them so he couldn’t come for her, but kept the gun aimed at his head as he took slow strides to her front door.
Once he was in the hall, the door slammed closed behind him.
Lotus rushed to lock it with the deadbolt and snapped the chain in place too.
Not one to normally fall apart, her back hit the wood, and she sank to the floor. Gripping the gun in both hands, she wept until her chest ached. She’d brought this on herself. The only good thing that came out of all this was that she finally had some much-needed clarity.
About a month and a half later…
“Breeze! I told you don’t run around with that brownie!” Antonia chased her son through the foyer of their home.
He dipped between servers and decorators putting the finishing touches on the décor for Bull’s party.
Stuffing his face and laughing the whole time his mama chased him in her bathrobe and rollers, Breeze couldn’t be stopped.
It was almost time for the party to start, and she needed to get her children dressed.
Bijou was still upstairs napping, which was a good thing, but Breeze demanded a brownie.
Toni figured it was the best route to go, then he could slip into his little suit and tie.
The gate was deactivated, but security was posted on the perimeter all over the grounds.
Bull didn’t want them to go through the hassle of constantly having to buzz everyone in. Slowly, guests arrived.
“Shit!” Toni screeched, causing Breeze to stop running in the middle of the hall and swing around to face her.
Wanting to be like Bull in every aspect, when he twirled, his shoulder length locs swung.
“Mama, you cuss!” he said, eyes growing like two saucers.
“Breeze, we have to get ready for the party,” she pleaded as the front door opened.
In walked a woman who looked like she belonged on a runway, and a man her exact complexion in a navy suit.
If Toni didn’t know any better, she would swear they were siblings.
Her pink cut out chain strap dress was backless with ruched sides in a halter, bodycon design that stopped above her knees.
A white peacoat completed the look with a pair of open toe heels with a chain strap identical to the link on her halter.
Breeze darted toward them, but Lotus stepped in front of him, reaching for his sticky little hands first so they didn’t touch her or her coat.
“Whoa, little man. This is Chanel. So, I need you to keep your hands back if you want to keep your little fingers,” she teased, holding his little arms up by the wrist, which caused him to freeze.
Sighing in relief, Toni slipped in from behind to capture her son.
“Thank you for stopping him. I do not have time to be chasing him around the yard.”
“No problem.” Lotus smiled, and Breeze hung back with his back against his mother.
She dropped both hands against his little chest and kept him positioned in front of her.
“I’m sorry.” Toni smacked her forehead playfully and made a face. “I’m Toni, Bull’s wife. And you are?”
The handsome man beside her approached with his hand out. His expression was stoic but reminded her of someone else as his dark eyes carefully raked over her.
“I’m Jewel. This is my sister, Lotus. I’m an old friend of Bull’s.”
“And Bronx.” Toni’s expression wilted a bit, but she kept her eyes on Jewel as they softened on her.
“No doubt. We all pretty much crew,” Jewel obliged.
“It’s nice to meet you. The backyard is set up, and there are drinks in the kitchen if you want to help yourself. I have to get this one together and then wake his sister up and do the same.”
Lotus could tell that this girl was flustered, and it was obvious little man in front of her was charged up and ready to go.