PARADOX

PDX39

February 10th 2023
Dallas, Texas
11:55 pm

Amina navigated through Blue's with a medium sized shopping bag in her hand, a smile was glued on her face as she raised her hand to knock. These days, she wasn't waiting on Rashad to verbally grant her entry. Instead, she let herself in. She flipped her phone around and watched the time strike 12, officially making it Rashad's 29th birthday. "Happy birthday Suge." Amina gleefully sang as she inched closer to him.

"Thank you mama." Rashad replied, he stood up and wrapped his arms around her body before kissing her lips. "I got you a couple things." Amina announced, happy for him to finally see what she'd conjured up for him. She handed him the gift bag and watched him pull out the first item.

"Cologne—thank you baby." Rashad smiled, automatically grateful. "You're welcome, but look at it." Amina instructed. He furrowed his eyebrows as he read the bottle's label.

"It's new?" Rashad questioned, causing Amina to chuckle. "No nigga, it's custom. I tailored it to the details of the first day we met." Amina explained. The fragrance was Maison Margiela's Jazz club, the pop up Amina went to allowed her to customize the label. Instead of the scent being labeled as Jazz club, Amina renamed it "Paradox." On the bottle that exact date that they met.

"That's so sweet Mi, I love it." Rashad expressed his gratitude, he sprayed one spray on his wrist before vigorously moving his arm back and forth, he move his wrist closer to his nose allowing him to get a good waft. Rashad nodded his head in approval as he looked up at Amina with a smile. "Why paradox though?" He questioned.

Amina slightly shrugged, "It felt right—open the next one." She enthusiastically encouraged. Rashad sat his fragrance on the desk and stuck his hand in the bag, seconds later pulling out a CD.

"Perfect Love Songs."

1. Anita Baker - Angel 2. Piero Piccioni - Easy Lovers
3. Sade - Kiss of Life 4. Etta James - At Last
5. D'Angelo - Lady

I Love You! <3

"You burned me a CD?" Rashad questioned with a slight chuckle, "That's some real 2000s shit." He added as he continued to eye the CD.

"You like it?" Amina questioned although she already knew the answer, the smile on his face was a dead giveaway. "I love it mama, thank you." Rashad spoke as he hugged her torso and kissed her stomach. Immense joy ran through Amina's body after confirming that she didn't miss with her gifts. A part of loving somebody was knowing how they liked to be gifted, Rashad already had a million material things he'd gotten himself, so he preferred heartfelt gifts. Things that had meaning behind them and not just an item with a designer logo on it.

A soft knock on the door caused them to look at each other, "Come in!" Rashad called out. Seconds later the door slowly swung in revealing one of his employees. A smile was painted on her face as she closed the door behind her. "Wassup Gianah." Rashad greeted, she continued to smile while sending him a seductive wave.

"Hey..can I use your microwave?" She questioned, in her hand was a black styrofoam to go container. "It's one in the break room." Rashad replied, Gianah kissed her teeth before shifting her weight to one leg and sitting her free hand on her hip.

"Please? The break room microwave is dirty" She pleaded, flirtatiously batting her eyes, causing Amina to furrow hers. Gianah was about 5'3 with an umber complexion, she was dressed in her Blue's uniform shirt and a pair of black denim jeans. Her natural hair was worn in a slick back puff ponytail with dramatic baby hair and two curly pieces on the side.  "Gone head man—make this ya last time though." Rashad gave in. Amina sat on the desk and put her attention on her phone. Besides the sound of the microwave, the room was very silent.