Normani Kordei Hamilton.
"What are you doing?" Ally asks me as she sits down next to me.
"Looking for a new place." I mutter as I scroll through the properties list.
"Why would you do that?" She asks, biting off a piece of her apple.
"It's time." I mumble, taking a liking to some of the houses.
"But you can't move out. Well at least now now." She whines.
"I'm not moving out right now. And why does it matter to you? Oh right, because you're here way more than I am."
"That was so uncalled for." She rolls her eyes.
"No it wasn't. At work, you're my boss, but other than that, you're my little munchkin that I can insult day in and day out." I mush her cheeks.
"You had syphilis."
"And you probably have it too." I smile cheekily. "But anyway..." I look at the time and exit all the tabs, shutting my laptop down. "I have to go."
"What? But I made food." She whines.
"You and Kehlani can eat it. I'm going out." I shrug.
"Where are you going?"
"To dinner."
"Where?"
"It's kind of none of your business." I reply cheekily and get up to collect my personal belongings.
I stuff them all in my messy bag and check my appearance once more in the mirror before kissing Ally's cheek, bidding her farewell.
I take the familiar half hour, now twenty minute turned, drive to Dinah's house, blasting music at full volume.
When I get there, I knock on the door and Milika opens it with Seth on her hip.
"Mani." He smiles widely with the pacifier in his mouth, stretching his arms out towards me.
"Hi." I take him from Milika. He rests his head on my shoulder, sucking on the dummy harshly.
"He's a little tired." Milika explains. "Come in." She says, opening the door wider. I smile and follow her instructions.
She gives me a one armed hug, seeing as I'm holding Seth. "How have you been? It's been a while."
"I've been fine." I smile, thinking of the past few days. "Okay, I'm doing really well. How are you doing?" I ask, playing with one of Seth's arms as Milika closes the door.
"I'm doing good too, especially since Dinah has this job at the hospital. I haven't had the time to personally thank you yet." She says. "But hopefully I'll make up for it tonight. I prepared a feast."
"I'm sure you did." I chuckle, thinking back to the time I had dinner here for the first time.
Milika can throw it down.
"But it was no trouble." I tell her honestly. "Really."
"But still." Milika insists. "Thank you. You have no idea how much this means to us. Dinah is up in her room."
I nod and take Seth upstairs with me as we go to Dinah's room.
When I open the door, I find her laying flat on her stomach, eyes focused on her phone.
She turns to me and smiles when I close the door, but her smile drops when she sees Seth. "Really? You had to bring a kid with you Mani?"
"Please." I roll my eyes. "He's a sweetie pie. Plus, he's tired, so he'll be out really soon." I say, sitting down next to her and pecking her lips. "Hey."
