shea butter baby

there was a brief moment of silence as wes took in the information that was given to him. once wes felt he had processed it enough, he clicked his tongue and nodded once. he stepped aside to let the woman inside his home–his porch was definitely not the place to host such dark matters. “come in,” he urged her to reinforce his body language. “if you’d take your shoes off, i’d greatly appreciate it.” another moment of silence ensued, this time as he gathered his thoughts. “i’m not… in any legal trouble, am i? i won’t have to call my lawyer?” he couldn’t help but inquire.

Shawnie muttered a ‘thank you’ as she passed him and stepped into his house, pausing when he asked her to take her shoes off. “Oh, sure,” she had never been asked to take off her shoes when she entered someone’s house, but she guessed it would make sense. Holding onto the ledge of the door, she smoothly stepped out of her six inch heels and bent to place them neatly by the door. She straightened and smiled, “no, you’re not in any legal trouble,” she was used to that question. “I’m not a detective, cop, or affiliated with any government agency. My job is to figure out problems, not serve justice.” Walking further into his house, she turned back to him. “Your home is lovely.”

“Mhm, that’s one thing it could mean,” Paige replied with a smirk before laughing softly, not wanting Shawn to think they were judging her. “Well then he’s not worth any more time, that’s for sure. Oh come on, we’re not perfect, and it’s not as rare as you think. Sometimes when you want it so badly is when it’s least likely to happen for you. Not to sound like a cliche instagram post or anything. Yes well..Christian is..come se dice, a fucking idiot.” They happily took the phone and sat back as they pulled up her dating apps, realizing just how long it had been since they had been on one. “”God some of these pictures men use are…amazing. And these messages? True genius.”

“You definitely sound like an instagram cliche,” Shawnie commented, taking another drink of her wine. “I know that I want it too bad, but I’m wasting my prime birthing years just sitting here! I was supposed to be a homeowner and married by thirty, pregnant by thirty-one, pregnant again by thirty-three. I turn thirty-four in a couple months and I have yet to meet anyone I would even consider marrying! I don’t have the time to be patient if I don’t wanna be wrinkled and old by the time my kids graduate.” She stood up from her seat and fanned herself, feeling herself getting hot and anxious at the thought of falling behind on her life plan. Shawnie paced in front of Paige while they scrolled through the many dating apps on her phone. “Yes, all amazing looking men and we have great conversations but none of them are worth a damn!  You know, the asshole that stood me up—his name is Evan— he kept telling me how excited he was to finally see me, and I went and got my hair retwisted, went to the spa, got every single part of me waxed, spent an hour on my make up, picked out a nice outfit—all for him to not fucking show up!” She shrieked, “I mean—I’m smart, I’m successful, I’m pretty, I’m sexy, what is the problem?!” By then, Shawnie was full out yelling and on the edge of combusting.

“No offense, but I could’ve told you that about 15 minutes ago…” Francis gave a small, sympathetic smile. “How about one more glass, huh? On the house,” he offered, reaching for the now empty wine glass of hers. 

“Full offense taken,” Shawn grumbled, but slid her empty wine glass to him. She pulled her bottom lip into her mouth and leaned forward, resting her elbows on the bar. “Maybe something came up, an emergency or something,” she said, although Shawn didn’t believe it herself.

“ It takes seconds to send a text even if you can only type in a few words” He replied as he looked at her.

Shawn breathed a sigh through her nose, because she knew he was right. She was just making excuses. “But I don’t wanna be spiteful. I just...” her shoulders sagged with sadness.

“Waitlist…for a dating sight? Oh dear god, we need a intervention like ASAP.” Paige let out a laugh and placed their hand to her forehead for a moment. “Well have you heard from him since? Look I’m just saying Shawn, you’re a boss, you’re fine as hell and you are without a doubt a 20 out of 10 so..” they put their hand on her arm and gave it a squeeze as they sipped their wine. “I mean shit, look at me, I was single for a solid amount of years before I met Hayat and Hayat and I were friends this entire time. Shit never happens the way you think. But..in the meantime maybe you should let me do the swiping,” they told her and held out their hand for her phone.

Shawn laughed, “It’s a good site! I like that there was a wait list. That means that the people on there aren’t trying to waste their time,” she tipped her glass to Paige before taking a sip. She sighed, “thank you. I tried texting and calling but now it’s going straight to voicemail. Also, you and Hayat are not a fair example. Relationships rarely work out as perfect as yours did. I was with Christian for six years and he still didn’t want to marry me.” Shawn grumbled, finishing off her glass. She only brought up her asshole of an ex when she was really feeling sorry for herself. “Yeah, okay,” she muttered before taking her phone from under her thigh and placing it in Paige’s waiting hand. 

“Well I was going to take a photo of us kissing then I was going to send it to him with little message pretending to be you.” He replied looking at wondering what she thought of the idea.

Shawn’s eyes bugged and she choked on a small laugh. “Oh, no. I couldn’t do that.” She waved her hand, “he would think the worst of me...plus there might be a...dignified reason why he didn’t show up.” Shawn explained lowly.

Noah had tried her best not to be nosy but when it had become clear that the woman had gotten stood up, she couldn’t help but interfere, smiling softly as she got her attention. “Perhaps I could buy you a drink instead?” She raised an eyebrow slightly, one of her arms resting on the bar. “I mean obviously whoever stood you up is a complete moron, the least I can do is offer an apology on behalf of all humankind. That and it’s 100% happened to me before and I wish someone had bought me a drink.”

The initial reaction for Shawn was to tell the other woman to mind her business, hating that someone had witnessed this embarrassing moment,  but there was no valid reason to make someone else feel shitty just because that’s how she was feeling. Her eyes scanned over the soft features of the other woman’s face, and Shawn gave her a small smile, nodding her head. “Uh, sure. Thank you,” she muttered, for the drink and the compliment. “I guess I’ll have another glass of this merlot.” Clearing her throat, she sat up straighter in her seat. “You said this happened to you before?” 

Clem was sat having a drink while he listened to Shawn, looking at her he laughed as he moved up a chair so he was next to her. Looking at his friend he smiled.  “Do you think he’d know who I was? Because If he does then this great idea I have won’t work but if he doesn’t then it might just work!” 

Shawn gave Clem a skeptical look. “Its a possibility...tell me your plan first.” She wouldn’t admit it, but being stood up— and for the first time— was a huge blow to her overall big ego. She’d try anything (within reason) to lessen that blow.