CONNECTED

44.

Korea.

"Do you have everything?" I trailed behind Cali and she exited our apartment, closing the door behind myself. "Your backpack, your waters, your phone, and your lunch kit?" I lifted Cari up on my hip, locking the front door.

"Yes ma'am"

"Are you sure Cali? Make sure." She'd been so forgetful lately. Every day for the past week she'd forgotten something at home and I'd have to double back before picking up Mia and dropping them both off at their separate schools. I was simply blaming it on her being ready for summer vacation.

"I have everything." She told me with a slight attitude. "Sorry Mommy." She immediately apologized once she noticed the look on my face and that I picked up on her tone.

"I know you're ready for Summer-"

"Soooooooo ready!" She dragged as we walked down the hall, cutting me off. "I can go to Auntie Spa every day, sleep in if I want to, and I'm excited to go to Bali again."

"Who told you we were going back to Bali this Summer?"

"My Daddy" She confirmed what I already thought. "He said we can go wherever I want to if I get all A's on my last report card and I know that I did that." She grabbed my free hand while my other one kept her sister up on my hip. "One more week then I'll be on summer vacation." She sang with a smile on her face. "Then I'll be a sixth grader and me and Mia will be in the same school again."

We rode the elevator down the the lobby where the main parking lot was. "Call Mia and let her know to be outside today. I have something to do this morning after I drop y'all off."

"Something like what?" Cali asked, being nosey. "Is it for me?"

"No, little girl." I quickly strapped Cari into her seat before handing her a bag of her cheddar cheese baby snacks to keep her quiet.

After picking Mia up, I took them to get breakfast and dropped them off at their schools. I then took Cari to daycare and went home to take a quick shower, before rushing out of the door to get to my Breakfast meeting I had scheduled with a friend.

I adjusted the top of my blazer as I walked through the glass doors of the Restaurant, literally feeling my heart thumping out of my chest for a reason I couldn't figure out. I spotted him sitting in the corner of the Restaurant, looking down at his phone. I cleared my throat, making my way toward the booth.

"Hey, Goodmorning." I spoke sitting down across from him, gaining his attention."I'm glad you accepted my invitation."

"You said it was important." I noticed he locked his phone and put it face down on the table giving me his undivided attention.

I stared into his eyes before gazing over his face and healthy dreadlocks. "Your fiancé know you here with me?" He picked up what I assumed to be his glass of orange juice from the looks of it, but knowing him it probably was a Mamosa. We held eye contact as he put the glass back down, purposely smacking his lips and clearing his throat. He was giving me a slight attitude.

"I'm not engaged and yes, he does know." My friendly Breakfast Date was the reason why Julio slept at his own House last night. We got into a heated texting argument, mainly because he was jealous and emotional for no reason. He said a few things that actually got to me. For months we'd been talking about putting his House on the market, being that we were still looking for a new Home and his House simply held too many bad memories to have any ties with, but now neither of us was so sure.

Julio always had a way with his words, when he gets angry it gets worse and he'll say hurtful things without any remorse or care for your feelings. In the past I'd just accept his verbal apology and we'd move forward after talking through our issue, but this time I needed more than just an I'm sorry. He insinuated something going on between Montana and I, he insulted my character, and he even went as low as to call me a Hoe.