Cassius held the leash and guided the fully grown dog up the stairs to the floor where Riley stayed. He cued Keke to sit and knocked on the door and waited until it was open. As soon as the door opened, Riley pounced on him, a huge smile on her face.
"Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!" She kissed him on his cheek a thousand times before hopping down and looking around her newly furnished condo once again. Just that morning, she only had an air mattress and a chair. When she came home from picking the kids up from school, each and every room was fully decorated and complete. Riley was more than thankful for Cassius.
"Welcome Ri. It was nothing." He downplayed it and let the dog run off, probably to find the children.
Riley grinned and took his hand bringing him to sit down with her. She'd already had two boxes of pizza and a wine bottle ready. Cassius rubbed his hands together as he popped it open and poured it into two separate glasses. She had planned to relax and finish reading the copy of Fifty Shades Of Gray Brandii had let her borrow. But since Cassius was here, she'd have a few drinks with him and hopefully convince him to keep the kids company so she can have her me-time.
"You picked the perfect place though," Cassius complimented sitting back on the couch and staring out the large glass windows that were used as a wall that overlooked the ocean that was right in there backyard. "Look at the view of the water. That shit beautiful. You brought the kids to go swim in the pool yet?"
Riley shook her head taking dainty sips of her sweet concoction. "No. I have them in Asia's room playing board games until they fall asleep. I promised them they could skip school tomorrow if they didn't bother me."
Asia's room.... Cassius was surprised when Riley told him that her new place had a room just for Asia and Jasmine so he made sure to furnish it correctly with the perfect day bed. Riley loved his baby girl almost as much as he did, and he was thankful for that. Not too many people are open to children that aren't theirs.
They continued to sip in silence and Cassius felt himself calm. He was chill, loving the view, the nice smell of the candles she had burning, and the natural way his heart jumped whenever he was in a close proximity of her.
Of course the children had to ruin it, when Caius chased Keke into the living room making the dog jump onto the couch and into Riley's lap, the just re-filled wine glass that was in her hand spilling all over her clothes. "Oops!" Cai proclaimed, slapping his hand over his mouth. "Sorry mama."
Riley sighed slowly trying not to get angry because it was just a mistake. It was only a dog. But Caius.... He was already on her bad side. "What did I tell you about running?!" She griped. "I already owe you an ass whooping for that shit you pulled at school today."
"What he pull at school?" Cassius wondered.
"Tell your dad what you did at school Cai. And don't lie." She gave him a stern look, stood and left to get redressed for the night. Cassius shook his head looking at his son who was still feeling guilty and hadn't left the living room. "What did you do little nigga?" Cassius asked, wanting to know.
"I can't say it out loud...." He stalled and played with the chain on his neck. Cassius grabbed him up, getting a tight grip on her shirt to get his attention. "Nigga what you bout to do? Text, DM, email, what? Cause you not going yo ass to sleep without telling me."
"Okay okay! Hold on!" Cai pulled away and grabbed his backpack, digging in it for the red slip he'd received by his fourth grade teacher today. "Here." He handed to Cassius not really knowing how his father would react to it. Mostly because Cassius never really got to see the red slips, Caius only had Asia forge their father's signature and would go on about his day without worrying about being disciplined. He held his hands in front of him, waiting. He was prepared to run if he had to and he was skilled at dodging a moving belt.
