Jake led Lily onto the balcony and they sat down together. Together, they watched the sun set over the water without exchanging a single word.
Z folded the paper into fourths and stuffed it in his back pocket, the same way he did every day since he got the results in the mail. A few times he opened it up. But he hadn’t had the nerve to actually read the paper. Not yet.
Z walked quickly, making his way to the Brooklyn Diner for the last time. He tapped on the window and startled Alex, who jumped a bit and then smiled when she saw that it was him. As soon as he slid into the booth across from Alex, she slid a sheaf of papers in his direction.
“I finished last night,” said Alex. “I made all the changes you asked for.”
“Do you like it?” Z asked, thumbing through the pages.
“I love it. I just wish we had a title.”
“It’ll come. In the meantime, I want to thank you for everything.”
“I was just doing my job,” Alex said.
“I’m not easy to work with.”
Alex sucked her teeth.
“Please. You were a dream.”
Alex and Z shared a long look. It said everything and nothing.
“I’m going to miss working with you,” Z said. He kept his eyes on the table and played with a straw wrapper.
Alex cleared her throat.
“Um, yeah, me too.”
“I guess I won’t have a reason to see much of you now that we’re all done.”
“Probably not.”
Another awkward silence.
“You made it,” Alex whispered. “I’m proud of you.”
“Made what?”
“You made it out of the hell that was your life for thirty years,” Alex said.
“I did.”
“And you did it against all odds.”
Z smiled.
“Thanks for giving me the title for my book,” he said, scribbling the words across the top page of the book.
“Against All Odds,” Alex said. “I like it. It fits.”
“I think so.”
“What about you, Alex? What’s going on with you and Birdie?”
Alex closed her eyes and shrugged.
“We’re going to try and work it out.”
“I’m really glad to hear that. From what I know, he’s a good dude.”
“He is a good dude,” said Alex. “But we have a lot of work to do. There are some things I just won’t accept.”
“My wife accepted a lot from me.”
“Would you do the same for her?”
Z’s hands instinctively went to his back pocket where the paper folded in fourths was tucked inside. He sat back down at the booth.
“Can I tell you something?”
“Of course,” said Alex. “Anything.”
“It’s really personal.”
Alex gave Z a look.
“You just spent the last year telling me your life story.”
“Good point,” Z said. He looked around the diner and back at Alex. “There’s a good chance that my daughter is actually not my daughter.”
“What are you talking about?” asked Alex.
“I think Beth cheated on me when I was with Cleo.”
“Impossible.”
“It’s just a feeling.”
“What are you going to do about it?”
Z pulled the paper out of his pocket and put it on the table.
“I got a paternity test.”
“And?”
“I haven’t opened it.”
Z and Alex both looked down at the paper on the dinner table.
“What happens if she’s not your child?” Alex asked.
Z looked up at Alex.
“I’ve cheated on Beth hundreds of times,” said Z. “But when I think about her with someone else and then getting pregnant.”
“You’ve gotten women pregnant. More than once.”
“I’m aware of that.”
Alex picked up the paper and turned it around and around in her hand. She held it out to Z.
“You might as well get it over with.”
Z slipped the paper back into his pocket.
“I’m going to go.”
Alex stood up and gathered her things. They walked out of the diner together and stopped at the entrance.
“Stay in touch with me,” Alex said.
“I will.”
“And whatever you find out . . .”
“I’ll be fine, Alex. Don’t worry about me.”
At home, Z sat in the driveway in front of his house for twenty minutes. His hands, clutching the folded paper, were warm and sweaty. He folded and unfolded the paper dozens of times, never looking down to read it.
Finally, he put the paper back into his pocket and went to the door. Before he put his key in, he could hear the kids screaming and laughing. Z came into the house and Zeke and the baby flew past him, laughing hard and out of breath.
“Slow down, you two!” Z yelled.
He moved out of the way just in time to avoid getting knocked down by Zakee, who was chasing them. Z shook his head and went into the kitchen. Beth stood at the counter, chopping vegetables.
“Hey, you,” Z said.
Beth smiled and looked up.
“Did you get the book from Alex?”
Z took the manuscript out of his bag and passed it to Beth.
“I want you to be the first one to read it.”
“I’m honored. Your son is home for the weekend. He’s in the family room.”
Z fell silent and watched his wife as she began to read the book. Her hair fell down, covering her face as she read and every so often, she absentmindedly pulled her hair back and held it in place at the nape of her neck. Her lips moved quickly as she read, yet she turned the pages slowly.
Z went into the family room where all the kids were lying around watching television. Zander came up to his father and slapped hands with him.
“How’s school?” Z asked.
