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The house was in an uproar. Clothes, shoes and bags were covering the common living quarters of the house.
“So who is about to cook us some food so we can have a girl’s talk?”
“The same person that’s about to stay up late talking. I’m going to bed,” Isla answered.
“Girl, it’s your weekend and you’re tired already. We have a couple more nights left. You can’t leave us already,” Randi answered.
“Like hell I can’t. You’re drunk and you’re talking crazy.”
“I’m not drunk.”
“Randi go to sleep. Don’t play her any mind. None of us can cook right now.”
“I can,” Emery answered laughing. “But I’m not. I’m sure there are leftovers in the fridge.”
“We need food or something to eat up this alcohol. I don’t want to wake up with a hangover tomorrow.”
“Too late for that.”
Randi walked over to the refrigerator.
“Where are you bottoms?” Isla asked shielding her face.
“Girl you already seen this ass. Don’t act like we haven’t been friends forever,” she laughed.
“Well we don’t want to see your ass,” Mia called out.
“Didn’t nobody ask you.”
“You didn’t have to ask. Your man ain’t here,” she snapped her lips.
Randi rolled her eyes and made sure she dig deeper inside of the refrigerator so her butt was out more.
“Come on now. Randi you know better than that.”
“I’m not bothering any of you,” she laughed.
“Put some damn clothes on. Ain’t nobody about to play with you and your ass cheeks,” Ryan laughed.
“I know. That’s why I packed my rabbit. You never know what might pop off.”
“Not a thing. That rabbit ain’t the real thing,” Mia answered.
“You act like you don’t own toys,” Randi answered placing the container on the counter.
“We’re all grown here. I’m sure the real thing beats the fake any day. Right, ladies?” Mia asked scanning the room.
“I mean. It depends on the situation,” Emery laughed.
“Oh hell here she goes,” Randi answered snapping her leg.
“Put your thong up and we can talk about it,” Ryan answered pointing in her direction.
“Where is my robe? I can’t believe you hoes act like you haven’t walked around with your bottoms off with your friends.”
“I mean. It’s been a minute,” Mia laughed.
“A minute my ass. Your ass was probably walking around like this last week. But it’s cool. I don’t mind covering up. I’m not trying to offend anyone,” Randi answered pulling the robe tight.
“Now what were you saying?”
“I was asking you heffas about toys and the real thing,” she answered cutting her eye at Isla.
“Why you looking at me like that? I’m trying to go to bed and y’all want to bond. Why can’t bond in the morning?”
“Because you’re going to be hung over in the morning. Put your pajamas on and come back out here with us. I know you want to have phone sex with your man but not tonight dear,” Randi laughed.
“I’m too old for phone sex,” she answered.
“Since when?” Randi asked giving her the side eye.
“Don’t.”
The other ladies started laughing.
“Isla we’re buying you some toys tomorrow. I can’t believe you’re still having phone sex with all of this technology,” Ryan laughed.
“Forget y’all man. Y’all don’t know my life.”
“You aren’t that down and out to still be having phone sex. Never let that man think you need him. Make him need you,” Emery chimed in.
“I know you aren’t talking,” Isla answered swinging around.
“Stop with the dramatics. You don’t know what I have going on.”
“Not shit. You’re the single one of the bunch. Don’t start your mess.”
“It’s complicated,” she whispered.
“Oh shit. I’ve been there too honey,” Mia reassured her.
“She’s lying. It’s only complicated because she wants it to be.”
“Don’t listen to her.”
“She ain’t got no room to talk,” Randi answered. “We know you girl. You act like we don’t. You better take that up with Edwin.”
“Edwin gives me more than enough,” she lied.
“Apparently not enough if you two are having phone sex at 30,” Randi laughed.
“It works for us,” she answered shrugging her shoulders.
“No, it doesn’t. I could call that man right now and he’ll tell me that he has a mold made of your lady parts.”
“Girl, I swear you’re on something.”
“No you’re on something. Do you know how many of those things sell a day.”
“Shit I was surprised too until one of my homeboys put me on,” Randi laughed. “Keep playing if you want to,” she continued laughing.
“Your homeboys are lying.”
“Hold up. Where is my phone,” Randi asked searching for her phone.
“I don’t want to talk to him.”
“I’m not going to call him. He sent me a picture of it in my texts because I didn’t believe him either.”
“I’ve seen those things,” Ryan answered.
“See I told you,” Randi answered pointing at Ryan.
“What are they made out of?”
“Silicone,” Ryan answered.
“Do you have one?” Isla asked looking at her sideways.
“I don’t but I touched it and it definitely feels like the real thing.”
“What?”
“Yes, girl.” She laughed.
“I think you and Darnell have one?”
“Nope. I go into the sex store quite often because you always need to know what your competition is,” she lied.
“Competition? It’s not real.”
