Co-Workers With Benefits

D I O N

When we get back home after Venice's nail appointment, I order her food and she goes on call with her mom, showing off her new set of nails.

Venice likes to stay in my office whenever she's idle or on a call with someone so she can admire the huge pregnant picture of herself, that I had placed on the wall behind my desk.

I peep into the room to make sure she's still busy, then I carefully close the door and pick Xio up out of her bouncer, taking her upstairs with me.

I place her on our bed and she pulls her feet into her mouth, staring at the ceiling. I check my phone and get a message from Venice's best friend, saying that she's on her way.

I smile and pick bloopy back up, taking her back into her room to change her into some pyjamas. I constantly stare at the clock as I change her diaper and get her into her onesie then I place her into her crib and play some nursery rhymes on the speaker, making sure the volume isn't too loud.

Then I rush back into the bedroom and grab my suit, lightly folding it into my backpack so it doesn't crease. I change into a pair of jeans and a T-shirt, throwing my Canada goose jacket over it.

At that moment, the door bell rings and I check my ring app to make sure it's not Trinity.

It's the delivery guy so I let Venice answer the door.

"Thank you so much." I hear her say, then the door shuts. "Bae the food is here!" She shouts up the stairs.

"Imma be right down." I turn off the music in Xiomara's room and grab my princess out of her crib, apologising to her for waking her, before running down the stairs.

"Where you going?" Venice asks, staring at my clothes.

I walk over and place Xio on a blanket on the couch beside her mom before finally answering her question.

"To meet Lloyd. Imma be back soon though."

She drops her fries back down on the table. "Seriously bae? Not today."

She bites her cheeks and picks our baby up.

"Imma be back soon." I repeat.

"But where are you even going?"

"I can't say."

"Why?" Her voice remains calm, although I can tell she's pissed. "Why'd you keep randomly leaving the house to go to some secret place that I don't know about Dion? And on my birthday too? We were meant to spend the day together."

Don't put it like that Ven.
Fuck, I feel guilty.

She takes a deep breath and picks up Xiomara with one hand and the bags of food in her other, walking towards the hallway when I don't respond. "You know what? Ion got time for this, come back whenever you want. I don't care."

She heads up the stairs and I eventually hear the bedroom door shut. I plop myself on the couch where she was just sitting, running my fingers through my braids. "I'm so sorry baby, Imma make sure all this is worth it."

I hear a car pull up by the house and I rush to the window, peeping outside. Trinity shuts her car door and walks up the driveway and I rush to open the front door before she rings the bell.

"Hey," I greet. "Thank you so much for agreeing to do this." I step back so she can walk in.

She turns back around, taking off her shoes. "You good Dion. Y'all know I'll never say no to watching my niece. And you bout to put a ring on my besties finger, now you should know ain't no way on earth I woulda said no to that either." She whispers she last part real quiet, walking over to the side of the mirror to hang up her jacket.