“It’s cool,” said Zander. “I think I’m where I belong.”
Z smiled and then noticed Zakee looking up at him with a question in his eyes that Z wasn’t sure he could answer. They had barely spoken a word to each other since the day he did the test and saw him in the hallway. Z simply sat on the sofa and gestured for his son to join him.
Zakee sat next to his father. Z threw a hand over his son’s shoulders and squeezed his arm. Zach and Zeke were on the floor, racing cars over imaginary tracks while their baby sister tried to steal the cars away.
Z stared at his baby girl. Many years before, his beloved grandmother told him that a baby girl would save his life. She told him that at some point, he and Beth would have a little girl. And it would be then that he would finally get his life cleaned up. They had four boys back to back while Z slipped deeper and deeper into the abyss of addiction. And as soon as Beth got pregnant the last time, he started finding the strength to kick his habits. Long before the baby was born, he knew it was a little girl. And he knew that somehow she was giving him the strength to make all the changes he needed to.
And indeed, his life was much different. He was sober, clearheaded, and whole. And he was in love with his family—every single member. No matter where they came from or how they got there . . .
“Kipenzi, come to Daddy,” said Z, holding out his arms.
The baby toddled over to Z and then giggled when she finally made it and collapsed in his arms.
“You know Daddy loves you, right?”
Kipenzi just laid her head on Z’s shoulders and yawned. Z stood up, still holding Kipenzi and walked to the kitchen. He took the paper out of his back pocket and put it in the sink. He rummaged through the junk drawer for a lighter. He found one and lit the paper. Kipenzi watched the flames, transfixed.
Z turned on the faucet and the water doused the flames, leaving charred flakes of paper. He rinsed out the sink, sending the ashes down the drain.
He went back to the family room and looked
out at his family, Kipenzi still on his hip. Beth looked up at him, smiled, and then went back to reading the book. Z stood in the doorway, not moving. Just watching. He felt hot, salty tears coming down his face and didn’t bother to wipe them away. The baby fell asleep on his shoulder as he held her. He closed his eyes and let the tears continue to fall, a smile on his face.
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
Much love, thanks, and respect to my agent Ryan Harbage, my editor Allegra Ben-Amotz, and the entire Touchstone team. And thank you to my early readers for encouragement and direction: Anita Johnson, Michael Arceneaux, Demetria Lucas, and Shydel James.
TOUCHSTONE READING GROUP GUIDE
Diamond Life
By Aliya S. King
Journalist Alex Maxwell’s star is on the rise. And her husband Birdie is getting a bigger taste of fame as he joins the ranks of famous rappers, complete with McMansions, world tours, and tempting fans who threaten their marriage. Meanwhile, the industry’s biggest players are overcoming their own demons and struggling to maintain their relevance in a world where the next big thing rules. This follow-up to the novel Platinum gives an inside look into a glittery industry where alcohol, sex, scandal, money, and betrayal can taint the reality of finally “making it.”
FOR DISCUSSION
1. “It’s beautiful. But it’s so cliché,” Alex says of the house Birdie wants to buy in New Jersey. How is Birdie’s rise to fame, including leaving Brooklyn for a mansion in the suburbs, groupies, and staring in a reality show indicative of celebrityhood today?
2. Many of the artists struggle to maintain relevance within pop culture. Which character do you think is most afraid of losing his or her edge? Whose career is most in jeopardy?
3. What are the most important factors that led to Z’s transformation? What event ultimately led to his redemption?
4. Discuss the treatment of women in Diamond Life. Why are the men so flippant toward women? Why do you think the women tolerate this behavior?
5. Discuss Alex as a strong, independent female in contrast to the other women in the book. Where do Josephine, Lily, Beth, Bunny, and Cleo show their greatest strengths and weaknesses?
6. What habits did Zander learn from his father, and how did this influence his relationship with Bunny? How does Z’s transformation contrast to his son’s setbacks?
7. Discuss the theme of forgiveness in the book, from Birdie’s infidelity to Lily’s lies to Jake. What actions do you feel are most unforgivable?
8. What do you think is the cause of Beth’s distant attitude toward Z? Do you think Z is the real father of baby Kipenzi?
9. What was the breaking point for Alex in her marriage to Birdie? Discuss her rationale for having an abortion.
10. What do you think will be Cleo’s role in the future of Josephine’s baby?
11. Who is the most motivated by money? Who is most in search of the “diamond life”? Explain.
12. Why did no one intervene in Jake’s self-destructive behavior following Kipenzi’s death?
13. Discuss the gender stereotypes among the characters in the book. In this world, what are the differing attitudes about cheating, alcohol abuse, and violence for men versus women?
