Astray

by Carlos King

  “What? Are you serious?” Alexis asked in total disbelief.

  “I’m serious as hell.”

  “Then what happened?” Alexis further queried.

  Jason answers, “Oh…Well, then I passed out. But when I woke up I ran my ass to the bank to deposit it. I took out what we needed for the studio and kept the rest in there for when we need it.”

  “So where’s the money now?”

  “Where do you think?” Jason opens the briefcase he’s carrying and pulls out several bricks of cash. He tosses a couple to Alexis.

  Alexis is stunned by all the money. She examines the cash and notices that the bricks are individually bound by straps that read ‘$5,000’.

  “Not only should this be enough to finish the album, but this should also give us more than we’ll need for the promotional fees. If anything is left after that, we can use the rest to lease us an office to start our label. This was like a godsend. I just wish I knew who gave it to us,” Jason concluded.

  At that precise moment, a light bulb goes off in Alexis’ mind. There’s only one person, who not only knew about her and Jason’s studio debt, but who also could afford to anonymously leave that much money at Jason’s door with the offer of leaving more if need be.

  Later that day, Alexis strolls into a diner that is often frequented by off-duty and on-duty cops alike. After scanning the diner she spots Greg sitting in a booth near the back of the diner reading a newspaper. She casually heads in Greg’s direction, greeting him when she nears his table.

  “Hello, Greg. How are you today?” she asked politely.

  “What’s up, Alexis? What you doing around here?”

  “Oh, nothing. I was in the neighborhood. I know you usually take your lunch around this time and I remembered you saying this place is your favorite spot to eat. I decided to drop in to see if you were here.”

  “That’s cool. How are things going?” Greg set his paper down. “You can sit down if you want,” he offered.

  “Thanks, but I can’t stay long. I have to get back to work at the studio. Jason’s waiting on me.”

  “Oh, so you’re back in the studio, huh? That’s great news. I told you good things come to those who are persistent.”

  Alexis smiles and says, “Yeah, that’s another reason why I came here. I wanted to talk to you about something.”

  “Okay,” said Greg. “What’s up?”

  “Well, someone left a nice amount of cash at Jason’s apartment with the intent of bankrolling our studio, promotional and other business related costs. Whoever this person is has to be someone with a pretty big bank account and an even bigger heart. You know anybody like that, Greg,” Alexis asked with a bright smile.

  With a stern expression, Greg appears to be clueless to the matter. “No, I don’t know who could’ve done something like that.”

  “Are you sure about that?”

  “I’m positive,” Greg confirmed.

  “Okay then. It’s just a shame. Someone doing something like that for someone else is rare. I just wish they would’ve left their name behind or something so we could’ve thanked them properly. They’ll probably never know how much they really helped us out. But since it wasn’t you, I won’t waste anymore of your lunch time. I’ll call you when I get out of the studio, okay?”

  “Okay. I guess I’ll talk to you later then,” Greg smirked.

  As Alexis heads back to the restaurant’s door, she suddenly hears Greg calling her name. Alexis turns to face him.

  With an endearing beam on his face, Greg tells her, “You’re welcome.”

  Alexis grins. Her suspicion has been confirmed. She turns back toward the door and exits the diner. Greg picks up his newspaper and continues reading.

  CHAPTER 29

  A DESTINY FULFILLED

  After weeks of intense studio time, Alexis’ album is now complete. She’s poured her heart and soul into creating, choosing and then singing seventeen of her most impressive works. It is now Jason’s task to market Alexis’ debut single to radio stations in order to build a strong buzz around her album. This would definitely be a much easier task if the radio DJ’s knew that Alexis is a songwriter that has already established success. The number seven song on the Billboard Charts just so happens to be one of the songs Mr. Washington stole from her and passed on to one of his other female artists.

