Chapter Thirty-One The Three Amigos
“Okay, so I might be going on a date.”
A few weeks passed before Sunni let herself call it that.
Not a rescue. Not a replacement. A date.
Sunni sat at the table in her robe, hair in rollers, bare face glowing with moisturizer and hope.
Across from her sat Kane and Prince—still dressed from school, Prince tapping the table rhythmically with a pencil, Kane curled up in one of the chairs with her knees pulled to her chest.
“Alright,” Sunni said, placing her phone on the table like she was dropping a bomb. “Don’t laugh.”
They both looked at her.
“I’m going on a date.”
Prince blinked. “A what?”
“A date,” Sunni repeated, holding back a grin. “You know. Food. Conversation. Maybe somebody paying for my steak besides me.”
Kane tilted her head. “With who?”
Sunni shrugged. “Some man named Derrick. We matched on that dating app your Auntie Tasha sneak-added to my phone last month.”
Prince leaned back, arms folded. “You serious?”
“I’m dead serious,” Sunni said. “And I need y’all help. Y’all are the council. The crew. The Three Amigos.”
Kane smiled slowly. “So this ain’t a drill?”
“Nope. It’s real,” Sunni said. “He’s taking me to that tapas spot in Midtown. And I need outfit advice, emotional support, and possibly someone to drive past the restaurant in case he looks different than his pictures.”
Prince smirked. “You mean catfish patrol?”
“Exactly.”
Kane laughed for real now. “You nervous?”
Sunni exhaled. “Not really nervous. Just… rusty. I ain’t been on a date since y’all were in diapers and cartoons still came on VHS.”
Prince cracked a grin. “Damn.”
Kane stood up, stretching. “Alright then. First rule of getting back out there: you gotta look like you ain’t never left.”
“Oh?” Sunni raised an eyebrow.
“Yes,” Kane said. “You can’t wear nothing that says ‘comfort’ or ‘kids been stressin’ me.’ We pulling out the good jeans and the ‘don’t talk to me unless you serious’ top.”
Prince added, “And no mom purse.”
Sunni laughed. “Y’all really gon’ sit here and style me?”
Prince nodded. “Absolutely. You’ve been all about us. Time we give some of that back.”
Kane leaned over and kissed her on the cheek. “You deserve joy, Ma. Even if it’s just tapas and lies tonight.”
Sunni smiled wide, warmth filling her chest.
They were her team. Her co-pilots. Her friends.
The Three Amigos.
And even though she didn’t know if this man named Derrick would be a blessing or a bust—she knew one thing for sure:
She was finally choosing herself again.