I respond immediately.
Me: Holy shitballs, Cole! You can’t wake me up like that. You damn near gave me a heart attack.
Cole: I thought I loved my grandmother’s blueberry pie til I tried yours.
Flushing a bright red, my core begins to moisten. I’m getting hot and bothered, I type quickly.
Me: You’re welcome to a slice anytime you like…but I’ll make you work for it.
Cole: Fuck yeah, sunshine. Working for it is half the fun.
Me: You’re making me hot. That’s not fair :(
Cole: I’ll make it up to you if you let me see you tonight ;)
My thoughts immediately drift to Ghost. The cooking show he likes is on tonight. I thought we’d stay in and watch. I begin arguing with myself.
Why are you making Ghost a priority?
I’m not making him a priority. He’s my friend. That’s what friends do.
Think, girl. How much are you getting out of this friendship? Who’s getting the better end of the deal here?
Fuck you, brain. You’re a bitter bitch. Ghost may not be great to me, but he isn’t bad to me.
Don’t get hurt.
Yeah, yeah. I’ll make sure of that.
I sigh and text Cole.
Me: Sorry, honey. Got plans with friends tonight. Maybe tomorrow?
A few minutes pass and I’m suddenly worried that Cole is pissed with me.
Cole: Sure thing, sunshine. Tomorrow. It’s a date.
Relief washes over me. It’s not like I lied to him. I just didn’t tell him which friend I was hanging out with. Alone. In my apartment. All night.
Hmmm. If the tables were turned and Cole was hanging out with some hot chick all night in his apartment, I’d be pissed. I decide that next time I see him I’ll explain that Ghost and I have a unique friendship and all will be okay.
I hope.
***
Today is dragging so much that I think I might just poke myself in the eye for fun.
Tina won’t be in today because Tatiana has a cold. That sucks balls. My heart aches for my little sweetheart. I hate it when kids get sick, especially young babies because there isn’t a lot you can do to help. Tina feels helpless which means I’m right there with her.
So, today I am boss lady of Safira’s boutique. Luckily, Mimi and Lola are both working today, but it’s just my luck that things aren’t going well.
Firstly, a shipment of clothes due to be on racks today has gone AWOL and, as per usual, the cuntish people at the post office are taking on a not my problem kind of approach. Secondly, I missed my lunch because there were too many people in the store and I couldn’t leave the girls to handle it on their own. Thirdly, every second person is throwing attitude my way, and every time someone speaks to me, my brain translates it to sound like blah, blah, fucking blah.
It’s only a matter of time before I lose my shit and give someone a piece of my mind.
I never said I was a good boss lady.
The crowd dies down and my stomach rumbles. Loudly. Lola looks over at me with wide eyes. “What the heck was that?”