Carmen Page 15

  Mahogany was happy to see her in better spirits.

  “Looking good, mama,” she got up and hugged her.

  “Same to you. Tia, we didn’t really get to talk at the party.”

  They all looked at her as if she was crazy and she busted out laughing, “Okay, that was my fault…anyway. Congrats on another baby, when are you due?”

  Juice reached over and kissed his wife, who had just returned to her seat.

  “Any day now, girl. This is the last baby and thank you,” she said in one breath.

  He rubbed her thigh under the table. Knowing her well enough to know that something was on her mind. He couldn’t wait until they were in the car so he could ask her.

  Juice needed his wife in good spirits at all times, when she was down, so was he.

  “I hear that!” Mahogany agreed. She wasn’t having any more children either.

  “Yeah, we’ll see,” Porter gave her a look of lust in which she ignored because she was serious about never being pregnant again.

  Not only was it long and hard but the recovery was difficult especially when you were a performer. It took her forever to lose her baby weight. The frame she was in now, she planned on staying at for the rest of her days. She ate clean and lived in the gym. At her age, she was the healthiest she’d ever been, and it felt great.

  Working out had become almost better than sex and therapy. The release her body experienced after she pushed through an intense session with her trainer was liberating. She couldn’t believe she hadn’t gotten in the gym sooner.

  “You’re ready to start dating?” Porter asked his sister.

  She shook her head, “I got so much to do with my life. A man is the last thing on my mind.”

  Tia chimed in, “I read this article on XoNecole and Karruche said something interesting about dating her new boo. She basically said that she realized she could work on herself and focus on her career while also being in love.”

  Mahogany liked the sound of that, and she agreed, “I think that women especially women like us, who are naturally alpha women and self-motivated we put too much pressure on when we should date and who we should date.”

  “How would you know?” Porter questioned.

  His wife rolled her eyes, “Do y’all feel me?”

  Tia definitely did, “Yes.”

  The majority of her friends were still single for that very reason. They didn’t feel the versions of themselves that they needed to be which left them single. Often viewing themselves as unworthy of dating.

  Which wasn’t fair.

  Carmen knew that she should take their advice.

  “I don’t want nobody to be like she’s dating and living her life but don’t even have custody of her son,” she admitted to her people.

  Juice got up to get something else to drink, “Carmen, want me to have the Chef make you a plate?” he didn’t want to talk about that shit.

  Porter didn’t either.

  “What’s going on with that?” Tia wasn’t too familiar with the story but knew enough to ask.

  Carmen had a good day today and didn’t want to seep into her feelings. She continued to change the subject every time someone asked her about Kniko.

  She told the ladies, “I really don’t want to talk about it.”

  They understood.

  Mahogany reminded her, “You know I went through hell when I lost my baby.”

  It was still difficult to process at times, but time healed her.

  “I’m not giving up on him,” she promised, more so to herself than them.

  “And don’t!”

  The Chef appeared in the dining room with a heated plate and Carmen’s stomach leaped with joy.

  “I am starving,” she let them know before tearing the food up.

  Mahogany got Tia’s attention by coughing on the sly and Tia rolled her eyes.

  “Are you opening up The Showroom again?”

  She loved the concept. When she and Juice were living in Cali, she was a big supporter, shopping there often.

  “Yes, I plan on it.”

  Mahogany said, “You should style too though, I was serious about wanting you to style me. I know Juice probably needs you too.”

  Tia followed that up with, “Oh my God, yes he does. Carmen, he has a new artist and he’s been losing his marbles trying to find the perfect person. It’s you. You’re the one he needs!”

  She could’ve won an Oscar for her performance.

  Mahogany was holding back her giggles.

  Porter and Juice was on the other side of the door with bated breath.

  “Why didn’t he call me? Juice know I got ‘em,” she said casually.

  Carmen loved fashion. She could eat, sleep and dream in Vogue.

  “You know how he is, the most considerate man I know. He probably thought you were busy getting re-adjusted.”

  She shook her head as she forked another mouthful of the delectable dinner.

  “Girl, I don’t be doing nothing. I’m more than ready to get back to work.”

  Juice and Porter re-entered in perfect timing.

  “Babe, I found you a stylist,” Tia told her husband as he sat down.

  He popped a Brussel sprout in his mouth, “Oh yeah? Who?”

  Porter asked Mahogany, “Are we having dessert?” he had a taste for cheesecake.

  “I don’t know, you were the one in the kitchen. Why didn’t you ask?” she questioned, really wanting to know.

  Men could be kind of slow sometimes.

  He shrugged his shoulders, “I don’t know, it didn’t cross my mind.”

  Carmen told everyone, “Let the world know that Carmen Kincaid is back in business. I am available for consults and styling.”

  Porter removed his arm from where he’d had it resting behind Mahogany’s dining room chair and began to clap and whistle.

  “This is what I like to hear.”

  He was pleased.

  Juice said, “We need to pop a bottle. Sis about to be back out here killin’ em’.”

  Carmen nodded her head, “Snatching edges and breaking necks. You already know.”

