The Personal Trainer's Ex-Girlfriend

The Exes and the Kids {Part One}

Kehlani

It has been three days since Blake started working as my co-worker and it is officially the day that we're simply taking the kids to get some ice cream. Despite where to go which ice cream parlor, I'll consider that Blake and I will leave the choice on the kids since they probably know which ice cream shop they would like to go.

Nearly finishing up my Updated Co-Wash Curly Hair Routine video for YouTube, I remove my T-shirt from my head as I feel the ends of my sodden curls and coils lightly touch my shoulders and back as I put my hair in three sections in view of the fact that I am applying the Maui Moisture Curl Quench + Coconut Oil curl milk on my bangs and the first section with my fingers raking through my mane. Noticing some of my corkscrews, S-curls, and Z-curls defining, I continue to rake the product through my hair until I have the strategy to put it in a pineapple. Nevertheless, since my long hair is incognito with the shrinkage, I decide to rock a wash and go as usual.

I finish the tutorial and end the recording before I begin editing the video on the Final Cut Pro. Subsequent to editing and uploading it on YouTube, I straighten up the living room and spray some of the Windex onto the table, wiping it before I proceed to clean the TV screen while "Playas Gon' Play" by 3LW featuring Jermaine Dupri is playing. It would be tedious to clean the house without music because music is entertaining, memorable, and relatable to the themes of the day's moment.

While I am about to get the vacuum cleaner from the cleaning closet, a knock on the door catches my attention. I sit the vacuum against the wall and hurry to the door, looking at the peephole to see the mailman. I back up and remove the latch, opening the door as it springs back. "Miss Kehlani Brown?" The mailman hands me four envelopes and I accept them.

"Have a nice day, Miss Brown." The mailman waves at me.

"You, too." I nod and beam at him before closing the door shut in addition to putting the latch on lock as well as proceeding my original intent. I place the mail on the dining room table while my hand is holding onto the handle of the vacuum cleaner and I plug the vacuum into the outlet prior to power it on, vacuuming the carpet. And once I'm done cleaning the house, I saunter to the dining room table and pick up one of the mail that is another paycheck from YouTube and Google.

"Another paycheck," I sing enthusiastically to myself and rip the top of the envelope as if my finger is a knife, taking the document out of the pay envelope and peruse the paper, concluding that I have earned $9,062 by monetizing my videos. My eyes blaze with excitement and it's a blessing because I can go to the bank and save this for rent along with the other necessities for the apartment. So, that way I can go grocery shopping with the help of the food stamps. I consider that I'll pick some groceries up since my fridge is neither stacked nor unfilled. Although it is a quarter past twelve in the afternoon, I decide to go grocery shopping at Stop and Shop to get some things for tomorrow, as well. I exit the Pandora Radio on TV and shut off the entertaining tube, grasping for my keys and phone off the dining room table in addition to removing the latch, getting out of the house, and locking the door behind me as I stop with my eyes shifting to see if there are approaching cars. I then proceed walking to my white 2012 Toyota Highlander SE SUV.

**********

Pushing the cart after I enter the supermarket, I go to the cereal/breakfast aisle, picking up some food such as; Reese's Puffs, Apple Jacks, Honey Nut Cheerios, some Nutri-Grain bars, organic fruit snacks, Golden Grahams, and the caramel nut bars from Fiber One. Moving on from getting some party size chips to the frozen food, I put two big boxes of pizza and another box of the Cinnabon flavored toaster strudels from Pillsbury into the cart, even though I already have that kind back at the house. I move on to head to the other aisle to get cranberry, apple, and orange juice along with Pepsi and Sprite. While I am all set with my groceries, I hear someone calling out my name. I take a glimpse at Steven, who is smiling broadly at me.

"Hey, Steven!" I smile, chuckling softly to myself while he scurries to me to give me a hug with one arm. "How are you and my cousin's baby girl?" Steven queries.

"Well, we're doing great and Blake wants to take us out to get some ice cream after the kids get off school today." I answer.

"Ice cream! Ice cream!" Steven imitates a high-pitched kid's voice. I laugh, "You watch Half Baked too much!"

"That's great because he really needs to see his second princess. When am I going to see one of your friends again? I haven't seen her since Blake broke up with you for that thot and I haven't had s*x in a long time." Steven whines, frowning. I narrow my eyes, purse my lips, and slowly shake my head from side to side because once a f**k-boy lies, a f**k-boy will always lie.

I open my eyes, eyeing him with skepticism and fold my arms in front of my chest. "Boy, please!" I scoff, "That is bullshit, Steven, because you and the Lord knows what you do because if Chaiza is here; she would've dropped to her knees, pull down your boxers, and smell you like a K-9 dog would." I state from experience because that happened to Chaiza when she discovered her ex-boyfriend smelling fishy down below and pulled his pants down to his ankles before sucker-punching him in the face in front of the students in the cafeteria back in the ninth grade.

