Page 76 of Betrothed To Love

“I’m about to warm it up and eat while I look over these briefs.”

“You do that and I’ll warm mine up too.”

“Then let’s have a working lunch together. I’ll call you back once I heat mine.”

“Bet, lunch with my kyau is just what I need,” I say before ending the call and staring at the picture of Asali’s mistress. How could he do this to Shuga?

Before closing the file, I text the number to Mireya and program Alami’s into mine. Then I walk out of my office to see Aven standing at her desk.

“Do you need something?” she rushes out.

“I’m just going to the breakroom. I’m going to get my lunch.”

“You ordered something?” she asks. I rarely have time for lunch and she normally orders for me.

“No. My wife cooked. She sent a container for you too.”

“She did? She’s a keeper but let me get it and warm it,” she insists.

“Nah. I got it. What do you want to drink?” I ask.

Because I know defending clients can be an all-day, exhausting job, I provide small but appreciative perks for my team. There’s a relaxation room, large and soundproof with natural lighting, indoor plants, and serene wall art that captures the outdoors. There are blackout curtains and the room is furnished with comfortable recliners and five massage chairs. I also have a fully stocked breakroom with two refrigerators, one packed with water, juices, and energy drinks, a microwave, and a toaster. There’s a coffee and tea bar and free snack and cold vending machines.

“One of those natural energy drinks, the strawberry one, please,” she says.

“I got it.”

I journey to the breakroom, warm both containers, then grab Aven’s drink and two waters for myself. When I’m back in my office, I call my wife and we eat lunch together on FaceTime. Right when we are about to end the call, she makes a curious face.

“What’s up?”

“She texted me back,” she says.

“Who?”

“Laticia. I told her who I was and asked if we could talk. She says she will call me after she gets off work at five,” she says and I nod. My words escape me. This whole situation has me at a loss. “It’ll be fine, baby. I promise.”

We end our call and I clean my desk. For the rest of the day, I immerse myself into work to avoid watching the time. Before I know it, it’s a little after three and almost time to pick up Niya. Her school lets out at three forty-five. When I grab my cell to take it off the charger, it rings. It’s Shuga. All we have been getting are texts, so to see her calling makes me smile.

“Hello,” I answer.

“Hey, son,” she says, sounding more like her normal self. “Don’t be mad, but I picked up my little princess.”

“Hey, Daddy,” Niya says in the background.

“I missed her. Plus, I needed a little sunshine around here and she is my joy. I hope you and Mireya don’t mind,” she says, almost pleading.

“You know she’s always good with you, Shuga. I can pick her up later,” I say.

“Or tomorrow? We’re going to paint in the basement and make masa,” she reveals and I really smile. She feels like painting and cooking. She must be feeling better.

The basement is Shuga’s sanctuary and painting space. When we were kids, we couldn’t go anywhere near it and neither could Asali. She said we were too big and too rough to be around her paintings and supplies and she was dead ass. At one point, there was a lock on the door, but that wasn’t sufficient enough. When I was ten, she had one of those code locks installed. The only person allowed in the basement is Niya, because according to Shuga, she possesses her talent and eye for art.

“Then I’ll get her tomorrow,” I happily concede.

“Oh good,” she sighs, obviously relieved that I agreed. “Thank you. We just got in, so we are about to have a snack and go paint. We’ll call you later and thank you again. I need this. I love you, son.”

“Love you too,” I say, then end the call. Relief floods my body and I exhale, really exhale. Shuga called.