[ofmani]

@ndiadwsn

“I’m just glad I can go on about Kion to you, I keep in how much I wanna just gush about him because I know my non-parent friends don’t wanna hear it. He’s just so..” She shook her head, sitting across from her friend with a coffee in hand while their kids were at school, “Unique. Wonderful. Big hearted. He’s been spending so much more time with Seth — and I think it’s been good for the both of them.” 

[soleil--bordeaux-blog]

Soleil jumps and turns, not realizing the watering can was still going, “I’m sorry, what?”

[ofmani]

“Sorry,” Imani wrinkled her nose slightly, “I was just wondering if you were still open.” 

[athena-donovan]

“Less than two months until hockey starts and I seriously feel like my brain is going to explode from all the work I have to do before the puck drops,” she sighed as she spoke more to herself, checking her email.

[ofmani]

“My son loves to watch the Blackhawks, he tells me it’s better than football.” Imani laughed, “so, if that makes you feel better, I dunno what else I can say to cheer you up. My kids kinda my only cheer up zone, ya know. You’ll be fine.”

[elastticheart]

[niallmcdiarmid]

[supagirl]

[ofmani]

karlaxgonzales‌:

Karla didn’t get to go out a lot. She was usually at work or at home with her daughter. But tonight she was out listening as the band performed and swayed along with the music. She didn’t know them very well but she was enjoying the music. She looked beside her and smiled. “They are good no?” The latina smiled and nodded towards the stage. “Kind of makes you wanna dance?” She wiggled her brows playfully to see their reaction. 

Imani was glad she had agreed to coming out with Karla — she always liked spending time with the girl outside of work, and with everything that was going on with Seth and them trying to figure out themselves and how he would be a father to Kion she needed a break. “You found my guilty pleasure. I used to love to dance back in college.” 

[ofmani]

Most people didn’t go to the movies alone, but it was what Imani preferred to do when Kion wasn’t with her and she didn’t have any work at the diner. Large popcorn and drink combo, she was settled into her seat when she realized she had sat next to a seat that was already taken, “Oh, shit sorry I never think people come early enough for before previews.” 

[kieraknightley]

[lustfulness-xo-deactivated20181]

“– it’s the worst day ever.” Allen mumbled as he pushed his sunglasses on top of his head. He stared forward and let out a big sigh before gripping his hands into fists tightly. “I can not believe,” he growled in his speech, “that my favorite bagel stand is closed today, of all fucking days.”

He continued to stare ahead at the empty food cart. Eventually he spun around and straightened his tie. “I think I deserve some time off to take in this heartache.” He thought to himself.

Taking a step forward, Allen slid his sunglasses back down and started walking. It was nearing the end of the week and Allen couldn’t wait for the weekend. Even though, he could have any day off – what kind of man would he be? Leaving all the ass kicking to the associates and managing partners. 

New York was a huge city. He could do anything. Spend any kind of money he wanted but, today was going to be a special day. He could feel it. Mostly cause his special part of the day had already been shitted on.

[ofmani]

Imani’s diner was just on the corner in Brooklyn, sometimes being the reason why it got attention other than her the fact that her decor was homey and retro. And the people in New York were hungry. She not only worked as owner but sometimes manager, waitress, hostess — and she never minded.

Because she wanted to be the face of her business.

Today, she had let most of her workers off was taking over serving and greeting. Her son was at school, and she liked to occupy herself when he wasn’t around.

“Hi, hey,” Imani greeted with a tight-lipped smile, “booth or a table? Our special today is red pepper soup with any sandwich of choice.” She handed over a menu. 

[suspicioushospitality]

Loren had a disapproving look on his face as he sat in the back of a coffeeshop with his blueprint spread out over a table, reading glasses low on his nose, hair brushed back. He’d clearly come from work, still in a button-up and some nice slacks, and was trying to finish it up. Keyword, trying. There was an obnoxiously loud tantrum going on across the shop, with a toddler squealing and shouting and stomping their feet while a helpless parent tried to coax them down to a quieter volume. Loren was rubbing his temples and he sank down into the chair he’d been using. “I’m this close to turning off my hearing aid. This is why I can’t have kids.” He stated, looking around grumpily for his coffee. 

