In the shower, she let her mind race to past, present, and future, trying to put everything together in her head. Once out of the shower, she dried off, and the second her head hit the king-sized pillow, she drifted into a deep, much-needed sleep.
Waking up an entire day later, almost forgetting where she was, Bianca turned her head toward the curtains. The drapes were still open, and the sunset was breathtakingly beautiful. It painted the sky a vermillion color with streaks of purple. The sun was on the verge of going down, and the streetlights and business signs were starting to light up the Miami skyline.
Bianca couldn’t believe she’d slept the entire night and day away. No tossing and turning. No nightmares, and no regrets. Bianca was up, feeling refreshed, brand new, and ready to get down to business. She got out of bed, walked over to the window, and peeked out. Everything was so foreign to her, yet she felt right at home. She couldn’t help but stare out and wonder what awaited her. Curiosity poked a smile on her face.
Bianca had gotten a burst of energy. She lotioned up with the complimentary toiletries the hotel had supplied. Packing her Bath and Body Works products had not been a priority when she’d packed to leave. Thank God the complimentary toiletries included a small, travel-sized toothpaste. Unfortunately, she’d forgotten to pack her toothbrush. She called downstairs, but the toothbrush they brought her couldn’t do anything. As a matter of fact, she decided to run to the corner store and get everything she needed.
Hitting the Miami streets gave her life. The valet guy suggested that she hit Lincoln Avenue, and her first stop was the Apple store. It was a must that she got her electronics. She bought herself a computer, an iPhone, and an iPad. From there, she managed to pick up everything that she needed most on her five-finger discount.
She dropped her things off at the hotel and went back out. There were a few things she had seen in the window of a store she had passed on her way back to the hotel. She decided that she would go back and get them.
When she was almost at the store, she heard a voice calling out, “Hey, baby.” She turned around and saw one of a group of guys wearing a pair of duck boots.
“Hi,” she said but kept it moving.
Another said, “Yo, baby.” She turned her nose up. “Bitch, you too cute?”
“Nigga, go get you some fucking respect,” she shot back at him.
He shot her a look that was more powerful than an AK-47, and before he could say anything, his boy in the duck boots grabbed him and pulled him away. “My apologies. My boy’s an asshole. No home training.”
“You got that right,” she said, never stopping, leaving them way behind and entering into the store.
Once she was inside, no one greeted her or said a word to her. Even better. Especially after they spoke to the group of white girls who entered behind her. She continued to browse, but the saleslady was following her around the store.
“So you have this in a size four?” Bianca asked.
“No,” the woman said, not even looking.
“What about this in a size eight?”
“No.” The clerk’s eyes were still averted.
“This is an eight?”
“No, ma’am. No and no.”
“Oh, okay,” Bianca said. “I get it.” She put down the dress she had in her hand. “You don’t want my money. It’s not good enough for you, huh?” She rolled her eyes and headed for the door. The clerk had already pegged her as a thief anyway.
“Ma’am,” a man called out to her then started coming toward her.
Bianca kept it moving and was out the door, but the man, who must have been the owner or the boutique’s security dressed in plain clothes, was relentless. “Ma’am, you need to stop, please.”
She kept going, but the man was running her way, and just when he was about to put his hands on her, Duck Boots appeared out of nowhere. “Nigga, what the fuck you doing?” he asked. “This is my girl,” he firmly said. “Get your fucking paws off of her.” He cut his eyes and lifted his shirt, flashing his chrome 9 mm.
The steel stopped the guy from the store dead in his tracks. He raised his hands and backed up. “I don’t want no problems, man. I don’t,” he said then turned around and made his way back to the store.
Bianca was half a block ahead. She moved into the cut as she saw Duck Boots head down the street to look for her. She had fallen out of his sight, but she could see him heading her way. When he thought it was no hope in finding her, she stopped, and that’s when she popped out of her stash spot and said, “Thank you. Lifesaver!”
“No problem. Just wanted to make sure you good. You need a cab or anything?” Though she was walking fast, he kept her same stride as they made their way down the crowded, tourist-filled street.
“I’m good. Just wanted to tell you thank you for that.”
“You new to these parts, so in case you need a friend, call me.”
“Ummm, I just got a new phone,” she said with a coy smile to the big, tall black guy with the smoothest skin standing in front of her. She had been so anxious to get back to that
