One Man's Trash

by Yolanda Allen

  Diamond smiled. A week wouldn’t be so bad. “You’re right, Mom. And thanks for offering to help me out. I know I don’t stay it enough but I do really appreciate you two.” She brushed the few crumbs from the cheesecake she’d just devoured into her saucer and rose from the table. She kissed both her parents on the cheek, placed her saucer in the dishwasher and rushed upstairs to look at the photos of her soon to be home for the umpteenth time.

  Diamond had been to New York a few times with Kimmy. They stayed at Kimmy’s aunt Jannie’s place. Aunt Jannie promised Kimmy that she could move in with her once she finished school. The neighborhood that Aunt Jannie lived in was very trendy and full of life, much like New York itself.

  Diamond always pictured herself going to some of the Manhattan lounges and hearing her music blasting through the speakers. One day her dream would come true and getting that spot at Tri Records as the artist management intern would be one step closer to making her dream a reality.

  Three days had gone by since the phone interview with the hiring manager at Tri Records and Diamond had yet to hear anything. She tried to remain positive. Getting the internship wasn’t a deal breaker, she was moving to New York regardless, but the fact that she would finally be in a position that could help her music career made her anxious.

  Diamond rushed to the front door at the sound of the doorbell. She opened the door without looking through the peephole.

  “Ryan!” She squeezed him tight. “Come in, I haven’t seen you in a few days.”

  “How’s it going, Miss New York?” He smiled and sat on the sofa.

  Diamond stuffed her feet into her running shoes. “It’s going,” she said as she laced up her sneakers. “I’m still waiting to hear back from Tri Records.”

  “How did the phone interview go?”

  “I think it went well, but you never know. Anyhoo, what is up with you? I miss running with you.”

  “I know I haven’t really been working out the last week. I’ve been taking a mini-vacation since finishing school.” He fell silent for a moment. “I wish my brother was here to share this moment with me. We always talked about me going off to medical school and how I would be the first doctor in the family.”

  Diamond rubbed his back. She was the only child but Ryan was like her brother, so she could imagine how not having your real brother in your life could be hurtful. “I know, sweetie. It’s hard when someone you’re so close to isn’t around anymore. You were really like his shadow. Wherever Ryder went there was little, pea head, Ryan following close behind.”

  Ryan laughed. It was good to see him laugh considering what he’d been going through the past five years. Every major accomplishment thus far was like a bittersweet moment for him since his brother wasn’t there to share it with him.

  The chorus of Carly Rae Jepsen’s “Call Me Maybe” echoed through the air.

  “Diamond, for the love of God, please get rid of that ringtone.”

  “Hush. I love that song.” She smiled. The phone number displayed on the screen of her cell phone was from Tri Records.

  “Hello.” She mouthed the words “Tri Records” to Ryan. He crossed his fingers on both hands.

  “Miss Anderson, this is Kelly from Tri Records. I wanted to call you to let you know that we have made our decision regarding the artist management internship.”

  “Okay.” She closed her eyes and prepared to hear the worse.

  “We would like to offer you the position.”

  “Oh my gosh! I accept! Thank you so much, Kelly. Thank you!”

  She high-fived Ryan, quietly.

  “We will email you a date and time to come into the office for all the paperwork once you move here. So, congratulations and we’ll see you soon, Miss Anderson.”

  “Thank you again. I look forward to it.” She ended the call and hugged Ryan. They rocked back and forth in excitement. “Ryan, this is the first step to the rest of my life!”

  TWO

  Three weeks later…

  Diamond slid onto the stool at the small round table in the Pink Baby lounge, in front of the open windows near the entrance. The cool summer breeze tossed around her curls that rested on her bare back. She looked around the dimly lit room. The lounge had started to fill up as it approached the start of the show. Every Thursday night was open mic night and a lot of unknown talent came out to perform.

  This was her first time hanging out in New York since her mom had left. Her mom had kept her promise to help her baby get settled in for the past week. Diamond hadn’t been to an open mic event since she’d left Atlanta and she hadn’t performed at one in over a year. Butterflies tickled her tummy. Her first solo performance ever. God she wished Ryan was here. He would take away all her nervousness. She had to get over her shyness of performing alone in front of an audience.

  “Kimmy.” Diamond waved her hand in the air to get Kimmy’s attention.

  Kimmy waved back. She arrived at the table just as the waitress brought over two Cosmos.

  “Hey, girl.” Kimmy gave her a hug and a kiss on the cheek.

  “Hey honey, how are you?”

  Kimmy scooted the stool closer to the table and placed her clutch down beside her glass. “I’m good. Can’t complain.” She sipped her Cosmo through a straw. “Mmm, this is delish. Wow! Now I know where to come and get my Cosmos.”

  Diamond tasted her drink. “Yeah, that is good. And I don’t like everyone’s Cosmos. It’s so easy to make them too strong.” Diamond took another sip. “But anyway, mom is gone so I wanted to come out and finally celebrate my move.”

