Chapter 2
TWO
Diamond Scott.
“Yay!” I clapped when my student, Collin, tied his shoe successfully.
I’d been working at Little Wonders, an early childhood development center in Atlyn City, for the last five years, and had been one of Collin’s instructors since he was six months.
“I did it, Ms. D! I did it!”
“You did!” I beamed, pulling him into a tight hug. “I’m so proud of you!”
“Do I get to go in the prize box?”
“You sure do.” I giggled. “Go ahead.”
He ran off just as another one of my babies ran up.
“Ms. D, Imani hit me.” Essence whined.
I looked past her at a pouting Imani.
“Imani, you know hitting isn’t nice.”
“She said I was ugly,” she pouted.
“She’s your twin, baby.” I smiled.
“So, she’s ugly too?”
I couldn’t help but laugh at the pleading look on her face.
“No, sweetie, you’re both beautiful.” I smiled, grabbing each of their hands. “And you’re sisters, so be nice. Okay?” I looked between both of them until they both nodded. “Alright, now you both have to go to the thinking chairs for fifteen minutes.”
“But…”
I cut Essence off, holding up my index finger. “No, buts. Go.”
They both had the cutest little pouts on their faces before heading to two small chairs that were in the quiet corner.
They knew they had to sit there and hold hands, and how to set the timer for the duration they had to be there, so once I saw they were settled, I went to finish up what I was doing.
At the end of every school day, I let my babies get a snack then I’d let them either go out and play or have free time in my classroom. It was raining today, so we did the latter.
I cleaned up all of the trash that the kids had lying around and helped get them ready for pick up. I was thankful that everyone had come on time, so I was able to head out once they were gone.
“Let’s go to happy hour,” my best friend, Kabria, said as soon as I answered her call. I knew she was going to call as soon as I got off because she did every day. “You don’t have to work tomorrow, so you don’t have an excuse.”
“I’ve been working all week, Kabria. Friday nights are my time to chill and unwind for the week.”
“No better way to do that other than drinks and food?”
I chuckled as I turned out of the parking lot of my job. “Where, Kabria?”
“It doesn’t matter. Heat has fifty cent wings until eight and Hall of Fame has half off margaritas all day.”
“No, not Hall of Fame.” I shook my head. “I don’t feel like fighting off the Unc’s.”
Hall of Fame was a sports bar and always a good time, but on Friday’s there was always an older crowd in there. It usually worked in our favor because we never had to spend money on anything since the men were always so generous, but I wasn’t in the mood to entertain the way I would have had to.
“Heat it is then. Are you wearing what you wore to work or are you going to go change?”
“I’m showering and changing,” I answered. “The kids painted today, so I look like a walking canvas.”
“I’ll come to your place then so we can ride together.”
“Okay, that’s cool, but Kabria, I’m only going to Heat. Nowhere else.”
“Okay, Diamond.”
“I’m serious,” I assured her. “I will order a uRide.”
“Diamond, I said okay, hoe.”
“I have to tell you a few times for you to understand.”
“I’m hanging up. Bye.”
She disconnected the call before I could respond. I laughed and turned the music up once it came back in. Kabria was a social butterfly. It fit because she was a publicist and worked with a lot of different people, but I was more introverted and to myself in comparison.
When I got home, I immediately noticed that there was a sticky note attached to my door.
I snatched it off and went inside, instantly annoyed.
I knew it was from nobody but my sister.
I hadn’t seen her in months and she was the only person that wrote notes and didn’t care about having shit taped to the door for everyone to see. That was literally my life growing up.
We’d stayed more places than I could count.
I didn’t experience stability until I was an adult and able to provide it for myself and her.
I tried allowing her to stay with me when I first got my place in the Palisades, but it didn’t work.
She didn’t work. She didn’t like to wash, she wanted to have her own company which I was fine with, it was who her company was that was an issue.
My sister had fallen victim to the streets when I was ten, right after our parents died.
They’d tried robbing a local convenience store because, unfortunately, they’d both rather do anything besides work.
The store clerk ended up shooting and killing them right there, and things had been downhill for my sister ever since.
