"Kiki, you are about to burst from excitement," Adrienne noted as we both stood in front of the full-length mirror in my bedroom, rifling through outfit options for dinner tonight. "If you don't go on and tell me what happened today..."

"I already told you. I'm waiting for dinner so I can tell everybody at the same time." I peeled my eyes from the two dress options in my hands to look at her, a small eye roll following. "Now, I can't decide which one is better."

I held a red dress with a thin material in my right hand, it flowing smoothly by the air conditioner blowing out from the vent above me in the closet. In my left, I held a dress that was the exact opposite. It was a figure-hugging dress, a neat array of zippers splaying out from the waist.

Adrienne turned her attention to me and before I could even ask, offered her opinion. "You can probably guess which one I'm going with but, just in case you can't, clearly the black dress is the superior option."

"Let me guess? Because mi cuerpo será de fuego? Yeah, I've heard it all before." Despite my teasing, I took a few more steps into my closet, the tiled floor cooling my feet concealed behind my socks. I placed the red dress back from whence it came and laid the black dress neatly on the bed.

"I knew you were gonna go with my choice." She wasn't facing me, but I could hear the smirk in Adrienne's voice as she pushed around a couple hangers, still searching for the right fit for her.

"I went with the choice I liked best. A classic Alexander Wang over a Roland Mouret any day."

"Oh, Roland Mouret is cheap or something?" Adrienne inquired.

"Nah. Mouret's stuff is generally in the thousands, and I can find a good Wang for like eight hundred. I didn't feel like being too bougie today."

A murmur followed in Spanish before an audible "Because eight hundred is nowhere near bougie," with an apparent sarcastic undertone.

"You are not one to talk tonight," I countered. I lazily gestured towards the navy blue dress Adrienne was clutching in her hands. "That's an Oscar De La Renta."

"Okay..." she trailed cluelessly, taking her attention from me and back to the dress I can see she adores. "I don't know what that means, but I do know this is a cute dress."

I did like the dress, yet I had never found the right occasion to bring it out. I loved the black floral lattice that stemmed up from the dress's hem, standing out slightly from the midnight blue silk. The only thing I didn't like was how it fell at the hips; it makes me look awkwardly boxy.

"In other words, the dress is close to two thousand dollars," I explained. "Way more bougie than I'm getting tonight, Ri."

I watched Adrienne's eyes bulge as I exposed the price of the dress. She pivoted on her heel and scurried to the bed, gently laying the dress out. "Kiki! What the hell were you thinking casi dejarme wear that thing out? Usted're maldito loco por que uno!"

"Ri, I have no problem with you wearing that tonight. I know it's going to look fire on you, first of all, and secondly, I haven't worn that thing and have no use for it. Take it."

"You want me to just take a two thousand dollar dress?"

I was surprised at the way Adrienne was acting. She acts as if I haven't given her a million and one hand-me-downs, especially things that she knew I was never going to wear. "This is not the first expensive thing I've given you," I remarked with a chuckle. "Why are you all of the sudden tripping over it now?"

"I never knew the price of all the fancy things you've given me! Cristo, Kiara." The back end of her sentence came out breathy, almost as if she was astonished.

"Material possessions have never been a staple in my life, no matter how expensive. And I know you're always down for some free stuff, and who am I to keep that from my best friend? Relax and take the dress, Ri."

In my years of knowing Adrienne, I've never had to convince her to take a dress that I had already wore or a pair of shoes I didn't like anymore. Price has never been a factor in her decisions, seeing as when I still had money being shoveled into my bank account, the items were even more expensive than they are now.

I considered asking her about it and seeing if there was some kind of money situation going on that I didn't know about, but I trusted that if she felt as though she needed help, she would come to me.

After the excitement of the dress, I pulled out a pair of Louboutin's for me and a pair of Bergdorf Goodman's for Adrienne. The Louboutin's I chose stole the attention from my dress. With every step, I could imagine the iridescent, jewel-like spikes on the toe strap reflecting an array of colors as they hit the light.

After changing and situating my hair, I applied an appropriate amount of makeup. I worked in my full coverage foundation with a beauty blender, concealer, contour, and a hefty amount of powder following afterward. I was in the middle of doing my second eyebrow when the sound of the doorbell rang through the apartment. "Ri, could you get that?"

Adrienne smoothed down the hair that was slick to her head and ran a hand through her ponytail as she stood up, wobbling slightly in the black pumps I picked out for her. I stifled a laugh and caught her glare at me through the mirror. "If I break my neck, it's on you." Her eyes narrowed in my direction, a singular finger following suit.

I finished my eyebrow and strapped my shoe around my ankle before walking out into my living room, Jeremiah chatting on the couch with Adrienne. "I hope y'all ain't talking a mess."

Jeremiah stood and greeted me with a kiss on the cheek. "Of course not, Baby. If anything, we were talking about how magnificent you are."

"Should've left it at 'of course not.' All Ri has to say are bad things." I shifted my gaze to Adrienne, where she still sat, a shrug and innocent smile stretching her lips.

"Regardless of what I have to say, Ricardo just texted me they just left. Let's go."

"I sense a hint of animosity."

A mumbling of a phrase in Spanish followed before we left my place for Six Seven.

Jeremiah handed his keys to the valet as Adrienne and I exited the vehicle. We settled on the curb just outside of the hotel that the restaurant was located in. I pulled out my phone to call my brother and see if he and Ricardo had made it yet. I brought the cool phone screen up to my face, shivering as the surface made contact with my skin.

"You cold?" Jeremiah asked, already making movements to remove his suit jacket.

"I'm good, Babe," I responded, dismissing his jacket. "We'll be inside in a minute, anyway. Keep it, so you don't get cold."

