Co-Workers With Benefits

V E N I C E

When Dion leaves, I lock up the door and carry Xio with me into the living room. She's got her fist in her mouth, like always and she's staring right at me.

"What you think daddy's gon do, huh baby?" I ask her, knowing she doesn't understand a word I'm saying.

She squeals and babbles as I sit down on the couch and hold her up on my knees. I copy the sounds she makes, kissing her face every so often and she laughs, jerking her legs up and down against my thighs.

"Let's go get you changed into something cute, then we gon head over to the store. Mommy needs to pick up some more pads."

I hold her, getting off the couch and heading upstairs to her room. I place her inside her crib as I walk into the closet to look for something cute.

I pick out a pink velvet tracksuit Dion got for her with the word princess across the front zipper and I put her in it.

Then I start on her hair. I try not to pull at it as I part it into two sections carefully, brushing it up into two cute little puffs and securing them with matching pink cotton bands with butterflies on them.

I use a little edge control to fix up her baby hairs and I give her her pacifier when she starts fussing. When she's all dressed up, I send a picture of her to Dion before I carry her into our room and guard her with pillows on our bed as I walk into the closet to change.

I throw on one of Dion's hoodies that no longer fit him but fit me just fine and I pair it with back jeans and my black and red Jordan 4s. I run into the bathroom and open up the medicine cabinet for some eyedrops, dropping two drops into each eye to stop all the redness from my crying yesterday, then I grab Xiomara and head downstairs.

I make sure I have all my stuff, including her diaper bag and her stroller and we leave out the front door. I strap her into her car seat, checking twice to make sure she's locked in, before I slide into my seat at the front and we get on the road.

When we get to the mall, I park on the third floor of the car park and unfold her stroller from the trunk, placing her in there. I give her her plushie and lock the car doors then we head towards the elevator to the first floor.

We get to target and I pick up the pads that I need before I get carried away when we walk past the baby section. There're a lot of cute things and I find myself filling the basket with a bunch of random items.

"Oh hey Venice." I hear a male voice from behind me. I turn around and see Devon walking in our direction. "Long time no see."

He waves at me.

"Hey Devon, how're you?" I smile back at him. "I haven't seen you in a while. How comes you not working today?"

He constantly glances at the stroller as Xiomara babbles and gurgles to herself.

"I'm fine. I'm just off for a few days because my grandmother just passed away on Sunday."

I give him an apologetic look. "Oh I'm so sorry, may her soul rest in peace."

"Yeah, thanks. I just came out to get a couple things for my mom. I'm trying to get my mind off it." He switches the basket to his other hand, changing the subject. "Anyways...is that your daughter? Can I see her?"

"Uh, yeah sure." I push back the cover enough for him to just see her. I don't push it all the way back because I don't want him breathing and talking over her.

"She's adorable, she looks just like you." He smiles and waves at her and she looks up at him then shoves her hand in her mouth, drooling all over it. "How old is she?"