  With Jason handling the publicity aspects of her single, Alexis is able to remain hard at work writing songs for what she hopes will be her sophomore album. She knows she’ll need to have success on her first album, though, before she can even consider releasing another. But whether not her album is success, Alexis knows the time she spent working on her record was undoubtedly therapeutic, and that results of that therapy will stick with her for a very long time to come.

  One day while tending to her scheduled kitchen duties with a few of her friends, it appears that Alexis has taken a break from music and returned back to her social self.

  The women are laughing and joking as music from the radio plays in the background. While stirring a large bowl of cake batter, Alexis listens to a humorous conversation being carried out by her friends. Alexis’ stirring comes to a sudden halt as her concentration is immediately switched from the playful conversation between her friends and set solely on what’s airing through the radio.

  A song that sounds extraordinarily familiar captures her attention. Like a flash of light, it suddenly dawns on Alexis that the song she’s hearing is her own. Once she comprehends that what she’s hearing isn’t a figment of her imagination, her jaw literally drops. It isn’t long before one of the other women takes notice to Alexis’ stunned stare.

  “What’s the matter with you, Lexi? You look like you’ve seen a ghost.”

  By now, all of the women have become fixated on Alexis. Alexis remains frozen in astonishment and fails to answer her friend’s question.

  “Alexis, what’s wrong?” another woman asked.

  Alexis breaks her silence and answers her concerned friends. “The song.”

  “What song? The song on the radio?” her friend asked.

  “What about the song, Lexi,” another woman asked.

  Stumbling for the right words needed to articulate what she’s thinking, Alexis manages to force out a sentence. “That’s—that’s me on the radio.”

  “What?!” one of her friend’s exclaimed.

  “That’s me playing on the radio.”

  One of Alexis’ friends rushes over to the radio and turns the volume to its max. The song playing is an up-tempo, club song. As soon as one of the women interprets the voice as belonging to Alexis, she screams in merriment. This one reaction sparks the excited reactions of all of the other women in the room. They all begin to scream as they gathered around Alexis, hugging her. Happily accepting the love and enthusiasm she’s receiving from her friends, Alexis has a smile on her face that stretches from ear to ear.

  Mrs. Hobbs anxiously dashes into the kitchen to see what all the commotion is about. “What’s going on in here?!” she worriedly inquired.

  One of the women responds, “Alexis is on the radio!”

  Mrs. Hobbs pauses for a second to mull over what she’s just been told. When it registers in her mind what the celebrating is all about, she instantly joins in. She embraces Alexis in a hug and congratulates her on her accomplishment. All of the women in the room, including Alexis and Mrs. Hobbs, begin dancing to the catchy beat.

  CHAPTER 30

  BETTER DAYS

  As soon as Alexis’ song finished playing over the radio a tidal wave of requests poured into the station from listeners who wanted to hear it again. Along with all the calls from the station’s listeners, responses from numerous record label execs began to flow in also, all calling to find out more about Alexis Robinson. Alexis has become a music sensation in a matter of minutes.

  With her first single being such a hit, the anticipation for her next single had gone through the roof. Everyone, from her growing fan b
ase to the surmounting number of music execs, is eagerly anticipating her next release. Despite the undeniable pressure, Alexis doesn’t disappoint. Her second release turns out to be an even bigger success than her first. It is at this point where people begin to question, ‘Who is Alexis Robinson and where did she come from?’

  Realizing that a lot of people want to know more about her, Alexis decides her third single will be a song that details her life story. A song entitled ‘The Real Me’. The song describes who she is, what she’s been through, her time spent as a prostitute, the rapes, the attempted suicide, and how her love for music drastically changed her life.

  Aware of the negative backlash a song like this could cause to her still blooming career, Jason implores Alexis that this song should be shelved until she has fully established herself in the music game. Alexis disregards Jason’s advice and insists on making this song her third release. This bold decision will lead to an outcome that no one expected…Not even Alexis.