"Well, Ricardo's not answering his phone," Adrienne huffed, wrapping her arms around her torso. "Michael answer?"

"Still ringing." Once the fourth ring sounded, I readied myself to end the call, a short click changing my decision. "Hey, you at the restaurant yet?"

"Yeah, Ricky and I are already at the table. Hurry up, will you?"

I ran my tongue over my teeth. "Thought I told you to call me if y'all got here before us, but that's none of my business, Mr. Inconvenience. We'll be in in a second."

"Mr. Inconvenience?" Adrienne questioned, eyebrows raised in amusement. "You're losing your touch."

I intertwined my fingers with Jeremiah's as I started to lead us towards the entrance. In response, I looked to Adrienne and took a deep breath, my eyes rolling and head shaking as I exhaled.

We stepped into the restaurant, and I absentmindedly rambled off the reservation name, one of the staff members leading us towards our table. I subtly scanned the surroundings, taking in one of the places from my past life.

The lighting was still muted with warm tones just as I remembered it. It was still like weaving through a strategically placed obstacle course. We made our way most likely towards a table by a window. The sound my shoes made alternated between that of the click-clack of the heel on a shiny black tiled floor and the almost silent thud as they graced the multicolored carpet.

I felt Jeremiah's hand slip from mine immediately before finding a place at the small of my back. He leaned down and whispered, "Are you okay?"

"I'm perfect," I quipped back. "I don't remember the walk to a table taking this long, is all. And I should be asking that question, seeing as my brother is probably about to harass you for the next hour or so."

His response was interrupted by the arrival to our table. Ricardo was sat alone at one side of the table, Michael very characteristically taking place at the head. Adrienne greeted Ricardo with a kiss as she sat next to him, a hand being placed on Michael's shoulder as a greeting.

Instead of being so nice, I patted Michael on the head thrice before taking my seat next to the window. "How nice of you to choose the window at sundown." I raised a hand in front of my face as a descending sunbeam shone into my face.

"Why would you touch my hair?" Michael asked with an aggravated tone, completely disregarding me.

"You didn't call me to let me know you got here," I offered as an explanation. "Now, say hello to Jeremiah because I know Mama and Pops raised you right."

"My apologies." Michael rose from his seat and ran a hand over his hair and suit before offering it out to Jeremiah. "Nice to see you again, Jeremiah."

"Yeah, you too, Michael." Jeremiah shook his hand, afterward taking the seat next to me, a hand gingerly falling on my thigh.

Dinner kicked into full swing after the introductions and niceties were out of the way. I occasionally sipped on my glass of wine that was ordered for the table, mostly listening to the conversation my tablemates were murmuring. I chose not to engage and instead settle into my chair. This dinner was for my friends and brother to get to know Jeremiah on a deeper-than-base-level, after all.

"Why my sister?" Michael abruptly asked.

I sat forward and snuck a long glance at Jeremiah, waiting to see if any panic would flash across his face. I knew my brother would be on the lookout for any sign of nerves. Jeremiah kept his calm composure, however.

"Why in what way?" Jeremiah countered. "After getting to know your sister, there are many reasons why I would want to spend a better part of my time with her."

Adrienne gently kicked my shin as he said this, my attention turning to her. A look of approval overtook her features once my eyes locked onto hers, a smirk following afterward from me.

"Why, when you saw Kiara, did you decide to speak to her? What about her drew you in?"

"Michael, I feel like you're doing way too much," I cut in, a nervous chuckle escaping my lips. "This feels like more of an interrogation than you getting to know him."

"Baby, it's okay." Jeremiah's hand found mine on the table, his hand cupping over top of mine. "Kiara commands attention in one of those subtle ways. She's not loud about it in any way, but the way she talks and carries herself and goes for what she wants is what commanded my attention. And all this attention is something I am more than happy to give her because it allows me to better unravel my partner and to know those things I wouldn't have if I didn't pay her that."

Silence settled across the table as everyone absorbed Jeremiah's words. When I felt the silence was dragging, I said, "See? Jeremiah's intentions are nothing but pure, Michael. Can we stop with the interrogation now?"

Michael took his time with a response, his gaze falling first upon Jeremiah and me, his eyes then down-casting towards our hands, fingers now intertwined. Jeremiah must've noticed this as well, as he ceased stroking the back of my hand with his thumb to bring it to his lips. "I guess I can tell Ma and Pops he's alright."

My lips formed a shape of protest, but Adrienne spoke before I could get a sound out. "Michael, mi cariño, if I may interject. He's more than alright! Did you hear the way this man just spoke about your sister?" Her voice rose slightly, but not too much to draw attention in the muted setting. "In the years that I've known her, I have not once heard someone speak about her with the conviction that Jeremiah just did."

"Yeah, put some respect on his name," I interjected. Both Adrienne and I recognized that he was kidding, but it's always fun to get at my little brother.

"Yeah, yeah." Michael dismissed us with the wave of his hand, Adrienne and I sharing a quiet laugh as we sipped on our glasses of wine.

As the night progressed and it seemed we were all ready for the bill, Adrienne started, "Kiki, a part of this dinner was supposed to be you telling us your big announcement." The rest of the table nodded and made grunts of affirmation. "So, spill! What's this news that you've been dying to tell us?"

I placed down the fork that was about to plunge into my last bite of cheesecake, a grin spreading across my lips. I took a deep breath and closed my eyes, "Ya girl is finally an official celebrity publicist!" Multiple congratulations flew my way, a few "thank you's" tumbling past my lips. "I don't know much yet, but I'm getting assigned a client soon, and, ugh, I'm so excited."

"Congrats, Baby. I know you worked hard and earned this." Jeremiah placed a small kiss on my temple, the dinner continuing smoothly as he ordered a round of drink for the table in celebration.