MELODY

NINE/OH

K I A R A

It was now a new day and Kiara was searching for her bubble coat, now that the October weather was transitioning into November weather it was getting colder by the day. Months were changing and so was her energy. She decided to not worry about a man that didn't see her worth and that just wanted one thing out of her. Troy and Kiara didn't have any classes for the day so they decided to grab breakfast at IHOP.

"How's your granny doing? Sorry I couldn't come with you yesterday to see her?" Troy asked as he put the sugar into his coffee.

"She's hanging in there, I know that it's progressing faster, the nurse didn't even have to tell me that, I could see it, she was losing her melanin by the minute." Kiara informed.

"Damn, if you need anything other than my room you know to ask and I got you."

Kiara shook her head at her best friend. She loved Troy he was a sweet heart but an ass at the same time but she knew it was all love.

"How you and that shawty doing?" Kiara asked as the waitress cane placing their plates in front of them then walking away. Troy looked at her ass as catered to another table.

"We doing pretty good." He said still admiring the sight.

"Well pay attention to her ass and not the waitress'." Kiara told him.

"Listen, I'm still a nigga at the end of the day, ass is ass and if it's beautiful ima stare." Troy shrugged.

212-456-3169
Good morning, Ms. Palet, this is Khari Francois from Francois publishing, I was wondering if you could take some pictures for me this Wednesday at my office?

Kiara looked at the message and smiled ear to ear.

"Troy look!" She turned the phone around shoving it in Troy's face.

"That's dope, tell him you're all in." Troy told her, happy for his best friend.

Kiara replied immediately, Khari responded sending her the address of his office.The two continued to eat their breakfast. They got into the car and drove around for a while. Troy borrowed his moms car for the day since she'll be working from home today. He agreed to get her oil changed and put gas in it if she'd let him use it.

"You better not go in there Wednesday acting all crazy, you want this man to like you not get a restraining order on you." Said Troy as the drove around the city.

"I know, I don't even know if I like him all crazy like that anymore, I'm a grown ass women crushing on a rich black man with his own company that probably has chicks falling at his feet begging for him." Kiara spoke. Which she was right women adored Khari and he adored them as well. Women literally threw themselves at him. His poetry compelled them and the fact that he was a successful business man was just the cherry on top the cake.

The two parked in a mall parking lot and began heading into the mall. Kiara hasn't treated herself to anything nice for a while now, she was either buying food for the house, paying the bills or pampering her grandmother. The two walked into Footlocker looking at the new shoes that just dropped, once Kiara spotted the shoe she wanted she asked for her size and waited so she could try them on.

"These hot, should I get get em?" Troy asked.

"You trying to get fresh fresh, okay." Kiara piped his head up causing him to smile and wipe his shoulders off.

"You know the vibes." He cheesed. Kiara shook her head at her friend as he walked away to look at another pair of sneakers.

As Kiara waited for the employee to bring out her shoe she got phone call from her grandmothers hospital.

"Hello, this is Kiara." She answered.

"Hi, Ms. Palet, this is Doctor Stone from Memory Hospital, I was calling to inform you that last night at approximately 9:30pm Cynthia Palet was pronounced dead. We send our condolences to you and your family. If you would wish to-." He informed her. Kiara's heart dropped to her stomach, her phone dropped to the floor then she let a huge sob causing everyone in the store to look at her as if she lost her mind. Troy dropped the shoe he bad in his hand and rushed over to her immediately.

"Kiki, what's wrong? What's going on?" He asked. He looked down at her phone and picked it up next putting it up to his ear. "Hello? Who's this?" Troy said into the phone.

"This is Doctor Stone.." They began. Troy instantly knew what happened and just hung up the phone.

"Shit." He mumbled to himself. "Come on. Let's go." Troy said lifting Kiara up, wrapping his arm around her shoulder as the two rushed out of the mall and back to his car, rushing down to the hospital. On their way there Troy informed his mother and sister and they rushed to the hospital as soon as possible. Troy kept himself together for Kiara who was in the backseat balling her eyes out. He wanted to cry as much as she did,he looked at Ms. Cynthia as if sh was his grandmother too, she would babysit him when he was younger and let him stay the night if his mom had to take over night shifts at work. Granny was the reason him and Kiara were so close, he looked at Kiki as if she was his little sister even though the two were only 2 months apart.

Once they reached the hospital Kiara got herself together while they were in the lobby but once they reached the hospital room, seeing Troy's mother and Karla she broke down once more. She looked over her at granny who looked peacefully asleep.

The doctor came in and spoke with Kiara and her uncle. They filled out some paper work and Kiara put all of her grandmothers old things inside of a bag. After Kiara and everyone cleaned up they all went their separate ways. Kiara went back home with Troy and his mom. Once she reached home she collapsed onto the couch and threw the blanket over her body, snuggling up by her lonesome. Troy wanted to comfort her but his mom just told him to give her some space and time but he knew better than to leave her alone for way too long, he has seen Kiara at her worse and he refused to let her go back to that. But for the moment he decided to back off and give her that space that she needed.

As for Carlos he was in his mother's apartment getting drunk and high. Not feeling one bit of grief or regret for his mother or for his actions. He walked into his mother's old room and began to pack up her things, he was ready to get everything out of there as soon as possible.