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“I’m Roberto. My brother will be here in about fifteen minutes. After the food is served, I got him a special cake. I wanted to know if one of you chicas could sing. I’ll pay you, to do that for my brother. His wife is such a bitch and I want to get his mind off her, he’s gone through enough and deserves to smile.” He dug into his light tan pants and pulled a knot of money out and held it out like he was presenting a prize to us.

“Era can sing!” Ju’well blurted out making me snap my eyes towards her.

“Era, sing for my Hermano? Si?” Roberto smiled and I couldn’t see myself saying no to him or that knot full of money that sat perfectly in his hands.

“Your brother is Soulful Hurtz right?” At the mention of his name, Roberto eyes smiled confirming just that. I’ve seen lots of speculation in the blogs. First, they accused Roberto as being Soulful’s secret boyfriend then they start saying how Soulful had ties with the cartel because of Roberto.

“Si, that’s my Hermano.” He stood well poised as if he was unbothered by being connected to one of the best quarterbacks in the NFL.

“Okay, I’ll do it.” Roberto surprised me by walking right up to me and hugging me tight. His skin was so soft and he smelled like an exotic flower.

“If I didn’t have a wife and a husband, I’d take you back to Mexico and marry ju. Your skin is so hermosa and ju have a top shelf stacked booty.” I giggled still enjoying his smell. He tapped the top of my ass boldly and walked out. Me and my girls just looked at each other and fell out laughing.

“I’d fuck him.” Ju’well shrugged. “Nah, I’d probably let him eat me though!” We laughed as Ju’well said she was just kidding but behind that, I saw the seriousness in her eyes. Roberto was fine, I just wasn’t interested in a bisexual man.

“Let’s get to work, I can already hear guest inside. The chefs should be almost done preparing the food and-” I looked at Praylah who had a distant look on her face. “What’s wrong Praylah?”

“Nothing, still adjusting to the new two front teeth in my mouth. Then for some reason, Matthew hasn’t shown up. I mean, I understand he told me that he didn’t want anything from me and that I could pay him rent. He hasn’t even collected that from me. I have a car and that came from him along with the pink slip, he had someone drop it off at the place me and Heaven been staying at. Still no call or anything from him. It feels weird.” I hated to see that cloudy look in my best friend’s eyes.

“Come on, let’s go to my office. The servers can handle the first half.” We left out of the kitchen area and headed towards my office space that was actually plushed out and very comfortable. My office space made me feel like a CEO, I really appreciated being able to relax and being comfortable at work. This restaurant could sometimes get busy and whenever I needed to clear my mind, my office space was my sanctuary to do so.

I had a big desk and a long and wide sectional couch. Mr. Brownston didn’t spare any expenses when it came to the high-end furniture and design of the place. I took a seat behind my desk while Praylah and Ju’well sat on the couch. I eyed just Praylah for a while as she messed around with her fingers. Cringing at the fact that she had started back biting her nails, I cleared my throat to get her attention.

“Praylah?”

“Hmm?” She gave me those big innocent eyes.

“Did you fuck Mr. Brownston?” I got straight to the point with a small smirk on my face. Her cheeks turned red as she blushed and nibbled on her bottom lip.

Slapping my hands against the table, my mouth fell open.

“Oh my goodness! Pray!” I whined out as Ju’well started laughing.

“I mean, come on friend! The nigga is scary looking but fine as hell. So, what if she did!” I eyed Ju’well crazy ass and gave Praylah my attention. Praylah couldn’t even fix her face to save her life. She looked like she had been caught doing some shit she shouldn’t have been doing. Mr. Brownston crazy ass was one of those things she needed to stay the hell away from. I was kind of scared for her, the stories I heard from Devin and other people made me never want to cross or do anything wrong while running his restaurant.

“Umm, I didn’t fuck him but, I uhhh… got my pussy ate for the first time and it was the best feeling in my life. We kind of talked to each other about our personal problems and I felt like we connected on a deep level. He even said he wanted me, but would wait until I fell out of love with Jarei. He’s not pushing himself on me and I like that but I do want to see and talk to him. He makes me feel safe and I fear that Jarei is going to pop up and find me and its going to be bad like this last time.” Her words trailed off; I got angry watching her be visibly shaken the fuck up.

I mean Praylah was literally trembling like she really feared this man. It made me emotional thinking about the years of abuse she endured and her suffering in total silence without getting me to help her. It also made me feel a way like did she trust me? I told her all of my problems and she had always been there for me.

“Praylah, I don’t want to sound selfish, but we suppose to be best friends. Why didn’t you tell me? Why not go to the police or something, even your parents?” I searched her eyes swallowing down the small lump forming in my throat. I went along with the flow of things these past couple of weeks. I didn’t want to make her relive anything or get depressed by me asking her so many questions. So much has happened that I just wanted to be there for her now.

I just had to have some answers now, even though it really wasn’t the right time to know like that because we were at work.

“I liked it at one point, and actually believed half of the things he put into my head. You know, the bipolar shit that I go through, but you don’t know the deep depression and me feeling worthless. So worthless and lazy that sometimes I don’t even want to take care of myself. Shower or do the things that I’m supposed to do as a woman. I was embarrassed and I felt bad for Jarei because he ended up with a useless woman like me. Him hitting on me and talking to me like how he did sometimes made me feel alive when I would go in those dark places inside of my mind.” She back handed her tears as Ju’well draped her arm around her and pulled her close.

“I start taking medication and it made me better. If Jarei wasn’t abusing me then I would be abusing myself. My mind, I don’t know my mind felt weird and stuck on thinking that it was the proper way to live. You know? I get to feeling down and out and get fearful of going to far and not being a good mother to Heaven. I’d force myself to take medicine and then my mood will be good for work and parenting. Then I would keep that on repeat. You guys are like my family. I didn’t want to put my craziness off on y’all then you both would start viewing me differently.” She sadly looked away. I stood and walked around my desk, I squatted right in front of her and grabbed her hands.

“Praylah, I swear you my sister baby. I love you, we love you. That’s what we here for, none of us about to sit up and judge you. Don’t keep shit like that away from us, please.” Although we both met Ju’well through working here we didn’t view her any less. We had a strong bond, a sisterhood that kept us all a float.

“I love you guys too.” Without having to say it we immediately embraced each other.

“I swear y’all always have me on some emotional shit.” Ju’well wiped her eyes as we broke apart. “So, he at that poonannniiiiii.” She sang out as Praylah blushed hard.

“Yes, and he ate it good. He kissed all on my belly and girl he washed between my funky ass cheeks.” We all fell out laughing.

“Wait, he split those hefty cheeks of yours and like really scrubbed that muthafucka?” Ju’well asked as I got up with a struggle for being squatted down low for so long. I did not have Megan knees so I felt the strain of sitting up. Plopping down on the sectional next to Praylah, I rubbed at my knees.

“Yes, he soaped that towel up and really got between my filthy ass cheeks.” Praylah’s entire face was red now and she couldn’t stop blushing.