😗sorry for any mistakes

Atlanta, GA

March 22nd

Saturday

"A DATE?! OH SHIT NA' BESTIE!" Sierra squealed into Ailani's Airpod as she was on a group call with Si and Lyric.

Lani chuckled, "Let's not get too excited, it's just a date," She said, looking around the salon, she was getting her hair done.

"It's something tho, he really came to your house" Lyric laughed, and Lani smiled, shaking her head. "Yes, I'm still mad Ru gave him my address. Tell Ru it's me and him when I see him"

Si laughed "He said he did it for your own good"

Lani shook her head "Y'all what if he stands me up? That is so embarrassinggggg, might just be my 13th reason" She pouted in the camera.

"Ru said stop being so damn negative," Si said.

"Exactly, let the boy treat you right Lani" Lyric fussed, Lani, sighed "I'm just a little nervous," She said honestly.

This was honestly hard for her. She hasn't been on a date in years, she felt like someone was coming into her life and trying to change everything.

"Aww, she's nervous to see her boyfriend tonight" Lyric teased.

"He is not my boyfriend, bye" Lani chuckled.

"You do him so dirty. Everyone swears you're the nice one but you're really the meanest out of all of us" Si shook her head.

"I'VE BEEN SAYING THIS FOR YEARS! Lani deadass been the meanest" Lyric exclaimed.

Lani furrowed her eyebrows "I'm not mean, I'm actually really nice. Just because I said he isn't my boyfriend which is true doesn't mean anything" She shrugged.

Matthias only asked her on a date he didn't ask her to be his girlfriend. She wasn't one to claim someone if it wasn't true.

"It's the way you be acting and say things sometimes," Si chuckled.

"Mm," Lani hummed, not seeing what she was talking about. "But okay, yalls 5 minutes are up. I'll call y'all later" She smiled, and they shook their heads at her.

"I love yalllll mwah'' She kissed the phone. "We love you too, don't forget to send us pictures tonight," Si said.

"Okay, I will" And with that she hung up the phone.

_________________

🎶Is you gon' stress me out and cuss me out?

I had my fair share of women, feelings don't catch me now

I'm on (don't act like I'm average, come on)🎶

Gravity by Brent Faiyaz played as Lani sat in her business room, packing up someone's new orders.

She was trying to kill some time before she had to get ready for her date. She was also trying to calm her nerves. It was just a date, she didn't know why she was so nervous but she was.

She didn't even know where they were going. Matthias just told her to look pretty like she always does.

She swore he was just a flirt and that right there was her problem. She hoped he wasn't one of those friendly guys, she would hate to leave Kennedi with no daddy.

Lani....what if he makes me look stupid?

What if this is just a joke?

Did he really stop talking to shawty?

Can he really—

"Stop it" She mumbled to herself. She put the last order quickly before going to make herself a drink.

She clearly needed one.

Lani felt so damaged and hopeless that her negative thoughts got the best of her sometimes. She walked into the kitchen, going into her liquor cabinet above the refrigerator.

She was about to grab the vodka but grabbed the Hennessey instead, she needed something stronger. Lani wasn't much of a drinker but she would have one from time to time.

She grabbed a shot glass, pouring it in before throwing it back. She hissed and started breathing in and out slowly.

Her music stopped causing her to long down.

🥺🫶🏾

Would like facetime...

She smiled, clicked accept, and waited for it to connect "Hi mommy!" Rayah smiled into the phone.

"Hey baby, I miss you" She pouted.

"I miss you too mommy. Look who I'm with" Rayah said and turned the camera showing Kennedi reading a book. She looked up and had the biggest smile on her face once she saw Lani.

"Hi Lani" She smiled and waved.

"Hey, pretty girl, what y'all doing?" Lani smiled.

"Daddy about to tell us to sugar factory" Rayah got back to the camera. "It's just us, Bon isn't going," she added.

Lani chuckled, Rayah was so messy sometimes without even knowing. She could tell after the situation with her and Bonnie, that Rayah's been distant towards Bonnie now.

Lani hoped it wasn't by her influence because she doesn't even Acknowledge Bonnie exists when she sees her.

Lani was never a fake acting person. She couldn't fake act like she doesn't have a problem with someone nor act like everything was okay. That's why she simply ignores their presence.

"She probably just doesn't feel good Jellybean" Lani tried to make it seem better even though she really didn't care.

"No daddy said he didn't want to invite her because she's annoying. Mhm," Rayah told her making her jaw drop.

"She is very annoying. She talks too much" She heard Kennedi say.

"Mhm," Rayah hummed.

Lani held in her laugh, they were both 5 pushing 30 "Y'all need to stop it. Be nice" Lani said.

"We are but we both know Bonbon talks too much" Rayah shrugged, Lani just shook her head knowing it's true.

