Page 16 of Pulse of True Soulmates

“Shit, what we need to be doing is finding your ass a man, Miss Fatima,” Iesha jested. “Give Aeon a chance to walk in on you getting those cheeks smacked.”

Fatima rolled her eyes. “I’m fine. I have way too much going on for the woes of a nigga.”

I put my fork down on my plate. “What do you have going on outside of work, because either I missed it, or you’re not telling me something?” When she did not respond, I picked my fork back up. “That’s what the hell I thought.”

Leydi giggled. “Damn, Fatima. She put that ass on blast. Oh, I know who would be perfect for you.” Her head snapped toward Iesha. “Wouldn’t Georgie and her be perfect?”

Iesha wiggled around in her seat. “Yes! I can see that. He’s one of the master barbers at Tiberius shop. Girl, he is fine, but do not tell Derrick’s crazy ass I said that.”

That was a fact. Iesha’s husband taught crazy how to be crazy. That honestly worried me because he was Deck’s cousin. “You don’t have to worry about me saying anything. So, why do you think Georgie is a good fit for Fatima?”

“Oh, so you with the shits too, best friend?” Fatima asked me. “I got you,” she said with a giggle. One thing about my best friend, she didn’t play fair with her,I got yous.

“Baby, Georgie will suck all that dark chocolate off your ass. He’s like those sour patch candies. Just like you,” Iesha said.

My hand stifled my laughter. It was funny because I’d told Fatima that myself. To the unknowing eye outside of her profession, she seemed like a bitch, but she really wasn’t. Once you got to know her, she was the best person to have on your side. “I guess that means that he’s a mean, sweetheart.”

In unison, Iesha and Leydi said, “Exactly!”

For the next fifteen minutes, we talked about how we would set Georgie and Fatima up while Fatima sat there silently. She was silent because as much as she hated to admit it, my girl wanted to connect with somebody’s son.

When brunch was over, Fatima and I headed to my father’s house. Today, I left Midnite at home to rest. I tried to leave him home at least once a week. When we were in public, my baby was in work mode. There were certain places that he knew were what we called safe zones. Those places were my father’s house and office, Fatima’s house, and now added to the list, Deck’s house and lounge, and Ma and Pop Phillips’ house. Safe zones meant that there were others there that I trusted to take care of me.

“Hey, Daddy! What are you doing in here?” I asked after Fatima and I walked into the den where my father was.

He glanced up from his favorite chair with a smile. “Hey, girls! You know me. I’m just watching my games.”

“Are you ready for this weekend?” I tried to keep my father’s birthday party a secret but learned it was impossible because of the guest list. I had to tell him. “I’m so excited about it,” I told him.

His blushing smile was so cute. “I’m ready. I’ll have the two prettiest girls on my arms.”

“Unfortunately, it will just be me and you, Pop Vernon. Aeon’s going to be on the arm of her boyfriend,” Fatima said with a smirk.This bitch!

I had yet to tell my father about Deck for good reason. This was my first relationship since Troy, so I wanted to make sure it was serious before I brought it to my father. I felt safe to say that we were profoundly serious. He showed me daily that I was worth the love that he gave me.

My father’s entire body shifted in his seat to face me. The tightness of his eyes and jaw matched. “Boyfriend? I don’t recalla discussion about a boyfriend. How long have you been with said boyfriend?”

Fatima sat there with her drink in her hand and a smirk on her face. I had something for her ass. “Um, me and Declan have been together for some months now. I met him and his mother at Sams when I had an episode, and they helped me. We kinda became friends, then it just progressed from there.”

“So, you thought that it was a good idea for me to meet him for the first time at my party, Aeon?” my father asked with a serious tone. “Yeah, I don’t think that will work. Does this boyfriend of yours do something? Does he have a job?”

I huffed. “Yes, Daddy. He’s a business owner. He owns two very successful businesses in Charlotte.” My father acted like I had a track record of being with trash men who were unemployed. Sure, Troy was trash, but he was gainfully employed.

My father stared at me for a quick second. “I’m throwing some steaks on the grill tomorrow around six. He needs to be here.” Before I could push back, his hand went up to stop my words. “I don’t give a damn what he has on his schedule. Tell him to cancel it. If I don’t see him tomorrow, then his ass better not be at my party, Aeon.”

“Ok, Daddy. We’ll be here,” I confirmed. Pissed was not strong enough of a word right now.

Fatima and I stayed a little longer before we left to go home. We both had tattoo appointments in a few hours. “You mad at me?” Fatima asked.

“It doesn’t really matter if I am. What’s done is done. It was fucked up because I would never put you out there like that with something so serious in my life. I got you though.” That should have told her all she needed to know.

Her face was saddened. “I didn’t think Pop Vernon was going to crash out like that. I mean, he’s just meeting him a few days early.”

“It doesn’t matter because that wasn’t the plan I had. You knew the plan that I had, but you disregarded it because you felt a way about us talking about hooking you up with Georgie? Like I said, no worries.” I gave her a bright smile. “I definitely got you. I’ll be ready to leave when you are.” I wasn’t as mad as I made it appear, but the get back was going to be real.

Fatima and I were back to normal by the time we got to the lounge. Kira, the hostess, asked me as soon as I came into the building if I wanted my usual. Their lamb Greek Mediterranean salad was God’s gift. At this point, the entire staff knew what I ate and what Midnite ate as well. When Midnite came with me to the lounge, one of the chefs made him a special power steak bowl. My baby loved it.

After Deck made me feel less nervous about getting my tattoo, I came out of my baby’s office with a bright smile. Sex with my man was amazing. I loved how patient he was with me.

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