In Between

Finally

Make sure you put them shoes in my heel bag, the red ones and the nude ones, bring the black pair too just in case. Rain, what the hell do you think your going to be doing, the man might have you mountain climbing or some and you bringing all this sexy shit. Well I have gym shoes I'm bringing too T, snatch them Airmax over there in the corner. Which ones? The white and black or the tan ones? Give me the tan, they will match with majority of my clothes. I am happy I asked T to come stay with me these past couple of days because every day I've been changing my mind about going. Not sure of how I will feel with the guilt in the back of my mind. On top of that it seems like I have every piece of clothing I own all over my room. I feel like I am rushing due to me working at the store today. Thursdays and Fridays are very busy, and I am so thankful to say that. On those days, the VIP rooms are booked with appointments, people waiting to relax and enjoy their me time. Standing up looking at what outfits I've created so far, sipping my Moet, I still think I need something else. Okay T, I have my outfit to leave in, an outfit to change into once we make it, and an outfit for dinner then the same for Saturday and Sunday. That makes nine outfits Raina, you are coming back Sunday. Yes, I know but I want to be extra prepared girl. Taylor turns up her wine glass, chick you prepared to move in if you ask me, you want some more champagne? Yes, you know I do, them three bottles of Moet will be gone tonight with my nerves as bad as they are. I heard that boo, I'll be right back with bottle number two. T goes in the kitchen and I text James some kiss faces to let him know I am excited and thinking about him. He replies with three hearts. Where could we be going, thinking to myself, and wondering what this jet life about because this will be my first time. What are we eating Raina? And I don't want to cook, we been cooking every night. I'm not sure T, what did you have in mind? Me and James continued to text, I wasn't giving T my full attention because he had all of it. I thought about Hibachi, some of that shrimp fried rice and crab wontons, girl I am ready to smash. I guess I'm a Hispanic and your Japanese because that's all me and you want to eat. Good enough for me, tell James I said hello cause he the only one make you smile like that. Girl, order the food and hush, pass me that bottle please, thank you. My phone rings and it's Cole, I didn't call him the other day. I caught me an attitude because he was hiding something that important from me. That's my little brother and any woman who's about to claim his last name needs to see me. Hey bruh, what's up? Nigga! I been calling you, where the hell you been? Cole you called one time a couple of days ago and you know the store number, why you just didn't call there? You still could have hit me back sis damn, so about this weekend, I'm going to reschedule due to Jacob saying my contract won't be ready until next weekend. Why did he have to say that fool's name of all names he could have mentioned. I am happy this drink has me mellowed out because I probably would have said he is full of shit. Okay well that's cool, I figured something was up because I would have had my flight itinerary by now. Yeah sis I know, but I'm not sure what's up with him though, I spoke to his brother he said he will just take over and take care of everything but Jacob didn't let him know if I approved the terms of the contract. Its all good though I like James, that's his brother, and sis them guys twins can you believe that shit. Oh, I can believe it Cole, so, just get at me whenever things change, and you know I am coming asap. Thanks sis, I appreciate you, where T at? How she been? She good just work and home for us. No clubbing? What! Taylor must have a man now? And you must have a woman? Why you saying it like that Raina damn I'm just joking. Well do you? Well I wanted to introduce you to someone I met and it's getting pretty serious. How serious Cole? Damn Rain! No, don't call me Rain now that I know you up to something, spill it Cole. Sis, Listen, she is someone I know you and Casey will love, she's from here and we been at it for about six months now. Really? Six months? No wonder the last time we came to party with you, you couldn't do nothing because you were boo'd up. Yeah sis I think she the one to have me settled down for real this time. What's her name? Tracey. How old is she? Thirty-nine. Does she have kids? Damn Raina, look, you will get a chance to meet her and find all of that out. Well whenever you officially decide on me coming that way, I will do that. I am headed out of town this weekend for a date. Oh word, where you and T headed to? It is not with her thank you very much, it is a guy who wants to surprise me. What guy Raina? Oh no Cole we all have surprises right, you will get to meet him soon. Okay I see you gone play games, well the dude better take care of you is all I care about. He will, so far so good, we been communicating for a couple of weeks and I've seen him we just haven't spent anytime together yet. Just be careful, you know I still wanna get at Anthony bitch ass. Don't worry about it Cole, I will be careful, I'll let you and T know where I'm at. Okay cool, well sis I love you and make sure you take your strap with you. I got you, love you more, bye. The food here, T yells from the living room. Here I come. Sitting in the kitchen, taking out all the plates my stomach starts growling it smells so good. Damn Raina that's you, shut up T and your words slurring while you talking, that mo got you in there. It sholl do, I'm gone sleep good tonight. Girl I am