_________________

🎶And I'm all up, all up, all up in the bank with the funny face

And if I'm fake, I ain't notice 'cause my money ain't🎶

Monster by Ye played while Lani took the pins out of her hair. It was currently 6:45 PM and her date with Matthias was at 7.

She told him she could just meet him whatever he picked but he just insisted on picking her up instead.

"Nicki on them titties when I sign itttttt, That's how these niggas so one-track mindedddd? But really, really I don't give a F-U-C-K" She rapped taking the last pin out.

She grabbed her wig brush and brushed through the curls but not too much. She didn't want to brush all the curls out but still wanted to give it that body wave effect.

"And I'll say bride of Chucky is child's play. Just killed another career. It's a mild day. Besides, Ye, they can't stand besides me I think me, you and Amb' should ménage Fridayyy" She rapped, spraying herself with her candy noir perfume from victoria's secret.

"Purrrr" She stuck her tongue out at how cute she looked. She grabbed her phone to take pictures and send them to Sierra and Lyric and Jabari.

🌹

I'm a mfn monster or whatever Nicki said🌚

🐬

YES, MA'AM!!!!

You is getting that dique tonight😝

🦄

Fuck the date🧍🏾‍♀️ I'm trynna fuck🙂

I mean👀

🐬

LMFAOOOAO Lyric you're a slut, you were just tryna fuck me yesterday💀

🦄

Ain't nothing wrong with a threesome😙

LMFAOOOAOAOAOA bye bitch

You got protection? Rayah doesn't need any siblings right now.

Jabari he is not hitting on the first night 💀

Period pooh or whatever y'all be saying.

Lani started laughing out loud at him. Between him and Lyric, she didn't know who told her to go out and get dick more.

Lani checked the time, seeing it was 6:55 PM. She turned her light off in the bathroom before going inside her room. She grabbed her cluck purse, putting her ID and other cards inside. She put a small thing of lip gloss inside.

She was putting her apple watch on when she heard the doorbell ring. "Damn" She sucked her teeth, she didn't even get to put her heels on yet.

"One second" She yelled, grabbing her heels and snatching her purse off the bed. She sped walked out of her room and ran to the door.

"I just have to put on my shoes and I'll be ready," She said once she opened the door. She was too busy putting her strap around her ankle to notice Matthias staring at her intensely.

He was breathless from how dressed up she looked. She looked good to him every time he saw her no matter what she had on. The heels were doing something to him, her freshly painted white toes, she was already talking and she looked more like a stallion.

Her thick figure, the way the dress hugged her body. Her black hair flowed beautifully.

"Okay, I'm ready" She chuckled, standing up straight and pulling her dress down. "Why are you looking at me like that? I needa change? Is it too much?" She rambled on with questions while looking down at her dress.

"N-No, you look good" He stopped her, snapping back to reality. "I like this on you" He smirked, grabbing her hand to see a better view.

She blushed "Thank you, you look nice too" She looked at his black turtleneck and black fitted pants with white/black Alexander McQueen's.

"Thank you," He said, never taking his eyes off her. "Let's go before we are late," He said before he forgot he was supposed to be a gentleman tonight.

She nodded, walking over to turn her alarm on, still holding his hand. She turned the lights off before they headed out the door. She pressed the lock button on the keypad.

"Thank you," She said when he opened the door for her. He closed the door once she was all the way then jogged to the driver's side and got in.

"Have I ever told you I really like your car?" She smiled when he started it and it roared loudly. Lani loved loud cars and fast cars, she, Sierra, and Lyric used to always go to the race.

He chuckled, letting his phone connect to the Bluetooth. He should've just left his car running now that thought about it. "Thank you, the first car I bought myself," He said, backing out of her driveway.

Adorn by Miguel began to play.

"This was your dream car?" She asked, putting her seatbelt on since she forgot.

"Can I?" He asked, she eyed his hand then looked at her thigh "Yeah" She said, causing him to put his hand on her thigh while he drove.

Such a gentleman

"But yeah it was. I gotta get my truck next" He smirked, moving his way through traffic perfectly.

"What kind of truck?" She asked, without knowing, she started to rub his hand that was on her thigh. He glanced over smirking at her "A Ram 1500 TRX" He replied.

She nodded, looking at the road and then back to him "Isn't that a pickup truck?" She asked.

"Yep"

_________________

"Wait, this isn't fair. Mines is going to look weird" Lani giggled. Matthias thought it would be nice to take her to a pottery class but he reserved it for just them.

Matthias started laughing, still confused about what she was trying to make. "Stop laughin'. You're making my clay sad" She giggled, putting more water onto her clay.

Lani loved this. It was different to her and fun. She never knew how much making pottery was until now. She liked how he put some thought into this date.

"You look like you're struggling" He laughed, placing the roses he made on the side before starting his cup.

"I am. Making a mug shouldn't be this difficult" She chuckled as she looked over at him. "I-" she deadpans him looking at the roses and other flowers he made.

