Page 1 of Unexpectedly In Love

One year and some months ago

ANISE

“That doesn’t happen to black girls, Cassy.” I begin to take my twist out down.

I hear a mumble from my sister over the speakerphone. “What doesn’t happen to black girls?”

Grabbing my comb, I lift the roots of my hair, which gives my curls height and volume. “Oh, that looks good,” I mutter to myself.

“Ani, focus, what doesn’t happen to black girls?” Cassia shouts over the phone.

“A black girl meets a Greek mafia boss. He sees her, and they fall in love. Let’s be for real now,” I said.

“Why not? It’s a story, and I want my girl to fall in love with a Greek mafia boss.”

I add hair pins to keep some of my curls tucked in. Some girls may not like their natural hair, and that’s all right with them but me…I love mine.

“Cassy, I never said your book wasn’t good. I said the idea is farfetched.”

“It is not farfetched. It’s my world.” Cassy sounds annoyed.

Walking into the closet, I take my short, black, sequin dress off the hanger and rest it on the bed.

“Anything else that you don’t like?”

“Oh, and why are they always billionaires? Why can’t I get a plumber?” I want to burst out laughing because I know my sister is dying to choke my ass. I open my small jewelry case, and I put on my diamond studded earrings. We are keeping it cute tonight.

“Yes, because when I think of a plumber, I think butt crack and sexy. Sage is buzzing me, hold on,” Cassia says.

“Plumbers make bank. Add her to the call,” I scream.

“Hello, Cassy.” Sage’s calming voice seeps through the phone speaker.

“Ani is on the phone, too, Sage,” Cassia replies.

“Hey, you. How is your influencer trip going?” Sage asks. I can hear her new neighbor’s dog barking.

“The Sugah Bae brand really outdid themselves. You should see this suite. I am getting ready to go down for dinner,” I reply.Where is my shimmer body butter?I wonder.

“I wanna see. Put your camera on,” Sage shouts.

I pick up my phone, switching to my front camera for them to see the view.

“Oh, that sunset is lovely. We need to go to Tobago next year for our girls’ trip,” Sage says as she presses her face closer to her phone screen.

“It’s so beautiful. I’m going down for drinks, then dinner and the influencer meet up,” I reply as I step out onto the breezy verandah, showing my sisters the orange sunset.

“Where is Rosie?” I ask.

“She is doing her doctor thing. Making her millions, hehe,” Sage replies.

“Okay…Anything else you wanna complain about?” Cassia interrupts as she massages the bridge of her nose.

“I’m leaning this phone on the stand. I need to change.” Stepping back into my room, I stabilize my phone between the hairspray and my deodorant bottle.

I open my suitcase once more, searching for my body butter. Where did I put it? I saw it a moment ago.

“What were you two talking about?" Sage pries. She is sitting in her white, fluffy robe while she is putting orange rollers in her hair.

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