Ch. 5 #2
Klarity’s cheeks hiked as her smile grew.
Essence looked so much like her and so did CJ.
Klarity could enter this modeling thing too and make bank.
This entire family had the looks and personality that a lot of brands looked for.
The kids were perfect for clothing brands while Klarity could legit run through the tattoo lane being the face of many magazines.
The many favors I had could extend her way as well.
If the wife and offspring carried these features, I could only imagine how her husband looked.
That wasn’t me wanting to see him just out of curiosity either.
I truly wanted to know if beauty ran in their family.
I made a mental note to look up the Atkins after the meeting.
Nesh said her husband was a nutjob and I only interpreted that as he didn’t play with a soul about his family.
A wave of envy washed over me but left just as quickly.
Black women deserved to be loved properly and out loud.
“Thank you so much. Do I need to fill any more paperwork out? Do we need to submit more photos? Just tell me what I got to do, Ms. Afor,” she rattled off.
I couldn’t help but laugh at her response. She was excited, and I didn’t blame her. I felt like the kids would fill a void I didn’t know I carried for so long. Seeing their smiling faces would definitely keep my stress level down and probably my flares at bay.
“Tell me about them. Their personalities, what makes them uncomfortable, and anything else you can think of that would help me keep them content while we shoot.”
“Well, Essence acts like her father so that means she lacks all marbles. The little girl is crazy. She’s also spoiled so whatever the poor girl wants, give it to her or she throws a fit.
CJ is my little introvert. He doesn’t really show you his fun side until he feels you out and decides whether he can be your friend.
Other than that, they are a ball of joy,” she explained.
Essence was still in my lap playing with my pearls.
She’d tugged on them a few times where I had to follow her direction of motion.
It was something about babies’ strength that went unmatched to others.
I didn’t mind though. With me being their agent, it was best if the kids got used to me now so moving forward all scheduled appointments encounters would be at ease for them.
“Aren’t you just the cutest little thing? God you are adorable baby girl,” I said admiring Essence even more. “I could really just take her home with me, and I’d be satisfied.”
“Good luck. Her father don’t play about her, not even a lil’ bit. He will tear the city up behind his kids, especially that one. I can only imagine how unbalanced he’ll become with the one I’m carrying.”
“You’re pregnant? God, with how flat your stomach is, I would’ve never guessed it.”
“Yeah, I don’t start to show until I’m like four months and it’s like a sudden flip from flat to pudge to full blown Ms. Piggy. Give it a little time. Are you sure there’s nothing else for me to fill out?”
“Deena will get the packets ready for you. There’s a lot of questionnaires so please answer them to your best ability.
Once you’re done, just drop them back off at the office to my receptionist Halona, and she’ll pass it along.
Usually, it takes me around a month to find them bookings, but in the meantime, you can schedule them some photoshoots.
Get them an official portfolio started. We have plenty of themes we can cook up and brands to utilize.
” I was sure about her babies making it big. They were too cute not to.
“Sounds like a plan. I guess we’ll get going then. Thank you for taking us on,” Klarity voiced with a smile on her face. She extended her hand in my direction, and I honored her request.
I squeezed on Essence in a hug before handing her off to her mother.
CJ and I exchanged high fives before he clung to her leg.
They were really her shadows, and I loved that for her.
Her babies looked to her for security and protection.
If that day ever found me, I’d be more than filled with satisfaction.
“Call at any time if you have questions. Deena will give you my card that has my personal number on it.”
“Thank you, Ms. Afor.”
“Cheyonne. Call me Cheyonne. We’ll be spending quite some time together,” I quickly corrected her.
“Thank you, Cheyonne,” she said with her cheeks still hiked. They exited the office as I stood there watching. She was truly blessed. LOL was about to have some new agency faces and I was more than excited.
Shopping, manicures, or getting my hair done was the purest form of therapy for me. I was more content and stress free when I put myself first. I loved me in ways others didn’t seem to care about and that was enough for me. I mean, having Nesh here to swipe her card was nice too.
