Page 24 of When I Thug You Like That

“Wow, what a difference thirty minutes makes,” she said sarcastically.

“It sure does. See you then. Love you.”

“Love you too, girl.”

We ended the call just as the elevator doors opened, and I stepped on. The second the doors closed, I dropped my phone in my bag and reached behind me, underneath my shirt. There was exactly twenty-six floors between me and my freedom, and I just couldn’t wait for the release. I got the first two hooks unsnapped, and just as I was able to get to the third, the elevator stopped. My head snapped toward the buttons beside the door.

Lobby.

“Really?” I said out loud, barely having time to snatch my hand from underneath my shirt before the doors opened and a woman stepped inside.

“Hey,” she greeted politely and stood across from me.

I slowly slid my hand out of my shirt, trying to be inconspicuous. “Hey,” I spoke back.

Now, there I stood, in the elevator with a stranger and no titty security. She reached for the buttons and paused.

“Looks like we’re going to the same floor.”

Of fucking course, I thought. So much for temporary release.

Still, I smiled. “Looks that way, neighbor.”

Knowing I was possibly one elevator jerk away from spilling out of my bra, I folded my arms underneath my chest and leaned back against the wall. I felt the woman glance over at me, while I stared straight ahead. It wasn’t in a weird way, just a quick glance before she spoke.

“Long day?”

“Is it that obvious?” I chuckled.

Her lips twitched as she grinned. “Girl, I know the look. I’ve been up since four this morning. I can see it all over you. I don’t even know how I made it to the lobby on my own feet; I’m so tired. I even took my bra off in the car.” She laughed at herself, and I turned to fully face her.

“Tell me why I was in the middle of doing that before you got on.”

We both cracked up laughing.

“No judgement at all,” she said with her hands raised. “I’m sorry for the interruption.”

“Nah, girl. It’s cool. I’m just glad it was you and not a man. You know a nigga can sniff a titty through a garbage bag.”

We continued laughing as the elevator rode upward then said friendly goodbyes once we stepped off.

“Have a good night,” she said, “and you and them thangs,” she pointed to my chest, “get some rest.”

“Y’all too.” I snickered and made a right, while she turned left.

The moment I opened the door to my place, I’d entered a race against the clock. Kicking my shoes off in the hallway, I dropped my bag on the credenza that sat against the wall and my keys in the bowl next to it. Grabbing my phone, I headed straight to my bedroom to put it on the charger. I didn’t even bother sitting down, just made a beeline for the shower. Sitting would only lead to aimless scrolling on my phone, next thing you know, my feet found the ottoman, then my head on a pillow and Taina on a solo date.

I stripped on my way to the bathroom, bra first of course. Slinging it into the dirty clothes hamper, not giving a damn if it landed or not, I left the rest of my clothes in a pile in the middle of the floor. Covering my head with a silk bonnet, I turned the shower on, making sure the water temperature was two notches from hell. Stepping underneath it, I let out an audible moan as the water hit my skin. As bad as I wanted to stand there washing off the day until my fingers pruned, I gave myself fifteen minutes out of my normal thirty. Long enough to get clean but less time for reconsideration.

Stepping out of the shower, I dried off, wrapped myself in an oversized towel, and sat at my vanity. Due to tonight’s outing being a last-minute thing, there would be no full beat. A little foundation, lashes, and a mean lip combo would take me through the night. After all, makeup was only an enhancement to what God had already taken his time perfecting. I got that done in fifteen minutes. Next was finding something to wear. That was never a problem since my closet was the most organized thing in my house.

While most people organized by color or season, I’d strategically sectioned my closet by occasion because digging through clothes had a way of vexing my spirit something awful. So, yes, I’d taken a full month to put outfits together and organized accordingly. Work, leisure/errands, workout, formal, and my personal favorite, put that shit on. I bypassed the first few sections and headed straight for that one. I figured if Taina was dragging me outside after I’d made it clear how tired I was, then I’d look good as fuck while complaining.

Deciding on a black one-piece capri set from Fashion Nova, I paired it with a Chanel belt chain and my go-to Chanel mini flap bag. Pulling a pair of strappy heels from the shelf and a moto jacket from the closet, I was dressed and ready to leave the house in a record-breaking forty-five minutes. There was no changing my mind now. This night better be one to remember, I thought as I locked my door and headed back to the elevators to be the bestest friend a bitch could ever ask for.

“And that’s how you do it!”

Taina’s greeting was loud as I stepped out of my car at the same time as she walked out of her building. I’d pulled up to her place five minutes past our meet up time and told her to come downstairs to avoid further wait time.