Page 32 of The Love of Priest

Her mother, Seven, was already brewing a fresh batch of coffee, causing Britain to thank the heavens above because she did not have the energy to wrestle with any of the high-tech appliances.

"Hey, Mocha." Seven flashed her beaming smile to her daughter like she did every morning.

Britain forced a smile through her tiredness. "Hey, Ma," she greeted her mother.

Priest was still on the phone and was able to hear her mother. "That's your nickname? Mocha? I like it." He chuckled since he knew Britain was twisting her face up in her signature mean mug.

"Goodbye, sir," Britain threatened to end the call, not wanting to hear him call her the nickname her family called her.

Priest continued to laugh. "I'll text you. Am I free to come over after your shift?" His laughter had come to a halt as he asked Britain.

She nodded her head as another yawn escaped her lips. "Always. Bring yourself and some pizza, since you claim I haven't tried the best spot yet." She smirked lightly. Seven stood off to the side eying her daughter. Something was different. Even though Britain looked tired as a dog, Seven still noticed the energy radiating off her.

"Heard you. Stay woke," he teased.

"Very funny,Reverend," she purposely butchered his name. Priest threw his head back in laughter. She was constantly coming for his name.

"Bye, London," he retaliated, ending the call before she got the chance to fire a shot back. Britain rolled her eyes as she ridded her ears of her AirPods and sat them back in the holding dock.

"Had a long night, Mocha?" Seven smirked, casting Britain’s attention. As always, Seven was dressed in her subtle yellow scrubs that were topped with her white coat. Her feet were adorned in the cute floral print nurse clogs Britain had gifted her a few Christmases prior. As always, Seven's hair was twisted out in her signature curls that she styled in a half up, half down look. She was effortlessly beautiful, and her aura was unmatched.

With a nod, Britain responded to her mother. "Didn't go to sleep until two this morning. Ma, do I really have to be here?" Her eyes dropped in an imploring manner, and her bottom lip curled into a pout.

Seven chuckled at her daughter's antics. "I used to ask myself that every morning when I clocked into that stupid job before I started my internship at the hospital. You would keep me up until two in the morning with your whining and crying about those big ole chompers you call teeth were growing in."

Offended by the jab her mother took at her teeth, Britain covered her mouth while cutting her eyes at Seven. "My father would never." Britain mugged Seven playfully, inducing some laughter.

"Remy wouldn't do a lot of things like I have," Seven agreed with Britain's statement. "How is he, anyway?"

A light smile made its way onto Britain's face. It was cute how both of her parents managed to still think of each other. Their love went sour due to a situation that was out of their hands. Britain knew there was no chance of Remy and Seven ever rekindling anything since Seven was madly in love with her husband, Henderson. The two had been together since Britain was four, and they were perfect for each other. Long before Britain knew of Remy, she considered Henderson her father since he'd been around for so long. She loved him. He never made her feel any different from her other siblings who were fathered by him.

"He's great. Still young and fit," Britain threw out there in hopes to bait her.

Seven rolled her eyes. "My husband is too," she retorted in a petty manner.

"Only a tempted woman would respond as such," Britain giggled, loving the way she always managed to get under her mother’s skin.

Seven perched her hand on her hip while stale facing her daughter. "See, I was just about to let you off to get some sleep, but for that, you're staying." Seven cackled in a victorious manner once she saw how Britain's face fell.

"Customer service about to be on zero today," Britain grumbled as she poured herself some coffee. Just as she did when she was a child, she filled her coffee with tons of sugar and creamer. It made her think of Priest, who often turned his nose up at how high her sugar intake was. She was a child at heart, and her sweet tooth remained, despite how grown she was.

"Play with that man you just had on that phone, not your momma, love. Remember that," Seven warned.

Britain scoffed playfully while waving her mother off. "I have no idea what you're talking about, woman." She shook her head as if her mother was mistaken.

"Mocha, who are you fooling? He has you tired, but he also has you all bright eyed and bushy tailed," Seven read her daughter from cover to cover.

"I'm tired from watching a movie," Britain corrected her mother in a matter-of-fact manner.

Seven raised a brow. "So, you weren't having sex?"

"Ma!" Britain exclaimed at the invasiveness of her mother's question.

“What? I'm just asking." Seven shrugged her shoulders carelessly. "I know you were on the whole “born again virgin” thing, but who are we kidding?" She waved Britain off.

"Ma, I wasn't kidding. Sex is different for me now. I feel like my energy and mind have to be pleased along with my body. Y'know?" Britain shrugged while explaining to her mother.

This was normal for them. The two were very open with each other because Seven gave all her children space to just be themselves. She refrained from passing judgement for the most part, which allowed Britain to have a level of comfort with her that most daughters didn’t have with their mothers.

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