"Nia." Her name softly fell from his lips and she soaked in his sweet breath like a pancake to syrup. Her eyes were low and she was watching his chest rise and fall. She couldn't look at him just yet. She was frozen in place.
With just this brazen...
Canadian Thanksgiving falling in October tripped Nia out for the first time in her entire life.
In fact, she almost forgot about it.
Her home and work were now in sunny San Francisco by blue skies, and bluer water in the breezy Bay – not in chilly Toronto where leaves had begun to bronze, crisping in the cold, the season changing cool and slowly rocking the vitamin D deficient people of the city to sleep for the winter.
Nia hadn't remembered until she was on a FaceTime call with her girls when they reminded her friendsgiving would be at Raven's penthouse. She immediately purchased a ticket and packed a bag, counting down the days until she would see her girl gang and a special someone again.
After spending time with her family when she landed, Nia found the day and half leading to Saturday night's gathering had been a quick blur. Suddenly, the event that she had been looking forward to for days was here and she was buzzing with excitement, her senses over-stimulated by all the familiar sensations, visuals and smells of the city.
Steam rose from sewer grates, catching the light from a blue full moon. The cool beams from the dark sky hit the slick streets lit with headlights glistening in the night on their way to Raven's.
The crisp air nipped at Nia's nose, cheeks and ears as soon as she opened the car door and she immediately realized she hadn't packed appropriately for this trip. Her shearling lined leather jacket might've been warm enough for an October night in the Bay Area, but a puffer jacket and scarf was mandatory for an October night in the 6ix.
"You look cold as hell, baby." Nia's brown skin always blushed pink when she was chilly, an immediate signal for Colin to put his arm around her.
"I am!" She giggled between chattering teeth, taking him by the hand and guiding him to Raven's penthouse lobby.
It wasn't long after Nia had settled in San Francisco that she and Colin reconnected. It started with a quick message he had sent checking in on her, her new place and new job but over time, it grew back into what it had been. Without distraction (and without fear of being forced into a motherhood role internationally) Nia learned to let their love grow from afar. Seeing him only six weeks after she had left was only helping it blossom beautifully.
Nia and Colin entered the party filled with familiar faces. Nia was swarmed by a whirlwind of greetings from her girls, their boyfriends and few side characters she had met once or twice before.
"Girl you look tan!" Raven fawned.
"And your hair!" Jonelle squealed.
"And the body been tea, but you're so toned!." Sarina poked Nia's bare back after she took off her jacket, exposed by the cut of the sweater she wore.
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"Thank you pookies." Nia giggled looking around for her man. She eyed Colin backing a beer with the boys, already consumed in chatty conversation about prospects for some Sunday night football game.
