NO LONGER THERE

CLUSTER THREE

PILLOW TALK

I hated to disappoint my fine ass man.

I hated even more that he didn't seem to mind, especially because I knew he did. It really sucked to break the news that we would not be naked in front of the fireplace over the weekend.

"Enjoy your girls weekend, babe. It turns out I will be stuck at the office anyway. Poppa Phillips has struck again."

"Oh no, honey, I'm sorry." I pouted.

"Don't be, I would look silly naked in front of the fireplace alone. So, this is a better alternative."

We both laughed.

My fine and sweet ass man then asked, "What about the show?"

"I've already called the team. We have enough tapings to go another weekend. I believe I heard cheering in the background when I cancelled."

Bryce chuckled. "I guess Avery Lillian Reed will be on vacation this weekend."

"Et tu, Brute?"

"I'm just saying when you want something done, I see Clarence in your face, but Lillian in your demeanor, and it's scary."

I also hated to admit Bryce Allen Phillips was correct. I would pull that Lillian card in a two stepping minute to get things done. It worked every time. After ten to a thousand more apologies, we hung up, and I called Roxy.

After graduation, my quirky roommate became a Social Media Manager for a marketing agency in Austin and executive producer for Avery Speaks Up.

I love Roxy.

"Hi, Abes. What's up?"

She stopped calling me Aves in solidarity with Hershey Kiss and her non v pronouncing self.

"Hey, I know you're going to be busy this weekend, but I told Hershey I would ask if you could drive up to for a girls weekend at the Gaylord."

"Sounds exciting. Since you cancelled filming this weekend, I have nothing but time and would love to come. I'll leave here tomorrow after work. Yay."

My return yay was a lot less enthusiastic.

Don't frown at me like that. You know I love Roxy.

I was just looking forward to some alone time with Hershey so I could prove how cool of a sister I was. She had bit of an advantage in the coolness category because she didn't carry the Lillian critic gene.

Simultaneously, my phone rang and my laptop pinged. And there was work. It never stopped and according to Hershey, neither did I. I was tempted not to answer. That was until I realized I had forgotten about the virtual meeting with Black Hair Texas Magazine.

Dammit, was Hershey right? I wasn't going to focus only on her this weekend? Pushing those thoughts to the back burner, I hit the green phone symbol and smiled. I couldn't fail my little sister. I would just have to figure out how not to after one more meeting.

***

I played kissy face with Bryce Allen Phillips before bed.

That was after Hershey Kiss let me have my phone and my man back. Like me, Hershey loved her some Bryce Allen Phillips. I ended the video chat and Hershey Kiss started her own with her friends as she danced into her big ass rainbow room. Imani text the next time I was in town, I needed to see her for a treatment. 

Oh yeah, I totally flaked on that whole hair loss thing.

I turned on the light in the bathroom, started iTunes and sat down on my vanity stool. I had not paid much attention to my hair lately. It seemed trivial when I had so many good days with my Daddy. My hair would always there. The daddy I knew wouldn't .