[ofmani]

"Then do it,” Imani snapped back, furrowing her eyebrows at the man. She had a five year old herself, and she knew how hard and embarrassing it was to have your child throw a tantrum in public, “You staring is not helping that parent feel any less shitty about bothering everyone in this place.” She settled back into her seat, not realizing how tense her body had gotten.

[liamdcwson]

“My daughter told me that she had a boyfriend and I started laughing. I couldn’t help it. She’s seven. Just last year, at this time, she was crying, because she thought Willy Wonka was terrifying. Not the movie, but the character. Willy Wonka, himself was nightmare inducing…and now she has a boyfriend.” Shelia laughed as she shook her head. “This is a typical thing, right?”

[ofmani]

"My son is the same way and he’s only five,” Imani answered with a slightly smug smile, unable to help it thinking of all the times he’d come home and asked to go buy his newest girlfriend at school some fake flowers from the dollar store that they were so often at. “He is convinced that he’s going to get married every other week. I’ve had my bobby pins taken to bring to them, so I already know my future. Alone.” 

[evie-williams]

“I hate watching these shows where girls cry about their hair getting cut…it’s like…it’s hair. It does grow back..I mean I get it. I love my hair long too, but I’m not going to throw a pity party if someone who knows something about style asks me to try it shorter.”

[ofmani]

“Some things can mean way more to another,” Imani raised a thick eyebrow, “some girl’s hair doesn’t grow back as quick, but I have no idea what kind of shows you’re talking about where people are crying about a hair cut from a professional. Sounds icky.” A beat. “Sorry — my five year old’s vocabulary is rubbing off on me.” 

[sthwhlr]

@ofmani​​

Things weren’t completely normal. But they felt like they were getting there. After the night they’d spent together, Seth and Imani had been texting back and forth almost constantly. He’d woken up the past two days to a string of texts detailing the stupid dreams Imani had. It made him happy and it felt like old times. At least at first. She hadn’t texted him back at all all day. He wasn’t the type to spam text when he wanted someone’s attention, so he’d just left it alone, periodically checking his phone in hopes of seeing a notification with her name on it. But to no avail.

A little strain of hope that it might be her at the door when he heard a knock rushed through him, but he ignored it. It was probably just his neighbor coming by to try to guilt trip him into buying from their kid’s fundraiser, like every year. So he was very surprised - pleasantly, though - when he opened the door to Imani. 

“Oh. Hey, Nala. Uh.” He stepped back a little to open the door wider, silently inviting her in. “What’s up?”

[ofmani]

Father’s Day. It was usually just to her, a day she would spend with her son, maybe go over and spend some time with her Grandfather since she didn’t have a Dad that her and Kion could bond with. Often, even at her age, Imani slipped and called the man and woman who took care of her her parents. 

Today was different. She couldn’t stop thinking about Seth. And if she was being honest, the last few days he had been on her mind. But not like today. Her stomach was heavy with guilt. Not often did Imani drink, but with Kion being with one of his ‘Uncles’ -- a cousin in her family, she had an entire bottle of wine to herself. 

“You need to know,” Imani mumbled as she glided past him, still somehow graceful even in her state, “you need to know and I should have told you when we first reconnected.” The lump was heavy in her throat, she had been thinking of how she would tell him for hours. Days. Years. But how would this ever come out right?

So, she held up the background on her phone. Ki smiling the happiest smile, “Do you ever think about how right after we stopped seeing each other I had him?” She let him gaze at the screen for a moment until the words nearly came vomiting out, “Did you ever notice that he has your smile? Your eyes?” 

[ofmani]

sthwhlr:

Their entire lives, Seth and Imani had been endlessly different. He was a brash kid, always picking fights on the playground and running into every situation headfirst. She was gentler, put more thought into everything. Too much thought, sometimes. But she drew out a soft side of Seth that no one else saw. He was still an asshole. Always still an asshole. But he wasn’t sure either of them could count the nights where they’d fallen asleep together with his head rested on her chest so he could listen to the sound of her heartbeat. They’d always still been themselves when they were together, but Seth had always been completely aware that they saved the best bits of themselves tended to only come out for one another.

