Forever Never

Chapter Twelve | Fab's Empire

Tyana

Elle asked me to come with her to this for moral support but truthfully she didn't really need me. All I did was tell her she got this, the rest she took care of along with Ama.

Leroy disappeared earlier so I could no longer secretly oogle over him from a distance. His low fade was fresh and I could smell that scent of lavender mixed with aloe vera that usually came off him a little more tonight. He looked so at home and yet so lost in here among all these fancy rich people. I definitely felt out of place, even though I was pretty well off. I guess that poor mentality, that fear of instability, never leaves you no matter how secure you become.

Having served my purpose of coming here I stood up and on my way to the side door Fabrizia Marvel walked in through the door, flashing me a warm smile as she passed me which I returned along with a hey. Leroy was standing there when I stepped outside.

"Please tell me you weren't basically alone out here with the Fabrizia Marvel," I went and he looked at me over his shoulder.

"Who?" he asked, his nose bridge twitching slightly as he furrowed his eyebrows. That was something I'd noticed about him before whenever he seemed confused.

"The person that was out here with you? The woman that just entered through here." I told him.

"That's her name? I had a feeling she was big. She just said her name was Fab, tho. Basically offered me a job."

"Don't worry. I'll educate you, be your Yoda." I told him and he chuckled through his nostrils.

"I could use a Yoda." he smiled.

The jacket was tight around his arms and I seemed to have an issue with my eyes wandering out of my control. "Okay so like I mentioned before, that's Fabrizia Marvel. Owner of Central Enterprises. It's this conglomerate like empire, literally. I mean it's everything from a production company to a magazine, which actually had Elle on the cover not a while ago. I hope you're not on the fence about the chance to work with her."

"Oh I'm definitely not on the fence." he shook his head.

Our eyes met and there was a moment of silence filled with staring and nonverbal communication, mostly through signals. Some would call it eye-fucking. I clasped my hands together holding my purse. "Good," I said awkwardly in response as an attempt to dampen the heat in this moment.

"You want my jacket?" he asked. His eyes were travelling along my body as if he could tell my exact body temperature like a human thermostat.

I should've thought of the weather and brought a coat or something but I underestimated it. "Don't you need it?" I asked instead and he shook his head, sliding the jacket off himself.

He stepped closer to me and put it on my shoulders, his fingers brushing against my arms. I slipped my arms through the sleeves and felt the lingering body heat from when it was on him. My heels made me now the same height as him, maybe even slightly taller. He hadn't stepped back yet and the staring contest continued for another scorching hot minute.

At one point I put all the thoughts aside, stopped resisting so much and gave in to my urges. Our faces seemed to be moving towards each other like a north pole to a south pole before our lips eventually met. The kiss was simple at first before it deepened and I wrapped my arms around his neck, bringing him even closer to me. His fingers travelled down my bare arm and slithered around my waist like a snake, adding to the sensation as I moved my hands up his neck and on either side of his face.

A sudden chime made us almost jump and we parted ways. The sound came from my phone and the notification was from Elle letting me know her and Ama had wrapped things up. "It's Elle. We gotta go." I told him.

"Finally," he said and we went back inside.

Once back inside the car, I tried my best to focus on Elle's Ted talk instead of the invisible air of heat radiating off of both of us that blended together and settled in the space between us. Ama made a stop at the daycare for me to pick up my baby first before dropping me off home and I went to my bed. Daise seemed happy to be on my bed without me telling her off for once and purred next to me.

I ran my finger along my lips, my lipstick was smudged and I didn't even think to fix it amidst the delirious feeling I felt from that kiss. Suddenly I remembered grandma was arriving first thing tomorrow which birthed a new wave of excitement. I couldn't wait to finally let all my walls down with her.

***

Yvonne Killian may be pushing sixty but she partied like she was in her early twenties. Considering she was retired and didn't have much to do all day long, besides playing bingo, she looked forward to planning K-day every year. It gave her joy and a sense of purpose and I didn't wanna take that away from her so I left that to her. Plus I didn't really have a choice since she never actually let me plan it.

Truthfully K-day was never truly about our family, if it did the whole family would celebrate it instead of just us two. But rather an excuse to get dolled up and go out. I remember asking what there was to celebrate during the holiday's birthday and grandma made it her mission ever since to prove me wrong, that there was in fact plenty to celebrate.

A taxi cab pulled up in front of the apartment building when I came down to help grandma with carrying her things. But to my surprise grandma didn't come alone. Out of the other side of the car came mom and I felt my wide grin shrink gradually in size. She met my gaze and the look in her eye almost broke my heart and I tried fixing my face so I didn't give her the idea that she was unwanted.

I grabbed one of Grandma's bags and followed after them back up the stairs. My apartment only had one bedroom and grandma and I usually shared my bed. Had I known mom was coming along then I would've fixed something for her.

"If I'd known you were coming-"

"It's okay, honey. I'm fine on the couch," mom interrupted, flashing me a warm smile. But still I could sense it behind that veil that she wanted to leave already.

Grandma went to the bathroom, leaving the two of us to die in this excruciatingly painful and awkward silence. To save myself from it I grabbed both Grandma's bags and took them to my room to unpack. At least one of my couches was a convertible bed so mom had something comfortable to sleep on.