FEAR OF FLYING #3
“This is Lotus. Oh, she just helped save the day.” Toni perked up.
“Hi, I’m Jewel’s big sister,” Lotus introduced herself.
Taking her hand, Bull nodded as Jewel rounded a corner. With his phone resting between his ear and shoulder and a glass of champagne in one hand with a tray of appetizers in the other, a frown creased his brow.
“Rhema, fuck what you talking about. It’s a party. Why you always got me talking you into shit? Ol’ stubborn ass. I sent you the location, now bring yo’ fine ass over here. Aight, bet.” Jewel swallowed his champagne and met up with the group hovering in the foyer.
“That’s why she always cussing yo’ ass out. You are not her daddy,” Lotus quipped.
“Shit, that ain’t what she say when I been in that thang,” Jewel teased, popping a won ton filled with cream cheese and some more stuff in his mouth. “These mofuckas good right here,” he noted, mouth full and pointing at the tray.
“I see you making yourself right at home,” Toni observed with a cackle.
“Yeah, this place is nice. I’m looking for something for me, Rhema, and the girls like this,” Jewel said, eyes surveying the high ceilings and classic molding against the trim.
“And who are you?” Toni swirled to face the quiet Essence.
“This is my sister, Essence,” Eazy introduced them.
“It’s nice to meet you.” Toni shook her hand briefly and put on a tight smile, but they sized one another up rather subtly.
She didn’t know for sure, but something told her this woman and Bull had a history. A little jealousy knotted in the pit of her stomach. Essence was gorgeous, very slim like a model. Her waist, breasts, and ass were all small, but it didn’t take away from her alluring beauty.
“Well, it’s a party, so let’s turn up!” Toni smiled and stepped closer to her husband. “Happy birthday.” She leaned in to kiss his lips gently.
When she pulled back, his eyes got lost in hers for a moment before he reached out to stroke her cheek with a simper.
Things were a little off since the night Chai popped up, trying to stake her claim, but Bull remained patient with Toni.
She still felt a way about him and Chai, but at the end of the day, Bull was her husband and father to her children.
That was something her punk ass stepsister couldn’t take from her.
Now, she was heavily guarded with how she expressed herself to him.
So, she stuck to her role as the loving, doting wife and mother and went about her business.
Bull would have to be the one to make the next move.
He was being nice to her, coming home for dinner, and even having flowers sent to her a couple of times a week when he wasn’t around.
She just couldn’t bring herself to open up to him for fear of rejection.
The worst thing in the world for her would be to admit that she had feelings for her own husband and have him disregard them.
“I need a drink,” Lotus muttered, stepping past everyone and making her way to the kitchen.
“Absolutely. Come on, let’s get you a drink.” Grabbing his hand in one of hers, Toni pulled Bull through the house into the large kitchen where everything was decorated in black, yellow, and specks of gold.
All serving platters were gold plated with sprinkles of gold flakes, and all his favorite football appetizers were present. The cake was five tiers with a big 35 on top, which was also gold, and the rest of it was in a gold marble design.
“Oh shit, you made this?” Lotus asked, grabbing champagne off a passing tray.
She stood beside the cake and studied it in awe as everyone else piled into the room.
“Took me a full day, but yes.” Toni nodded and reached for a bottle of very expensive whiskey on the counter and two glasses.
“Shit, you got skills.” Lotus tipped her glass. “Matter of fact, Jewel, take a picture of me next to this pretty mothafucka here. I’ll tell everyone it was my date.” She tittered, and Jewel shook his head.
“Crazy ass girl.” Digging his phone from his pocket, he indulged her and snapped a few.
She bent over doing the Dorothy Dandridge pose, poking her ass out and blowing a kiss at the camera with one leg lifted in the air behind her.
“Send ’em to Ma, so she’ll think I’m having fun tonight and stop checking on me like a suicidal patient,” Lotus encouraged.
“Okay, everyone grab a glass.” Toni poured she and Bull a glass of whiskey and faced the small group that formed a circle with the kids cutting in the middle.
“I just want to toast the reason we all are here tonight.” She held her glass in the air.
“Bull, from the day I met you, I knew that you were the kind of man who puts others ahead of yourself. You have shown that every day, and honestly, I don’t know where me and the kids would be without you.
You’re protective and dedicated to the well-being of our family, and you make sure that we are always a priority.
So tonight, I want to say thank you and I appreciate everything you do to make sure we’re good. Happy Birthday!”