  “Cheers!” Kimmy held up her glass.

  “Cheers!” Diamond lightly clanked her glass with hers, keeping eye contact as she drank her fruity drink.

  “So you all settled into your apartment yet?”

  “Girl, my mom came and just took over. She was in her element. She painted my living room and bedroom. She came up with this brown, yellow, and white theme throughout the apartment. It’s actually very nice, I have to admit. Although I appreciate her help, I’m happy to finally have the place to myself.”

  “This is your first apartment! I’m so excited for you. I can’t wait to come over for a sleepover!”

  They toasted to the idea of having a sleepover like they used to do when they were younger, but this time they wouldn’t have a curfew and they could drink all the homemade margaritas they wanted.

  “How is Auntie Jannie?” Diamond asked.

  “Fabulous as always. I tell you, that woman is the coolest chick I know. We’ve been having a ball. She got a lot of spunk in her to be almost sixty. Hey, we should invite her to the sleepover!”

  Diamond laughed. “I don’t mind. Auntie Jannie is a blast to be around.”

  “So are you performing tonight?” Kimmy asked.

  “Yes. Can you believe it?”

  Kimmy shook her head. “I just want you to know, that I am proud of you for stepping out on your own. You are very talented and the world is just waiting for your genius to make an appearance. We need good writers like you and I’m not just saying that because you’re my girl.”

  Diamond smiled. “Thanks Kimmy.” She checked the time on her phone. “It’s almost eight o’clock so the show should be starting soon.”

  Just then a short brown skinned guy in a white t-shirt, cutoff denim shorts, and black converse with no socks walked to the front of the room. Both his arms were sleeved in tattoos. He whispered something into the ear of the band leader before walking onto the stage. He had a microphone in one hand and a clipboard in the other, obviously the host for tonight.

  Diamond turned her body to face the stage for a better view. She would be performing first. Might as well get it over with. If she watched any other artists perform first it would only make her even more nervous and give her enough time to talk herself out of performing.

  “Okay ladies and gentlemen, thank you for coming out tonight. We are about to embark on a great musical journey, so relax your mind, drink you
r cares away, and get ready for some talented brothas and sistas to take the stage. Also, while you are drinking your cares away, please make sure to tip our bartenders and waitresses.”

  The crowd laughed and clapped.

  “Our first performer is a newbie to Pink Baby. She’s a songwriter from ATL by the name of DeeAye. Please give it up for DeeAye everybody!”

  Diamond swallowed the last bit of her drink. She looked at Kimmy.

  Kimmy gave her a thumbs up. “Go head, Miss DeeAye, show’em how we Georgia peaches get down.”

  Diamond let out a shaky breath. She rose from the stool and walked toward the stage. Afraid to look at any of the faces in the crowd, her gaze stayed on the announcer. She concentrated on putting one foot in front of the other.

  The announcer helped her onto the stage and handed her the microphone. That Cosmo didn’t give her the liquid courage she’d thought it would. She probably should’ve had two.

  “Hi, everybody.” Her voice cracked. She cleared her throat. Anticipation hung in the air. Diamond scanned the room, looking over all the judging eyes until she found Kimmy’s face. Kimmy gave her a reassuring smile. Diamond smiled back and took a deep breath.

  “The song I’m going to sing is an original song called, I’m Stuck On You.” She wet her lips, allowing the melody from the band to resonate in her spirit. She closed her eyes and imagined Ryan standing next to her.

  When I take a breath

  Baby it’s you I breathe

  Now take a moment

  Baby bring life to me

  Her confidence rose with every word. The crowd swayed as she crooned.

  When we walk together

  With the sun beaming down

  I step inside your shadow

  Two become one now

  I’m stuck on you, baby

  I’m stuck on you…

  She looked over the crowd. They gave her the feedback she’d hoped for. She finished off the song with a strong ending and received a standing ovation.

  “Great job! Give it up everyone for, DeeAye!” the announcer said into the mic.

  Diamond bowed. A gentleman from the table close to the stage extended his hand to help her step down. She thanked him, rushed back to her table and fell into Kimmy’s embrace.

  “Diamond, girl your heart is racing!” Kimmy caressed her back. “You can calm down now sweetie, it’s over.

  Diamond sat on her stool and gulped down the Cosmo that Kimmy had ordered while she was on stage. “Whew!” She rested her hand on her chest. “I have never in my life been so freaking nervous. I swear.”

  Kimmy giggled. “Miss DeeAye, you were fantabulous girl! A true powerhouse!”

  “Really?”

  “Uh, hello? A standing ovation. I’m not the only one that thought so, honey.”

  Diamond allowed herself to take in the moment. She was a powerhouse. She did get a standing ovation. This was a major accomplishment for her. She wore a confident smile. “This is just the beginning.”

  “Damn right! To new beginnings and following dreams!” Kimmy raised her cocktail glass.

  Diamond met her empty glass with hers. “To new beginnings and following dreams!”

  “I’ll drink to that!” Kimmy tossed back her Cosmo.

