Wanted For Pleasure

Chapter Seven: this isn't okay

"No woman can control her destiny if she doesn't give to herself as much as she gives of herself."

Morgan Ann Bennett

The next morning, I made Callie get the hell up. It was a Sunday and I planned on running errands.

There was so much the house needed, but more importantly, I wanted to spoil my favorite girls. We needed it, especially Callie.

If she could see that I can provide for us, then maybe she wouldn't need a man.

Quinn was dressed in her little pink romper while I had on high waist denim shorts, a pair of Birkenstocks, and a white cropped baby tee.

"Where are we going, Squirt?" She asked once I got back into the car after filling up on gas.

I just smiled big, fastening my seatbelt.

Quinn was in her car seat playing games on my phone, probably declining calls and swiping away email and text notifications.

The day was beautiful, sun high in the sky and the perfect amount of wind. I wasn't envious of anyone indoors.

"It must be a surprise," Callie said. Her tone of voice has become much more mild, less enthusiastic and lively over the years. She's now so monotone.

I drove straight for a handful of miles, not telling her where I was going.

~~~

About an hour later, we arrived at the buzzing mall. It wasn't the closest to where we lived, but it was the best in the area with more high-end stores. Our local mall had like two shoe stores, an H&M, and a JCPenny with a SubWay, Chinese restaurant, and they removed the Chick-fil-a. It's so ass, we only go there for emergencies, H&M isn't bad at all. Plus, the Chinese is pretty good.

Callie got out of the car and attached a leash to Quinn which I hated.

Pushing the sunglasses atop my head, I said, "Callie, do you really have to walk her like that?"

"The mall is dangerous, Squirt. There's so many people here," she observed.

And it's true, there were a wild amount of citizens at the mall, but I don't know that a human had to be on an actual harness-leash-thing.

"Whatever happened to strollers?" I asked my big sister, stepping onto the sidewalk.

"You wanna push around a stroller all day? I plan to shop, I'll have bags," she commented, viewing the directory.

I pushed the hair over my shoulder and squinted my eyes under the beaming sun.

"You have money?" I asked her. Surely she didn't know that I had just been granted some.

"Yeah, Danny gave me five hundred dollars to treat myself," she bragged.

"Who's Danny- nevermind. Good," I pipped, strolling along.

~~~

Later in the food court, I was smiling at my phone, replying to Malcolm's last email. He was going away and told me to "wait for him."

I don't know what the guy's deal was, but it was nice to have someone to talk to. Besides, he sent me money and I was sure I could get more out of him, and I don't even have to do anything. He's just an older gentleman who wants to spoil a pretty girl apparently.

Callie returned from the bathroom in her v-neck white tee, low top Converse, and mom jeans.

She pressed her backside into the chair and finished her Pepsi.