  She closed her eyes as a few flashbacks crossed her mind. Every time she hit the scene; she would shut down the Internet. All the blog and gossip pages would post her in whatever she was wearing, and the comments would go crazy.

  No one could put that shit together like Carmen Kincaid.

  “I’m on it and thank you. Thank you…and thank you,” she laid eyes on every individual in the room.

  Lastly, she looked at Porter and expressed her appreciation for him.

  “You continue to show me what family really looks like and I’m grateful for you.”

  She meant every single word.

  Carmen didn’t come from a big family, but these people were her folks.

  Casey made sure everyone he hung with knew his lil’ sister. Porter took her under his wing and never let her go.

  “Always, sis.” He didn’t have no family either, so in reality, they were all each other ever had.

  Mahogany got up and said, “I’m thinking shots of chilled white Hennessey to commemorate this next chapter.”

  Porter gleamed at his baby.

  “Shots! Shots! Shots!” she danced as she returned with a tray of glasses.

  Tia pouted, she missed turning up and fucking her man all night on some drunk shit.

  Mahogany didn’t leave her out though, “Tia, you got apple juice!” she handed her the shot glass.

  Juice chuckled, “Aye, you lit babe.”

  Tia held her glass and waited on the others to receive theirs.

  “P, make a toast,” his wife instructed.

  He cleared his throat, “One time for the fragrance of this home. My Queen, my Bonnie, ride or die, homie, lover and best friend all in one,” he started it off.

  Mahogany tried her hardest not to blush but couldn’t help herself.

  She was dangerously in love with her brown skinned thang.


  “To my family, my lil’ bruh and his wife, I love y’all. We…” he said, looking at his baby.

  “We love y’all, every time we get together it’s nothing but good memories and laughs. Minus Tia rolling her eyes at me earlier,” he joked, causing everyone to laugh.

  Porter then turned to Carmen, “My lil’ sister whose back in the city ready to make a check! We behind you every step of the way.”

  Carmen lifted her glass and smiled, “Salud!”

  Everyone shouted, “Salud.”

  The night ended up being a beautiful one. When P and Mahogany finally laid down, after seeing everyone out, having sex and showering, they were sleepy as hell.

  “She’s happy.”

  Porter agreed while trying his hardest to stifle a yawn, “When are you going to tell her about Casey?”

  He sighed, “I don’t know. I know I need to soon. Eventually, she’s going to want to see him,” he had been holding out on bringing him up for the longest.

  “It’s going to be another setback for her, baby I’m telling you that now.”

  Carmen and Casey were once thick as thieves. You didn’t see one without the other. Life had hit them both hard as fuck. Carmen was able to bounce back whereas, her brother hadn’t been so lucky.

  Ten

  You make my worries fly away - Mahalia

  Neezy’s niece, Lira stopped by the studio looking like a grown ass woman.

  He turned around and panicked immediately at the sight before him. “Whoa, whoa,” he panted. The blunt that was barely being held up between his frail fingers dropped onto the blue carpet.

  Uncle Neezy wasn’t expecting her to have the boobies out. This was his kid niece. Well, not anymore. She was on the verge of becoming a woman.

  He wondered was all eyes on her.

  Neezy scanned the room and true enough, tongues were salivating at his youngin’.

  “I’ll meet you in the hallway,” he rushed her towards the door.

  Lira was visibly confused, “What’s wrong?”

  She placed her hands on her hips and snaked her neck out like only a black woman could do. He was annoyed by her antics in such a public setting.

  “Go outside!” he added bass to his voice that caused Mahogany to direct her attention towards the interaction.

  Either the chick was his shorty or his child. She looked to be under age so Mahogany wouldn’t jump to conclusions. She hoped that he didn’t have a thing for young girls.

  “Aye, I need like five minutes. Let me check in with my niece,” he explained to the engineer and producer. While turning to let the superstar know of the current dilemma she immediately told him, “You’re good, handle your business. I’m hungry anyway. Let’s start back in an hour,” she said after checking the time on her watch.

  That was enough time for him to spend with Lira.

  As soon as the door opened and he stepped out, he caught her taking selfies with her tongue out.

  Neezy snatched her phone, “Chill out.”

  He could only pray that she wasn’t having sex.

  “Unc, what is up with you?” she wanted to know.

  He motioned for her to follow him and picked his bottoms up in the process of walking down the hallway. Since he knew they would most likely be in the studio for an insane amount of hours, he dressed comfortably in a pair of Nike basketball shorts, Gucci rubber slides and a white t-shirt. Neezy was in his element, which was the studio. Creating music brought him so much peace.

  He didn’t expect for his niece to show up at the studio after she’d asked him what he was doing today. If she would’ve been more specific than he would have let her know that he was busy for the next few days. However, she was here now, and he did need to talk to her about her post-graduation choices.

  “Going forward, whenever you want to come kick it, dress like you got some sense.”

  It wasn’t up for debate so before she could give him any lip, he changed the subject and got right down to business.

  “The last time we talked about your schooling was a minute ago and you ended up storming off. Are you a little more mature now? Can we talk without you catching an attitude?” he had a lot of questions and not enough time to waste.