  The song receives an unprecedented response from her fans. Not only had her fans embraced the song, but it was the first song off her album to debut at number one on the Billboards. Alexis now has a song holding the number one spot, her second release in the fifth spot, and her first release, which topped off at number four, has now balanced off at the seven spot.

  What Alexis doesn’t know is that the success of her first three singles is only the beginning of good things to come. Two more singles are released from her debut album and all make it into the top ten. This is a rare feat that is only achieved every few decades by very special artists, and due to her achieving this, she’ll forever be immortalized amongst the likes of legendary entertainers such as Michael Jackson, Mariah Carey, and a short list of others.

  Upon its release, the sales of her debut album were off the charts. In the first week it sold an amazing one million copies. Within a month’s time the album had gone on to sell over six million, catapulting Alexis to superstardom. The triumph of her album also helped to launch their record label to a meteoric rise, making her extremely wealthy in the process.

  In spite of all the fortune and fame she’s obtained over the past months, Alexis hasn’t lost sight of who she is and where she came from. She also hasn’t forgotten about the people who helped her become the success she is now.

  Greg is leaving out of his home, preparing to head off to work. Before he gets to his car he stops at his mailbox and pulls out the handful of letters that were set inside. As he walked toward his car he began flipping through the numerous letters until one in particular catches his eye. There first thing he notices about the letter is that it’s neatly written in cursive. The second thing he notices is that it was sent to him by Alexis. Greg separates Alexis’ letter from all the others as he hops into his car. He starts the engine and allows it time to warm. While the car’s idling, he opens her letter.

  It reads, “Thanks for everything you’ve done, Greg. You’ll never know how much it meant to me. Everything you donated, plus interest. Sincerely, Alexis.”

  Greg removes a small piece of paper from the envelope. Alexis has written him a check for $150,000. Greg lowers the letter and the check to his lap and stares out his window, smiling at Alexis’ thoughtful action. He shifts his car into gear and proceeds to drive off.

  On the other side of town, Mrs. Hobbs has also received a letter from Alexis.

  The letter reads, “Thank you for being there for me. I never would have made it if I didn’t have people around me who cared. You once told me that God always listens to our prayers…Well He must’ve heard both of ours because we’re both going to be able to make our dreams come true. I’m finally able to share my voice and thoughts with the world and you’ll finally be able to open up more shelters. If you need more just let me know. Yours Truly, Alexis.”

  Accompanying the letter is a check for $800,000. Mrs. Hobbs releases a high-pitch scream almost immediately. She bolts out of her office to tell the other women the fantastic news.

  Over eight hundred miles away, Trina, Alexis’ surrogate mother, is preparing to go to work at the fast food job she recently acquired after her hair and nail salon tanked. She’s just about to head out when she spots several items of mail at the foot of her door. She picks up her mail and sets it on a nearby table. She has no intention of reading any of it until she notices Alexis’ name on the top envelope.

  She grabs Alexis’ letter and opens it.

  “Hey, Trina. I know we haven’t seen or spoken to each other in a while, but I’ve been working on some very big things lately. I don’t know if you know it or not, but I took your advice and pursued a career in music. It’s a choice that has proven to be a very beneficial one. I’m sorry I couldn’t do much to help you when your business went under…especially after all you had done for me. But I’m glad to say that you don’t ever have to worry about money or having to work ever again. You’ve been like a mother to me…Correction…You have been a mother to me. And it’s with this in mind that I send you this check. I know you’ll do what’s right with it, which is enjoy it! I love you, Mama. Your daughter forever, Alexis. P.S. See you soon.”

  Trina opens the folded piece of paper inside the envelope and nearly passes out at what she finds. It’s a check for her made out to the sum of 1.5 million dollars. After silently staring at the check for nearly a minute, Trina frantically yells out in excitement. She snatches off her name tag and says, “Man fuck this job! My black ass is retiring!”

