Four Years Later...
I changed my name and now the world know me as Aisha. Hakeem and I are the best of friends and I'm living the dream.
Hakeem: Four hears ago, I told you I'm fr this time.
Me: And now I see you were.
Hakeem: Cookie said she wanted to see you before you leave though.
Me: I'm just going on tour. And it's not my first tour either so...
Hakeem: But still... You gotta go see her.
I groaned and took a picture of what I was wearing. It was a white shirt dress and graffiti timberland boots. My hair was back to its natural black colour and I stopped pressing it with the flat iron so it was back in its curly state. I was feeling myself and so was everyone around me.
I walked from Hakeem's office to Cookie's office, when I peeked in, she was talking to Hakeem's niece. She was four years old and cute asf. Jamal and Michael adopted her when she was a newborn but everyone knows that I treat her like my own.
Me: Hey mama, hey cutie.
Cookie: Daysha and I are going shopping and Daysha was begging for you to come before you leave for tour.
I giggled and kissed Daysha's head. Cookie seemed a little jumpy and excited but I shook it off. She was probably excited for my tour. The three of us left Lyon Dynasty and went shopping. We were in Sephora when I spotted the second collection of my makeup kits. It was the newest one on the market and from what I was seeing and from what the customers were picking up, I knew it was a big hit.
Daysha: Can we try it on Auntie?
I snapped out of my trance and saw Daysha covering her mouth.
Cookie: She just thinks of you as an Aunt.
I nodded absent mindedly and picked up a lipgloss to match her skin tone.
Me: How about we try this one then go get something to eat and go back to the office?
Daysha: No! I mean I want to walk around more after this.
Strange. I agreed with her after she gave me the puppy eyes and left her to sample the lipgloss. I walked over to the door where Cookie was on the phone.
Cookie: She's starting to get suspicious.
Then the person told her something and she groaned.
Cookie: We'll be back in two hours tops so be ready.
She then hung up, turned and bumped into me.
Me: Is everything okay?
Cookie: Yeah, just Jamal calling to check on Daysha.
I nodded and went back to Daysha who was sitting in front of a mirror with concealer, foundation, eyeshadow and lipgloss on. She was fleeking.
Daysha: Do I look good Auntie?
Me: Fleeking boo. Who taught you to do that?
Daysha: I watched you and then grandma is helping me practise.
Me: Practise for what?
Cookie: Ummm... Special event.
Me: O...kay then.
We bought Daysha the new lipgloss and then left. She even kept on her make-up. We went to Toys R Us and then we went to the pizza palace for lunch. It was about two pm when Cookie decided it was time to head back to the office. We were in the car, close to the building when Cookie started up a conversation.
Cookie: Daysha, remember what I told you earlier?
Daysha: Yes please.
Daysha was looking at me and grinning big.
Me: Why you cheesing so hard?
Daysha: I know something that you don't.
And she outted her tongue at me. For a four year old, she was intelligent asf, like me. I got homeschooled and did online college where I got my diploma in Science, Music , Cosmetology and Art.
Me: For a four year old, you're smart.
Daysha: Cause I'm a smart four year old.
I turned my attention to Cookie remembering what she told me earlier.
Me: So how's his tour going?
Cookie: Who's tour?
Me: Jamal's.
Cookie: It's great, coming along.
Me: What city is he in?
Cookie: Arizona or something like that.
I hummed as a reply and slouched in my seat. Why are they hiding things from me? It has been like that for a week now.
We finally got back to the office and Daysha ran out if the car, ran through the parking lot and into the building. I speed walked after her and kept calling her name till I was on the stairs leading to the private offices like Hakeem's and Cookie's. Daysha like to play Marco-Polo alot so I decided to try that.
Me: Marco!
Daysha: Polo (faintly)
I walked towards Hakeem's office and repeated my word again. I heard Daysha shout her word from in Hakeem's office so I walked in and when I walked in, it was dark. Drapes drawn, lights off, devices seemed to be off too cause no light came from them.
I felt a small body run pass me and the door shut and I heard the click of the lock. I quickly began searching for the remote to turn on the light when it came on.
Hakeem was standing there with a smile on his face. The same smile he gave me before he raped me four and a half years ago. Although I had forgiven him, I couldn't get that scene out of my head. I ran by the door and started tugging on the door. Then I remember it could only open by key or remote. I turned around to face Hakeem, my palms were sweating and my chest began to tighten.
Me: Open the door.
Hakeem: No.
Me: Hakeem, open the door!
Hakeem: Let me explain then I'll let you out.
Me: I'm going to scream.
Hakeem: Sound proof walls. You should know this, you've been here for four, almost fuve years.
I slowly sat on one of the client chairs and he sat on the other. He had changed out if his usual attire and was wearing clothes similar to mine; a white tee shirt, graffiti joggers and graffiti timberlands.
Hakeem: We've known each other for fuve, six years and although I didn't like you at first, you grew on me like spikes to a cactus.
Me: Am I being fired?
Hakeem: Just listen. I knew you when you were Tishé Beyonka Carter. Now you're Aisha Alicia Carter but you haven't changed. You still have that feisty attitude, smart ass mouth and bomb ass style in clothing. But there are two things that I want to change about you.
Me: What?
Hakeem: Your last name and the status between us.
Me: What you mean status?
I was confused asf and just wanted to get to the bottom of the situation.
Hakeem: You know how you say we're friends?
Me: Best friends, more than me and Tianna and I've known her a long ass time.
When I did my little rant, Hakeem grabbed my left hand.
Me: She's like a sister to me, when shit happened, she was there. Even when I didn't know who was who anymore, I still had faith in-
I was cut short when I felt him grab my middle and ring fingers.
Hakeem: The first day I met you, you flicked me off with this finger. But now I ant you to carry my last name so-
He stopped and I felt something cold around my finger. I averted my eyes from his face and down to my finger. A silver ring with small diamonds surrounding a big diamond rested on it.
Hakeem: Will you wear this ring on that finger, will you marry me?
A tear lipped from my eye and I wiped it away quickly.
Me: Yes. (mumbles)
Hakeem: What?
Me: Through all your bullshit, YES!
Tears were pouring out my eyes as he hugged me. I heard the door unlock and open by itself and Cookie and Daysha nearly fell in with it.
Cookie: What's the verdict?
Hakeem: She said yes.
Cookie: At least you did one thing right.
Daysha:Auntie!
I wiped my eyes and turned to Daysha, allowing her to run into my arms.
Me: Was that why you kept calling me auntie?
Daysha: It slipped.
Hakeem and Cookie laughed.
