G.A.B.O.S. (Original Version)

Chapter III

Lynise could feel an abundance of eyes on her as she strolled through the entrance of Collins Park with Heaven by her side. It was a warm day, so she'd dressed accordingly, opting to wear a pair of pink Daisy Dukes that- just like any other bottoms she wore- drew attention to her God-given assets, along with a multi-colored tank top, and a pair of pink platform sandals. She knew she looked good, but she was slightly annoyed by how the men she passed stared at her like they had never seen a woman before. She had been to several different venues with Heaven that day, and she'd been the reason for at least one couple's argument at each of them. The ring on her finger meant nothing to the guys that saw her, and neither did the rings on their own fingers. The lust in their eyes was evident, and Lynise found pleasure in knowing that so many men sought after what only two could touch. She held Heaven's hand a little tighter and quickened her pace, adding just the right amount of professionalism to her runway walk and crushing her admirers' dreams of getting close to her.

She led Heaven to one of the only vacant seats at the crowded park, which was a bench that was being only partly occupied by another woman, and sat down. She took off Heaven's jacket while telling her to come back if she needed anything, and then sent her to the playground. Watching as Heaven skipped away, Lynise used her hand to protect her eyes from the sun as she found a comfortable position on the bench.

Lynise took a deep breath, happy that she could finally sit down and relax for a moment. Heaven had run her all over the city. From Build-A-Bear Workshop to the mall to Johnny Rockets, they went everywhere, and Lynise was both surprised and pleased by the fact that Heaven hadn't asked for her daddy once during their entire day together. It warmed her heart to know that Heaven could function like a normal child without Tremaine holding her hand all the time.

"Your daughter is adorable," the lady next to her said, breaking the silence in their little area. "How old is she?"

Lynise tore her attention away from Heaven and smiled. "I wish I could take credit for that. That's my stepdaughter, but thank you. She's four." She turned back toward the playground. "Which one's yours?"

"The little girl on the purple slide."

"The one with all that pretty hair? She's adorable. And I could have figured that she was with you. You two look just alike." Lynise looked at the woman and extended her hand to her, taking note of her attractive features, her big, doe-shaped hazel eyes being one of the most apparent. Lynise had yet to come across a female that could make her feel insecure about her own beauty, so she was confident enough to acknowledge when another woman was pretty. The one sitting next to her was gorgeous. "Lynise Franklin."

The lady accepted her hand and shook it firmly. "Tamia Carter. You don't sound like you're from around here."

"I'm not. I'm a Georgia native. I'm just here on a little vacation, which ends tomorrow morning, sadly."

"You should come back one day. There's not a city in America that compares to Miami."

"I'm gonna come down here twice a month for a few days at a time. Hopefully, I'll be able to see a little more each time, because Miami definitely looks like fun."

"What are you going to come down here for?"

"A couple things, actually. One, my kids are here. They're staying here with their father until I get everything situated in Georgia. Two, every now and then, I do a little work for my kids' father. His godparents own a trucking company, and I drive one of the trucks sometimes," Lynise explained truthfully. Tremaine's godparents did own a trucking company, and she did drive one of the trucks for them. She never lied when it wasn't necessary and, since Tamia didn't ask what went into the trucks, she didn't have to lie. "What about you? Do you work?"