“Are you still planning to have a one-night stand tonight because I can’t be a part of a coup.”

Octavia ran a keen eye over Selena’s body-hugging black dress and fishnet stockings.

Selena closed the knee-length trench coat and tied the belt around her midsection. She shut the door then put on her seatbelt. Her body shivered as it shook off the winter breeze and adjusted to the heat inside the vehicle. Glancing over, Selena didn’t try to give Octavia any excuses. Instead, she shrugged.

“Maybe catch a few eyes, no coup planned.”

“Look like you might catch something else at this rate,” Octavia said, resting her eyes on the five-inch silver fuck me heels Selena wore. Long silver earrings hung from Selena’s ears, and her wrists were blinged out.

“Are you going to keep judging me, or are we going to this club? You’re supposed to be helping me take my mind off my problems, remember?”

“You know what,” Octavia put the car in drive, “you’re absolutely right. My bad. Here we go.” She pulled away from the curb. “But just for the record, you didn’t give me any slack when Jonathon and I were just friends.”

“Mmhmm yada ya,” Selena said, waving Octavia off.

The women rode through Chicago’s eastside, headed for the highway. Selena wanted to keep her mind off of Jordan tonight. He hadn’t called today, and she hadn’t reached out to him either. Maybe he was keeping Madison warm, she thought, then bit down on her lip. Selena wasn’t kidding herself. She hoped Jordan was caught up in the drama of a court case and not Madison’s bed. The visualization of it ruffled her feathers and gave her an immediate attitude.

Selena sighed. She should’ve never put herself in this predicament. Just because Jordan’s brothers had settled down didn’t mean he would. Selena rolled her eyes at her audacity. Dumb, she thought again. As Octavia drove, Selena reached for the radio dial, needing to steer her mind in a different direction. She found a popular music station that was playing Bruno Mars and Cardi B’s new song, “Finesse.”

“Oh, that’s my jam,” Octavia said, increasing the volume.

Selena and Octavia rocked side to side to the beat as they tunneled down the road. Pulling down the visor, Selena checked her golden-brown foundation, finding it mixing perfectly with her bronze skin. She rubbed her lips together and puckered them in the mirror as she turned her head side to side to admire the blush on her high cheekbones. The mascara added the perfect shadow over her deep-set espresso eyes, and she posed as an alluring smile crept across her mouth. Tonight, instead of wearing color, her lips held a nude glossy sparkle that shone like a galaxy of stars. In her peripheral, Selena could see Octavia eyeing her.

“What is it?” Selena asked.

“I was going to compliment you on your glittery lip gloss. It’s cute.”

“Thanks.”

“I also like the way your hair falls after you wrap it. What shampoo do you use because you always have a bounce?”

Selena sat back, closed the visor, and glanced over at her friend.

“Is this your way of trying to make up to me for all of that judging you did a few minutes ago?”

Octavia twisted her lips. “Is it that obvious?”

Selena nodded. “Pretty much.”

Octavia sighed. “Is it working?”

“Maybe.”

That brought a smile to Octavia’s face. “Well, I’m being honest. I do like your shiny lip gloss, and your hair stays flawlessly straight.”

Selena smiled. “That’s because I use the creamy crack,” she said, referring to the relaxer she added to her hair every month faithfully.

At the mention of a perm, Octavia’s nose scrunched.

“Hey,” Selena said before Octavia could say anything about it. “You do what you like, and I do what I like. If I didn’t relax my hair, I’d be walking around here looking like Celie from The Color Purple.”

Octavia guffawed and turned into the parking lot of the Velvet Café.

“You would so not look like Celie.”

“Damn lie,” Selena responded.

Octavia snorted out a laugh and held the steering wheel tight as she maneuvered into a parking spot at the same time someone else tried to take it. They parked and checked their appearances one last time before making their exit. When Octavia strolled around the car, Selena got a good look at her getup.

“You’re talking about me, look at you.” Selena placed her hands on her curvaceous hips. “You’re one of those hussies my mother always warned me about… leaving the house in that catsuit.”