Imani seemed happy as a mother. It suited her. It had come out of nowhere, but there was no denying that Kion completed something inside her. Even from afar Seth had always desperately admired how lit up she had always seemed lately. But the other part of him, the selfish part of him, had always been painfully aware that it meant his other half had changed. It had clicked a long time ago in his head that getting pregnant was part of the reason they’d drifted apart. It had to be. She had grown up and Seth hadn’t. All the joy she radiated couldn’t distract him from that.

When she caved though, and he swore he could see her composure relaxing when she did, Seth’s expression lit up. Like a kid seeing the first firework on New Year’s light up the night sky. A businessman, Seth had grown to calculate how things would pan out in the future before executing anything. But he wasn’t letting himself do that this time. He wanted another night with Imani and he wouldn’t let the knowledge that it’d only make the following day harder stop that.

“Fine with me. I like looking better than you anyway.” He led her through the couples dancing across the floor so they could leave. When they passed the guy that had been staring at her before, Seth immaturely shot a finger-gun and a wink his way with Imani close in tow. “We’re not going to that place. I almost died after that time.” An exaggeration, because Seth Wheeler didn’t experience anything without cranking his drama levels up to the max, but he had been sick enough to refuse to return. “We’ll get that Cajun place by your old apartment instead. So we can both get diarrhea.”

If Imani closed her eyes, she could remember everything about Seth. From his voice, to the way he laughed -- his genuine one, not the way he chuckled when someone said something he thought was absolutely idiotic. She remembered the birth mark that laid under his left bicep, how the scar felt on his chin from when he fell when they were racing their bikes down a hill. She remembered it all. 

And sometimes, she hated it.

Because it wasn’t triggered by seeing him again. It was some nights when she was desperate to share Kion with someone. For another person to love the five year old as much as his mother did. To see him as he was, the brilliant and blossoming happy boy that had so much love to give it wasn’t enough for his tiny body to handle. And every one of those nights, she wanted it to be Seth. 

“No one is doing any shitting tonight, Set. Unless we’re playing Mario Kart or laser tag, then I will absolutely shit on you.” A grin -- genuine large and made her pierced nose slightly wrinkle as she looked over at him. She nodded toward her car, letting the male follow her over. She always kept a pair of clothes in the back, for her and Kion. Imani stayed prepared, with the simplest things. She knew that after work she would smell too much like fries to show up at his school so she would quickly change in the trunk, as she was doing now, with her baby father who didn’t even know he was her baby father looking at her skeptically. Grabbing a beach towel, she threw it at his chest, “Hold that up for me.” 

[ofmani]

quinnrheex:

“That’s perfectly fine. Wherever you feel comfortable or happy is a place you should spend your free time at.” Quinn gave the woman a smile as she took a sip of her drink. “I, personally, like cafes or coffee shops– and I don’t go out much either. Although that’s more of a choice than a ‘not having time or opportunities to’ kind of thing. You want to leave?”

The woman’s words made her smile, her energy almost contagious. “I own a uh -- Mom and Pop’s type diner. It just called Ma and Pa’s -- I didn’t change it after this couple sold it to me, just kind of.. restored or modernized it. I like that feeling of home.” Imani rambled on before she nodded at the offer, “I would much rather be at a cafe that sells wine, or maybe alcoholic coffee. I’m already tired.” 

[ofmani]

camdenxavery:

Camden let out a small laugh and nodded, “I don’t get out much either, but then when I do I guess I remember why” he said with a small shrug of his shoulders. “And this place being as loud as it is is definitely a good reminder” he said. He looked around the crowded room and let out a sigh, “Everyone is screaming just to be able to talk to the person in front of them” he said before looking back to Imani, “is this just how people socialize these days?”

“Everyone glamorizes social lives,” Imani spoke as her gaze traveled along the room, then back to her company, who she was trying not to look directly in the eyes. Not only did she not get out much -- she didn’t talk to the opposite sex much and this man that towered over her made her squirm on the barstool slightly. “I hope not.” She answered back, “I wish I could tell you. I mean, I watch people eat most of the time, so.”