Chapter 13
Feelin’ Myself
It took me the rest of the week, but I finally picked a house and sent the picture of it to Love while I was at work. He texted me back instantly, telling me he was getting right on it.
The way he loved me was like something I still wasn’t used to at all, but I was getting used to it.
Work was busy. My girls kept looking at me, trying to figure out why I was smiling so hard, but we didn’t get a chance to talk about it between handling patients with no patience.
But once it was break time, they met me at the nurse’s station. I grabbed what Love ordered for me, and we took it down to the cafeteria.
We did our normal routine, waiting until everybody’s food got there, and then we started eating and getting into whatever we needed to talk about.
We had a light conversation about what we had been doing all morning as Kenya and Renee’s food came, then got lost into our phones until Deja’s food came. I scheduled our dress shopping appointment and Love’s suit fitting. Then we all opened our lids, and they all looked at me.
“Okay, Mrs.,” Kenya said, mixing her pasta up. “What got you so happy?”
I took a sip of my drink while they stared at me, waiting, looking like they were going to cuss me out.
“We’re getting a house!”
They all started cheering and laughing, making everybody, in turn, look at us.
“Yess girl!!” Deja added. “I didn’t know y’all were looking.”
“I didn’t know either. It was kind of presented to me the other night, and I was told to pick a house.”
“I love that, Love is that nigga,” Renee added.
“He is,” I said, agreeing. “That nigga has been stepping for me and about me since we met.”
“That’s what you needed after Gio. Hell, that’s what every female needs,” Kenya added.
We all agreed.
“Well, I think after work we go home, get dressed, and hit a club to celebrate,” Deja suggested.
“Yess…I love that idea, you down, almost wifey?” Kenya asked.
All three of them stared at me while I thought about it.
“I’m down, just give me some time to get dinner done.”
They all laughed.
“Damn, Islah, not that long ago we were out all the time. Now you are engaged and a damn stepmom,” Renee said.
We all laughed as we got up from the table.
“Yeah, that is a big change, but I wouldn’t change it for nothing.”
We went back to work, and I was thankful the patients I did have were a lot calmer than the morning rush. A lot of easy talks, some lil’ kids with bike wrecks. My ring kept tearing my gloves, making the old ladies want to know my whole life story and what my man did for a living.
By the time my shift was over, I was beat, but I knew my girls weren’t gonna let me skip out on a girl’s night.
I was the last one to get off. I got changed in the locker room, and when I came out, I found my girls waiting for me at the nurse’s station.
“Sooo…tonight is still a move?” Kenya asked.
They all looked at me, knowing I’d be the one to change my mind.
“Yes, we’re still going,” I said as we headed to the elevator. “Let me get home, make sure my boys are straight, and I will meet you. Send me the address.”
“I think we should get a truck tonight. I am trying to leave drunk,” Deja added. Renee nodded her head, agreeing.
We all walked out to the parking garage and hugged before we walked to our cars.
“That’s cool with me,” I said, “Just make me the last pickup.”
They all agreed, and we walked off.
On my drive, I texted my man, letting him know I was on the way home as normal, and smiled at his response as I moved through the dark streets with my ring dancing off every streetlight.
I had shit going on in my life that I should have been focused on: the wedding, Love buying us a house, our family. But I can’t lie, it did feel good to be going out with just my girls.
When I finally got home, I walked in to the TV turned up loud, with Love and Amir yelling to the point that they didn’t even hear me come in.
“Heyy guysss,” I said, staring at the back of their heads.
Love paused the game and instantly stood up.
“Wussup, baby?” he said, stretching before walking over to me. “How was your day?”
He pulled me into his arms and kissed me.
“It was good, started rough, but it was good. How was your day?”
Love shrugged his shoulders. “It was good, money was made, but it is better now.”
Before Love or I could say anything, Amir ran up to me and wrapped his arms around my waist.
“Hello,” he said, looking up at me, making me and Love laugh.
“Hey Amir, how was your day?”
“It was good, passed a test. What are you cooking for dinner?”
Love and I laughed as I pulled away from both of them.
“What am I cooking for dinner? I don’t know yet.” I looked over at Love. “I was actually thinking about going out with my girls tonight. I was gonna make a quick dinner before I went.”
Love raised a brow at me. “Or you can go get your ass ready, and I’ll order us something.”
“Are you sure?” I asked.
Love nodded. “Matter of fact, my nigga is the DJ tonight at Opium. I’ll have him put y’all on the list and get y’all a booth.”
