—
"Girl, are you sure you don't wanna come spend a couple nights with us?" Whitney asked Mariah, as they were just minutes away from her home. They had been on the road for four hours, and had finally reached the town they were used to. "I'm sure your goddaughters would love to see you and this new hairstyle you got."
Bobby laughed a bit, keeping his eyes on the road. He was the driver the entire ride home and spent hours listening as these two friends gossiped and sang just like they used to back in the day.
"Look, Nippy," Mariah began, just after she too had laughed. "Although I do miss my god babies, I miss my house just a little bit more. Hell, I'm happy to be back home."
"I know, I know." Whitney sighed, as they pulled into her friend's driveway. "I just don't want you in this house all alone. I 'den watched enough Lifetime movies to know that somebody's ass is always popping up out'ta nowhere."
Mariah playfully nudged her friend, laughing. "Alright now you got me feeling worried. Stop it, hear?" She opened the door to her side, beginning to exit the vehicle.
"Right, which is exactly why you should be coming with us," the other woman said back, pointing toward herself and Bobby.
She then faced him, eyeing him sideways. "Boy if you don't get yo' ass out and help this girl take her luggage in..."
Bobby unbuckled his seatbelt, sighing. He was just about to get out of the car until Mariah stopped him, claiming she could get her belongings on her own.
"Would you stop worrying about me?" She asked Whitney, rolling her luggage to her front door. "I'm fine and I'm gon' be fine. You just make sure y'all get home safe." The woman opened the door, putting her things inside.
"Alright, fine," Whitney said back, crossing her arms above her chest. "But you better call me as soon as you get done unpacking, I ain't playing." As their vehicle began bagging out of the driveway, the two friends told one another that they loved each other, saying their goodbyes.
But, Whitney still wasn't satisfied. After about twenty minutes of leaving Mariah's house and growing closer to their own, she ordered for Bobby to turn the vehicle around. She hadn't known what it was, but something truly did not sit right within her spirit. Knowing all that Mariah went through with Blair, she felt guilty for turning her back on her friend years ago. Though they had made up and were in a greater place now, by leaving Mariah in that house alone, Whitney felt like she was turning her back on the woman yet again.
Now, while she and Bobby prepared to reroute back to Mariah's house, Angela and Idris had been back at their own.
These two weren't really speaking as Angela couldn't wrap her head around what Idris had confessed back at their suite. She couldn't believe how much she had defended him just for him to say that he had viewed his young students in a sexual manner and acted flirty towards them.
"So how long you ain't gon' say nothing to me?" The man asked his wife, as the two of them were in their home's living area. Angela sat upon the couch, he stood above her.
She waved him off, shaking her head from side to side. The disbelief she had was a bit unbearable. "I don't know what you want me to say, Idris."
He sat next to her on the couch, but she scooted away. "Just say that you know me better than this, Angie. C'mon, you know this is not the kinda man that I am. I'm—"
