Miss, Do I Know You?

40 - Friday, May 7

I loved being the first one up. The floor was cold under my bare feet, the counters still cool to the touch, and the sun was just starting to rise when I put coffee on and a playlist to go along with it.

I hummed along and kept myself moving, lost in song, until I nearly jumped out of my skin. I had been scared by Alex and her sister in this exact way too many times to not expect it, but her standing there half-naked and sporting an amused grin still had me gasping and laughing.

"You creep." I feigned shock, holding out my hands in front. "You know the drill. Make up for the heart attack you just gave me."

Alex chuckled and drew nearer, her breasts a comforting weight in my hands. "Ah, how easy it is to make you happy." She enfolded me in her embrace and claimed my lips. "Good morning, baby. Smells delicious."

I pulled my earphones out and leaned in for another kiss, but instantly pulled back with a raised eyebrow. "Wait, rewind. Did you just baby me?"

"It's not like I haven't called you that before."

"Yeah." I let out an amused huff. "In bed."

She giggled to herself as she daintily skittered to the couch, her bare feet light against the hardwood floors. Her clothes still lay scattered around, left there hastily during the previous evening.

"Here's breakfast." I put a plate down. "And lunch. You better eat them during lunch, not after work. I'll drop by and make sure of it. And here, put this in Benji's bag before I forget."

Her lips curved into a sweet smile as she took his lunchbox. "Yes, ma'am. Thank you," she promised before heading off to wake Benji.

The three of us spent the morning in conversation over breakfast, just like every morning when I was there. And once we were all dressed, there was still a bit of time before they needed to leave for school.

"Kayla?" Benji scampered up to me with a hairbrush and a hair tie. "Can you braid my hair?"

I turned the tap off and put up an apologetic look while drying my hands off. "I'm sorry, kiddo, but I have no idea how to braid hair. At least not in a pretty way. But I'll learn, okay?"

"Come here," Alex called out from the couch where she was organizing papers for work. She patted the sofa and tossed a pillow on the floor between her legs. "Both of you."

Grinning, Benji skipped over. And as she pulled his golden waves into a braid, I made sure to listen and pay close attention. It's not like I didn't know how to make a braid, but mine always ended up lumpy and lopsided and too loose, so I had given up a long time ago and resorted to occasional claw clips or constant complaining about having my hair in my face. But now I had a good, smiley reason to learn.

"All done." Alex patted his shoulders. "And what do we say if someone says something mean about your braid?"

"I tell them to mind their own business."

"Exactly. There you go, my pretty boy. You look beautiful."

"Thanks, mom." He beamed, bounding off to his room.

She flashed a teasing smile my way, and I knew exactly what she had in mind. I groaned in mock exasperation as I prepared to take a seat on the pillow. But Alex quickly swooped in and settled on it herself. "Nuh-uh," she said. "You're going to braid mine."

I couldn't help but laugh. "You really want to look like a clown at work?"

"Then you either do a good job or have your girlfriend look like shit in front of everyone."

Sighing, I positioned myself behind her and gathered her chocolate-brown hair between my fingers, and then marveled at how simple it was to do on someone else compared to myself.