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He got down and petted her, as she held out her paw, something he taught her. “I wanted to talk to you.”

“Everything good?”

“Yep. Just wanted to talk to you about something.” He hugged and kissed me on the cheek and then walked into the living room.

Mink got comfortable in front of the air conditioner, and I plopped on the couch, kicking my shoes off. “Your security still following you?”

I laughed. “He’s Landon’s security.”

“Nah, he’s your security. Don making sure his girl is protected… I respect him for that.” He was watching Law and Order reruns, with a beer and leftovers from the night before.

“You like him, huh?”

“He’s a good man… had respect when I first met him and has maintained that.”

I nodded. “He has… always straight forward, too. Never had to question anything with him, which is refreshing.”

He patted the empty couch next to us, to get my attention. “What’s going on with this retirement mess your mama keep talking about?”

“Daddy, I want to show you something.” I quickly maneuvered the mobile app I had downloaded before leaving my apartment.

Handing him the phone, he looked at the screen, and then back at me. “Mamas, you fucking with me, right?”

“Swear, Daddy… this isn’t fake and he’s very serious about this.”

My father grabbed his glasses and stared at the screen. “Your mother said co-owner of the New York Sonics… you know she be smoking with Cindy, so I ain’t pay her no mind.”

Although I told my father over text message, this was the first time we were sitting down and actually discussing it. I knew when he went to work that next morning that he didn’t believe it. Even though my mother was right there when Landon told her, I knew she had a hard time believing it, too.

“I am. I can show you the paperwork, too, if you want.”

“I believe you, Mamas. Incredible.” He was at a loss for words.

I smiled. “This is for our family. He wants me to retire you all, and for you to do whatever with the money. Really put the time into your business with my uncles. We don’t need to worry about Nana and Poppa’s rent because it can be paid.”

“My guy,” he whispered.

It was like he was thinking about something and had smiled because he remembered. “We can buy that big house that we wanted, and everyone can move in.”

“Mamas, that was just talk. Your uncles ain’t bout to move with their parents. Maybe your aunt and grandparents, but they asses ain’t about to move into nothing with them.”

I laughed because he was right. “You right. I’m having him set up accounts for everyone.”

My father’s facial expression became serious. “Navy, none of this shit means nothing. If you’re not happy, give this shit back. We’re happy either way… we’ve always been good and will get through. I don’t want you to think you have to take anything because of us.”

“Dad, remember when we had a conversation last year, and I told you that I felt like I couldn’t breathe when I was around Antwan.”

“I remember.”

We were sitting on the stoop and were having one of our daddy/ daughter late night chats. I was drinking a wine cooler, and he had a beer. Antwan had come over and kissed me before going to some party in Harlem with his cousins.

“Daddy, I love him. He makes me so happy… he sees me. I’ve never felt emotionally safe with a man before.”

My father stared me in the eyes, searching them. “Okay, Mamas.”

“ How did you get them to allow us to have food while trying on clothes?” I asked Stevie, who was looking at her body. “Stevie, you look perfect.”

“Really?”

“Yes. You’re beautiful… and you had a baby. It’s normal for you not to bounce back. Don’t let those celebrities get you thinking that you should be smaller.”

She took a deep breath. “Mavie tells me all the time that I’m beautiful, and the fact that he still wants to sniff it, should make me feel better.”

“Sniff it?”

“Long story,” she waved her hand, picked up another dress, and put it up against her. “Nobody tells you how much you change when becoming a mom.”

“I’ve heard it’s the best and worse hood to be in,” I laughed, because it was a saying my mother and aunt always said when it came to motherhood.

“Sums it up perfectly. I love my baby, but the things I loved before don’t excite me. Painting in my studio isn’t the same, and working at the gallery is a struggle, too. I like to stay in the house most of the time.”

“Do you have friends, Stevie?”

“My cousin Skyler is my best friend, and Greene. I know she’s my assistant, but she’s my friend, too… at least I like to think she is.”

Greene considered Stevie a friend, but she also knew she was her boss, she tried hard not to cross those lines. “What about your sister-in-law’s?”

“They’re family. Me and Zoya text back and forth.

Kora is too busy, but we catch up, too. It’s hard to have friends in this life.

Not everyone understands why I’m with security all the time, or why they can’t come to my home.

My husband is someone that not everyone knows.

I protect him and I’m very protective of him. ”

“We can be friends. I know, I know, it sounds very childish.”