“What?” Octavia said. “I’m covered completely. You on the other hand,” Octavia whistled as they sauntered closer to the entrance.

“Yeah, yeah, but your curves are putting a massive beat down on that outfit.” Octavia laughed as Selena chuckled. “Did your husband see you leave the house like that?”

“Nope, but he knows we’re going out for drinks.”

At the door, the bouncer didn’t even ask for ID, deciding they were racy enough to enter the lounge without it. The bouncer removed the rope and stepped to the side as Octavia and Selena made their way in. The lounge was supremely dark with pockets of light hanging over the bar, tables, and the stage. For a Tuesday night, Velvet Café held a crowd reminiscent of a Friday night. Taking their eyes around, Octavia and Selena noticed there were more women in attendance than men.

“Must be a girls’ night out,” Octavia said.

“I think this place has specific days for things, like Monday’s all you can eat, Tuesday’s buy one get one drinks, etcetera.”

“In that case, we came on the right night,” Octavia countered.

“True story,” Selena said. “Let’s grab that table to the left.”

“I’m right behind you,” Octavia said.

The women moved through the venue, turning heads of men and women as they sashayed to the table. Selena smiled and winked at a few leering men as they passed by. At the table, they removed their coats and tossed them over the third chair that would be unoccupied during their stay, and sat down, both crossing their legs simultaneously.

A jazz band played on stage, and the women sitting in the front row grooved in a waving lean back and forth in their seats.

“Jazz music moves me every time. I could certainly get used to hearing it,” Octavia said.

“You and me both. We should make this a weekly ritual; a way to unwind for the week and take a load off.”

“Speak for yourself. I don’t have any unbearable loads at the moment.”

Selena’s hope-filled gleam dropped. “Okay, you’re supposed to be supportive and say, yeah, girl, let’s do it!”

Octavia laughed. “Then I wouldn’t be honest.”

Selena pursed her lips. “You’re right. You dumped us enough to spend time with Jonathon before he was your husband.”

Octavia laughed harder. “Well,” she panted, trying to catch her breath. “At least you know.”

Selena rolled her eyes.

“Are you hating?” Octavia asked.

“Just a little bit.”

Octavia guffawed again. “Have you talked to Jordan?”

“Hey, girl, how about those twin babies?” Selena said, avoiding the question.

“Really?” Octavia folded her arms. “Oh, okay, I see how it is, but just know, I’ll be getting in your business a lot more. I won’t let you rest much like you didn’t let me when I was under the gun.”

“What would Jesus do?” Selena countered, causing Octavia to laugh again.

“You’re a true piece of work, you know that?”

“I’ve been told a time or two.”

A waitress wearing black pants and a maroon shirt with the Velvet Café logo attached, strolled up to the table. Her hair hung straight to her chin, cutting off in sharp edges. She held a bright smile, and a maroon lipstick colored her lips.

“Good evening, ladies,” the woman crooned. “I’m Dee-Dee, and I’ll be your server for tonight.”

“Good evening, Dee-Dee,” they both chimed.

The waitress smiled brightly. She went to speak again but paused and tapped her lip with an index finger. “Are you that woman who found the little girl last year?”

Selena let out a breath, happy that the woman wasn’t about to point her out for that fiasco in the Illinois Tribune.

“I actually didn’t find her,” Octavia said. “She saw my house on the news and showed up on my doorstep.”

Octavia was referring to Ayana Bradwell; a sixteen-year-old teenager who went missing for a few weeks around Thanksgiving. A full search party was put together to find the missing girl, but it was Ayana who showed up unexpectedly on the day the search ended.

“That must have been something, yeah?”

“Definitely.”

“How’s she doing now, if you don’t mind me asking?”

“Much better.”

Octavia didn’t want to go into detail about Ayana’s recovery. It was a private matter, and it wasn’t Octavia’s place to tell.

“That’s good to hear. Would you ladies like to start off with some drinks?”

“Yes, what would you suggest?”

Dee-Dee shifted on her feet. “Well, I myself don’t drink. Sober ten years strong now.” She smiled.

“Congratulations,” they both chimed.

