Personal Stylist: The Sequel

Chapter 15

* Gia's P.O.V *

"Babe, can you hand me the spray bottle off the dresser, please?" I said to August. He did what I asked him to and handed the bottle to me. "Thank you, baby." I say. "You're welcome, my love." He says, putting on his shirt. "Mommy, I miss Auntie Ari!" Sky says to me. "I know, but guess what? You're gonna see her today." I said.
It was a gorgeous Sunday afternoon and August, the kids, and I were getting ready to head out. We were going to Ariel and Brandon's house because they were having a barbecue. I was doing Sky's hair on the bed. "How do you want mama to do your hair?" I asked her. She shrugged and continued to watch "Moana" on her iPad. My baby was obsessed with Disney Princesses. I decided to just braid Sky's hair and put cute pink, clear and purple beads in her hair. That was her favorite hairstyle.
"Hey, y'all!" Ariel greeted us as soon as we got to her house. I hugged her tight. She was holding baby P. "You look cute, mama!" She tells me. I smiled. I was dressed in a burnt orange sundress and wedges.My hair was in a low puff while my edges were slayed. "Thank you, so do you!" I said.
"You made potato salad?" My best friend asked. "Yes I did, girl. You already know!" I say to her. "You literally make the best potato salad." Ana tells me. I smiled. "For real!" Ariel says. "Y'all need to stop." I said, flattered. "Babe, you need to try Gia's potato salad." Ana says, making Mario a plate. Mario nodded his head as he took the plate. He was so quiet and shy. It was cute.
Ariel, Ana, and I were sitting inside the patio. We were watching all the kids play. Baby Nala relaxed in my lap while I fed her an ice pop. My baby Sky was playing with the other kids in the pool. August was at helping Brandon at the grill. Ariel's cousin, Manny was DJ'ing. Everybody was just having a good time. It was nothing but positive vibes.
"What are you hoping for?" Ariel's cousin, Leire asked Ana. It was just a whole bunch of females in the kitchen now. The barbecue was coming to an end  and everybody was starting to leave. We were cleaning up the kitchen cause the kids had made a mess in there somehow. August and Brandon were still outside, doing Lord knows what.
"In the beginning, I really wanted a boy. Now, I'm hoping for a girl." Ana says. "What does Mario want? Or does he not care?" I asked, burping Nala. "He actually wants a boy." Ariel's sister says. "Y'all excited?" Leire wanted to know. "We're so excited! I think Mario might actually be more excited than me." Ana admits. Speaking of Mario, he suddenly came walking into the kitchen. "Hey, Mario!" We all said in unison. He smiled shyly and waved. "Hi, ladies." He said. "Hey, baby. You okay?" Ana said to him. "Yeah, I'm fine. I just wanted to talk to you about something." He says. "Oh, should we leave?" I say, starting to gather my children. "No, y'all can stay. I want everybody to hear this." Mario says. "Good. I wasn't leaving anyway." Ariel said, rocking baby P to sleep. "Ariel!" I say. "What? This my house!" She said. I shook my head.
"What's going on?" Ana questioned. August and Brandon came into the kitchen shortly after. Mario took a deep breath. "Listen Ana. I love you so much. And I wanna spend the rest of my life with you. The fact that you're carrying my child is amazing. And you're way too important to me to just be my baby mama so..." Next thing I know, Mario gets down on one knee and pulls a ring out of his back pocket. Everybody in the room starts screaming. "Y'all gonna wake up my baby!" Ariel yells. "Ana, will you marry me?" Mario finally says. "Yes!!" Ana says, crying uncontrollably. Everyone cheered as the newly engaged couple kissed.
"I'll call you when I get home!" I say, hugging my best friend. "Okay, get home safe. I love you." Ariel says. "I love you too, babe." I tell her. Ari hugged Sky and kissed her on the cheek. "I love you, little mama. Make sure mommy calls me later, okay?" Ariel says to Sky. I laughed. "Okay, Auntie!" Sky said. Then, Ari kissed my baby Nala, who was sleeping on my chest. "I'll walk y'all to the car." Ariel says, looping her arm through my free arm. August was still talking to Brandon in the backyard.
As we were talking in the driveway, a white car pulls up. "You know who car this is?" I asked Ari. She made a face. "Hell no!" She said. Next, Ariel's mother gets out of the car. "Oh shit." I said under my breath.
Before Ariel's mother even approached us, I could already smell the alcohol on her breath. I studied her. Ariel was right, she did look a mess. That's my best friends mother and I understood homegirl was going through some things at the moment, but damn. It was sad seeing her like this. Dolores was like a second mom to me growing up so of course it was eating me up inside, too.
"What are you doing here?" Ariel asked. I was debating whether or not I should continue standing there, or just get my ass in the car. After all, this was none of my business and it was hella awkward. However, I did see Dolores' man in the drivers seat so I didn't wanna leave leave my best friend there alone. Plus, I had no idea where Brandon was.
"I can't come see my grand child?" Dolores said, slurring her words. This was sad. Her hair was a mess, she looked homeless. "You have some nerve showing up to my house when I haven't seen you in almost a year. Have you been drinking?" Ari says. She had already answered her own question. We knew Dolores had been drinking.
"Maybe." Dolores says, tryna give her daughter a hug. Ariel backed away. "What do you think you're doing?" She said. "I haven't seen you in a year. Can I give my daughter a hug?" She says. Ariel laughed. "You have 5 minutes to get away from my property or I'm calling the police." She says calmly. "Oh my Lord." I said. "I'm not leaving until you tell me you forgive me." Dolores says. "Aw, hell." I said, making my way towards the backyard. "Let me go get the guys." I said. When I got to the backyard, August and Brandon were smoking. "Y'all need to come to the front now! Dolores is here and she's causing a scene." I said. Both men jumped up.
When we got back to the front, Ari and Dolores were at each other's throats. The nigga in the car was now out of the car. Brandon went to help his wife. "What the fuck going on here?" He said. August stood behind me. "What the hell is going on?" He asked. "I have no idea. Ari and I were talking and she just showed up." I told him. "This is crazy." My husband says. "I know. I'm gonna put the kids in the car." I said. With everything going on, I completely forgot that Sky was standing behind me the entire time. Baby P was in the house sleeping. This was just way too fucking much.