14. Why are Josephine, Beth, and even Alex so willing to turn a blind eye to their husbands’ philandering?
15. Discuss the meaning of Z’s statement, “Triumph and disaster are both imposters.” To whom does this most apply in Diamond Life? How has it played out in your own life?
A CONVERSATION WITH ALIYA S. KING
While writing your first novel Platinum, did you always have this sequel in mind?
In the beginning, when I first began writing Platinum, I definitely did not have a sequel in mind. As it was my first novel, I had no idea it would ever see the light of day! I was just really excited about finishing the novel. But as I began to get closer to the end of the novel, I did start wondering what would become of my characters and how their lives might change in that fictional universe.
You’ve said you related to Alex in Platinum. Do you relate to any of the characters in Diamond Life?
I still relate to Alex quite a bit. We’re both writers who cover the same beat and work for the same publications, so we have a lot in common.
As a woman writer, how difficult was it for you to portray female characters as objects of desire, or as scorned wives? Why do these women take such abuse from their partners? How much is this a reflection of the hip-hop industry as you see it?
It’s not just a reflection of hip-hop. It’s a reflection of celebrity, period. Gene Simmons from KISS just married his girlfriend of twenty-eight years. A lot of folks wondered why on earth she would stick around that long when she wanted to be married. I don’t think that problematic relationships are hip-hop specific. Give someone fame and fortune and relationships may suffer, no matter what genre of entertainment they’re involved in.
How difficult is it for celebrity journalists to keep their objectivity when writing about their subjects? Did Alex cross any lines in writing Z’s memoir?
Good question. Going with Z to a twelve-step meeting could be seen as crossing a line. (Although I would do the same thing in her position.) If I’m writing someone’s book, I want to see as much of his world as I possibly can. It’s a thin line, and I think many journalists cross it at some point.
What was the reasoning behind the inclusion of Lily’s storyline, a character who did not appear in Platinum? How would the world of Diamond Life react to a relationship between her and Jake?
I really thought a lot about what would become of Jake after I finished writing Platinum. He loved Kipenzi so much. How could she possible be replaced? I wanted to see what it would take for Jake to open up and feel for someone again. And then what would he do if this woman was not who he thought she was? Also, I’m very interested in how the hip-hop world would handle a relationship between Jake and someone like Lily. Would they be accepted? Probably not. A bigger question would be: Does a relationship like Lily and Jake’s exist right now? I’d love to know!
How “ripped from the headlines” is this book, in comparison to Platinum?
It’s not as ripped from the headlines as Platinum. Platinum was heavily based on a real life article that I wrote for Vibe, so the similarities were heavier there. Diamond Life does have elements of real life. But it’s more ripped from my mind than ripped from the headlines. I love answering those what-if questions!
When we pick up with the characters in Diamond Life, it seems that many of them have forgotten the sting of Cleo’s tell-all book in Platinum. Why wasn’t there more of an outcry? Who was the most hurt by Cleo’s book?
I don’t know if they’ve forgotten. I think it’s more that they are trying to move on. It’s been a year, and the damage has been done. Ras was the most affected by Cleo, in my opinion, and that continues to be the case in Diamond Life!
Were there any unanticipated reactions to Platinum you wanted to address in Diamond Life?
I never imagined that readers would be so affected by the outcome of one of the major characters in Platinum. I still get messages on Facebook and Twitter about it! So in Diamond Life, I almost wanted to change what happened to a major character in Platinum. But I couldn’t do it. There was tragedy in Platinum and it had to remain so.
Whose book will be a bigger seller—Cleo’s or Z’s? Why?
Probably Cleo’s. She was dishing dirt. Z is just coming clean about his own problems in life. Plus, everyone’s already heard crazy stories directly from Cleo! She beat him to the punch!
Birdie’s song states, “All I want is a fist full of dollars.” What are the realities of sudden wealth for both the characters in the book and the players in the music industry?
In reality, does a fist full of dollars ever end well? How many of today’s most successful rap acts remain so for the life of their careers? It’s always a risk. And the sudden wealth is often very blinding. And when you’re blinded by the diamond life, you don’t alwa
ys make great choices.
ENHANCE YOUR BOOK CLUB
1. Play some current hip-hop hits during your group’s discussion. Think about how the lyrics of some of your favorite songs relate to the characters in Diamond Life.
2. Watch the movie American Gangster, the film adaptation of Aliya S. King’s book Original Gangster, about Frank Lucas. Discuss the similarities and differences between the world of gangsters and the hip-hop artists depicted in Diamond Life.
3. Read Karrine Steffans’s 2005 bestselling memoir, Confessions of a Video Vixen. Discuss how the book may be similar to Cleo’s fictional tell-all.
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