“They are beautiful honey,” Barbara murmured, watching as little Josh fought the sleep. It was Sunday afternoon and they were sitting by the pool on the lovely summer afternoon, the brilliant sun highlighting the dark blue of the water and picking up the scents of flowers in the nearby gardens. “And I don’t know how you tell them apart.”
“Anthony has a birthmark but if you spend enough time with them, you get to know the difference. Anthony is quiet and goes to sleep without a fight, Josh not so much.” Shelby said with a soft laugh.
“You are happy.” Her friend murmured as she stared at her.
“I am,” she agreed with a shake of her head. “Gray really loves me and he makes me happy.”
“And your mother is coming around.” Monica murmured, running her finger over the baby’s soft skin and admiring the caramel skin. They were growing so fast! She could not believe that they were preemies! They had inherited Shelby’s thick curls and looked like they were going to have their dad’s hazel eyes.
“She appears to be. I am still wary.” Shelby admitted. “She has been to the house twice already, even though she is a little intimidated by Gray.”
“Who would not be intimidated by him?” Barbara said dryly. “Whenever I see him, I break out in cold sweat.”
“Why? He is just a man.” Shelby told them.
“One of the most handsome men I have ever seen and certainly one of the richest. Girl, I don’t know how you deal with seeing him every single day.”
“He makes me forget who he is. We have a very good connection. And as you said, I am getting married on Saturday. At the store.”
“At that big ass department store that takes up an entire block! It’s going to be a spectacle!”
“And I am not looking forward to it. I have barely begun to take off the baby fat and I am tired all the time. They keep waking up every two hours.”
“Aren’t you going to hire nannies?” Monica asked her.
“Gray is threatening to do it if I don’t. I have some scheduled to be interviewed tomorrow and am going to have to make up my mind. I get anxious when I think of leaving them with complete strangers. And he wants me to hire two of them so that each of them gets individual attention.”
“That’s only fair. You are thinking of going back to your designs soon, aren’t you?” Monica asked her.
“Yes, and I am being very ambitious. I am thinking of asking Gray to give me an entire floor for my designs.” The excitement shone in her eyes.
“Honey, don’t you think that is a little too much?” Monica asked as she settled back against the cushions on the chaise. “I have been in that store when we went for that tour last week and an entire floor is several feet long. What are you going to put there?”
“My designs, the jewelries that I have been thinking about. Shoes, sandals from the Caribbean. A few of Bob Marley’s designs as well. Black women are becoming more aware of themselves and there is a lot of black power going around. There are also the hair products that I am working on, the black artwork that could be placed on the walls. It would be a complete world where black women would feel that they have their own space. Instead of serving champagne like the rest of the floors, there would be a mix of herbal teas and flaky pastries. Eclectic music coming from the hidden speakers, not loud enough to drown out the conversations that would be going on. I have hit up Leesa Wellington and some of the other wives and they are in full support. I wanted a store, or several stores dedicated to my designs, but this is so much better. All the major lines have places there already. Romano’s has a complete floor dedicated to them, so I don’t see why I cannot have my own space.”
“You are talking about a major line. Romano’s is up there with Michael Kors, Calvin Klein and the rest of them. I am not saying that your designs are not awesome honey, but maybe you should start small.”
“And not put your fiancée into a position that is going to ruin things for you.” Monica added.
“What do you mean by that?” Shelby demanded.
“It means that when you ask him, he is going to have to say yes, even if he does not agree with it. Cox is a fricking big deal; the design and renovation of the store and the entire takeover deal has been plastered in the papers and on the internet- “
“And I want to cash into that.” Shelby interrupted.
“When are you going to ask him?” Barbara asked her.
“He comes back tonight, and I am thinking of talking to him about it.”
“The official opening is the same day as your wedding day. If he says yes, when are you going to have time to pull it off?”
“I already have enough designs to fill a quarter of the space and I have been accumulating the jewelries for a little bit now as well as the footwear. Moya promised that she would work overtime and hire people to help her with the rest that I need. I am going to hire someone to help with the placement and of course I will run ads in the papers along with the ones that’s being run for the entire store.”
“That’s ambitious, honey,” Barbara told her.
“I want this. It is something I have been dreaming about ever since I started and now it looks like it is within reach.”
***************************
“How does it feel?” Benjamin asked as he brought the bottle of bourbon on the balcony with him. Gray had stopped on his way back from the store where he had done a walk through to make sure that everything was set for Saturday’s opening. The place had almost full occupancy except for the two top floors.
“How does what feel?” Gray asked idly as he stretched his feet out and accept the drink. He had told Shelby that he would be home in time for dinner, but he had wanted to discuss something with his uncle first.
“The fact that you are giving up your freedom come Saturday.”
“I don’t think of it as giving up my freedom as marrying the love of my life.” Gray said with a grin as he brought the glass to his lips. “I am happy Ben. I go home each day to see that woman and my two boys and I am beside myself.”
“You have something good. Don’t mess it up.”
“I don’t intend to. Did she speak to you about being her giveaway dad?”
Benjamin nodded. “I told her that I was touched, and I said yes. Not sure that I am the obvious choice though.”
“She wants you and I would say you are the perfect choice. Justin is going to be my best man and Kiara will act as the matron of honor. Monica and Barbara are bridesmaid along with Galvin from the offices and Harry from P.R.”
“And good idea to do it on the official opening of the store. The publicity is going to be insane!”
“That’s the plan!” Gray nodded. “The location is priceless as well. The wedding department of the store, with all the paraphernalia of the day. I am having someone put an arch decorated with flowers in the middle of the floor. We are not having any eating there but will head down to the several restaurants to have the reception luncheon.”
“I am assuming that Leesa and Kelly are in the planning of this?”
“Along with the wedding planner, April.” Gray said with a smile. “She is a genius and has taken all the details and planning from Shelby who is not interested in anything like that. She is busy working on her designs.”