Somebody's Gotta Be on Top

by Mary B. Morrison

  “Sounds like you have a vested interested in Ms. Stokes,” Ciara remarked.

  Darius began reading the mail Angel had placed in his in-box. What did Kevin want? Distant relatives didn’t suddenly show up without a hidden agenda.

  “Look, I gotta go. Don’t forget our meeting tomorrow with Tony. Bye.” Darius hung up the phone before Ciara could respond. What was taking Ciara so long to dump this Solomon dude?

  “Excuse the interruption Mr. Jones, here are your phone messages.” Angel extended her arm across his desk. “Call Tony. Your parents invited you and Ashlee over for dinner tonight. Call Morris. He says it’s important. And Kevin is on his way—”

  “No introduction necessary, pretty lady. Here I am.” Kevin’s cologne, which he must have purchased at a convenience store, invaded Darius’s office moments before Kevin sat in the chair on the opposite side of the desk.

  Darius shook Kevin’s hand and patted him on the shoulder. “Hey, man. What’s up? What brings you out here twice in one month? Make yourself comfortable.” Darius reclined in his leather chair.

  “I need to speak with you, brother. I’ll get straight to the point. My company laid me off. I need a job. I’m at your mercy, mein.”

  What Kevin needed was a new wardrobe. Those ridiculously worn crooked sole imitation leather shoes, with his see-through white dress shirt, and flimsy black over-starched slacks with a double crease were pathetic.

  “Yeah, man this economy is rough. But you sure you wanna work for me? You know after I hired Darryl, Jr. I had to fire him, man. I take my bizness seriously. And no one, not even family comes before my success. If you can handle that, you’ve got yourself a job. Provided that you promise to upgrade your wardrobe and work on probation.”

  Working in public relations, Jada had reared Darius image conscious. If Kevin didn’t change his attire, in three days Kevin would find himself in search of another job. That lazy accountant. He was so busy coming in late and leaving early he hadn’t done his job. One more bad hire and Darius would contract out for human resource services. He should’ve hired his Aunt Jazzmyne, Wellington’s sister, to handle employee matters but Darius didn’t want family having access to his business.

  “Man, you ain’t said nothing. I’m not Darryl. Our brother is full of get-rich-quick schemes. I know. I lived in the same house with him, remember? I wouldn’t hire Darryl my damn self.”

  Yeah, Darius did remember and didn’t want a reminder. Or a repeat.

  Leaning back in his swivel chair, Darius clamped his hands across his waist. “So what’s the real reason you want to work for me?”

  “I just told you, mein. I was fired.”

  Shaking his head, Darius leaned forward. “Naw, my brother. You said you were laid off.”

  Kevin hunched his shoulders. “Laid off. Fired. What’s the difference? When you’re unemployed, it’s all the same. But I was laid off.”

  Darius shook his head, making a mental note to have his human resource director follow up to verify Kevin’s reason for termination. Being laid off had better be true or, brother or no brother, Kevin’s ass would be unemployed.

  Ashlee tapped on the door then cracked it. “Ready when you are. I’ll be at my desk.”

  Darius looked at Kevin. “We’re going to lunch. Care to join us?”

  “I had another interview scheduled, but if I’ve got the job then sure ‘cause afta flyin’ cross country a brotha is hungry. Unless you travelin’ first class, they don’t feed ya, mein.”

  Darius leaned down to Kevin’s face and stared into his eyes. “Man, I’mma tell you right now, I don’t trust nobody.” Especially short men with cocky attitudes. Kevin was five-seven.

  “Straight up mein, I’m from Harlem. Neither do I.”

  Darius stood tall. “We’ll see. How’d you get here? To my office. You on public or rental wheels?”

  Kevin lifted his eyebrows. “I’m not that bad off. I parked out back in your lot next to the Bentley. Is that okay?”

  Darius didn’t bother answering Kevin’s question. “Follow us in your car,” Darius ordered, not wanting Kevin to get too comfortable thinking he could return to Darius’s office and hang out all afternoon.

  When Darius, Ashlee, and Kevin arrived at the restaurant, Darius zigzagged through the crowd holding Ashlee’s hand.

  “Jones for three,” Ashlee said, turning to see if Kevin was close behind them.

  The waitress seated them at a table inside with a view of the outdoor patio.

