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I was halfway out the door, slipping my sunglasses into place, when my phone rang. I didn’t even need to look at the screen to know who it was. Only one person called me at this time of day with such annoying regularity. Sighing, I answered the call, balancing my coffee cup in the other hand.
“Beyoncé,” Shawn’s voice grumbled on the other end. “When am I supposed to drop off Blue?”
I rolled my eyes, already feeling the headache coming on. “Shawn, I swear I sent you the schedule last week. It’s tomorrow.”
“Yeah, aight, I forgot,” he mumbled. “What you up to?”
I glanced around my foyer, brushing an invisible piece of lint from my beige pants and adjusting my black tank top. “I’m about to grab my coffee, then my keys, then go out the door, into the car, and head to the mall,” I said, my voice clipped and to the point.
“You don’t gotta be so stuck up all the time,” he grumbled.
“Stuck up? Shawn, this right here is one of the many reasons we’re divorced. Now, bye,” I said, not even waiting for his reply before I hung up. I couldn’t deal with his nonsense today.
Before I could take another step, Sir, my fluffy, overly excited pup, came barreling around the corner and launched himself at my legs. “Aww, Sir! There’s my good boy,” I cooed, crouching down to pet him, my voice instantly shifting into that ridiculous puppy language I couldn’t resist using around him. “Are you being good while mama’s out today? Yes, you are! Yes, you are!”
Sir wagged his little tail, tongue hanging out, completely unaware of my bad mood. It was impossible to stay annoyed when he was around.
After a quick cuddle and brushing off his white fur from my pants, I stood, grabbed my keys, and headed out the door. The mall wasn’t far, and the drive there gave me time to clear my mind. As I pulled into the parking lot, I noticed how empty it was compared to usual. Maybe it was just one of those slow days, but I was grateful for the peace.
Once I stepped inside the mall, the cool air conditioning hit me, and I made a beeline straight for the Prada store. The employees greeted me with their usual bright smiles, knowing full well I was a regular. There was comfort in familiarity. I could browse in peace, with no one bothering me—usually.
I was flipping through the racks, admiring a sleek black dress when I heard it. That voice, dragging my name out with a playful drawl.
“Miss Knowles…”
I didn’t even need to turn around to know who it was. Of course, it was Onika.
I spun around, raising an eyebrow. “Onika, are you following me?” I teased, crossing my arms over my chest.
She threw her hands up in mock defense. “I swear I’m not! You think I planned this or somethin’? Nah, I just got good taste in stores.”
