TERRANCE climbed the stairs of the antiquated Victorian mansion. The rich hardwood floors creaked until he reached her door.

Jeannette eyed him through the mirror and stepped into an emerald green dress layered in tulle. She slid the dress up to her bosom.
"Zip me up," she said.
He moved toward her.
"Close the door first."

Terrance gritted his teeth, closed the door, and walked across the grand master bedroom to his fiancé. He wrestled layers of tulle away and struggled to zip up the dress. Then he looked at her through the mirror.
"A dress change at an engagement party. Ain't this too much?"

Jeanette peered at him through the standing mirror. She rested a hand on her jeweled necklace that matched the intricate designs of her long, coffin nails.

Terrance stuffed his hands in his pockets.
"You ready?"

Jeanette kept her eyes on him through the long oval mirror. Her embellished nails trailed from the necklace across her tawny skin to her bare shoulder.
"Do you like my hair better up?"
"It's good."
"Better than your sister's?"

Terrance narrowed his eyes.
"What are you talking about?"

Jeanette dropped her hand.
"I don't care what you do with your sister." She shrugged. "I don't."
Terrance rolled his lips together.

"But don't do anything to embarrass me in front of my father and his friends."
Terrance shook his head. "I didn't—"
"Right." She smiled. "I didn't see anything. And neither did my father."

Guilt stirred in his throat and he swallowed it down, maintaining eye contact through the brass rimmed mirror.
"Are you accusing me of something?"

"Nothing I didn't see." She gave herself a final once over and turned to face her fiancé. "Then again, I didn't see anything. Right?"

Terrance looked down at the intriguing woman he fell hard for in a few short months.

"Thank you for not kissing her."
Terrance nodded, rubbing the back of his neck. "You ready?"

"I wasn't finished," Jeanette said.
He raised a brow.
"On the lips."
Terrance froze.
"Thank you for not kissing her on the lips."

Jeanette kissed her fiancé, hard and raw. She nipped at his bottom lip, tugging it gently between her teeth before letting go. "You ready?"

She walked around him to the door, leaving Terrance behind to look at the man in the mirror.

~

Her gaze flit to the panoramic wall of glass. Two women stepped into the garden, laughing.
"Where is he?" LIQUE muttered.

She rubbed her palms against the soft fabric of the plush velvet sofa and glanced around the garden. Vibrant flowers perched atop coffee tables and others rose into colorful arches surrounding the enchanted affair. Occasional love seats and high back chairs peppered the lush green lawn. And a quartet of violinists, clad in tuxedos and black gowns played a classical jazz tune.

Across the garden, the sophisticates took turns meeting Shantel. She gobbled up the attention in full networking mode.

Shantel reached for a glass of champagne as the waiter walked by and another couple people merged into conversation with her.

Lique tilted her head to the side, examining Shantel. She looked like them. Like an upper echelon somebody who belonged at this type of event. Like Jeanette. They were the type of women Terrance liked. Lique was just a girl he pitied.

Her shoulders slumped. Then she mustered her courage, lifted her chin high, and pressed her lips into a smile.
Crumble, she would not.

"Hi, babygirl," Leilah sang tugging Lique from her thoughts.

Lique leapt into her sister's arms. "You're finally here." She held onto Lei, tethering her wild emotions to her big sister. An sniffle escaped. She closed her eyes and composed herself.

"Hey," Leilah said, rubbing her sister's back. "We can leave if you want."
She shook her head.
Lei's brows bunched together. "Are you sure?"

Lique nodded and pulled Lei down to the sofa. "I'm fine." She smiled, rubbing the floral handbag on Lei's arm. "This is pretty."

Leilah opened the bag. "It's for you."
Lique peered inside. "What is it?"
"A shawl." Lei pushed tamed coils off her shoulder. Her smile twinkled. "Floor length. Button front. Sheer gorgeousness."

Lique rolled her eyes. "I don't need a shawl. I'm fine." Her bronze shoulders glistened under the late afternoon sun.
"Just in case." Leilah insisted. "We'll have it if you need it." She closed the bag.

