Page 26 of Mahogany 2
That’s what I did.
That’s what I always did.
Laid there, eyes to the ceiling, daydreaming about my sweet baby girl. Did it sting? Not as much as leaving the burial site did.
Today we were going out on a daddy, daughter date. She was seven. Dressed pretty in a floral dress with her long, thick hair pulled up into a bun. She wore a pink bow, that matched the pink sandals she had on. We were going out for ice cream and then to see a Disney movie after. She was excited. I was too. Ithought about every detail. She ordered vanilla ice cream with sprinkles. Extra sprinkles. Her mother hated when we went out for ice cream first. She always worried about Nova getting dirty. And she did. Dropped ice cream on her dress. I took her to the restroom and cleaned her up as best as I could. After the ice cream date, we went to the movies. She ordered a large popcorn and candy she wouldn’t eat. We had the best seats. Right in the middle. Not too far from the screen, not too close. Just right. She loved the movie. I loved it because she did. We were just getting ready to leave the theater when my alarm sounded, snapping me out of my fantasy.
With a deep breath, I reached over to my nightstand for my phone and silenced the alarm. It was back to reality. Rubbing my eyes, I sifted through a couple of messages and emails I failed to check yesterday. I was good with checking my email. Stayed on top of my business like a muthafucka but yesterday was rough. I spent more time at the gravesite than usual. By the time I got home, all a nigga wanted to do was shower and go to sleep. Didn’t even eat.
I was scrolling through my emails when I came across hers. Mahogany’s. She’d gone over the blueprints and had already come up with a design concept. She was adamant about me knowing it was a rough draft. Mentioned it twice in the email. I laughed. That was telling. She was a perfectionist—serious about her shit. I appreciated that though. Instead of going over the design schemes, I closed the app and sat up on side of the bed. We’d go over them later. In a couple of hours. Couture was my last stop of the day. I had a couple of other meetings lined up. I saved her for last for a reason. Wanted to end my day with her because I knew that with her I’d spend the most time. Not because we’d have to but because I wanted to. I enjoyed her company. Maybe a little too much.
After getting out of bed, I showered, got dressed and headed to my first meeting for the day. It was with a new client, wanting to invest in a slew of car washes. Hood nigga with dirty money I didn’t mind cleaning up. That was what I did. Worked with legitimate businesspeople and people like my pops and them who’d only gotten into investments to clean up money.
Once that deal was settled, I handled another two and before I knew it, it was three and I was pulling into the parking lot at Couture. The only meeting I’d been looking forward to all day. I was on bullshit. Big bullshit.
I should’ve been excited about getting shit going for the hotel, but I wasn’t. I was excited about seeing her. I hadn’t seen her since we did brunch the other day, but I’d thought about her often. Any time anything about Celestial Inc., my newest company, came across my desk, Ms. Mahogany Mills came to mind.
Because it was raining, I came up out of my suit jacket and shielded myself with it once I got out of the car to head up to the building. Upon walking in, I was greeted by the receptionist Claire, and the sound of an old school Ginuwine track playing at a low level. Couture was like a breath of fresh air, low key. I’d been in business with a few people but none of the companies were as black and laidback as Couture. I loved what Mahogany had done with it, and what it represented. Exclusivity.
“Good afternoon, Mr. Carter,” Greeted Claire when I walked through the doors.
“Good afternoon,” I spoke back.
“One second while I call up to let Mrs. M know you’re here.”
I gave her a nod, draped my suitcoat over my arm, and looked around the rest of the office, greeting whoever came into my vicinity. Mahogany ran a tight ship. I could tell. The first time I came, everyone was on pins and needles, visibly nervous about my arrival. Today they were a lot more chill. Laidback,but very accommodating. While I waited, one of the associates walked over and offered me refreshments, gesturing towards the back of the building where she said the lounge sat. I declined. She offered me a coffee or tea. I declined that too, with a laugh, letting her know I was good. Eventually she took my no for an answer and carried on with the rest of her shift.
“I called. She didn’t pick up but she’s expecting you so you can go right on up.”
With raised brows, I asked, “You sure?”
“Absolutely. Mrs. M wouldn’t want to keep you waiting.”
Mrs. M. I thought that was cute. I’d never call her that shit though. To me, she’d always be Ms. Mills.
After thanking Claire, I headed up to Mahogany’s office. The ride on the elevator was spent thinking about her. I wondered if today she’d have on a pantsuit. I wondered, if today she would smell like vanilla, the way she did when we first met. Or if she’d smell sweet like candy, the way she did over brunch. I brushed my hand over the top of my head and let out a deep sigh with a light laugh. She had me bugging a little, I couldn’t lie. I liked her. Liked her more than I should have.
The elevator doors opened and I stepped out, heading down the short hallway that led to her office. After a couple of seconds, I made it to her door where I knocked. She didn’t answer, so I knocked again. After waiting for about a minute, I tried the doorknob. It was unlocked so I took the liberty of letting myself in.
When I walked in, I could hear an old India Arie track playing at a low level. She wasn’t in the main area of the office, so I looked for her in the back, in the conference area, where I found her messing around at the table, dancing, with her back to me. I watched her. Eyes traveling along her curvaceous hips before they landed on her round ass. She had on a pantsuit. Cream. Skintight though. And she was barefoot, feet sinking into theplush carpet, as she danced around, papers in hand, oblivious to my presence.
“Because he is so real… and I love the way that he makes me feel,” she sang before snapping her fingers. “Yes India!”
I cleared my throat. Because the music wasn’t too loud, she heard me. Turned around really quick, hand over her chest. When our eyes met, hers widened and she sucked her teeth before turning around to search her desk for what I assumed was the remote to the surround sound system.
“My bad. I knocked,” I told her. Lifting my damp suit coat, I asked if she had somewhere for me to hang it.
“I didn’t hear you,” she responded. Nodding, she took the suit coat from me and brushed by me to hang it on the coatrack by the door. “Coatrack.”
I didn’t notice it. Was too busy watching her to give a damn about anything else in the room. “Oh. Right.” I chucked my chin, “You fuck with India, huh?”
She blushed, rubbed her lips together and ran a hand down the back of her neck. Her signature move. “A little bit. I apologize; this isn’t how I start meetings. I?—”
“It’s cool. Don’t worry about it,” I interrupted, watching as she scrambled at the conference table, picking things up.
“No, it’s not,” she said, with her hands on her hips. “My last meeting ran over a bit, and I must’ve lost track of time. I?—”
“Mahogany,” I interrupted again. “It’s cool, baby.”