so nervous, like its surreal, who would have thought a woman coming from our past, we would be getting on private jets. Well believe it Raina, pass me them wontons. Taylor phone had vibrated like three times since we been eating. So, who blowing you up? Who is this guy I need to meet anyway? How you know it's a guy Raina? Oh, so we gay now, we are doing the gay trend now. Girl never, don't play me, you will meet him soon enough just be patient. Okay be patient, I'm on ya ass when I get back, I need to check him out. After we eat, I'm about to really check him out, we gone meet up at the beach, I will be right back. Okay that's cool, I'll be packing up girl. Taylor leaves to go see her boo and I cut on my Bluetooth speaker to play my slow jams playlist while I finish getting things together. First song come on is Devvon Terell "Temperature" I'm not sure if I need to listen to this it's gone have me texting James some freaky. It's kind of weird though, I haven't heard from Jacob since our little argument about him coming to my job. He tries to talk all that good stuff but then he disappears. Oh well, at least he's not bothering me even though I feel he will be calling soon. I just need to focus on this weekend only, that's all I care about. James sends me the location letting me know he will be there on time. I text him back I am nervous with the kiss face and he replies: I WILL TAKE ALL OF THAT NERVOUSNESS AWAY. I just close my eyes and smile, in the middle of my living room, swaying back and forth, filled with joy about tomorrow. Looking at the time, its thirty minutes till eleven and I am finally done packing. After Taylor finishes showering, she's going to flat iron my hair. I am feeling my middle part, straight silky look, I hope it's a good idea because we know about this hair and how it curls up in seconds. Me and James basically texted all evening, he's ready to hear my voice face to face. He's been really busy at work today also, I think he said he closed four deals and opened six new contracts. I really wasn't tripping on us being on the phone, I understand his business and the title he holds is very important, besides I need to keep my composure. I think the last time I was this excited was the first time me and Anthony met, I couldn't get enough of him, but I always sensed some foul play about him. He had a bad temper and he loved the ladies, oh my goodness he was a lady's man. Then things became out of control, see I was already stable in my little apartment back home and he was visiting some of his people up that way. We both were looking for charcoal for our family reunions, could you believe that. He offered to carry it for me saying a lady doesn't need to be lifting heavy things and it went from there. He moved in with me saying he's been trying to move back to the city and his charm had me blind, so I was falling in love. We both were in our prime, our early twenties so we popped ecstasy pills and partied all the rime. It became a job to us like we did it every day with no problem. Then I became pregnant and the arguments came about, they didn't even make any sense, they were petty. I knew most of the times I would just pop a pill just to get high enough to cope with dealing with his ass. We used to fight, and he would slap me around but I fought back, I would throw things at him, shit I'll even try to stab him. One time I busted a glass on his face because he told me he snorts powder in the middle of an argument. After I did that, he jumped on top of me so hard and choked me until I passed out. I woke up and was bleeding between my legs, looking for him and he was gone. I was in so much pain, I just sat in me a hot bath. Went to the doctor the next morning and I had lost the baby. I didn't see Anthony for three days after that and I didn't care if he was dead. He came back one day and acted as if nothing happened between us, like we were so in love and happy until I told him to get the fuck out. Anthony ran up on me with a devilish look in his eye, pulled out his gun, put it to my chest and said " you telling who to get the fuck out" I looked at him dead in the eyes without moving an inch away from him, I pressed my body harder into the gun and didn't say a word, I just stared at him with tears falling down my face. At that point he ruined me, he ruined any trust I had for a man and I didn't care if he killed me that day. Through all the fights, the drugs, the making me have sex with him when I screamed no, I felt it all in that moment and if it ended right here, I wasn't scared. He lowered his gun, wiped his nose and told me I must be out of my fucking mind to leave him. Right then I knew that muthafucka was messed up in the head for him to even think he was a good human being at all. He was just a dope head who seen a free ride to take advantage of and destroy anything that came his way. I helped him for two years, I took him in when all he had was his clothes on his back and the truck he drove, I learned my lesson from him, a valuable one. You ready Raina, let's get started on that head, and why you sitting by the window spaced out, what's wrong? Girl nothing, just saying my goodbyes to the old and welcoming in the new. Yes honey! I will drink to that, where my glass at? See T you don't need anymore.

Authors note: Well Raina has me excited about the surprise trip lol. I wonder whats so special about the place. Taylor need to stop playing games and tell her who she dating unless she seeing someone that Raina doesn't like. The past from her and Anthony's relationship, sounds like a real dog ass dude, but we all have ran into them a long the way. Well let's see how this trip goes. Thanks for the read.