  Kevin’s eyes roamed the nearby tables, the door, the patio. “This is nice, brotha. I can hang with this lifestyle. So, Ashlee. Brief me on what to expect when I come to work for my big brother.”

  “I thought you were older than Darius.”

  “I am. Four years. But Darius is the mein. Running his own company at twenty-one and carrying on. Me, I’m just tryna make it to the top.”

  Ashlee’s eyes shifted to the corners as she watched Darius bite his bottom lip. “HR will brief you thoroughly. Aren’t you from Harlem?”

  Kevin laughed. “You ask that question like a Harvard grad and shit.”

  Ashlee watched Darius as his teeth clenched a little harder onto his lip. “I graduated from Spellman.”

  Kevin continued, “Probably got some fancy titles behind your name too, huh?”

  Darius released his lip. His eyes narrowed. “Man, if you’re going to work for me you can’t speak to my clients saying things like shit.”

  “Mein, I’m a chameleon. I know how to adapt to my environment.” Kevin adjusted his collar.

  “Good. For your sake, I hope so.” Darius glanced at his Rolex. “I’ve got about thirty minutes to eat. So what kind of salary are you expecting, my brother?”

  “Shit, I wanna have your salary. How much you rakin’ in, mein?”

  Darius braced his elbow on the table. His head rested on his hand. He bit his lip again.

  “Aw’ight. I’m just frontin’ mein, relax. I know how to conduct myself.” Kevin looked at Ashlee. “How much he paying you?”

  Ashlee smiled. “We negotiated a fair salary. Kevin, do you have any kids?”

  “That’s a lovely necklace. Did you get it from your husband?” Kevin asked Ashlee.

  “I’m single. My mother gave this,” Ashlee touched the amethyst choker, “to me.”

  “Nice mom. She look anything like you?”

  Darius’s voice escalated. “That’s enough. Man, you’ve got to leave.”

  Kevin nodded, and rubbed his short crew-cut. “Yeah, Dad was right. I think I’ll make that second interview. Just in case. You know. Plan B. A brotha don’t want to end up homeless like Darryl, Jr. Not even for a day. You know.”

  “Bye, Kevin.”

  Laying his menu aside, Kevin said, “Bye Ash. Peace, D.” He pushed his chair underneath the table.

  Darius exhaled. “Call me tomorrow, man. We’ll talk about your working for me.”

  Ashlee waited until they had eaten to bring up Kevin again. “Why are you being so hard on him? He was just being friendly. Trying to fit in.”

  “First impressions. I was thinking about the first time I met Kevin. He seemed cool. Maybe I was stunned to have two brothers. Maybe I offered Kevin that job too soon. But I really need a VP and you know New Yorkers can negotiate anything. Kevin could be good for business if I can polish him up.” Darius stared at the people at the next table but didn’t see them. “Ashlee?”

  “Yes.”

  “Whatever you do, promise me you won’t date my brother.”

  “What exactly do you mean by date?”

  “Go out. Have a relationship. Sex. All of the above.”

  “With all your women, you think that’s fair to ask of me?”

  “Who cares. Life isn’t fair. Don’t disobey me. If you cross me, I’ll never forgive you.”

  Ashlee stood, placed her napkin over her plate, and said, “Darius, I am not going to let you control me. Every woman is not going to be passive with you like your mo
ther. I am not responsible for the pain she caused you. No woman is. If you don’t trust me, your true friend, then fire me.”

  Darius refused to respond to Ashlee’s statements. Darius placed a hundred-dollar bill on the table, then followed Ashlee out of the restaurant to his car. The drive back to the office was a long silent blur.

  CHAPTER 14

  Kevin Williams had managed a small commercial janitorial service in Harlem for ten months. Locked into the same dead-end position, he had to have a change before going insane. When would someone recognize and compensate him for his skills and abilities? Over the last seven years Kevin had had thirteen jobs. It wasn’t his fault most of the bosses fired him during probation without cause.