  “Thanks for coming, Kimmy, it was helpful to see a friendly face in the crowd. Helped ease my nerves a bit.”

  “Girl, you were so good, I couldn’t even tell that you were nervous.”

  “Excuse me,” a manly voice broke into their conversation.

  A tall, sexy dred head stood beside Diamond. “Hi,” she said. His hair was pulled back into a ponytail that stopped right at his shoulders. He smelled woodsy, like incents.

  “Hello, beautiful. I’m JT.” He extended his hand. Diamond shook it without hesitation, never taking her gaze off his deep brown eyes.

  “I’m Diamond and this is my bestie, Kimmy.”

  JT offered his hand and a smile to Kimmy. She returned the gesture and they shook hands. Kimmy’s smile faded as she retracted her hand. She had that weird look on her face. JT didn’t seem to notice or if he did, he didn’t seem to care.

  He turned his attention back to Diamond. “I just wanted to come over and introduce myself. You did an amazing job up there.” He angled his body as if he was trying to block Kimmy out of the picture. Kimmy eyed him like a disapproving mother.

  “Thank you, JT. Are you performing tonight?”

  “Yes, I’m about to go on stage next. Are you going to be here much longer, I would love to finish our conversation.”

  “No. No we’re about to leave actually.” Kimmy interrupted.

  “Oh.” Diamond smiled apologetically. “I guess…I’m leaving shortly.” She cut her eyes to Kimmy. Kimmy shot her a ‘don’t ask’ look. “Sorry, JT,” Diamond said.

  “Hey, no biggie. Why don’t I get your number and maybe we can keep in touch. I would love to hear some more of your songs. Maybe you can give me some pointers on how to write my own songs. You’re very talented.”

  Diamond blushed. JT was beyond fine. He was the best looking guy that had approached her in…ever. He was no Ryder of course, but he was a close second. Why did she always do that? Compare every guy that approached her to Ryder? She never dated Ryder so how he became the standard by which to measure up to was beyond her.

  “I would like that.”

  “You have a pen and paper?” JT asked.

  Pen and paper? Who uses pen and paper these days? “I don’t actually. Why don’t you just put my number in your cell phone?”

  “Oh, I don’t have one. I plan to get one soon though,” he added quickly.

  “I see.”

  “Why don’t I just give you my number, to my house phone?” He flashed a sexy smile.

  “Okay.” They exchanged numbers.

  “I look forward to getting to know you better, Diamond.” He kissed her hand and headed toward the stage.

  Diamond looked at Kimmy who still had on her stank face. “What is it, Kimmy?”

  “I can tell he’s a player by the way he kissed your hand. I don’t like him. I got a bad vibe from him when I shook his hand.”

  Diamond rolled her eyes. “Kimmy, you don’t even know the guy. He’s cute, he’s a singer, and he’s cute. I just moved here, he’s the first guy to show me interest in I don’t know how long, so I can at least give him conversation.”

  “First of all, he’s not the first guy to show you attention in ‘I don’t know how long’ less you forget, Byran. You just didn’t like Byran, so JT may be the first guy that you are attracted to that has shown you interest in a while. Second, he don’t even have a freaking cell phone. Who does that? And third, I got a bad vibe, Diamond and you know how I take that very seriously.”

  Kimmy swore she could read people’s energy. True, Kimmy had yet to be wrong but JT was cute. Byran did not compare. Byran was a geek, no offense to geeks, hell she was a geek herself. But Byran made geeks look bad. He was a real Steve Urkel. JT was charming, and cute and he had swag. So what if he didn’t have a cell phone? He at least had a phone.

  JT jumped onto the stage. “I hope everyone is having a good time tonight.” The crowd responded with whistles and applause. “Good. I would like to dedicate this song to my beautiful new friend, she knows who she is.”

  Diamond blushed again. JT kept his gaze on her as he sang his own rendition of Bruno Mars’ “Just The Way You Are”.

  She faced Kimmy. “Kimmy, don’t give me that look. It’s just conversation. If nothing else, at least I can get a free meal.” Diamond winked.

  THREE

  After a week of talking with JT on the phone Diamond agreed to meet up with him. He invited her over to his house for dinner. She thought it was romantic, Kimmy thought he was just being a cheapskate. Kimmy had taken on the “mommy” role since Diamond had started talking to JT. She requested JT’s full name, address and phone number before she was comfortable with Diamond going to his apartment. Her reasoning was that Diamond
barely knew him and she didn’t trust him.

  Kimmy promised to text her every thirty minutes to check on her and if Diamond didn’t respond she was calling the cops. Kimmy never broke her promises.

  Diamond cabbed it to JT’s house in Brooklyn. It was a thirty minute ride. He lived in the basement of a two family house. The houses in New York were entirely too close together. Diamond couldn’t imagine not having a full yard. If she did decide to live in New York permanently, she wouldn’t raise a family in the city. Her kids would need to have room to run around and play without the risk of getting run over by a speeding car.