Texas

Chapter 18

Texas

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This past week has been beyond busy. I had my four new employees start on Monday. Their names are Saniah, Junie, Tonnie, and Julius. I was too busy with the new Kaffeine that I didn't have the time to be their to make sure they're good and situated. So, I asked Mel, Lavan, Dezi, and Zani to help them out.

I was currently at the new Kaffeine. I was here with Koffi and Ash, and the construction workers. We were talking with the contractor, making sure everything was in place and just how we wanted. It was the third day they'd started and we just came to supervise momentarily.

I've been stressed out all week. With Kaffeine and my shop, it was starting to become a lot. On top of that, my mother's words has still been weighing heavy on me. I was trying to it let her get to me but it was hard. That encounter brought back all the bad memories from my childhood. The constant degrading comments never stopped. Just thinking about it kept me in a painful daze.

"Texas?" Ash waved her hand in front of me, snapping me out of my daydream. I averted my eyes to her.

"Yeah?" I responded and she frowned a little.

"Are you okay? You've been off all day."

"I'm fine. I'm just tired." I told her. 

"If you want, you can go home. We were really just here to kill time."

I wish she had told me that earlier.

"Alright, I still can't go home yet though. I have a lot of work to take care of at my shop." I sighed at the fact that I always have to work.

"Okay, I'll see you." She gave me a side-hug. I walked out of the building but was stopped by someone grabbing me by arm. I whirled around quickly, seeing Koffi.

"Oh," I let out a sigh in relief.

"You gon' leave without saying anything?" He furrowed his eyebrows.

"Sorry, I just have a lot of work to do." I told him.

"What's wrong?" He pressed. This nigga loved to read me like a book.

"Nothing. I'm just tired." I shook it off.

"Lo." He warned.

"I promise. I'm fine, Rah, seriously." I lied.

"Aight," He answered suspiciously. "I'll see you later?"

"I'll be at the shop late so probably not." I informed him and he pouted. "Aw, my big baby." I placed my hands on his cheeks.

"Alright, I'ma let you go." He tapped my lower back. I tip-toed to give him a quick kiss. He dipped down and I gave him a peck. He smacked his teeth and pulled me back for a sloppy kiss.

"Go on." He playfully pushed me towards my car and I rolled my eyes jokingly. I finally made it to my car and cranked it up before heading to the shop.

I damn near fell asleep at the red light. The cars behind me honked, making me jump in my seat. I really needed some sleep. And some food. It'd been a long week.

----

Hours later.

I was now sitting in my very uncomfortable swivel chair, my legs stretched on my desk. The shop had been closed but I was here going through piled-up paperwork. I had to get up and walk around a few times. My ass was in excruciating pain, sitting in that cheap-ass chair for hours on end.

I rubbed my eyes tiredly, ready to go home. I still had a few things to go through before I could go home. All this work was becoming overwhelming. My eyes filled with water from the amount of times I'd been yawning and the fact that I wanted to be done with this shit. My phone started to ring, causing me to looking over at it. I smiled lightly when I saw it was Koffi.

"Rah." I answered.

"Hey, bae." His voice came through the phone. "What you up to?"

"Still at the shop." I answered and instantly regretted it. I knew he would get on me for it.

"This late, Lo? I know you exhausted and driving on them streets at this time of night is dangerous. And I know you haven't ate shit today." He sounded slightly upset.

"I know, I know. I just have to finish this shit and then I'll go home." I promised him.

"Well, before you get back to that, can you open the door for me please?" He asked and I knitted my eyebrows. I carried my phone with me and went to the front. I chuckled and hung the phone up when I saw Koffi standing outside the door. I opened the door for him and he gave me a hug.

"Hey, Ms. Workaholic." He joked but I didn't find it funny. I noticed the food in his hand and I immediately took it from him, going back to my office.

"Thanks for the food." I thanked him. 

"No problem."

"How'd you know I was here?" I eyed him as I got ready to devour these wings.

"I didn't until you told me. Instead of going straight I made a turn here." He explained and I nodded, barely listening to him. The only thing I had today was a banana.

"So, what's really wrong?" He asked as I wiped the napkin on my fingers and my mouth.

"Ezra." I frowned, not wanting to tell him.

"Tell me."

I felt like a little child, instantly bursting into tears. I was on the verge of crying all day and it finally came out. All the stress, all the hurt, and the tiredness overwhelmed me and I couldn't handle it. Koffi picked me up out of my seat. I wrapped my legs and arms around him. He sat back down with me on his lap and rubbed my back gently.

"It's okay to have bad days." He told me as I sobbed a little. He waited for me to calm down and as I did, I was glad Koffi was the one here to comfort me.

"I've just been off since I went to see my mom the other day. And all this business stuff is too much for me. Not to say I don't wanna do it, it's just a lot, you know? I didn't expect for it to be this much." I explained to him and he nodded, understandingly.

"I understand, Lo. It's normal to get overwhelmed sometimes. Shit, I got loads of paperwork I need to take care of but I just don't until the last minute. I be busy as shit and lose my shit sometimes. But, that's okay. This shit is a lot."

"Thank you for understanding, Rah."