Chapter 5
ESSENCE
It had been a week since I’d returned home, and I’d finally started my position at Comer Children’s Hospital.
The twelve-hour shifts kept me too tired to do much of anything besides sleep.
It had been a few months since my last assignment, and that position was for regular eight-hour shifts, so I was a little rusty when it came getting a schedule down.
I was giving myself grace, but my family and friends had already been hounding me about missing outings.
With the weather warming up, everybody wanted to be outside, and I just wanted to sleep, but it was definitely worth it whenever I got to see my little angel babies.
Being able to nurse such fragile little babies back to health was so rewarding, especially when I saw the happiness on the moms’ faces when they were finally able to take them home.
Almost every time I had to say goodbye to a baby, my emotional ass was near tears.
The girls I worked with always made fun of me, but none of the families ever complained.
In fact, I always received their praises for my wonderful bedside manner and the great care I gave their babies.
I took pride in knowing I was the type of nurse who made a difference.
The only downside of my job was when despite our best efforts, we actually lost a baby.
Since starting my nursing career, it had only happened twice due to complicating factors and how early they had been born, but it fucked me up both times.
That was why I worked hard to make sure I did everything I could as far as nutrition and treatment for each preemie.
As unrealistic as it sounded, I wanted to make sure they all were able to go home with their families.
I always went the extra mile for my patients no matter where I was assigned, even going out of my way to help the other nurses despite the majority of them being nasty toward me.
Even though eventually they warmed up to me, I’d only met one other nurse that I’d made an actual friend of.
Micah hadn’t been in the same department since she was in physical therapy with trauma patients, but she’d been a Godsend during my last position, and we’d still been in contact.
She’d even gotten along with my younger sister, Bliss, and that was surprising because Bliss barely liked herself some days.
I made a mental note to call them after I woke up from my nap, so we could go out for drinks since I was off for the next two days.
Fresh out of the shower, I snuggled underneath my freshly washed blankets, breathing in the lavender scent, but the second I closed my eyes, somebody started pounding on my door.
Immediately, that had me hot, not only because I was about to fall asleep but because I had a fucking doorbell.
Growling, I tossed my blanket back and slipped on my robe over my half naked body.
For fucking with my sleep, somebody was about to get their ass cursed out and maybe even punched.
I stuffed my feet in my pink teddy bear slippers and stomped to the door, not even bothering to look through the peephole.
“Bitch!”
“Ahhh, I told you, not using the doorbell would make her answer!” Bliss gloated, sticking her tongue out at Micah before pushing past me.
My stunned ass just stood there as they headed toward the couches in the living room like they’d been invited. By the time I snapped out of it, they were already spreading snacks on the coffee table.
“Uhhh, what the hell do y’all think y’all doin’? I was literally about to take a nap!”
Micah avoided answering and instead stuffed a peanut butter Oreo in her mouth.
My girl was the complete opposite of me and Bliss.
Where we were both full figured and had no problem speaking our minds; she was tall, built like a damn stallion, and incredibly quiet until pushed past her limit.
Her docile demeanor was the main reason she was still with her leeching ass nigga, but that was another story for another day.
Already knowing Bliss was going to take over, her eyes shot to my sister, who jumped to answer.
“Well, somebody tried to drop some half ass tea and not follow up.” She raised a perfectly arched brow at me, and I groaned.
I’d forgotten all about mentioning meeting Valentino to her ass.
While I thought she was blowing up my phone to get me to hang out, it was really just to be in my damn business.
“Girl, I just got off a twelve-hour shift, and you’re stopping me from going to sleep so you can hear about some sex?” I sucked my teeth, getting even more irritated when she pulled a bottle of wine out of her bag with a nod.
“Yes. Yes, that’s exactly what I’m doing. Your ass was pressed the next morning, so I know he knocked that pussy out the frame, and we wanna hear every juicy detail, hoe. Ain’t that right, Micah?”
I glanced at Micah, expecting her not to be feeding into Bliss’s nosiness, but she shrugged sheepishly.
“I mean, it’s not like you’ve been excited about a man in a while, so I gotta admit, I’m a little intrigued,” she admitted.
I glared at her with pursed lips.
“See, she’s intrigued,” Bliss dragged, grinning triumphantly.
“And you know when her ass start using them essay words, she’s telling the truth.
Besides, you wanna tell us anyway, or you wouldn’t have even said shit.
Now, come on, because you’ve already kept us in suspense long enough.
Wait, let me get the glasses!” She jumped up, hurriedly sashaying to the kitchen.
As soon as she disappeared around the corner, I leaned over and pinched Micah’s thigh.
“Bitch!”
“Hoe!” she hissed back, sticking her tongue out at me just as Bliss returned with three of my favorite pink wine glasses. She made sure I got the first one, and she filled that shit to the top before handing it over.
I’d only just stopped reminiscing about the things Valentino had done to my body, and I knew that had a lot to do with how busy I’d been keeping myself.
It didn’t make any sense to be so obsessed over a nigga I’d only spent a couple of hours with, especially when he’d disappeared on me.