Emery and Mia were listening in on the conversation not saying a word.
Randi was able to pull up the picture on her phone and showed it to Isla. Isla shook her head in disbelief.
“What? I’m sure Edwin has one of yours.”
“I doubt it. How is he going to get it?”
“While you’re sleep.”
“No ma’am,” she answered shaking her head.
“I swear. How are you best friends? You act like you’re scared of the good vitamin d.”
“I’m not but I don’t have to have all of the newest sex toys either.”
“Let me see that picture,” Mia requested.
“Girl you act like you haven’t seen this before. I know you,” Randi laughed.
“I still want to see it,” she laughed.
“You’re mighty quiet, Emery. How many toys do you have?” Ryan asked.
“I plead the fifth.”
“You know she has several. Isla is the prude sister of the two,” Randi laughed.
“Forget you,” Isla laughed. “I can’t help that I never had the urge to buy the fakes and not use the real things.”
“Hell men aren’t always available or trustworthy.”
“That’s why I was celibate for so long. I wasn’t trusting these confused ass men with my body. Half of them don’t know who they are let alone know what they want. Some want both and others are still confused,” Isla answered.
“Hold up! How many men have you come in contact with that want both? I need to know,” Randi asked putting her hand on her hip.
“Quite a few. They act like they’re so hard but at night throwing their asses up in the air quicker than us.”
“Girl you need to stop.”
“Shhh. I’m serious. I wish I was joking.”
“Damn. I bet some of the men I messed with were like that.”
“Probably. The surrounding areas too,” Isla laughed.
“I guess I’ll be single forever,” Emery answered.
Isla’s head turned around into her direction so fast she thought she would pass out.
“Isla, what’s that look all about?”
Sucking her teeth, “because she knows she isn’t single.”
“I don’t know why you keep saying that.”
“Because Kent’s ass ain’t going nowhere.”
“I left Kent when I came on this trip.”
“I won’t believe it until I see it. You didn’t tell him that when he left your house.”
“Do you have a tracking device on me?”
Isla let out a chuckle, “no I don’t. I just know you. You’ve been going back and forth with him for a minute now.”
“Come on now. Don’t be so hard on her,” Randi stated. “We have all done it. I know I went back and forth with my last man for a minute. Shit, I couldn’t give up the good sex,” she answered laughing.
“That’s my problem,” Emery agreed.
“I understand. Good sex is hard to come by especially when it’s consistent. Don’t let your sister discourage you because she found her prince. Isla let her find her prince and then you can talk,” Randi answered.
“I hear you.”
Emery took a deep breath and let out a loud, long sigh.
“What’s wrong with you?” Mia asked.
“I have a secret to share.”
“Oh lord? You’re engaged?” Ryan chimed in.
Emery smiled before waving her off.
“She better not be engaged without telling me first.”
“Hush Isla,” Randi laughed.
“What’s the secret?”
“Well,” she paused. “I’ve been bleeding.”
“Yeah, that’s called a period,” Randi laughed.
“Ladies let her tell her secret,” Ryan answered.
“My fault. I’m sorry,” Randi answered grabbing a tortilla from the bowl.
“I’m having a miscarriage.”
There were a lot of gasping in the air.
Isla looked over at Emery who was looking forward at nothing in particular. She wanted to run to her but she wanted to remain as calm as possible.
“How are you even here?”
“I had to come. This isn’t my first one,” she answered nonchalantly.
“I’m so sorry,” Mia answered.
“Thanks. It’s not your fault,” Emery whispered.
“You’re stronger than I am,” Ryan answered.
“I’m really not. There has been a lot going on with Kent and this is taking the cake. I don’t want him and then on the other hand I don’t want to fully let him go just yet. I see his potential and that’s the biggest part that’s holding me hostage.”
Isla moved closer when she realized her sister was still throwing off cold vibes. She touched her shoulder and wiped her face when she noticed that tears were falling.
“Thank you for coming,” Isla whispered rocking side to side while hugging Emery.
“I wouldn’t miss this for the world.”
“I know and that’s why I love you.”
Ryan got up from the chair she was sitting in at the bar and walked to fix herself a plate of food.
The only noise you could hear was the folks and spoons hitting the plates and Randi chewing.
“I’m going to go to bed,” Emery answered getting up from the couch.
“You need to eat before you go to bed. We don’t want you waking up in the morning hung over and sick,” Randi answered in between bites.
“I didn’t have that much to drink.”
“You had enough. Come on over here and make a taco or something. Don’t drop a bombshell like that on us and then leave us to think about it.”
“I’m sorry,” she smiled.
“Don’t be sorry. I’m glad you felt comfortable enough to share it with us.”
Isla listened on as her friends reassured her sister. Isla smiled with happiness.
Emery walked into the kitchen, “I’ll take one before I head to bed.”