  Alexis has paid back everyone she owed. With her record label signing new, true-spirited artists on a daily basis, and with her first album still having tremendous success on the charts, the money is continually pouring into her bank accounts. Alexis has handed out nearly two and a half million dollars to Greg, Trina, and Mrs. Hobbs, yet her net worth continues to rise at a staggering rate. Alexis’s financial security will remain just as secure as her legacy in the music industry for many years to come.

  A 2012 Cadillac Escalade pulls up to a pier that overlooks the Hudson River. The sleek black truck shines flawlessly under the glare of the sun. Customized with pink door handles and twenty-eight inch black rims with pink lips, the fancy SUV is truly a thing of beauty.

  Alexis hops out the driver’s door, while a tall, muscular white male exits from the passenger’s. The burly man’s broad shoulders and bulky arms seem to stretch his gray suit jacket to the very limits of its threading. And even though he’s wearing black sunglasses, the serious expression on his face remains unobstructed.

  Alexis walks away from her truck and heads toward the pier. As she stares off at the calm waters, the large man stands on guard.

  Seconds later, a 2011 platinum-colored Chevy Camaro pulls alongside her Escalade. Out of the Camaro exits a casually dressed Greg. The hulking gentleman that arrived with Alexis grows suspicious of Greg’s presence and begins to march toward him in an aggressive manner. Greg remains unbothered by the approach of the larger man.

  “It’s okay, Mark,” Alexis called out to the muscle-bound male. “He’s a friend of mine.”

  Mark nods at Alex and reclaims his vigilant stance by her truck.

  Greg approaches Alexis and begins to stare at the steady body of water with her.

  “Thanks for meeting me out here,” said Alexis. “I hope I didn’t interrupt any plans you had. I just wanted to chill with a friend for a minute.”

  “It’s cool. I always have time for a friend,” Greg said to her. He glances back at Mark and then settles his sights on Alexis. “So who’s Mark?”

  With a modest grin, Alexis answers, “Jason is a little worried about me driving a car like that around town by myself. He hired Mark to be my bodyguard.”

  “That’s a real good idea. You don’t really need to be by yourself anyway. You’re a celebrity now. A bodyguard is mandatory for your kind.” Greg looks at Alexis’ truck. “I see you’re really starting to enjoy the benefits of being a platinum artist, huh?”

  “It’s pretty cool. Aside from payi
ng back the people I owed, I haven’t really been spending much. I got me an apartment uptown. Of course you know I bought me some clothes and stuff. I bought that truck a few days ago and I’m thinking about taking me a little vacation. Someplace overseas. I’ve always wanted to do something like that. Believe it or not, I actually enjoy the fact that I’m putting out real music that people are responding to more than I’m enjoying the money. I mean, who would’ve ever thought the world would be willing to listen to the testimonies of a sexually abused, ex-prostitute?” Alexis asked in rhetorical manner.

  Greg understands the rhetorical nature of the question, but decides to respond anyway. “You’d be amazed at what people are willing to accept. A lot of people are going through hard times these days. People don’t wanna keep hearing about rappers who spend a million dollars on a chain, while they’re struggling to put gas in their car. And they’re getting tired of hearing singers talk about superficial shit, while they’re barely keeping food in their fridge.

  “Bottom line, there’s a lot of people going through real shit and they’re getting tired of people, who’ve never been in their shoes, trying to relate to them. People are taking to you because of what you represent. You symbolize the hardships that most people in life go through. You’re an underdog that made good on all the bad shit life threw your way. Whenever someone starts feeling hopeless or alone, they’ll have you to inspire them.”

  “That was beautiful, Greg. You really mean that?”

  “I do,” he answered, turning toward the river.

  “My mom called me the other day,” she inserted. Not Trina, but my biological mom.”

  Greg turns toward her. “What did she want?”

  “To tell me she’s so sorry about what she let happened to me years ago and to congratulate me on my success. To tell me she never meant to hurt me and that she’s been clean for four years. And then she asked me if I could loan her some money so she could pay her rent.”