Stevie turned around and smiled at me. “Hi, I’m Stevie Caselli… I’m a first time mom, gallery owner, and I’m an artist.”

Laughing, I shook her hand. “I’m Navy Bleu Perkins. I’m a dog mom, book lover, and a content creator.”

We both started laughing because we were being weird. “Thanks, Navy. Sometimes I get in my head, and with Mavie being away for work, I miss him. I’m doing the baby thing alone.”

Her security cleared his throat. “The fuck am I, Steve-o?”

“Duke helps me with night feedings, too… sorry Duke.”

He nodded his head and went back to pushing the stroller back and forth to keep the baby quiet. “You don’t have any help.”

“Don’t trust anyone. I’m paranoid, I know.”

“You’re a mother, not paranoid,” I assured her, because I could only imagine the emotions that you went through when you became a mother.

“I would like to find someone before going on a girl’s trip with Zoya… you should come,” she invited.

“Zoya wouldn’t mind?”

“These are her best friends. I know of them, but it would be nice to have someone with me, too.”

“I may have someone to watch Dennis for you.”

“Who?”

“My mom.”

“Avril, really? I loved her, and she taught me how to swaddle him better. Is she a nanny?”

I shook my head, while grabbing a pair of heels. “She’ll have a lot more time on her hands, and ain’t nothing like a Caribbean mama raising your baby,” I joked.

Stevie stared at me. “Would she be open to it?”

“I can talk to her. I’m sure she would love to help you out.”

She took a deep breath. “Great. Now, we need to find our outfits for tonight.”

What was supposed to be lunch and shopping turned into Stevie remembering that she had an event at the gallery tonight and she wanted me to attend with her.

“Do you ever wish you didn’t have security with you all the time or lived in a fortress.”

“My house is not a fortress,” she objected.

“Stevie, have you seen your home?”

She looked at the heels she tried on in the mirror.

“Mavie makes all of this worth it. When I search his eyes, I know there is no other life I would rather live. Plus, I been out there and it’s very much dirty and ghetto.

For your information, we don’t sit behind our walls all day, either.

We travel and live our life off the grid…

I have a fake vlog that I make, and we watch it together. ”

“That’s cute.”

She looked at me. “You can always come spend the nig?—”

“Stevie, I am not staying the night at your house. Not with the way you’re staring at me, and your husband wanting to kidnap me… I will pass.” We both busted out laughing and finished shopping.

We spent the afternoon eating, laughing, and shopping in a private shopping room. Anything I asked about, the personal shopper was coming back into the room with it. The view of Manhattan was perfect, as the sun crashed into the room while we took pictures, while I was vlogging.

Out of respect, I made sure not to get her face in the videos. The clips that I did get, I would just edit whenever I got around to editing it. Stevie wore a black, long-sleeve dress that hugged every curve she was trying to hide.

Her baby weight looked amazing on her, although she was struggling with it. Her strawberry blonde hair was pressed straight, and after shopping all day, she was able to brush it out the wrap that it was in.

The tie-dye satin maxi dress fell to the floor and covered my heels. My back was exposed, and my hair was brushed up into a bun, with a few curly pieces framing my face. It was a cute pull together, and I felt sexy in it.

I sent Landon a few pictures showing him before we left. Since I was with Duke, I didn’t need Jett, and he headed to do something for Landon. Stevie was texting as she looked at her baby that was next to her.

“I need you to sleep, little buddy… I miss your daddy, too,” she snickered, as she sent a text message off, and then looked at me. “Nervous?”

“For what?”

“Nothing. Just asking.” She covered it up, and I looked out the window, as we drove further into the city.

When we pulled up, Stevie kissed Dennis, as Jett held the door open for us. “I’ll hold Dennis down, Steve-o,” he assured her.

I stepped out the back of the car wondering why we were at the library.

It had been a while since I found myself here.

My mother used to take me when I was younger because it was so big and beautiful.

It was considered my version of a shopping mall, but with books. All the details were breathtaking.

Recommendation: Listen to “So High” (Single Version) by John Legend

Stevie held her hand out, and I took it as we made our way up the steps. “Stevie, your hands are sweating. I should be asking are you nervous?”

“A little.”

“You’re going to do fine… I saw your art, it’s beautiful.” I bypassed the fact that we were here instead of her gallery, but figured she was so nervous that she must have got the details mixed up.