He smiled. “I told you I didn’t.”
“You also told me you were a record producer. But that was just a big act.”
“Ouch. Guess I deserved that one. I was just trying to impress you, that’s all. But to answer your question, no. I never got with Shay. I met Shay a couple of times because I did business with her father.”
“Did business? What kind of business?”
Sammy raised an eyebrow. “I was his weed guy before I graduated to the more powerful stuff.”
I couldn’t help but smile. So Shay knew my man was a drug dealer. That’s why she had been smirking. Boy, this was definitely something I wouldn’t live down.
“And the reason you didn’t want me at your house? Do you live with your baby mama?”
“I hate that term. She’s the mother of my child. We co-parent, but we’re not together.” He paused. “I kept stuff ... in my place and just never wanted to put you in harm’s way.”
“And your crackhead uncle?”
“Just a dude I used to sell to.”
“Why did you get involved in drugs?” I asked him, shaking my head as I processed everything.
“It’s all I’ve known. Not making excuses, but it is what it is. Just make sure you tell Travis to leave this life alone. It ain’t for him.”
It definitely wasn’t. I knew one thing, I was going to tell my dad about Aunt Bev’s illness. Because it made no sense that Travis should have to resort to criminal activity.
“Maybe when I get out, I can take a page out your book. Find me something I’m good at and do it,” Sammy said.
I nodded. I thought about his demos. He had the skills to make that happen. “Maybe you really can become a record producer. You have an ear for it.”
She nodded. “Maybe I’ll write me some songs while I’m doing my time.”
“You can do it. You can do anything you set your mind to.”
“Except get you,” he said softly.
I smiled, but didn’t answer because he was right. I liked him. I really did. But I didn’t do drug dealers. Or liars. Or baby daddies. Or dudes facing seven years in prison.
“So, you gon’ write to me in prison?” Sammy asked with a sly smile. My eyes widened and he laughed. “Yeah, a diva like you doesn’t do prison.”
I didn’t know how to respond to that because he was right. As much as I cared for Sammy, my Louboutins wouldn’t be clicking across any prison grounds, and I dang sure wasn’t about to be some prison pen pal. So as far as I was concerned, this was good-bye.
Chapter 41
I took a deep breath, put my game face on, and dove in.
“What’s up everybody, it’s your girl, Maya Morgan coming at you for the latest episode of Rumor Central. Grab your shovels because I’ve got the scoop. You know the K2 craze that’s sweeping the country? Well, we can tell you one area where they are clamping down on the disastrous drug. Right here in Rumor Central’s home base. That’s right, if you’re looking for K2 in Miami, you might have to look a little harder. That’s because police have shut down one of the largest K2 rings in the country. They have the K2 kingpin behind bars and you won’t believe who it is. Rumor Central has the exclusive details that brought down a drug network.”
I pointed to the TV screen propped next to me showing video of a handsome man in an expensive suit being led into the police station. “Recognize this man?”
I waited for the nineties sitcom Donovan Davis used to star in to pop up on the screen. “Okay, what about now? You can catch him on reruns on Nick at Nite, but he hasn’t done anything lately. That’s because he hung up his Hollywood shoes and traded them for something a lot more lucrative. That’s right, Donavan Davis was allegedly responsible for the pipeline that was funneling K2 into the States. He was apparently at the top of the food chain and after a two-year investigation, police have finally shut him down.”
I turned to camera two and kept talking. “You know I once heard a very famous rapper say ‘snitches get stiches,’ but obviously the drug dealers of today don’t live by that motto. Police struck a deal with notorious drug supplier Nico Caruthers, allegedly Donovan’s top man. And in order to cut a deal, Nico sang like his name was Aretha Franklin. Yes, he told police everything he knows, and now it’s our understanding that he’s in a witness protection program. So, don’t go looking for him. But if you want to find Donovan, his new address is the federal pen.” I finished up that story, tossed to commercial, then came back and wrapped up the show.
I was actually glad when the closing music came up. Once I got the all clear I removed my earpiece.
“Great job, as usual,” Tamara said, walking over to me. Dexter was by her side. They’d watched the show from the studio instead of the offices, where they normally watched.
“Yeah, it was good, but I still think you should’ve played up your part in everything,” Dexter said.
“Nah, I’m good.” I had gotten my fifteen minutes as it related to this whole drug thing. Now, I needed to go back to what I did best—regular celebrity gossip. This drug game was a little too real for me.
“I knew when I heard that message about you being sick, something was up,” Tamara said as we walked back to my office.
“I wish you had followed your gut,” I replied. “You’re the one always telling me to follow my gut.”
Tamara nodded. “You are right.”
“Aren’t I always?” I smiled.
“This could’ve ended very badly.” Tamara shook her head like she was imagining everything that could have gone wrong. “I’m just glad it didn’t. I can’t go losing my star.”
“Is that all you’re worried about, losing your star?”
She laughed. “Or my mini-me.”
I walked into my office and tossed my papers on my desk before doing a slow twirl. “No disrespect, Tamara, but I’m a tad bit more fabulous than you.”
I loved our relationship because even though she was my boss, I knew she wouldn’t take offense to that.
