Back to work.

On the road doing another photo shoot, this time in New York, and this time she brought her daughter who was allowed to do online learning for the week. She was glad she got to bring Atiya and show her the finer things in life.

They stayed in a five-star hotel, wore matching hotel robes, and chilled in the hot tub. She sipped champagne, Atiya with apple juice.

"Mom, can we live here?"

"Baby girl, let's live it up better than this. As Kitty says, why shop at the mall when we can buy the mall. We can buy this hotel."

"Buy it?"

"When the money is right." And her money was right. Maybe it was time to do big things with her money. Atiya's future was already stacked and tucked away safely. She wanted to spoil her child and give her everything she did not have growing up.

Like a father. Not only one, but two. Malik may not be her biological father, but he always treated her like his child. Atiya loved him too. Not that an additional father was needed, Dallas stepped up and did more than enough.

"Mommy, we don't need to buy the hotel just come here a whole lot. I like our house. It's close to Brandy and Monica."

"And family is everything."

She was glad Atiya had Brandy and Monica whom she treated like sisters and not cousins. They were close. And maybe she would have more cousins to play with, like IceeJay when he was older, and the twins' babies too. She wondered what they were having.

Knowing them, whatever it was, they both were having the same. If one was having a boy, they both were. Same for a girl. It would be perfect.

"Mommy, this is so fun!" Atiya squealed with delight.

Now they enjoyed mommy and daughter massages in their suite. And this was all courtesy of KStyle Fashions, she did not have to drop a dime.

After they enjoyed their massages, they were given manicures, pedicures, and facials. Then the work began. She rushed off to the first photo shoot. Atiya stayed with her the whole time, getting catered to and coddled by the crew that adored her. It took less than two hours they spoiled her and were wrapped around their finger.

After the first shoot, they prepped for the next shoot.

"Mommy, I want to take pictures with you too. Can I?"

"See, when your auntie makes kid's clothes, maybe you can model them for her."

"Cool! Okay."

"Maybe we can get Atiya in a couple of pictures," the shoot director said. "She doesn't need to wear KStyle to be in it. We can come up with something."

And so he did.

It was incredible to see her daughter light up and take to the camera. She was a natural. She got her looks from her momma, it was true. Not to forget her spunky personality. Of course, she got her book smarts from her father. Dallas was the smartest man she knew. That's what initially attracted her to him, not his looks.

Once they got back to their hotel suite, she Facetimed with Krystle to see what she was up to and let her know the shoot went great.

"Hey sis," she greeted her, from her bed.

"Sis, it's not even late there, why are you in bed?"

"Huh?"

She was going to play ignorant now. Must be those pregnancy hormones kicking in, so she was going to leave that alone.

"Just wanted to let you know Atiya did a photoshoot with me. You're not going to trip over that, are you?"

"Why would I? I'm not the boss, Fayme is. Run that through her and not me."

"It's your clothes, right?"

"Yes, but that's not how it works. I work for Fayme, we all work for Icee. Shit...I mean, shoot girl, I design clothes, I know little to nothing about the marketing of them."

"Speaking of...since you want to be a dumbass. Why are y'all not making kids' clothes? Atiya wanted to wear some clothes you made and they just threw a white t-shirt on her and some basic ass jeans. You know there's a market for it."

"I mean, yeah...but fuck...I mean, frick it, we just added two more lines, now you want us to do more?"

"You don't see Beyonce or Rihanna staying basic. Ain't a basic bone in the Kelly DNA, I'm trying to help yo ass. Bye, sis."

She was going to stay out of the business and continue being a pretty face.

Soon as she put Atiya to bed, she sat in her hotel robe and nothing else and stood on the balcony to watch the New York skyline. It was freezing, but the cold wind felt good on her face. Make-up scrubbed off, wig off, so the breeze blew threw the cornrows on her head. She had to admit, she loved modeling now. She thought it would take her away from her kid, her family, but it only brought them closer.

She could not wait to get back home and see her nieces and nephews. Spending time with them was just as important. IceeJay being the only boy in their family, so far anyway, meant he was going to be spoiled rotten.

If she ever had another kid, she wanted a boy.

If that was in the cards for her.

With which guy? Dallas of course, he was really a great father. She already knew he would be to their son. But Malik wasn't half-stepping. He loved Atiya like his own. He surely wanted a child of his own.

If she did that, she definitely would have to end things with Dallas.

Her phone buzzing made her stop her dreaming and answer the phone. As if she conjured him up, it was Malik.

"Hey, you."

"Hey babe, just wanted to call and let you know I was thinking about you."

"That's sweet."

"You're still in New York City?"

"Yes, with Atiya. We had so much fun today, that girl is getting spoiled."

"I want to be the one that spoils you. The both of you. How long are you going to be there, I want to swing by and spend some time with you."

Malik had the type of job he could drop everything and fly wherever. As a sports agent, he had a few athletes in the New York area. Though it would be great to spend some time with him, she was there for work.

"Malik, not this time. I have two more days and my schedule is tight, and then I just want to kick it with my daughter."

"But I want to see you. I miss you. Ash baby, I'll fly in for the day, spend the night, and then that's all. I could watch Atiya while you're at work so you don't have to drag her to the shoot."

"I'm not dragging her to the shoot, she loves going,"

"Then stop in Chicago on the way back home babe. You know I got you."

That was a thought. At least for a day. There was no rush to get back to the salon.

"Okay, deal."

She went back inside the room, checked Atiya, then got a drink of water before she readied herself for bed. She tied her scarf over her braided hair, slipped into a nightshirt, and slipped under the covers when the phone went off again. Probably Dallas now, of course, he wanted to spend time with her as well.

She groaned when she looked at it. Not Dallas, it was her big sister.

"Hey, girl."

"Are you going to be back home for Brandy's birthday party on Saturday?"

Oh, shit, she forgot all about that. As much as she loved her nieces, she was not good at remembering their birthdays. She barely remembered all her sisters, so throw in extra people and she was lost. She was a bad auntie. She would have to find her a gift and bring it back with her.

"They have me working through the weekend. I was flying back on Sunday, and now Dallas wants me to stop and see him."

"What the hell? So you can't come to see your niece, who adores you, and celebrate with family? Dallas can wait, he's not family."

"And what about dad? Are you inviting him?"

"Helllllll nooo! What the fuck? Are you on crack? I told you how he only wanted back in our life to use me and my position at Da Hitz Factory. Girl bye."

"Wait. What about CJ? What about inviting our brother?"

"And I said, bye!"

Then Sarena hung up on her. When would her big sister stop being the mean girl? That was not cute. And when did she make all the rules for the family? If she was going to be in town, she for sure wanted to invite CJ, but since she wouldn't even be at the party, she left it at that.

She wanted to meet her brother.

A/N: This really was a filler chapter, trying to see how Ashley is the glue for the sisters and her bond with her daughter. I still have not showcased the real Ashley, she's so fun.