  Working paycheck-to-paycheck just to live in a modest one-bedroom brownstone apartment off Lenox Avenue was tiring. Fortunately he couldn’t afford and didn’t have a wife, a steady woman, or any kids, so there was no added baggage. After his father introduced him to Darius, Kevin realized he was going about becoming wealthy the wrong way. The first time Kevin met Darius, Darius was designer dressed from head to toe. The hands on Darius’s Rolex watch, which wasn’t the Rolex Darius wore when they went to lunch, had so many diamonds Kevin couldn’t distinguish the hour from the minute. One thing Kevin did realize: A major lifestyle change was gonna come to Kevin Williams.

  Kevin didn’t waste money hiring a moving company to ship the used furniture he’d bought from the second-hand store. The loveseats had more holes than Swiss cheese. The wooden coffee table had three matching legs. And since Kevin was accustomed to sleeping on a mattress and box spring placed on the floor, he’d treat himself to new full-sized set for his apartment in Compton. Packing his clothes and a large box of personal items, Kevin sat on the stiff cardboard and dialed his best friend, Lamont.

  “Lamont, mein this is it!”

  “You out playa?!” Lamont yelled.

  “I’m out, mein. This is the break I’ve been waiting for. Peace.”

  Lamont said, “Hit me up when you get to the land of milk of honeys. When a nigga gets settled, I’m comin’ to visit, mein. Peace.”

  Kevin hung up and dialed his father. “Hey, old man! What’s up!”

  “Nothin’ much. Just getting ready to drop your sister off at basketball practice,” Darryl replied.

  “Man, you gon’ make one of us a professional baller before you die, huh?”

  “What’s this I hear Darryl Junior talkin’ ’bout you quit your good job to go work for Darius? Is that true?”

  “Yup. I’m headed out to LaGuardia airport in a minute.”

  “You know he fired your brother. What makes you think his pompous arrogant ass won’t do the same shit to you?”

  Kevin crunched a roach under his black sole then mumbled, “I hope these SOBs don’t crawl in my box. Got enough of them at the apartment in Compton.” Raising his voice, Kevin replied, “Dad, you worry too much. I got this on lock. Trust me.”

  “Well, I’m tellin’ you now. Do not call me like Darryl did lookin’ for a place to lay your hard head when—not if, but when he fires you. Kevin, this is the dumbest thing you’ve ever done and you know you’ve done some dumb shit, boy.”

  “Dad, just chill. And whatever you do, promise me you won’t tell anyone I quit my job.”

  “Why not? Wait a minute, Kevin. What the hell are you up to?”

  “Dad, Ashlee is fine.”

  “Ashlee? Darius’s stepsister? The one I met at Jada’s mother’s funeral two years ago?”

  “Yup, that would be the one. That’s the future Mrs. Kevin Williams.”

  “Boy, you sho’ nuff learn the hard way. You know you goin’ straight to hell when you die.”

  “You first.” Kevin was a lot like his father. Basically a good man, but once Kevin set his mind to doing something—right or wrong—nothing else mattered.

  “Daddy, you’re going to make me late for practice again and Coach is going to make me do twenty-in-two.” Kevin’s sister Diamond pleaded in the background. “Daddy, please. Get off the phone.”

  “I told you the first ten laps up and down the court are mental. The last ten are physical. Stop whining. It’ll make you a better athlete.” Darryl returned his attention to Kevin. “If Darius weren’t such a know-it-all like his rich-ass mama and her filthy rich–ass husband, I could’ve helped him make it into the NBA.”

  “Dad, when are you going to admit, being spoiled wasn’t why you benched Darius. You benched him because every female at Georgetown and in D.C. wanted to give him a piece of ass. Have his baby. And become the first Mrs. Jones. And you should see him now! Twenty-one. Pushin’ a brand new Bentley, running his own business, and sportin’ diamond cuff links like it’s no big deal—just part of the fit. That’s why I’m going to work for him. So I can live the lifestyle of the rich and famous. You’re getting old, Pops. It’s our turn. We all turned out just like you. Ladies’ men. And it’s not Jada’s fault you blew your bankroll when you were in the pros so now you have to work a nine-to-five like the rest of us.”

  “Daddy!” Diamond yelled.

  “Okay, Diamond, wait a minute. Don’t fool yourself, Kevin. You’re nothing like Darius. He’s tall. You’re short. He’s smart. You’re not. He’s rich. You’re poor. We’ll continue this conversation later.”

  Whateva, old man. “I’ll call you when I get to LA.”

  “Where’re you stayin’ when you get there?”

