Rashad and Lasha

Center City has new life and new blood and with the guidance of Malcolm and Cinnamon BLACK... the future is now... Lasha walked into her own birthday party feeling melancholy. She was grateful for it and the room was filled with friends and family. Even her mom and stepfather, Horace had driven up, but she missed Rashad. Nine months earlier they started a relationship, but three months later Rashad received a paid, six-month teaching stint at Cambridge in London. Along with everyone else she was thrilled for him and proud, but she missed him. They called and FaceTime regularly and she was very busy but... there was nothing like talking to him, seeing his eyes crinkle when he smiled and feeling his lips on hers. "Happy Birthday!" Everyone yelled when she walked in and her face opened in a genuine smile. She knew she was blessed, and it was only three more weeks. She started giggling when her dad, Jeremy walked towards her with Gloria, her grandma, on his arm. She squealed with delight that Gloria had made it from the Dominican Republic for her twentieth birthday. She enfolded her elder in her arms and kissed all over her face. Gloria tightened her lips as if annoyed, but she loved it and her prodigy, only granddaughter. "Ooooo grandma, thank you." Lasha exclaimed. "I'm so glad you came." Gloria stepped back, assessing Lasha with a smile filled with pride. She often wondered what her life would have been if she had been raised to fly like Lasha. At twenty, she was married to the first man she kissed. "Twenty is a big deal, my child. You're in your last year of university and are now so grownup, I wouldn't have missed it." Gloria said, slipping an envelope in Lasha's hand. Lasha leaned in, kissing Gloria again. "Me either..." a deep voice said behind her, causing Lasha to twirl around and face... Rashad. She blinked as if not believing her eyes before leaping into his arms and wrapping her legs around him. "Oh, god, you're here!""Baby, I wouldn't miss your day, but you might want to unwrap your legs before I embarrass us." He whispered. Giggles poured from her as she slid from his arms, placing her face in his neck, sniffing the scent unique to him. His heart beat as rapidly as hers. He missed me.