Free Niki's Challenge by Erosa Knowles Page B

guess I can do that.” Rissa tore open the paper. Seeing
the telltale blue Tiffany box before reading the name on top, she
squealed.
    “ What’s going on over
here?” Aunt Sherita, Rissa’s mom, asked while hugging her mom, Nana
Bea. She smiled at Gale and then went to Niki. Her eyes widened as
she took in David stroking Niki’s back. She looked at Niki and then
back at David, a question in her eyes.
    Before her Aunt could blurt out
anything uncomfortable, Rissa called her. “Look, Mom.” She passed
the box under her mom’s eye. “My gift from Niki. I’m going to open
it,” she said as she lifted the lid. Everyone except Niki leaned
forward to see and be in awe of the two-carat diamond
earrings.
    “ Damn, Niki,” her aunt
murmured, “those are beautiful, the clarity, everything. Well done,
sweetie, well done.” She turned to face David. “Now who is this
young man with his hands all over you?”
    “ Oh, you missed the
introductions.” Niki answered accustomed to her aunt’s abruptness.
“Aunt Sherita, this is David Riccio, a friend of mine. David, this
is Rissa’s mom, my Aunt Sherita.”
    David acknowledged the introduction
with a nod and a low, “nice to meet you.” He continued to rub her
back.
    “ Same here, David, are you
from Atlanta?” Her aunt probed.
    Smiling, he answered. “No ma’am, I’m
from Detroit, Michigan. I was here for a conference and Niki
invited me to the party. I hope that’s all right?” He smiled his
signature grin.
    “ If you’re a friend of
Niki’s, then of course it’s all right. Are the two of you dating?”
Her aunt looked at David.
    He gazed at Niki. “I wish,” he spoke
with such heat, five pair of eyes latched onto him. He stared at
Niki, until she turned away. Coughing to cover her embarrassment,
she looked helplessly at a grinning Rissa and a thoughtful
Gale.
    “ Nana, I need to go to the
bathroom. Gale, where is it?” she asked, recognizing the familiar
pressure in her lower back.
    “ Right through that door
around the corner,” Gale said. “You need me to go with
you?”
    “ No, that’s okay.” Her aunt
put her arm through her niece’s arm. “Stay here and make sure Rissa
has fun. Mama and I’ll walk with Niki.” She glanced over her
shoulder. “David, she’ll be right back. We’ll take good care of
her.” Dismissing him, she wrapped her arm around her mom’s waist
and walked in the direction Gale had pointed.
    As they were leaving, Gale’s brother
Tony walked over to the small group that surrounded the birthday
girl. He nodded at the tall man in greeting, noticing he watched
the action but took no part. He started to ask his sister who was
the stranger, but realized he didn’t care.
    “ What’s going on?” He asked
Gale instead, as she helped Rissa put on some earrings.
    “ Rissa’s just opened her
gift from her cousin.” She pointed as Rissa modeled them for the
small crowd. “These diamond earrings.”
    “ Those are really nice.” He
moved closer for a better look, impressed by the size and clarity.
“Where’s her cousin and grandmamma? I’m getting ready to leave.” He
pulled Gale to the side, chuckling when she punched his arm. “I
wanted to greet all your family before I left.”
    “ They walked with Niki to
the bathroom. I told you she was pregnant. She’s...let me see, I
think six months; although she doesn’t look it.” She turned to look
around. “Let me ask David, her boyfriend.” Looking around, she
noticed he’d moved and stood near the door Niki had just left
through. “Hmm, he moved, anyway, she’s all baby.” Her gaze returned
to Rissa.
    “ Oh well, if I don’t see
them tonight, maybe I’ll catch them before they leave.” He knew she
was distracted with her girlfriend’s family and wouldn’t miss him.
He’d made his obligatory appearance. Now he planned to enjoy the
rest of the night at a private screening. The invitation from
Theos, a private collector, burned in his pocket. He looked