4EVER

Chapter 3 - The Lie

Noelle loved being home. Paris had everything she ever wanted in a city. In particular, she loved the smell of the freshly baked bread and pastries of the neighborhood bakery, the adjacent cafe's roasted coffee and the ability to walk to the local market for a couple bags of groceries and fresh flowers. It was New York, but with more savoir faire.

It was Saturday and Bradley would be calling her in the late afternoon with her upcoming schedule. For now, Noelle wasn't going to think about the tour or work, she just wanted to savor being home.

Arriving back from the market, she put her groceries away, made a pot of her favorite chai tea pouring in a bit of soy milk and a quick squeeze of honey, slipped into some cozy loungewear and fluffy socks and sorted through her mail.

Planning an afternoon of lounging, she was anxious to catch up on her catalogs and magazines that arrived while she was gone. She could tell by the thickness of the last magazine in the pile it was the latest issue of Rolling Stone her favorite.

"Oooh my..." Noelle thought, looking at Prince on the cover. Every time she saw a picture of Prince, it brought her back to 1984 when she met her equivalent of the Sex in the City girls, saw Purple Rain and went to that unforgettable front row Prince concert where she witnessed BFF Marissa remove her pannies in public and shoot them at her man.

Grabbing her phone, she group texted Marissa, Polly and Shelby. "Did everyone get their latest issue of Rolling Stone magazine?" She lovingly stared at the beautiful man in the white shirt with red polka dots with hands touching the highest point of his cheekbones and cufflinks readily apparent.

Almost immediately, her phone fired up.

Polly replied sassily, "Where you been girl? This has been out for weeks?"

"She's been busy being our shiki miki famous author Polly. Girl did you just get back? When can I see you? I want to fix you up with a new doctor at the hospital." Marissa busted on Polly, and me slightly, concerning my whereabouts.

Shelby texted, "Welcome home sis. I wish we could have met up in New York. My job is killing me...just like those Payless shoes I wore when I worked there. LOL"

Resting back into the chaise of the sofa, Noelle covered herself with the chenille throw and paged through the magazine to scope out the eye candy.

"Sweet lord...no matter his age, he is always divine." Noelle said aloud while sipping her tea which thawed the chill from her grocery excursion and fed her soul along with the vision splayed across the pages in the magazine.

Jarring her from a daze, her cell rang and it was Marissa.

Noelle answered sarcastically, "Apparently I'm a code blue? I see you're trying to fix me up again."

"I'm gonna find Mr. Right for you...or at least Mr. Right Now. I read that advanced copy of your book cover to cover, have you calculated the last time you got laid? Girl there was a time when that call button to your apartment was buzzing daily. Now...any man that was lucky enough to get in between those legs of yours would have to clear the cobwebs and hear a creeeeak upon spreading those thighs."

"Now I know you ain't speaking that way in front of my godchild or nieces or nephews. Do you even know how many children you have now since you and Donovan can't keep your hands to yourselves?"

A belly laugh rolled in from the end of the line and Noelle was so glad to hear Marissa's laugh...she, along with Chantal her LMFT practice partner were her family in Paris.

"Have you talked to Chantal since I've been gone?"

"Changing the subject I see."

"Marissa I cannot think of dating until I'm finished with this book tour. I'm never home. Hell I'm barely getting my hair cut and colored this week before I'm gonna be gone again."