“Girl, don’t start tripping. You know you need to eat at least two so the alcohol doesn’t stick.”
“You’re trying to make me fat.”
“You aren’t fat and two tacos isn’t going to do it. If anything it will go to your ass because it’s for sure sitting in that damn dress,” Randi answered.
“Forget you girl. My ass isn’t that big.”
“I’ll let you tell it. I need to do some squats or something to lift mine up like that,” she laughed.
“Isla’s ass is bigger than mine.”
“Don’t put me in it. My ass isn’t bothering anyone,” Isla answered laughing.
“You got that right. That’s how you locked down Edwin.”
“It’s a bonus. Thank you very much.”
“Definitely a five pound bonus. I wish my mama would have passed some of her ass down to me because these breasts aren’t it,” Mia answered.
“You can’t be blessed with great skin and a banging body.”
“Like hell I can’t. My skin and body needs to be popping.”
“Sit down,” Randi answered waving Mia off.
Emery finished her food and snuck off into her room.
The ladies were too busy engrossed in their conversation that they never noticed her leaving.
Emery sat on the edge of her bed and let out a big sigh of relief.
I know that was hard but it was necessary. You are not a burden because you got pregnant like any other person would. Your love for him runs deeper than what’s on the surface.
Emery heard the voice and started crying. She knew it was going to take her a while to get used to losing another baby. I’m not built for this, she thought to herself as she laid back on the bed to breathe.
There was a light tap on Emery’s bedroom door. Emery immediately sat up on the bed and wiped her eyes. There was a pause and then another knock when Emery called out, “come in!”
“I didn’t want to cause a scene so I walked out after I saw that you left.”
“Oh you saw me?” she laughed.
“I think everybody noticed but nobody said anything. Are you good?” Mia asked sitting down on the bed.
“I’m better. It felt good to get that off my chest. I’ve been carrying it around for a while now.”
“I’m not going to talk your head off. It’s late. I’m tired and I know you’re ready to go to sleep.”
“Yeah. I might be up for a while.”
“Well if you need me just holler. I’m down the hall. I don’t mind coming back in here to keep you company.”
Mia’s and Emery’s relationship wasn’t a close one since Mia was Isla’s friend.
“Do you mind staying in here with me for tonight?”
Mia paused.
“You don’t have to if you don’t want to,” Emery answered sitting down on the bed.
“Girl. Don’t act like that. I don’t mind staying with you. Please don’t tell me that you sleep naked though,” Mia laughed.
“Girl, naw. You never know what might happen in the middle of the night. I need to be dressed and ready to go.”
“Good because I was going to stay for a while but once you fell asleep I was out,” Mia laughed.
“I don’t blame you.”
“Another thing, you don’t fart in your sleep do you?”
Emery started laughing.
“Girl that might be worse than sleeping naked. I need to leave now.”
“I’ve been drinking so I don’t know what might come out.”
“Are you sure you don’t want me to get Isla for you instead?”
“I don’t want to be a Debbie Downer and interrupt her fun.”
Mia sat down on the bed and looked at Emery. “I honestly think she wants to be there for you.”
“Yeah,” Emery paused. “I’m not disputing it but I hate bringing my relationship problems to her all the time. You heard what she said about it. I’m good.”
“I don’t think she meant any harm with what she said.”
Emery let out a deep sigh and tried to analyze her thoughts before speaking but her feelings weren’t going to let her see any different.
“I feel like I’ve been a disappointment when it comes to relationships. Yes, I don’t always pick the right men but I can’t help that my heart is drawn to ruggedness.”
Mia was listening and was trying so hard not to start crying. Her own relationship was on the rocks and she didn’t know if further damage was being done while she was thousands of miles away from home.
Emery could feel the mood shift with Mia and grew concerned. She gave Mia’s hand a squeeze.
“Whatever it is. It’s going to be alright,” she whispered.
There was a bump on the bedroom door and both ladies looked on.
“What was that?” Mia asked.
“I don’t know.”
“Turn off the lights and let’s go to bed,” Mia laughed quietly.
“I’m scared too. Why do we have to turn the lights off now?” she asked getting up from the bed.
“Shhh. You’re talking too loud.”
Isla moved from the door quickly as she listened in on the conversation. Her intention was to check on her sister but Mia had beat her to it. And they’re fucking bonding, she thought as she tiptoed back to her bedroom. All of the other ladies were all sleep and the lights were out. She glided herself back to her room making her eyes adjust to the darkness.
“Check the door before you get in bed.”
“Hell no I’m not,” Emery laughed climbing into the bed.
“We better pray before going to sleep because we might get killed in our sleep,” Mia laughed.
“It was probably one of the women drunk roaming the house.”
“I doubt it. If either of us wakes up in the morning. I love you girl,” Mia giggled.
“Good night silly.”
“Night,” Mia continued laughing.