“Jesus, did you have to go crazy just now? I’ve never seen you walk out with so much from Chanel. You need to slow down, bestie.”
I rolled my eyes as Toneshia lectured me about my spending habit.
She was fussing but had two purses in tow from that exact store.
She also had nothing to say when I treated her.
Sometimes she got on my nerves with the money managing bullshit.
We both deserved to splurge a bit. She just bagged a new client and scored them a hell of a deal with Calvin Klein. A celebration was in order.
“No best friend, you need to catch up. Let’s hit LV right quick and then we can go. I promised myself I wasn’t leaving without the new clutch that just dropped,” I said, not letting her get me out my good mood.
“Che-Che, are you serious right now?”
“Very. Come on!” I squealed.
Grabbing her by the wrist, I pulled her into the Louis store.
She shook her head with a smirk plastered on her face.
Nesh talked a lot of mess, but her main thing was keeping me happy.
She’d rather see me smiling and feeling good than complaining and in pain.
She was like a damn big sister that worried more than a mother.
“Which clutch is it, Cheyonne? It’s my treat,” she chimed.
Grabbing onto her arm, I sang, “That oonnee!” I pointed to the item on the glass counter that sat on a podium.
“Is that all you want out of here?” Nodding wildly, that kid feeling was beginning to wash over me.
Being spoiled always felt good and who was better to do it than my best friend.
She was my better half and my man until I found one.
This was her responsibility until further notice.
Simple. Plus, she wasn’t cheap with her spending.
She might’ve wanted me to watch how many items I purchased in a day but the price on a tag never bothered her.
“How was your vacation with Derrek? Did you make another baby?” I taunted.
“Girl, we damn sure tried. I’ll know the results sooner or later. You know he asked when you planned on having one. I told him to set you up with one of his office buddies, so somebody should be calling soon.”
“Nesh, don’t even set that nigga up for disappointment. You and Derrek both know I don’t do that blind dating shit. If I meet a man, it’ll be on my time. Don’t go setting me up with nobody when I didn’t ask. Niggas nowadays are so jealous of women. I’m not even up for the headache, bestie.”
My mind was made up on relationships. I’d engage when it presented itself. I wouldn’t search or take handouts. I was a grown ass woman who could manage a business and a man if that ever occurred. Right now, I was going with the flow of life.
“Give him a chance. Jeremiah’s the cute one, and he’s red how you like them. I think the least you can do is give him a little conversation. I ain’t saying fuck him but just talk to him. Start small,” she suggested.
“Toneshia, you and your husband need to find something better to do than worry about me and a damn man. Oh, I meant to tell you about the Atkins family. They are so beautiful, best friend, it don’t make no sense.
I mean, I know I’m a work of art but them damn Atkins are on another level.
Baby girl is surreal, and I ain’t even exaggerating. ”
“Did you do your research on Royce?” she inquired before pointing to a pair of glasses on the wall for the clerk to assist her with.
I did and Sage Spring is theirs. There is no other way to put it.
When I researched Royce Atkins, I wasn’t expecting to see the many pages google provided on him.
The man was a billionaire cozied up on a compound that was worth millions with his family.
He was solely enjoying the fruits of generational wealth.
This mall Toneshia and I stood in was his along with the one across town.
He had a few other businesses under his name, but Kinfolk Galleria was the most popular.
Royce was a handsome gentleman, and his family shared those same exquisite features. I completely understood why a man of his caliber wifed up a woman like Klarity. Two beautiful people deserved to share the same space. Them creating offspring only showed how much love they shared with one another.
“I did, and I don’t see anything crazy about that man. I did, however, see how fine that nigga was. Klarity lucked up finding him ‘cause the man is eye candy for sure,” I answered.
“Fine doesn’t matter when you belong in a mental institution. The man knocks people heads off for fun. Girl, have you not heard the rumors about him?”
“I’m never in the city, Nesh. When the heck would I hear the rumors?
Let me know now if he’s going to bring problems to the company.
I’ll drop his family before we even get started.
I don’t need those kind of issues, especially when the agency was built for kids.
I won’t put them in any kind of danger.”