“Thank you. However, most of the patrons here adore our special, Between the Sheets cocktail. Its orange juice, lemon juice, cognac, and rum mixed.”

“Mmmm, that sounds like my kind of drink!” Selena crooned.

“Oh brother,” Octavia said. “As if you need that.”

“I beg your pardon? That’s exactly what I need. I told you this earlier. Wouldn’t you rather I have the mixed drink instead of the real thing?”

Selena glanced at Dee-Dee. “We’ll take two Between the Sheets, thank you.”

Dee-Dee chuckled. “I’ll be right back with your first round.” The waitress sauntered away.

“Did you hear that? She said with our first round. This must be why there are more women here tonight than men. They all know this is the place to be on Tuesday nights.”

Octavia had to agree. “Let’s get back to the question I asked you.”

“You mean the one about the twins?”

Octavia pursed her lips and glared at Selena. “You know good and damn well I didn’t ask you about no twins.”

“But you do want to talk about them though. Say you don’t.”

Octavia smirked. “They are some cute little bundles.”

“An unexpected.”

“Right! It’s crazy that the doctor had no clue.”

“Do you really believe that?” Selena asked. “They wanted to keep the gender a secret so who’s to say the doctor didn’t know.”

“I mean, yeah, but I’m sure they wanted to know if they were having more than one baby.”

“It doesn’t surprise me. The Roses have twins and triplets in their family. And did you see the size of Samiyah’s belly? I’m telling you, there was a time or two when I wondered if she was carrying twins.”

Octavia agreed. “Me, too.”

The waitress came back with their drinks stacked on a tray that she effortlessly balanced in the palm of her hand. With a twist, Dee-Dee lowered the tray and with her free hand handed the drinks over.

“Two Between the Sheets cocktails,” she announced.

Octavia and Selena brightened at the light-colored alcoholic beverages.

“These look great,” Octavia said.

“Yes, and that was quick,” Selena added.

“Remember that when you leave your tip tonight,” Dee-Dee suggested, and the girls laughed.

“We will!” Octavia shouted.

Dee-Dee winked. “Do you need anything else? They’re cooking wings in the back. Here’s the menu.” Dee-Dee grabbed a folded black patent slip that sat in the middle of the table.

“Give us a minute to look it over,” Octavia said.

“Sure thing, I’ll be back in a minute.”

Dee-Dee left the table again, and Octavia flipped through the menu.

“Are you hungry?”

“Not really,” Selena responded, glancing around the place.

The jazz band had been replaced with a DJ. When Beyoncé crooned through the speakers, Selena moved to the beat, picking up her drink to take a sip.

“Good evening, ladies.”

Octavia and Selena glanced to their side to find a tall caramel brother with a close-cropped haircut, light brown eyes, and a full beard staring back at them.

Damn, he’s fine, Selena thought. He reminded her of Luke Steele, one of Jordan’s fraternity brothers, but she was sure this guy wasn’t Luke. Their visitor smiled over at her and winked. “I’m Denzel,” he said. “I couldn’t help but notice you from across the room. My friend and I want to know if you ladies would like some company tonight.”

Octavia and Selena glanced at a table a few rows over to Denzel’s friend. He was another caramel brother with braids on his scalp, a thick nose, and a crescent smile on his face. He lifted his drink in salute, and the girls waved back. Denzel’s friend was cute, but Denzel was the better looking of the two. Selena cleared her throat, but Octavia responded before she could.

“I don’t think my husband would appreciate you fellas keeping us company. And her boyfriend probably wouldn’t either.”

Selena whipped her head around to Octavia.

“Oh, forgive me,” Denzel said. “The gorgeous ones are always taken.”

“You’ll have to excuse my friend,” Selena said. “She’s a little confused. I actually don’t have a boyfriend.”

This time Octavia turned to glare at Selena. A satisfactory smile gleamed from Denzel.

“In that case, do you mind if I have this dance?”

Selena rose from her seat and accepted his proffered hand. “Not at all.”

Selena didn’t bother glancing back at Octavia as Denzel walked her around the table to the dance floor.