  “Same place I stayed the last two trips. My new apartment in Compton. Bye, old man.”

  Kevin speed dialed Ashlee’s number. “Hey, Ash. It’s me, Kev. My flight gets in at five. You think you can still pick me up from the airport and let a real man take you out to dinner tonight?” Kevin thumbed through and recounted his entire savings and last paycheck. Two thousand dollars. Kevin smiled. Very soon two Gs would be pocket change.

  “Sorry, Kevin. I have to renege. Darius made plans for us tonight. But I’ll see you in the office tomorrow morning. Bye.”

  Ashlee had done him a favor because Kevin didn’t need to spend money on Ashlee so soon. Waiting a few weeks would pique Ashlee’s interest in Kevin. What he needed was to find the best second-hand store in LA and buy a few suits and a pair of shoes. He’d heard about the garment district having nice suits at a cheap price. After he ended the call, Kevin didn’t bother removing the furniture from the apartment, cleaning the place, returning the keys, or paying his court-ordered rent during his stay of eviction.

  Since he looked enough like Darius, with the exception of being five-foot-seven instead of six-foot-seven, and minus Darius’s dreadlocks, once he was settled into his position at Somebody’s Gotta Be on Top, Kevin contemplated stealing Darius’s identity. Never again would Kevin hear his dad call him short, dumb, and poor at the same time. Kevin Williams was on his way to the top of everything and everyone—and he was starting with Darius Jones and Little Miss Innocent Ashlee Anderson.

  CHAPTER 15

  Jada sat behind her desk at Black Diamonds wondering how to stop the film from going into production without jeopardizing her relationship with Darius. Either way, one of their companies would fold. She couldn’t afford to invest more money into Darius’s company. If her clients discovered she was a freak, they’d fire her. No client wanted representation from a public relations firm with a bad reputation.

  Jada buzzed her executive vice president on the intercom. “Zen, have we received any inquiries to do PR for Soul Mates Dissipate?”

  “Two. Just this morning. I can return the phone calls if you’d like.”

  “No. Forward the messages to my voicemail. And if you or anyone else receive any more inquiries, notify the staff that I’m the only person authorized to respond.”

  “I’ll take care of that right now,” Zen replied. “Is there anything else?”

  “Not now. Thanks.” Jada disconnected the intercom call.

  Jada sat at her desk thinking about Wellington, the voice of reason who still sided with Candice. There was
no use calling him again this morning. The one and only person to get the job done and leave her out of the picture was her private investigator, Theo, who’d just arrived on time for their appointment.

  “Theo.” Jada spread her arms wide and embraced him.

  “What’s up babydoll?” Theo hugged Jada before closing her office door. “You the finest over-fifty woman in America, you know that? Still drinking that wheatgrass, I betcha.”

  Jada laughed. “Yes, and lifting weights and working out every day. I work hard to maintain this figure.” Jada spun around, then sat behind her desk. “You should join our gym. Go with me. I can add you to my corporate account and take you to my Cardio Strip class.”

  “No thanks ya, babydoll. I gets my exercise staying on the run for, not from, clients like you. Not to mention da LA minors. Those young thangs are gyrating all the time. Now Theo runs real fast away from them.” Theo shook his head. “So what ails ya? You look stressed but not for long. Theo gon’ handle whateva your problem is.”

  Jada exhaled. “Darius.”

  “I should’ve known. That boy—”

  “No, it’s not like that. I’m sure you’ve heard about this screenplay about my life floating around Hollywood.”

  Theo’s left eyebrow raised high. “Yeaahhh.” He shook his head. “Um, um, um.”

  Jada’s eyes stretched wide. “Not you too, Theo. Come on.”

  “What can I say, babydoll? I’mma man.”

  “Well, anyway. I want the screenplay to go away. Disappear. And never resurface. Can you find a loophole, keep my name clean, and find Darius a new contract so he won’t be pissed? I’m not concerned about Ciara. She’s been in this business long enough to land another deal. Can you do that, Theo?” Jada pressed her hands flat and begged, “Theo, please make this screenplay vanish.”

  Theo sighed heavily. “You know how much money is behind this film? I mean big moneymakers. Wouldn’t doubt if the real big boyz had a piece of the action. You know what you’re asking?”