Clearly, he didn’t want anything more than the one night, and I couldn’t do shit but let it go, and I’d damn sure been trying.
Now, with a big ass chilled glass of wine and the two closest people to me besides my honey, I was ready to get it off my chest. Hell, maybe it would make me feel better.
Taking a big gulp, I filled them in on everything from the moment we’d literally ran into each other until I woke up the next morning alone.
By the time I finished, their mouths were hanging open.
“You really titty fucked that nigga and sucked it at the same time?” Bliss spoke first, looking impressed, like she was seeing me in a new light.
“You don’t even like sucking dick, though. ”
“Shit, I’m still stuck on him talking you through multiple orgasms. If a nigga did me like that, I’d probably have been left Travis.” Micah fanned herself dreamily, and I scoffed, swallowing what was left of my second glass of wine.
“Yeah, well, the nigga did all that just to dip in the middle of the night, so there’s that.” The bitterness in my voice couldn’t be missed, but leave it to my sister to put shit into perspective.
“It was a one-night stand, Essence. Those are the terms and conditions, boo. Just thank the Lord it wasn’t bad and forget about him. If he’s as fine as you say he is, then he probably pulls this shit every time he travels, ole friendly dick ass nigga.”
Micah instantly cracked up laughing. “Girl, not you callin’ that man a gigolo?”
“I mean, if the good dick fits.” Bliss’s crazy ass hunched her shoulder, unable to keep a straight face after saying that shit. “What you said his name was?”
“Tuh! Valentino!” I spat, making Bliss nod.
“Yeah, that nigga definitely a hoe, if that’s even his real name!”
Salty, I rolled my eyes and sat back, curling my legs under me. “It is. Remember I told you he showed me his MyChart,” I pointed out, but she waved me off.
“Semantics!” Her silly ass had us all cackling until I got another flashback of his face while he was digging me out, and I grew quiet.
“Does it mean I’m dickmatized if I’d be willing to pay for it, though?” My brow shot up, even though I was dead ass serious.
“Biiiitch!”
“Oh, you’re gone!”
They shouted at the same time, and Micah hit me with one of my throw pillows, but Bliss stood up, waving her hands. “See, nah, ’cause fuck that! I don’t care how fine the nigga is or how good the dick was, ain’t no nigga bouta have my big sister out here pressed enough to pay for it!”
“Preach!” Micah chimed, and I threw the pillow back at her cosigning ass.
“Bliss, we’re literally eleven months apart.”
“Semantics!” She rolled her eyes, and Micah frowned.
“Did you just learn that damn word or something?”
“As a matter of fact, I did,” Bliss stated proudly. “Anyway, back to the matter at hand. The best way to get that nigga out of your system is to let another one get your attention.”
I already had my face balled up, but Micah jumped in before I could. “I know you ain’t telling her to go out and have another one-night stand!” she shrieked.
“No… I mean not unless she wants to.” Bliss looked my way and groaned disappointedly when I shook my head emphatically.
“Fine, but you could at least go out. You’ve already been dating anyway.
Let a nigga take you out and wine and dine you.
Shit, you might end up meeting a man that’ll have you forgetting allll about Valentino.
” She smirked, folding her arms like she’d just said the most profound shit ever, but I couldn’t lie, there may have been some truth to her advice.
Not the sleeping with a nigga part, but maybe letting someone else catch my interest was just the thing I needed to forget all about Valentino Baptiste.
Despite pumping myself up to go out, three days had passed, and I was still following the same routine; work, sleep, gym, and repeat.
I was heading into my second week of work and still hadn’t fully mastered my schedule, but things were getting better, just not enough for me to try to go out of my way to squeeze in a date.
Fortunately for me, God must’ve been working in my favor because a random stop to get coffee at a new café near my house had me running into Maxwell Scott.
He was someone I’d gone on a few dates with before, and along with his stacked credentials, he looked the fuck goodt!
“Essence? Damn, its crazy running into you. I was just thinking about you the other day.” He stood up from the small table near the door and towered over me. Immediately, the smell of his masculine cologne filled my nose, and butterflies filled my stomach.
“Hey, Maxwell, how are you?”
He reached for my elbow, easing me away from the busy doorway as he answered with a grin. “Better now that I’m seeing you.” Corny, but I was willing to work with him.
“Mmhmm, is that so?”
“Yeah. Things have been crazy at the firm since my promotion, but I’ve definitely been meaning to get in touch. Are you on a new assignment?” he quizzed, taking in my mauve, scrub jumpsuit.
I simpered at the lustful look in his eyes.
“I am, actually. Just started last week, so I’m still getting the swing of things.”
“I know how that is, but if you’re not busy this weekend, I’d love to take you out and catch up. Maybe dinner and a movie?” His thick eyebrows rose as he waited for me to give him an answer, and since I was going to be off work, I readily agreed.
“That sounds great!” I gushed, checking the time on my watch. “I have to run but give me a call.” I was already inching toward the door.
“I’ll be sure to,” he called out, watching as I pranced away. As soon as I hit the sidewalk, I couldn’t stop a smile from stretching across my cheeks. I was back!