All I Want for Christmas is a Ph.D.

December 4th

DeeDee promised to make up for missing brunch with the girls. So, they made plans to go out to the hookah spot on a Friday night. She looked in her closet and glanced at herself in the mirror and sighed. Phyllis sent her directions to wear something cute, read: a dress, because she picked the one spot with a dress code.

She looked at the red dress that Phyllis pulled for the club the other night. "Nope."

She hung it back up and pulled out a little black dress. It was something that the girls talked her into for a bachelorette party a year ago. The dress had a scooped neckline, cap sleeves and flared out at the waist, so it stopped right above her knees.

DeeDee twirled around with the dress in front of her in the mirror. "This will have to do." She added some black tights and her favorite burgundy Mary Jane platforms and laid the dress on her bed.

She was in the bathroom when the music that was playing stopped and her phone buzzed. She looked down at the call, smiled and hit 'Ignore,' then returned to finishing her makeup. The phone buzzed again with a text message alert.

Prince Erik: You don't want to talk to me? 😕

DeeDee 💜: I told you I'm going out tonight.

Prince Erik: Ok, and? We can talk before you go out.

DeeDee 💜: You aren't slick, E. That was not a regular call.

Prince Erik: I mean, I wanted to see what you decided to wear. 🤷🏾‍♂️

DeeDee 💜: Erik...

Prince Erik: Yes, Miss DeeDee

DeeDee 💜: No.

Prince Erik: Well, you can't blame me for trying.

DeeDee 💜: You get an E for Effort.

DeeDee 💜: Don't you dare reply to that. 🤐

Prince Erik: I'm tryna get you to take this...

DeeDee 💜: Damnit, E. 🤦🏾‍♀️

Prince Erik: My bad, but I do love how you don't call me Mr. Erik anymore. 😁

DeeDee 💜: I could go back at anytime, Sir.

Prince Erik: Oh, here you go. Well, let me know when you get home. You know I'll be up.

DeeDee 💜: Uh huh, good night Erik.

Prince Erik: Sending me to bed? Fine, I'll take a nap before you call.

Prince Erik: Goodbye Miss DeeDee ...for now.

DeeDee put her phone down and used the big smile on her face to add some blush to her cheeks. She was definitely smiling a lot more these days and Erik had a lot to do with it. Things shifted between them after that awkward encounter with Brandon. She was used to the 'Good morning' and 'Good night' texts from him. But since then, he's been sending cute voice or video messages where he wished her a good day. She couldn't say that she didn't look forward to those, just as much as his phone calls.

And then she thought he looked good in just a hoodie and sweats, but Erik in a suit was just plain sin. DeeDee often sent up prayers of thanks for his fitness regime and his tailor, because damn. She may or may not have saved a few for, uh, research purposes.

Fully made up, she moved back into her room and put on her dress and shoes. She picked up her phone and snapped a few selfies in the mirror. DeeDee had just posted a few when her phone buzzed in her hand; it was the group chat. Phyllis and Beverly were outside in the Lyft.