"Fine, I admit to our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ and you that numerous girls are riding me, but when I screw them, all I see is my Afro-Brazilian queen's face. Oh, Kehlani," He looks at me with his eyes glistening.

"I miss my baby girl so much and I need her back in my life." He buries his face in his hands while I hear him sniffling. f**k-boys, I mentally titter.

"It's not funny, KeKe. When is she coming back?" He sniffles. Exhaling a deep breath, "She and our friends along with their kids are coming out tomorrow because we'll be celebrating our twenty first anniversary of our friendship."

"Damn! You guys have a real sisterhood! It's incredibly good to see you, KeKe. I have to go because there's something I have to do... For my Mom and Vernon." Steven excuses and wipes his face with the palm of his hand.

"It's good to see you, too, Steven." I smirk and wave at him while he's waving back at me before he turns his back. So, furthermore, I go to check the items out at the cashier. After getting the groceries and pushing the cart to my car, I use my keys to unlock the trunk. The lid of my trunk rises and I put the bags of food and beverages into the trunk before I push the lid down, putting it in lock as I push the cart to a row of the parked shopping carts in the parking lot.

I then unlock the doors of my car as well as getting in, starting the car as one of my favorite songs "All Night Long" by Faith Evans featuring Puff Daddy plays on the radio. I place my phone on the front passenger seat beside me and admire at the rear-view mirror to see if there are approaching cars. Two cars pass by and I pull the lever on reverse, cautiously backing up from the parking lot in addition to switching the lever on drive before pulling out.

Afterwards, I take the groceries out of the trunk and push the lid down, locking it with the keys while my phone is in the other when I hear the ringtone of the f*******: Messenger going off. I place the bags on top of the kitchenette counters and my finger taps onto the screen to read a message from Blake aka Lilwayne Davis. I have got to ask him why he names himself that on f*******:.

'Hey, Key! My mom is going to pick the kids up from the bus stop while I get off work at 3:30. Where should we take them to get ice cream from?' Blake queries through the message. I ponder on the decision on where to take the kids to get some ice cream until I know the answer to the question.

'How about we let the kids pick a vote and if most hands are raised, then we go to the destined ice cream shop?' I suggest as I go to my bedroom to get my Asus laptop, so I can play the Sims 4: City Living.

Blake

Three hours later, it is now the time to go home and pick up Tessa, Harper, and Kehlani. If only I have her address...

I enter the apartment and call Phedora's name, only to be greeted with a pair of arms swathing around me. "Daddy!" Kelly and Theo Bear clamor around me.

"Hey, kiddos! How was school?" I question and hug the both of them.

"Good."

"That's great. Kids, are you ready to go get some ice cream with Kehlani and the girls?" I ask.

"Yeah!" Both Kelly and Theo cheerfully exclaim as they have their hands raised to the air. "Okay, let's go, then." I encourage and they both stand beside me while my hand grips onto the door knob, turning it to the left direction as the less amount of the wind blows at our direction. We exit the apartment, along with the kids to go first as I close the door behind us and my thumb taps onto the screen of my phone, going on the f*******: Messenger app.

'Are you ready,' I simply question to Kehlani through the app. Seconds later, I receive a message from Kehlani that she and the girls are getting ready to head out. Taking the notice of the door opening, I take a glimpse at the door next door on my left as Kehlani steps out of her apartment.

"Kehlani!" Kelly and Theo Bear exclaim. She lives next door to my Mom? I stare at her with my mouth gaping while I scratch my stubble around the same time, she's giving me the exact expression on her face.

"Blake! I didn't know you guys live next door to us," Kehlani runs her fingers through her curls as her face begins reddening in her brown complexion and she begins her well-known habit of her eyes averting from me to her feet while she's inspecting her turquoise nails. I really do need to admit; she's still cute when she's shy.

She reluctantly turns her head to the right, calling Tessa and Harper to join with us and once the girls join Kehlani, I instantly notice Tessa's smile slipping around the same time she rolls her eyes at me and a bubble forms from her mouth before it pops, chewing her gum.

"Hi, honey." I walk to her and swathe my arms around her.

"Hey, Dad," Tessa responds with a monotone in her voice, proving me that's she's bored. I can't blame her with that attitude of hers, which is inherited from me; I can only blame myself for not being in her life more often as I should've. She pulls away from me and blows another bubble of the gum before it pops.

"Tessa, lose the attitude," I hear Key softly scold Tessa before she looks up at me. "Sorry about that, Blake."

"It's alright," I reply and sound disappointing.

"So, kids, do you want to go to Baskin Robbins or the Cold Stone Creamery? Raise your hand if you want to go to the Cold Stone Creamery." Merely Tessa and Kehlani raise their hands before they rest their hands by their sides.

"All in favor of going to Baskin Robbins, raise your hands." And almost immediately, a pair of four single hands are raised to the air. "Baskin Robbins, it is." Both Kehlani and I simultaneously reply, nodding.