She smiled at me. “If that’s what you gotta tell yourself, so be it. Enjoy your time off. You’ve earned it.”
I told her and Dexter good-bye as I started gathering my things. Next week was spring break and our senior trip, and I was so ready to relax and have a good time.
On the drive home, I was thinking of all the fun I planned to have in Cancun, which was where we were going for our senior trip.
I got home to find Travis and Sheridan standing out front.
I pulled up and parked. “Hey, what’s up?” I asked after I got out.
“Nothing,” Sheridan said, glancing down.
Travis didn’t say anything.
“What’s really going on?” I held up my hands in defense. “And I’m just asking. I’m not trying to get in your business. I told you, I’m done. If you guys want to ride off into the sunset, then it’s fine by me.”
Sheridan stunned me when she said, “No, you were right. We shouldn’t have hooked up.”
I couldn’t help but smile. “Oh, you’re not really with that thug lovin’, huh?” I joked.
Travis cut his eyes at me.
Sheridan shrugged and said, “Yeah, we can still be cool, Travis, but I’m not about that life.”
He stared at her and simply said, “I understand.”
Sheridan actually held her hand out for him to shake and this fool took it. I just laughed.
“That’s all I wanted, Travis. Maya, sorry, I have to go. My mom is coming to town.”
“All right. Talk to you later.”
Both Travis and I watched her get into her silver Mercedes and drive off. I turned to my cousin, who was standing there just staring at her. Was he about to cry?
“I guess you’re not used to getting dumped?” I said.
“Nah, I’m not. The bad part is I was really feelin’ her. More than any girl I’ve ever been with. But she’s right. She deserves better.”
I draped my arm through his. “It’s okay. You live and you learn.�
�� I leaned back and stared at him. “You have learned, right?”
He nodded. “Boy, have I ever.” He turned to me. “I’m really sorry.”
“I know you are.”
We stood in silence for a few minutes, until he just abruptly turned and began walking inside.
“Travis, what are you doing?” I grabbed his arm to stop him.
He stopped, leaned in, and gave me a peck on the cheek. “I appreciate everything you’ve done for me. I really do. But I have to make this right.”
I looked at him in confusion, but he just turned and walked back in the house. Of course, I quickly followed him. Inside the foyer, he made a left and went straight to my dad’s office. He lightly tapped on the door.
“Uncle Myles, do you have a minute? I need to talk to you.”
My dad looked up from his papers. I guess the seriousness of Travis’s tone caught him off guard because he frowned as he set his pen down.
“Yes?”
Travis eased inside. I watched him from the hallway. I just knew he wasn’t about to do what I thought he was about to do!
“I have something I need to tell you. I know you brought me here for a second chance, a fresh start and I ... I just ... I just wanted ...”
“Well spit it out, son,” my dad said.
I immediately stepped up with a huge grin on my face. “He just wanted to say how happy he is to be here. He just finished telling me about how lucky he is to have a second chance.” Travis stared at me while I talked. “So he just wanted to say thank you.”
My dad smiled. “I’m happy to have you here. You’re a part of this family, Travis. I actually was coming to talk to you in a little bit. I just got off the phone with Bev. I can’t believe you all didn’t tell me how sick she was.”
“She told you?” he asked, shocked.
My father nodded. “Yes. But why didn’t you tell me?”
“She wanted us to figure out a way ourselves,” Travis replied. “I wanted to tell you so bad.”
“That’s what family is for,” my dad said. “It makes no sense for her to be in need and not be able to come to me. It does no good for me to make all this money if I can’t help out my own family.” He leaned forward and sternly said, “Understand this, we are going to get your mother the best of treatment and she’s going to be well taken care of.”
It seemed like a tremendous weight was immediately lifted off Travis’s shoulders. He relaxed and a slow smile crept up on his face. “I tried to tell mama that.”
My dad smiled too. “Well, I think she knows it now.”
“Well, that’s just beautiful,” I said, grabbing Travis’s arm. “We’re going to let you get back to work. Come on, Travis. Bye, Dad.”
I pulled Travis out of the office. I didn’t say anything until we were in his room, with the door closed.
“What were you doing?” I asked.
“I was about to come clean,” he replied.
“Yeah. No.”
“I was trying to do right.” Travis sighed.
“Now, you want to do right. You have a fresh start. Take it.”
Travis looked around his room, then blew a long breath. “I guess you’re right.”
“I know I’m right.”
He pulled me toward him in a bear hug. “Maya Morgan, I’m so happy to have you as my cousin.”
I hugged him back, then stepped back. “As well you should be. It’s not every teen that can survive being kidnapped and still come out more fabulous than ever.”
“I love you, girl.”
I smiled, and winked. “I love me, too. Holla!”
A READING GROUP GUIDE
REAL AS IT GETS
ReShonda Tate Billingsley
ABOUT THIS GUIDE
The following questions are intended to
enhance your group’s reading of
REAL AS IT GETS.
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS
1. From the start, Maya makes it clear that she doesn’t cover stories this “real.” Do you think she should’ve stuck to her usual gossip, or was it truly a situation where “her voice” was needed?