  Lira couldn’t keep up with all his rules. She shook her head and leaned against the wall of the lunch room in which he’d led her too and said, “I came to get some money.”

  She was hella confused, “Where is all this coming from?”

  He tapped his wrist although there wasn’t a watch on it and said, “The clock is ticking. We have to make a plan now.”

  “A plan for whattt?” she was lost.

  Neezy sighed. Sometimes, he really wished his brother made a better choice when he decided to get Lira’s mother pregnant, on purpose.

  Foolishly, he thought that him knocking her up would lock her down. But it didn’t.

  She saw nothing more than green dollar bills signs when she got with Money.

  Love was never a part of the equation.

  She loved her kid, but Lira was and still is a certified meal ticket.

  As long as she had her, she knew that Neezy would never allow her to go without.

  Life was grand.

  Meanwhile, her daughter was becoming a lost cause. She had no guidance or anyone positive to look up to.

  Neezy refused to allow history to repeat itself. Not only was he trying to change his fate, but he was adamant about doing the same with and for Lira.

  “I want you to come up with your top five schools. That’s all I’m asking you to do.”

  He wasn’t being difficult.

  “And like I told you the last time you tried to be my daddy. Thanks, but no thanks. I’m not interested in school. I want to be an entrepreneur,” she said, knowingly.

  Neezy wouldn’t knock that dream. He was surrounded by bosses. Shit, he was still a boss.

  “Okay, what kind of business do you want to start? Have you wrote out your business plan yet? Where’s the budget?” if she was serious about running her own company than he would do all he could to help her.

  Lira hadn’t gotten that far but she loved her uncle and didn’t want to disappoint him. “I’m working on it.”

  “Next Friday. We’re going to have lunch and you’ll present everything from me,” he gave her a deadline.

  She was actually busy but told him, “I’ll see what I can do.”

  That wasn’t acceptable for her uncle.

  “Next Friday, or I’m going to set up some school tours. Lira, I’m not playing with you. School or a business or I’m cutting you and your mother off.”

  She didn’t appreciate the ultimatum and it sort of felt like he was threatening her.

  “You wouldn’t dare. My father—"

  He wasn’t about to let her use the respect that he had for his own brother against him.

  Money was off-limits when it came to leverage.

  “Your father trusted me to make the right decisions when it came to your upbringing. I’m sure he would be doing the same thing.”

  She didn’t agree, “My momma ain’t got shit to do with this.”

  He shrugged his shoulders while deciding to keep his personal feelings about her crab ass momma to himself.

  “Yo, you heard what I said. That’s how I’m rocking. It is what it is,” he said with finality.

  He had enough time to run and get food before they resumed the session.

  “You hungry?”

  Lira wanted to tell him to go fuck himself but low key, she needed someone to push her towards greatness. None of her friends were pressed to go to school. Sadly, that was another reason why she didn’t want to attend. It would take the kids in her neighborhood to stop teasing her about being this prissy ass kid off the strength of her father’s legacy. Going to college would only give them something else to bully her about.

  She smiled at her uncle and nodded her head.

  “I could eat.”

  He returned the smile and drew her
in for a warm hug.

  “I’m your uncle. I always want the best for you, Lira.”

  He was happy to be home for a time such as this.

  They grabbed Jamaican carry-out and ate in the break room. Mahogany entered with a salad and bottle of water.

  “Oh my God, is that jerk fish?” It smelled so good.

  Lira’s face lit up as the superstar took the seat right next to her as if it wasn’t a big deal.

  Neezy told his niece, “She’s talking to you, baby girl.”

  Her ass was in a daze. On a cloud called, Mahogany.

  “Oh yeah, it’s snapper.”

  Mahogany wanted to taste it so bad.

  “Can I have a small piece? I want to add it to my salad.”

  Lira would’ve gave her the whole fucking plate. Her words stumbled off her lips, “Sure. Yeah. Have it all,” she slid the container towards her.

  “Girl, no. I only want a piece.”

  Lira mouthed to her uncle, “OMFG!”

  Neezy mouthed back, using the same star-struck expression she was wearing, “Stop cursing.”

  Yikes, he had his work cut out for him.

  They fell into a comfortable conversation and then it was time to head back to work.

  “Call me when you get home so I can know you made it safe,” he told his niece.

  “Okay I will. I’m about to call my Uber now.”

  Lira grabbed her cell phone from her back pocket.

  Mahogany chimed in, “You’re catching an Uber this late? No, my driver will take you. He ain’t doing shit.”

  She didn’t even wait for Neezy to say yes or no. She took Lira’s hand and led her outside to the back door.

  Lira looked over her shoulder and smiled widely.

  This was the best day ever.

  Neezy shook his head at her crazy self and headed back to the studio.

  He laid his verse and added a few adlibs to the bridge all in two hours. Mahogany went in after him and did what she did best.

  They smoked a total of nine blunts before finally feeling as if they’d given their all in the booth.

  When Porter and Juice arrived past the midnight hour, it was the first time everyone would hear the mastered track.

  The beat was riding. Everything came together perfectly.