"What?" He smiled, she playfully rolled her eyes "You just over there doing it like it's the easiest thing in the world" She chuckled.

He shook his head, standing up from his stool. He got behind her, putting his hand on top of hers "You just have to make it go in the direction you want it to." He said assisting her.

Lani's heart started racing, his face was very close to her. His cologne was distracting her from anything he was saying currently. "Just..like that" He whispered into her ear causing goosebumps on her skin and chills down her spine.

His larger hands-on was on top of hers, helping the cup form. "See" He slightly turned his head to look at hers. He could see how hard she was trying to look at his face.

"You're really beautiful, you know that?" He asked, admiring the side of her face.

Her face started to get hot "T-thank you" She blushed, turning her head, and met his gaze. She quickly turned back around to her clay.

"I did it," She said, he chuckled at her nervousness. He thought it was cute, especially how hard she tried to act sometimes.

He moved from behind her to go back to his once project.

After 25 more minutes, they both finished and Lani decided she wanted to paint her.

"I thought you could only paint it after it dry?" Lani asked, washing her hands at the sink.

"It is but it's going to dry in that oven thing instead of air drying," Matthias told her as he took his apron off before going straight to the sink to wash his hands.

"Ohh. You sure you don't want to paint yours?" She asked, taking her apron off after she washed her hands. His cute and flower vase was beautiful.

"Yeah, I like it better plain" He shrugged drying his hands off. The instructor asked Lani for any specific colors she wanted to use before seating them at a table.

"If you don't mind me asking, What's in your locket?" He asked as he watched her mixing the paint colors. He always wondered since he always sees her wearing it.

She smiled a little bit "Umm, it's a picture of me, my dad and brother before they died. My granny got it for me after they died," She said.

"I'm s— Please don't say that. You don't have anything to be sorry about" She cut him off. Lani always appreciates people's condolences but over the years hearing not but sorry got very tiring.

Matthias softened, no matter how hard she tried to not show it, he could see it still hurt her deeply.

"You want to see?" She asked.

He shook his head "I don't wanna make you uncomfortable" He said.

"It doesn't make me uncomfortable, I love this picture" She smiled, putting the paintbrush down. Luckily she didn't get paint on her hands so she was able to open the heart-shaped locket.

"Dang y'all have some strong genes" He chuckled looking at the small picture of her on Jayce's shoulders and Malachi clung onto her dad's legs.

She smiled "Yes, people used to always say we stole my daddy's face" She chuckled.

He smiled "Yall did, you can see it in Rayah sometimes too. I feel like she is going to look exactly like you the more she gets older"

"As she should. For now, she is going to look like her big-headed daddy" She chuckled.

"You like it?" She smiled at her mug once she finished painting.

"I do" He smiled since she was smiling.

_________________

"Family vacation?" Matthias asked as they sat in the soul food restaurant that he designed a year ago. He thought she would love it since she loves soul food.

She nodded "Yeah every year before Rayah goes back to school, we do a family vacation with me, Jabari, Lyric, and Sierra, last year Ru came. But this year you and Ken should come. I don't know where we're going yet because it's Jabari's turn to plan this year, " she explained.

They had been doing family vacations at the end of July since Rayah was 2.

Matthias and Kennedi have gotten a lot closer to everyone so she thought why not include them.

"Where y'all did y'all go last year?" He asked, grabbing a piece of the bread they had.

"Miami, I hope he plans something we can drive to this year tho'' She said, breaking the piece off the bread since he wanted to split it.

"How you and Bari were able to get where yall. Y'all have a good co-parenting and friendship" He shook his head. He never saw parents able to get along and be best friends like them too that weren't together.

"It took a lot honestly. One thing about it, Ima hold a grudge" She said nonchalantly. Lani never cared about what anyone said, if you did her wrong she was going to never forget it and always hold that grudge.

He chuckled "I'm serious but It did take a lot of strength from the both of us. It really was knowing that we both grew up in toxic homes and never wanted Rayah to experience the same" She said.

"I wish Kennedi's surrogate could've tried to do the same. She used to always pick fights with me over petty shit when I used to get Ken from her" He shook his head and the server came out with their food.

"Can we get some plastic silverware please?" Lani asked, "Yes ma'am" The server pulled the plasticware out of her pocket.

"Y'all okay? Can I get y'all something else?" She asked.

"No this is it, thank you so much" Lani smiled, gaining a smile and nod from the server before she left them.

They both said grace before starting to eat "Not you called her a surrogate" Lani laughed, remembering what they were talking about before the food came out.

"Man she was. Never did much for her but breastfeed and carried her" He rolled his eyes, cutting into his chicken's breast.

Lani chuckled "Why did y'all end things?" She asked, drinking some of her wine.

"Because she was jealous of me" He nonchalantly shrugged.

Lani choked on her wine "Matthias what?" She laughed, making him laugh.