Total pages in book: 65
Estimated words: 64617 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 323(@200wpm)___ 258(@250wpm)___ 215(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 64617 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 323(@200wpm)___ 258(@250wpm)___ 215(@300wpm)
I didn’t hesitate in replying, “Because the house reeks of weed!”
“Gurl, since when you start tokin’?”
“Not funny!” I opened the door wider, nodding at him. “Come on, come inside.”
As soon as he stepped over the threshold, he breathed out, “Dayum…” Looking all over the foyer and into the rest of the house. The amazed expression on his face mirrored the one I had the first time I walked into this house as well. “Daddy Pierce got a lot of money,” he sang out loud, rocking his head side to side.
“Danté…” I coaxed, not having the patience to deal with him too. “I’m being serious. Can’t you smell that?”
“Gurl,” he countered with nothing but attitude in that Danté sort of way. “Ain’t no one here right now, but you, me, and baby Paris.”
“Her name is Journey.”
“Gah!” she added for good measure.
“Damn, gurl. I drove all this way to help you, the least you could do is let me live my best life for a few minutes.” He grabbed a picture of Dr. Pierce off the entry table, bringing it up to his face. “What do you think? We look good together?”
“Danté!”
“You know what they say … once you go black, you never go back. I could be his by Tuesday.”
“Oh my God.” I rubbed my face. “Why did I call you?” My eyes shifted toward him rushing away. “Where are you going?”
“To see how my future sugar daddy lives! Gurl, I got this! Now keep up!”
In a matter of a few seconds, I was chasing him around the house with Journey in my arms and it made it hard to keep up. He scurried around every room at warp speed, trying to take in as much as he could.
Singing, “I’m so fancy! Yes so, so fancy! In my new Barbie house! With my new Doctor Daddy!”
“Danté, no! I’m not allowed to go in—” Before I could finish what I was about to say, he opened the double doors to the master bedroom. Almost knocking me on my ass.
I watched the entire thing unfold through one of those out of body experiences. Where you know you shouldn’t be doing something, but your feet move on their own accord. Slowly, I strode into the room that possibly held all the pieces to the puzzle I was still dying to figure out.
More so now than ever before.
The logical side of my brain screamed at me to get the hell out of there. To not cross the very thin line I was currently treading on.
However, the other side of my mind that controlled my curiosity said go screw yourself, we’re going in there.
So, I did.
I gradually pushed the heavy wooden door open the rest of the way, cautiously stepping inside. Careful not to make any noises, any sudden movements, any disturbance that could cause … I don’t know what.
The room was dead silent, not even the sound of a clock ticking to break the stillness in the air.
Nothing.
Even Danté stopped singing, overwhelmed with the unexpected turn of events like I was.
I paid him no mind as he went around the room doing a three-hundred-and-sixty-degree twirl with his mouth wide open. I was on a completely different mission with a one-track mind to find out where Dr. and Mrs. Pierce were.
Who they were.
And if they’d be coming back to the family who still needed them.
In that moment, I thought about a million and one things, picturing a life through their eyes. Sensing their presence in every inch and corner of the extravagant space only added to the ramblings in my mind.
If I thought the house was exquisite before, nothing compared to the luxury this suite held.
It was breathtaking.
Picture-perfect.
A room where dreams were made of.
From the huge king-sized mattress that was in between a gray wooden, massive four-poster bed, centered on the far wall. To the colossal posts with intricate carved designs each appeared to have that I ran my fingers over. To the four vast beams towering up toward the vaulted ceiling, connecting above into a square. Draped with white, sheer curtains that fell to the floor near the head of the bed.
The sheets appeared as if they hadn’t been slept on in months. Not to mention the room was spotless. Nothing was out of place, not a piece of clothing, or a hairbrush. Not even one of the kids’ toys.
My fingers skimmed the bedding, continuing my descent. I put one foot in front of the other, walking over to the vanity in the adjacent corner. Captivated by the elegant perfume bottles in a perfect line, I brought the one that read Sunflower up to my nose, breathing in the flowery scent until Journey broke the silence.
“Gah! Gah, gah, gah!”
“Is that right, Little Miss? You smell your momma?”
She kicked her chubby little legs in excitement answering my question.