FULL CIRCLE

15.

🎶 Now playing: Pink Skies by Pryce.

Antonio's eyes fluttered open slowly, followed by a smile on his face. He removed himself from Reign as he'd been laying on her shoulder. He looked at her, studying her as usual. She slept peacefully on her back with her head sunk deep into the pillow. He found it baffling how beautiful and put together she still looked in her sleep... especially after the prior night's activities.

Antonio decided to let her get all the rest she needed and hopped out of the bed to prepare some breakfast for her. Or maybe even an official girlfriend proposal, since they both brushed past the topic. He checked his phone after brushing his teeth, with a few messages from Roman regarding work and music, some of the employees, and even ancient messages from his ex girlfriend.

Ms Maya had been sending consecutive texts as he stayed in their chat until she finished. A call immediately entered his line soon after. "Antonio Mills, you do know that this store is yours and not mine right?" She warned with her tone firm as usual. "Or what, have you been staying at home all this time? Last saw you at work on the day of the opening."

Antonio laughed lightly as he walked out of the room, "Mama, I specifically remember letting you know when I wouldn't stay over. I've been busy house hunting and-"

"House hunting? You didn't tell me about no house hunting-" Ms Maya smacked her teeth after Antonio admitted to joking, even though it had been on his mind for some time now. "You need to get here urgently. We need to talk. About Justine." She spoke as he rolled his eyes.

Ms Maya's tone was more than serious, so Antonio quickly prepared some breakfast for Reign, who'd probably only wake up once he left, and headed to the bathroom for his hygiene routine.

~

Ms Maya looked Antonio up and down... in amusement and probe more than anything. He quietly dodged her stares as he went through the receipts and invoices. Ms Maya raised a brow because he clearly wasn't fooling her. A fresh haircut every other week, a fresh new scent indicating a few new colognes, a bit more effort in his dressing. Skin a little brighter, teeth a little whiter. She saw right through him... and she needed to know who had him glowing the way he was, especially in the midst of everything she was about to tell him.

"I'm here like you asked mama. I can't read minds, you know," a light laugh escaped his full lips. "I can tell you have a lot to say just by those stares."

Ms Maya opted for the burning questions that had been lingering in her mind, "...Who is she? I see you walking around here with a little bounce, smelling brand new, looking crisp? You actually look alive." She bluntly said with a small laugh soon after.

Antonio's mouth fell to the floor at Ms Maya basically calling him raggedy, "So all this time I didn't look put together? Man, it really do be your own..." he playfully sulked.

"No man. You've unfolded, you look and seem lighter, and I know you're no longer with Justine so..." she continued as she opened the files for them to sense check.

"She... she's- wow. That's a story for another day," he blushed obliviously, flashing his pearly whites. "I'll even introduce you to her, but speaking of Justine, what is it that you wanted to talk about?"

Ms Maya sighed, "She didn't show up with all the other employees for questioning... which puts her on the list of suspects." She said. "Prime suspect. We had a bag search the other day and she threw a whole fuss, going on about how I don't like her and I want to use this against her, yet she's asking for her job back? No. No."