2. Maya is dead set against Travis and Sheridan getting together. Why do you think she was so against it? Whose side should she have taken when the two of them fell out?
3. Maya was always giving Sheridan a hard time, but she was in the dark about Sammy. Do you think she let things slide? What were some of the things that should’ve made her ask more questions?
4. Why do you think Sheridan was so blinded when it came to Travis?
5. Maya never wanted to get caught up in the drug scene. Why do you think she was so determined to “just say no”?
6. Sheridan told Maya, “You’re supposed to be my girl. How could you not have told me about Angel?” However, when Maya first tried to tell her, Sheridan wouldn’t listen. Should Maya have tried harder to come clean? Why or why not?
7. Should Tamara and Dexter have stopped Maya from going undercover? Do you think they had some responsibility as her employers to make sure she didn’t do anything dangerous?
8. Margarita seemed to love her lifestyle with Nico. Why do you think she was the one who ultimately decided to turn him in?
9. Sammy took the blame for everything, letting Travis off free and clear. Why do you think he did that?
10. In the end, Travis almost came clean with his uncle, but Maya convinced him not to do it, saying everyone deserves a fresh start. Do you agree? Should Travis still have told his uncle about his involvement? Why or why not?
Rumor Central continues with
Truth or Dare
Coming in June 2014
Wherever books and eBooks are sold
Chapter 1
I couldn’t stop smiling as I watched the commercial with white sandy beaches, crisp blue water, and hot-bodied people walking up and down the beach. In just a few days, that would be me. Of course, I would be a lot cuter than that busted-looking chick in this commercial. Oh yeah, it was about to be on!
“Stand by,” my director, Manny, said, snapping me out of my daze.
I turned back to the camera to get my shine on (not that it ever left), but I got into serious focus mode when the camera turned on. As the popular host of the hottest celebrity gossip show—not just in Miami, but in the country—I always had to bring my A game.
“And we’re back in five, four, three, two ...” Manny pointed to me as the Rumor Central theme music came up.
“What’s up, everybody?” I began. “It’s your girl, Maya Morgan, and we hope you’ve enjoyed today’s edition of Rumor Central. You’d better believe that we’re all over this latest story about Usher, and you’ll want to make sure you keep it locked here to get the latest scoop. But you’ll have to tune in two weeks from now because your girl is out! That’s right, I’m heading to Cancún, Mexico, for a little fun in the sun, rest, and relaxation, and an all-around great time at the world famous Spring Break Fling!”
This weeklong event had been going on for a few years, but in the past couple of years, celebs started going and that took things to a whole other level. Granted, I was going with my senior class, but I wasn’t about to tell my viewers that. I didn’t need the world to see I was getting excited about a high school thing. But make no mistake, I was excited.
Manny gave me the cue to wrap, so I said, “Yours truly will be all up in the mix, so enjoy the break. I know I will. Until next time, holla at your girl.”
The theme music came up again as the credits started rolling. I couldn’t get my earpiece out of my ear fast enough.
“Bye, Manny,” I called out, not bothering to wait for a reply. I was so ready for a vacation. Since I’d started as host of Rumor Central, I had become a workaholic, which wouldn’t be so bad if I wasn’t seventeen and in the prime of my teen years. But hey, you couldn’t be on top—and stay on top like me—by being a slacker. As Diddy says, “I’ll sleep when I die.” So, I wasn’t making plans to sleep in Cancún, but I was going to kick it. Even
though my girl Kennedi didn’t go to school with us in Miami (she lived in Orlando), I’d managed to finagle her on to this trip. (Hey, when you were a rich chick like me, you made your own rules).
Anyway, between Kennedi and my other BFF, Sheridan, this was going to be nothing but fun.
“Looks like somebody is ready to go,” my executive producer, Tamara, said, approaching me as I speed-walked down the hall back to my office.
“Well, that’s the understatement of the year. I am so ready to get out of here,” I replied, stopping to face her.
Dexter, the show producer, stood next to her smiling mischievously. Dexter was Tamara’s partner in crime and ever since they had canceled the reality show, Miami Divas, which I starred in with four other people, and given me my own show, they were always conspiring with one another.
“Uh oh,” I said, my gaze darting back and forth between the two of them. Whenever Dexter got that look in his eyes, something was up. It meant his mind was churning.
I glanced at my watch. I had fifteen minutes before I was off. So I didn’t need his mind to be churning with anything concerning me.
I decided I wasn’t even going to ask question. “Umm, okay then, I’ll see you guys in two weeks,” I said, trying to step around them.
“Hold on,” Tamara said, following me. “We’re going to walk with you to your office.”
I looked back and forth between the two of them. “I’m off in fifteen minutes.”
“This will only take ten,” Dexter said, giddy like he was hiding some big secret.
“Okay, what’s up?” I said. I walked in my office and started gathering my things. I would listen, but I didn’t want to stop and make them think I was giving them too much of my time.
“Well,” Tamara said as she exchanged glances with Dexter. “We know you’re about to head to Cancún with your friends and Dexter and I were talking ...“
Dexter was so excited that he couldn’t even let her finish. “And we think now would be the perfect time to take the show on the road.”
Real As It Gets Page 16
