Status: In Time

To Caress My Day

Chapter 212: This Trip of Mine?

Two days later after returning to the UK, Twigs hopped on a plane back to California. She had almost forgotten about the getaway she promised Seth she’d go on with him, and had to scramble to pack her bags when Seth sent a text reminding her.

As soon as her gate was open and the passengers on the plane filed out, a lethargic Twigs fell into the arms of a recognizable disguised man with a needy whine, her bag slipping off of her shoulder to hit the ground by their feet. “Seth…”

Seth didn’t give her a chance to say much else as he angled his head to crush his mouth over hers with insatiable havoc. His tongue plundered past her lips with a deep groan before he realized something was missing. Twigs didn’t seem that all into it unlike him. Retreating his head back, Seth glanced down at her past his big black sunglasses and asked with concern. “What’s wrong, Pixie? You jet lagged?”

Letting out another whine, Twigs admitted with a pout. “Yessss. I’m sorry I’m so tired.”

“Don’t apologize, girl.” Simone chided her affectionately, materializing beside Seth. When he let her close friend go, she took the opposite side of her and looped her arm around the back of her neck and the other arm securely around her waist. “Let’s get you out of here. Derek already has the car ready to go.”

“I would’ve if I wasn’t so impatient to see you.” Seth granted with an awkward smile, walking alongside the two friends while toting Twig’s bag and suitcase along.

“You’re so romantic.” Twigs sighed wearily with a fanciful smile his way.

The two got Twigs to the car where the ladies settled in at the back. Seth sat in the front with Derek. Twigs had expected to be driven to Seth’s place, but was taken by surprise by the direction they were headed instead. Frowning, she inquired to the group collectively. “Um…where are we going?”

“My place.” Simone answered first with a smile. “Since you’re tired, you can try out my new guest room and tell me what you think about it. I’m trying to make it cozy for my future guests.”

Twigs was actually yearning to fall asleep in Seth’s bed instead, but she loved Simone like no other and so couldn’t deny her anything. “I’d love to be your guinea pig!”

“And don’t forget, you two need to go shopping too.” Seth notified them from the front seat while texting a co-worker on his phone. “Simone has an idea of what you’re gonna need for your surprise trip, Pixie.”

Curious to know if Twigs was aware of the location of her surprise, Derek inquired to his employer in a low voice so the women wouldn’t overhear. “Um, sir…does Tahliah know where you’re taking her yet?”

“Nope!” Seth answered with a clever grin. It probably wasn’t necessary to elongate the surprise for this long, but he literally wanted to wait til the day before to tell her, the day they were set to take off. He couldn’t wait to see the look on her face when he told her he rented an entire island for the two of them!

Having overheard them, Twigs leaned forward to insert herself in. “Excuse me? Derek knows about this mystery trip too, and not me?”

“I know about it too.” Simone added with a raised finger. “I was there to help him plan the shit.”

“WHAT!?” Twigs exclaimed in surprise. Everyone in the car knew about this location but her! “Oh, come on! Who else knows about this trip of mine?”

“Everyone but you.” Seth imparted with that same clever smile.

“Neon Jungle was also there to help us with the trip.” Simone filled in again, forgetting to mention that part before. “Your man wanted to make sure it was the perfect place to take you and so he came to us, your besties, who know you better than you know yourself.”

“And what is this ‘perfect place’ you all found for me, hmm?” Twigs queried, looking between her and the side of Seth’s face.

All at once, the car went dead silent. Everyone turned their heads to look out their window like they hadn’t been holding a conversation with each other this entire time.

“Oh my god, you guys.” Twigs grumbled, rolling her eyes to herself. She couldn’t believe these jerks were snubbing her right now like she didn’t exist. Pouting at them, she blasted. “I hate you all!”
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When the ladies were dropped off at Simone’s place, the hostess whizzed open the front door to let her former roommate in. She was practically dead on her feet after all. Using a hand to shepherd the petite woman, Simone led her into the guest bedroom to the bed where a couch, tall lamp, and armchair used to be. “Here, get your ass into bed before you crack your head open on something and bleed to death in my new house.”

“Mmm, kay.” Twigs mumbled out, dumping her bag to the floor and lobbed herself onto the bed, shutting her eyes. She was out like a light, not recalling Simone easing her out of her boots and coat before striving to move her body so she could pull the comforter over her. She felt like she’d only slept five minutes when she was disrupted from her deep slumber.

“HEY! I said get up, woman! We got shit to do!” Simone summoned Twigs from where she was entombed within the comforter. “Girl, don’t make me kick this mattress over. It’s brand new!”

Twigs let out a piercing whine, an outcry from all the lethargic ones that were denied sleep.

“Don’t give me that crap, missy! You got the surprise trip of a LIFETIME waiting for you, and you need to look the damn part, so get up!” Simone ordered her sternly, subsiding when the bundle moved and a mass of unruly ebony curls sprouted up. “Aha, there you are! Get dressed, I ain’t about to have you up on that trip looking like a damn fool. You need to represent London, baby girl!”

“Alright alright!” Twigs huffed with a glare, whipping her hair out of her face. Still feeling exhausted, she whined once again. “God, I don’t have the strength to do this right now.”

“I picked you up some pretty good coffee.” Simone pinpointed a steaming cup on her nightstand. “THAT will get your ass moving with the quickness, trust me. It works magic!”

Twigs took the cup and sipped at it, waiting for even a sliver of strength to amplify within her. After Simone departed, she felt it. Feeling like the energizer bunny now, she bounded out of bed and got ready for today’s shopping spree with money that…she couldn’t spend.

Damnit.

Twigs was distressed over this until Derek pulled up on the curb and rolled down his window to reveal his wife, Odette, alongside him. “Odette! Oh my god, it’s nice to see you again!”

“You too!” Odette gushed, waving at both her and Simone.

“Oh, Simone, this is Odette, Derek’s wife!” Twigs introduced her good friend to her boyfriend’s employee’s wife. “Odette, this is my close friend Simone. We were roommates back in London.”

“Nice to meet you, Simone!” Odette greeted her with a dazzling pearly white smile.

“You too, ma’am!” Simone dazzled back in her own naturally gorgeous way.

“Are you two out here on a lunch date?” Twigs inquired curiously, hoping they wouldn’t be. She didn’t want to intrude on them.

“Wifey wanted to go shopping too.” Derek informed her, nodding to his wife. “I figured you wouldn’t mind her tagging along. She already knows all the stores you’re gonna want to go to anyway.”

Derek hadn’t been lying, it turned out. Odette was the GPS for all the attire, and accessories Twigs would need on this trip she still didn’t know much about. But what truly mattered was that Simone and Odette knew and were her guides. They ravished both lunch and dinner together in between shopping, and instead of sleeping over at Seth’s house that night, she spent a proper girl’s night at Simone’s place.