“Happy Birthday!” Everyone yelled in unison, clanking their glasses together before taking sips.
“Happy Birthday, Daddy!” Breeze grabbed one leg, and Bijou came to wrap his other in a hug.
“Wuv you, Daddy,” Jou Jou declared.
“Aw, aren’t they the cutest!” Lotus gushed.
Within the hour, things were in full swing.
A house full of guests with a mix of hip hop and R&B tunes blaring got everyone on their feet.
The pool section was where everyone chose to dance, with the water sparkling around them.
Since it was heated, a few people even brought swimsuits, which was on the invitations that Toni had sent out, so it didn’t surprise her.
The staff moved around, making sure all the guests were happy and not in need of anything.
Weed and all other smoking was designated to outside.
Toni floated around, mingling with guests, and Bull got lit but couldn’t keep his eyes off her as she moved through the house, smiling and laughing with everybody.
He finally caught her with a moment alone in the kitchen where she poured herself another glass of champagne and took a minute to herself. Lotus had seemingly fallen in love with Breeze and Bijou, so she kept them entertained outside near the pool.
“Since it’s my birthday, does that mean I get a gift too?” Bull startled her, and she jumped out of her skin, nearly dropping the bottle in her hand.
He stood so close she could feel his body heat against hers when she pressed her back against the counter to face him. Standing near the open patio doors, with Essence seated about five feet away with Eazy at a table rolling a blunt, Bull focused on his wife.
“I actually got you a gift. I was just waiting for everyone to leave to give it to you.” Toni grabbed her flute.
“Is it personalized?” Bull queried, locking her against the counter with an arm on each side of her.
Slowly tilting her head, a cute smirk curved the corners of her pouty little mouth.
“First of all, I got you a real gift.” She perked up and got in his face.
“That’s cool, but I was thinking more along the lines of something I can unwrap myself.” He brought a hand to her shoulder and toyed with the thin strap of her dress, biting into his bottom lip hungrily.
“Since it is your birthday, I guess I can oblige.”
“And what about after that?” Bull’s arm landed on her back, right above her ass, and tugged her closer so their ribcages touched.
“Bull—” Toni tried to pry herself out of his arms, but it felt so good there.
He only held her tighter, his dark eyes searching hers.
“T, you my wife.”
“What does that mean? It never stopped you from fucking with other women before. If it wasn’t Chai, it was some other bitch. So, why does me being your wife become a factor now?” she questioned.
“Because that ain’t how I want it to be,” Bull responded.
“Since when?” Toni pried.
“Well, hello there birthday boy,” Chai’s annoying ass voice sang from the doorway.
In a tight red dress and high strappy heels, she left little to the imagination.
When Urso and Onika appeared behind her, Toni went rigid, and Bull’s face scrunched into a grimace.
Toni didn’t have a relationship with her mother, but Chai was always telling her shit about her and Bull.
She thought she knew what was really going on, but Bull shut her out ever since the night she showed up unannounced.
She knew his party was tonight, and since everyone at work was invited, she decided to try her luck.
In her arms was a big gift box with the shoes she purchased for him that she knew he would love.
She peeped his style and knew he liked nice shit, so these shoes were also like a make-up gift.
“Hello, daughter, son-in-law.” Onika waved, and it was obvious from her red, hooded eyes that she and Urso were both already lit.
“This is a nice fucking house,” Urso said, whistling and taking in the high ceilings with his hands in the pocket of his slacks.
“What are you doing here?” Toni demanded. “You really could have sat this one out, Chai.”
“I could have, but everyone was invited from the office. How would it look if I didn’t show up?”
“I really don’t care.”
“Hold up.” Bull stepped in front of Toni, making sure he had all of Chai’s attention. “This is my house, and my fucking party.”
“We got a problem in here?” Eazy queried, stepping in from the patio when he heard the raised voices.
His hand was already on his hip, ready for action if he needed to peel a motherfucker’s cap back.
“We just came for the food and drinks like everybody else,” Chai divulged, walking the box with Bull’s gift over to the counter.
“It’s up to you, T.” Bull glanced at his wife over his shoulder.
“Get the fuck out of my house.” Toni snatched up her glass and stomped outside to go check on her kids.
Bull salivated after her, mesmerized by her hips swinging with attitude before disappearing. He liked that assertive shit she was tapping into.
“You heard her. Bounce.” Bull nodded to the exit.