Page 50 of Only for Me

“Okay, Avi, slay, booski. The ruffles are a whole vibe, Tee Tee approves.”

Avi squealed, kicking at the sound of her name. “I did my big one but we’re about to party without you. Don’t be mad when you see us all over Skroll trending.”

She rolled her eyes and stopped walking through the parking lot. “I’m damn sure not worried about that. You will not be putting my baby’s precious face out there in the world but I’m about to get on this elevator so I’ll check in with you later.”

“Okay, friend. Love you. Be nice.”

“I’m always nice.”

I arched my brow and she grinned. “Okay, I’ll do my best, but if these people stress me the fuck out, they get what they get. Love you, byeeeeeeeee.”

I ended the call and headed to the living room where I had a fuzzy blanket laid out on the floor. “Alright, sweet girl, it’s spa time.”

There was a mirror set up on the coffee table next to my favorite face mask along with Avi’s body butter, a container of wipes, and sliced cucumbers. While Avi lay on the blanket next to me, I sat with my legs crossed, opened the mask and squeezeda little on my fingers which I carefully worked onto my face. After I was done, I cleaned my hands with some wipes then scooped out a small amount of body butter which I used to massage into my baby’s arms first before removing her slippers and giving her a world class foot massage, kissing the bottom of her feet between my attempts at keeping her little legs still.

“This, little muffin, is a very exclusive and expensive treatment.” I flashed a grin. “Okay, not really, but we’re pretending; so roll with it.” I winked and she shoved a fist into her mouth. After I was done with her massage, I lifted two cucumber slices I’d cut and prepared from the bowl on the coffee table, lay back, and carefully placed them on my eyes. As soon as I sighed in contentment I felt Avi move next to me then her hand on my face.

“Hey there, little miss. You can’t have these. They’re for mommy’s puffy eyes which you helped create with those late night feedings and early mornings.”

I lifted them and turned my head to Avi just in time to catch some slobbery fingers right across my cheek.

“Okay, we’ll skip this.”

I propped up on an elbow and brushed my fingers through her hair, massaging her scalp. “This is your five-star treatment, courtesy of the most exclusive baby spa on Rochelle Lane.”

She blinked at me, smiling, and it put a smile on my face. Not long after, my timer went off, letting me know my ten minutes were up on my facial. I used the wipes to work the mask off, deciding I would do a thorough wash and moisturize after Avi was asleep.

I lifted Avi into my lap after I was done and turned her to face me. “You see me glowing, right? Melanin is popping. Your mama’s still got it, muffin.”

I leaned in and kissed her nose before standing with Avi in my arms, then reaching for my phone. “Okay, time for me andmy bestie to really turn up, but responsibly though, so I’ll pick appropriate songs and keep the speaker at a level that won’t damage your precious eardrums.”

I swiped through my phone and found the Happy Hop station and pulled up a kid version of “Pour It Up”, adjusted the volume on my portable speaker, and began winding my hips and dropping it low with my baby while I sang at the top of my lungs and she squealed and kicked her feet. “This is our song, Avi-Pooh. It’s…mommy…time, all I see is mommy…time.”

We danced our way through enough songs for my knees to start screaming at me then I headed to the kitchen and fastened Avi into her reclining bouncer while I fixed her a bottle. I poured myself wine, knowing my baby would be out within the hour.

I handed Avi her milk and sat in the chair next to where she was on the table and tapped my wine glass to the end of her bottle. “Cheers to my bestie and me getting spit up on.”

She greedily gulped the milk like I was starving her on a daily basis. I enjoyed my wine and grabbed my phone to start an impromptu photo shoot of the two of us. She lowered the bottle and I caught her mid-yawn, her eyes heavy with sleep. She wasn’t going to last much longer. I swiped through the pictures and selected a few to send to Tiana.

Me: She’s tapping out. Girls’ night hits different without you, friend.

It took a few minutes for her to text back.

Tiana: Not too much on my girl. She’s looking like a miniature socialite.

Me: She’s terrible at gossip. Didn’t even have any new tea to share.

Tiana: At least y’all not talking about me

Me: Oh we definitely dragged you, friend. Avi said fuck your job. It’s giving abandonment.

Tiana: Not you emotionally manipulating me by using a four-month-old

Me: I’ll use what I can.

Tiana: I owe you and I promise I’ll make it up to you.

Me: Yes you will.