I smiled and kissed Love on the cheek. “Thank you, baby, I’ll tell the girls.”
“Mmhhmm…” Love said as I walked down the hall. “Tell ya girls you bout to be on lock for real… for a few months.”
I turned and looked at him before I walked into our room, and he winked at me.
I walked into the room, then stuck my head back out. “Oh yeah, dress shopping and you and your niggas’ suit fitting is scheduled. I’ll send the info to your phone.”
“Okay, mamas, thank you.”
I walked around the room, taking clothes off here and there, then made it to my closet, picking out my outfit for the night and matching heels. I let my girls know the move for the night, and they were more excited for me, hoping that they catch one of Love’s niggas there.
I laughed at the fact that they thought Love’s niggas was like him. I am surprised that they haven’t realized Love was cut from a cloth that they don’t make anymore.
After hopping in the shower, I did a cute messy bun and did my makeup quick, seeing a message from my girls sayin’ they were about to be on the way.
I slipped into a royal blue bodysuit with some matching slacks and my heels. I walked outta the room, down the hall, and Love turned around to look at me, pausing his and Amir's game again.
“She looking like a whole wifey,” Love said, licking his lips while looking me up and down.
“Yeah, you look pretty, Islah,” Amir added.
I smiled at them. “Thank y’all.”
Love came over to me while my phone dinged in my hand.
“The girls are outside,” I said, looking up at him.
“Have fun, baby. Use my card for whatever, and call me if you need me.”
Love walked me to the door, and I kissed him before I walked out. “You treat me so good.”
Love smiled as I walked down the hallway. “I’m supposed to.”
I made my way through the lobby and out to the black truck parked in front with my girls hanging out the window.
“Look at our Islah,” Kenya yelled out.
“Aww, she looks like a wifey. We in here looking like hoochies,” Deja added as the driver opened the door for me.
We all laughed.
“Well, I love y’all’s outfits. My girls look good. I am so glad we are doing this before shit gets hectic,” I added.
“Me too. The next time we do something, it will be your bachelorette party,” Renee said.
I smiled to myself, thinking how far away but close that would be.
The driver was finally able to pull out of my parking lot. The Friday night traffic was nothing to play with in Atlanta, but Kenya was always prepared with some champagne and orange juice.
We sipped and talked about the rest of the day, then that changed into my wedding.
“I have been ordering a few things here and there,” I expressed.
“Yay! I am so excited to see everything come together,” Renee added.
“Yess, the next thing we have to do is dress shopping,” Deja added.
My heart damn near raced thinking about that moment.
“That is scheduled, plus the guys’ suit fitting.”
“Before you know it, you will be walking down the aisle,” Deja responded.
I smirked. “You know, I told that man I wanted to wait six months, but to be honest, now, I don’t think I want to.”
“Tell him,” Kenya shot back. “You know we can do the damn thing and pull all that shit together.”
I agreed.
“Nah, I’ll wait it out, give us more time to make it…peaceful.”
After about three drinks, we made it to the club. The line was already wrapped around the building. We walked up to the door, I gave Love’s name, and we were let right in.
The inside was such a vibe, lights moving in every direction, people wall to wall, ladies carrying bottles on top of their heads, heading to a section for a celebration. The music instantly made me want to dance.
Kenya led us to the VIP section. She gave the bouncer Love’s name. It didn’t take him long to check the list and let us in. He had one of the ladies who was free to take us to our section and get us started with some bottles.
Kenya and Deja went in and hit the floor as soon as they had a cup in their hands. While me and Renee sat and scoped the scene while watching them. After a while, they came back ready for another round of drinks when Keith came over to the section, surprising me.
“What are you doing here?” I asked him as he hugged me.
“My boy is spinning, came out here to show him some love. You mind if me and Love’s niggas share y’all section? We got the bottles.”
Before I could even respond, Renee did.
“Of course you can, send the single ones me and my girls’ way.”
We laughed, and Keith went to get four of his niggas, brought them in, and introduced them to me and Renee while Kenya and Deja got back to our section quick to see what was up with them niggas.
My girls got busy trying to see which one of them they could land while I sat to the side texting my man, wishing he was with me.
After my girls got what they wanted, Deja pulled me up outta my phone and onto the dance floor with Renee and Kenya coming to join us.
“Come on, Islah, show us how you finna shake your ass on your wedding day.”
I smiled, acting shy, but at the same time, I did what I asked to do.