SECOND CHANCES (ORIGINAL WORK)

CHAPTER TEN

The following day, Aaliyah stood in front of her closet, disturbed by the state of her clothes. Bleach and paint-stained house cleaning clothes, the dress from the night at the club, and her work shirts. Nothing in between. She was in desperate need of a new wardrobe.

"I hate everything in my closet," she muttered to herself. "I have nothing to wear tonight."

A knock sounded at her front door and she jolted.

"Lia!"

Aaliyah walked to the door, opening it to Samantha.

She blinked, looking her up and down. She was dressed in sweatpants and a ribbed cotton top.

"Hi, Samantha."

"Oh, girl, you're not wearing that for your date tonight, are you?"

"It's not a date," Aaliyah said. "I'm making him dinner to thank him for the other night."

"Sounds like a date," Samantha said, and her face erupted in a large innocent smile. "What are you making?"

"Lasagna," she said impatiently, "and it's not a date."

"Whatever you saaaay," Samantha sang.

A small smile formed on Aaliyah's lips. "Would you like to come in?"

"Actually, I can't stay. I'm taking Matthew out for a playdate. I just came by to drop you off a few things." She nudged the two boxes sitting beside the door with her toe that she failed to notice until now. "Every few months I go through my closet and give everything I don't need to charity. They should fit you perfectly; shoes and everything."

"Samantha, I can't accept these," Aaliyah said gently, making no move to take the boxes sitting on her porch.

"Why not? They've just been hanging in my bedroom closet," Samantha argued. "Just take them."

"Samantha, I shouldn't—"

The woman was clearly growing irritated with her.

"I've been planning to give them away. I just haven't gotten around to it. Take. It."

Aaliyah still looked hesitant so she added in a gentler voice, "Please, I want you to have them."

She sighed and took the boxes as if the whole thing was more trouble than it was worth.

Samantha smiled, partly because she had won the fight. She turned and walked down the steps to her car. "There's some really cute dresses in there for your date tonight with my brother."

Aaliyah frowned. "Again, it's not a date."

Samantha laughed and gave her a little wave. "Whatever you say."

***

Once inside, Aaliyah placed the boxes beside the door and started the preparations for dinner.

It had been a long time since she'd eaten a real home-cooked meal, let alone cooked for someone else. Nathan had always criticized her cooking. For her, it always turned into a nightmare. She was constantly worried about whether he would erupt in anger if something was not prepared properly.