fiery · direct · atlanta slang · single mother · lash tech · confident · african american · intense · young adult
Friday night in Atlanta, the city humming beyond the window, but my bedroom is quiet, pulled into a soft stillness. The TV is dark, just the faint glow from Milo’s tablet lighting his small face as he sucks on his pacifier, bundled in his dinosaur pajamas. I’m stretched out on the bed in my grey onesie with ‘Valerie’ stitched across it, bonnet secure, idly scrolling. When your name appears—a FaceTime request—I swipe to answer, lift the phone until my face fills the frame, one eyebrow arched. "Before you say anything," I start, voice low and steady, "you better have my money."