"Did you come here to lecture me?"
Leilah put her hands up. "I'm not saying you have to wear it."
Lique crossed her arms. "You're just saying that I look disgusting and I should cover up."
Leilah closed her eyes and took a deep breath.

"Hello, my pretties." Mira sat beside Lique with a glass of champagne in hand. Her brilliant smile brightened the mood. "Can we save the dramatics for when we don't have an audience of snoots?"

Mira double kissed Lique. "You look so pretty," she sang. "I am proud of you for finally unpacking the goods."
Lique's cheeks warmed.
"Thanks," she said.
Leilah smiled, squeezing her sister's hand. "You look stunning, baby girl."
"Thanks, Lei." She glanced down at the bag. "For everything."

Leilah turned to Mira. "Where's Miralys?"
Mira scanned the party. "Probably looking for the sweets table with her dad."

Lique jumped up. "It's momma. I'll be back." She walked briskly through ringlets of curious stares and threw her arms around Terrance's mother.

Mrs. Holt's mouth dropped. She stepped back, clinging to Lique's hand. Her gaze dragged up and down the girl. "Honey, is that you?"

Lique pushed a tendril behind her ear. "Too much?"

Mrs. Holt shook her head. "I always knew you were beautiful, but—" Her voice trailed off and the short woman pulled Lique down into a desperate hug. "I guess you have to break up with me, too."

Lique laughed, easing away to see the woman's sad, round face. "I can't leave you, momma."
Mrs. Holt cupped her cheek with a plump hand. "You do what's best for you."
"You are what's best for me."
Mrs. Holt smiled, but the sadness lingered in her eyes.

~

"Ladies and Gentlemen, your attention please."

TERRANCE cleared his throat and reached for his tie.
"Stop," Jeanette fussed. "You can take the tie off after our first dance."

His jaw tightened and he offered her his arm.
She hooked into his. "Thank you."

The host continued. "Introducing, the future Mr. and Mrs. Holt."

The violins played an upbeat melody and all heads turned to the wall of glass windows to welcome the couple.

Terrance put on his smile and Jeanette moved through the garden with the grace of a queen.

He felt Lique's presence.
Avoiding her direction, he smiled at the crowd as his heart pounded into his throat.

He escorted Jeanette to the dance floor, spun her into his arms, and danced.

Jeanette grinned, staring into his eyes as the dress twisted and flared, wrapping them together as they glided across the dance floor. The dance reminded him of when it was just them in a small town, enjoying each other.

And somewhere between  the choreographed dance steps, Terrance lost himself in the eyes of his sultry fiancé.

~

LIQUE watched him dance with Jeanette. His head dipped toward her. His jaw relaxed. And his trademark, boyish smile surfaced as he stared into her eyes.

Her heart plummeted as she watched their affectionate embrace carry them across the dance floor. The ache crept through her veins, paralyzing her.

She lost Terrance.
Her head hung, accepting her part. She didn't lose him, she let him go.

Lique raised her gaze to the couple and forced an encouraging smile.

Mrs. Holt stiffened at her side, clinging onto Lique.

Lique smiled down on her. "He looks happy. Right, momma?"
Mrs. Holt returned a smile that lingered at the base of her plump cheeks.

"This is good," Lique insisted, smiling at the mother she adopted. "This is what we always wanted. For
him to be happy."

~

Shantel crouched, fastening the clasp on the little girl's dressy shoes.

Miralys rattled off an excited string of chatter as she pressed her little palms into SHANTEL's cheeks.

Shantel laughed and adjusted her frilly pink dress. "I don't know what you're saying, Lys. You have to speak to me in English. I no speak-a the Spanish."

The five year old copied Shantel. "In-gles." She shook her head. "No. Solamente espanol."

Shantel gently pinched her golden cheeks. "Come on. Let's get back to the party."
She stood and her world stopped. She froze and her breath caught.

Sylus, her biggest mistake stared back at her.

{Stay Tuned: Next episode coming soon.}

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