It hurt me just as much as it did her, maybe even more, because she was ten years older than me and had at least experienced them for her entire childhood, but I’d been robbed of that, even though they were shitty most of the time.
I didn’t even bother reading the note because I knew it said the same things the others had said.
She was asking for money and telling me where she would be for the next few days.
I’d gotten her three phones over the years so that she could contact me instead of sticking notes on my door, but she sold them all.
I tried getting her help a few times too, but it proved to be a waste of my time and money, so I gave up.
I had to make peace with the fact that she was grown and was going to make her own decisions.
I turned the shower on before going to find something to wear.
It was warm out, so I decided on an orange two-piece set from Fashion Nova that I planned to pair with some gold sandals and jewelry.
I’d just gotten some Bohemian knotless braids, so I was thankful that I didn’t have to worry about my hair.
I laid my clothes out on my bed before undressing and getting in the shower.
I had to hurry but still wash thoroughly because Kabria would be to my place quickly.
After my shower, I brushed and flossed my teeth then applied my body butter.
By the time I got my bra and panties on, my best friend was walking in my room.
“I just have to throw my clothes on and touch up my edges, then I’ll be ready.” I let her know as I grabbed my shirt.
“Okay.” She plopped down on my bed then began meddling like she always did. “Gwen’s been by here?”
“Seems like it.” I sighed. “No matter how many times I ask her not to leave stuff on my door, she still does.”
“You know how she is.” She shook her head. “I told you to order a little flip phone and call it a day.”
“For her to sell that too?” I frowned. “Because we both know she would.”
“I know. I hate that, bestie.”
“Yeah, me too.” I replied somberly. “But I don’t even want to think about it, which is why I didn’t read the note. I just want to enjoy tonight then I’ll read it tomorrow.”
“Sounds like a plan to me.” She nodded. “You look cute, bitch.”
“Thank you.”
I’d finished dressing, so I walked back to the bathroom to fix my edges then put on some perfume and my jewelry. After that we headed out.
Kabria spent most of the car ride talking shit and complaining about her on and off boyfriend of three years.
Her and Vince were exhausting. She hated him on most days but was so comfortable with him that she didn’t leave.
I didn’t understand that. A nigga barely had one time to play with me, and he was getting the boot.
My ex, Tristan, was the perfect example.
Me and him were together for a few years after I graduated college.
He did everything that he was supposed to do; paid bills, bought gifts, took me on dates, was there to help me through the roller coaster ride my sister constantly took me on, but the moment foul play came into the mix, I was gone.
I didn’t care how much he did for me or claimed to love me.
If he didn’t want to lose me, he wouldn’t have fucked up.
Heat had a nice crowd when we made it. I wasn’t surprised because people loved their wings, and the bartenders were always heavy handed with the drinks. The club was fairly big, but they only had the section with the high-top tables and bar area open.
Once Kabria and I were seated at the bar, we placed our food orders then began to make small talk.
“How were those bad ass twins today?” Kabria asked and I laughed.
“My babies aren’t bad. They just have a lot of personality.”
“Girl, they’re heathens,” she countered. “I’m willing to bet any amount of money you put them in timeout.”
“I don’t have a timeout. I have a thinking corner.”
“How ever you dress it up, bitch, it’s timeout.” She laughed then we briefly paused our conversation because they’d brought us our food. “But guess who reached out to me to take them on as a client?”
“Who?”
“Chez.” She grinned. “He said that he needs PR for his artists. I meet with them on Monday.”
“Kabria!” I smiled. “This is huge!”
“I know.” She grinned. “Which is why you should go out and celebrate with me tonight.”
“We can celebrate right now, bitch, don’t even try it.”
“You’re a tough cookie.”
“Let’s take a shot.” I said then waved the bartender down to place an order. Once she returned with them, I grabbed mine and lifted it. “Congratulations, friend. This is only the beginning and I’m manifesting this to be the big break you need to start your own firm one day.”
“Yes, bitch, speak it into existence!” She grabbed her shot and lifted it. “To me and to you because I know for a fact that you’ll get the director position you’ve been wanting at the daycare.”