What's Done in the Dark

Epilogue 50: Nicolette

1 year 9 months later

"What time will Octavia get here?" Nicole asks, standing in the kitchen pulling pizza balls out the oven.

"In about an hour," I reply.

I'm sitting on the stool watching my sister maneuver around the kitchen. Today is Bella and Tay's birthday party and we are having them a small party here at the house. They turned two on Monday and Tuesday of this week. Tay has been with Deshawn for the week and she will be flying in with him and Keshawn today.

Deshawn has been doing great. Still holding down his job with his dad, even becoming a supervisor after a year. He filed and won full custody of KJ and just bought him a nice three-bedroom house two months ago. He tries to fly down here every other Friday to visit Tay and his mom, but his mother started a new relationship a few months after he left and is gone a lot.

"Is he bringing his girlfriend?' Nicole asks me laughing.

"No." I shake my head. "...he's not with her anymore."

"Of course not," Nicole replies.

Since the divorce, Deshawn has had a lot of girlfriends, and he changes them like he buys new shoes. Nicole thinks it's hilarious when he brings one over because it's always a new one.

"You know he said that he wasn't trying to have any more serious relationships. He wants to be free to do what he wants with who he wants. His words, not mine."

"I see that. He's worse than Lance with all these different women they bring around."

Lance has become part of the family. You can find him sometimes at Nicole's house with Jermaine getting on her last nerves. He's still running the food truck with his friend and has become a personal trainer. He has helped Nicole and I lose a lot of weight. Plus he's the girl's favorite person.

"Who's talking about me?" Lance says walking into the kitchen holding a smiling Bella.

"Nicole. She said you are worse than Deshawn with how often you change women," I tell him laughing at his shocked expression.

He all of a sudden frowns looking around at the food. "None of this food is healthy."

"Lance get out of here with that today. It's a two years olds birthday party and we all get to have junk for one day," Nicole tells him, putting the hamburger meat in the cheese for the dip. "Where is the cake?" Nicole asks.

"Logan went and picked it up along with Kristy's boys," I say, picking up one of the pizza balls stuffing it in my mouth.

"Is he bringing the baby too?"

"No. I can't host and babysit, so it's just EJ and Jaydon."

Kirsty and Phillip got married two weeks ago and are still on their honeymoon. She had a new baby boy five months before the wedding and he is too cute.

"Where is Amaya? I didn't see her when I woke up Bella?" Lance asks.

"You woke up Bella?" I ask, frowning.

"Yea. I always do. I come over here to spend time with her and Tay, not y'all," he says.

"Jermaine is on his way over here with her. He went by his moms this morning and she wanted to go," Nicole says.

"I hope she has the fifty cents she owes me. I don't play about my money," Lance says. "I karate chop kids."

"Lance I have told you about betting with my daughter. She's just 4."

"Hey, she is always like, 'I bet I can', don't be mad cause I take the challenge." I laugh at this fool and Nicole just shakes her head.

Seeing the garage door open. I know it's Logan and the boys. Logan walks in holding the cake and the boys have a few grocery bags in their hands.