Would I Lie to You?

by Trisha R. Thomas

  It wasn’t what Jake Parson had envisioned when the company started six years ago. The young women’s line was the biggest hurdle. No upstanding around-the-way girl would be caught in JP jeans. It was almost as bad as being seen in a pair of Kathie Lee Gifford’s spandex jeans.

  IN the lobby, Venus scanned the framed pictures of music artists in brightly colored oversized clothing emblazoned with the JP logo on the front. She recognized most of the artists even though she’d started her private boycott of music video channels over a year ago. The half-naked women shaking their asses had sunk to an all-time low and she’d decided to turn it off instead of becoming enraged and disgusted. Still, rap and hip-hop music was now like baseball and apple pie, the all-American way.

  She walked to the receptionist’s desk, which was nothing more than a curved glass top on a clear base, matching the rest of the minimalist decor, soft lighting, chrome accents, and pristine white walls. The leggy brunette, with lips as dark as her hair, stood up with the phone still attached to her face. After hanging up, she escorted them to a spiral staircase that hung on steel wires. Not very practical, Venus thought, holding on for dear life. Legend and William came up behind her, no doubt staring at her round derriere with each step.

  “Have a seat. Mr. Parson will be right with you.” The receptionist left the three of them in the conference room, which held a series of straight metal chairs and a long, narrow frosted glass table in the center. The clear wall looked down onto the sample makers’ studio on the first floor. Fit models walked around topless, or bottomless, depending on what stage of pinning they were in. JPWear had gone truly commercial, using skinny waifs as fit models, for the men as well as the women. Venus made a mental note: Need real models with real bodies.

  “Wassup!” Jake Parson entered the room, slapping high fives, moving into a loose huddle with Legend and William. He turned toward Venus with the same excitement. He smiled, his eyes roamed her face. The ex-rapper slash clothing mogul held her hand in a tight professional grasp, but Venus still noticed the softness of his palm. “You must be Venus Johnston. I’m Jake Parson. I hear you picked my boys up when they were facedown on the curb.”

  “Ah, we like to see it as down but not out.” Legend did a few raise-the-roof gestures. “It ain’t over till it’s over.” Ever since the two men reluctantly had to sign on as employees instead of the entrepreneurs they started as, they weren’t the happiest campers. Urban Assault, their old company, was underresourced and ran out of the capital to stay in the competitive business of advertising and marketing. When Venus heard Legend Hill and William Marks were looking for partners, she relayed the information to Chadnum Mass Marketing and proposed a buyout. Robert Chadnum wasted no time bringing them into the company, but not as partners—just plain old-fashioned working stiffs with plain old-fashioned paychecks.

  Jake Parson ignored the rebuttal. “Pleased to be working with you.” He wore a loose-fitting suit with a thick turtleneck underneath. Not even he wanted to wear his own line of clothing. His wide smile made him look boyish, too young to be running a multimillion-dollar company. “My boys here never let me down when I was on the rap circuit. The original PR masters. Came through on several gigs. Nice to know they’re in good hands.” He still held hers in a firm grip.

  The thin hairs on the back of her neck rose. She suppressed the shock that had now risen to anger. She didn’t like being the outsider. Legend and William conveniently failed to mention the buddy thing with the president and owner of the company. This meeting had been planned well over a month ago, and they had not said one word.

  “Nice to have references.” She slipped her hand out of his and stepped around Legend and William, eyeing them long enough to make them as uncomfortable as she now felt.

  Jake Parson turned back to his boys. “Let’s get this party started. How about we head out, get something to eat? We don’t need to stick around here when we could be at Links nursing some Lemon Drops … and I’m not talking about the candy.” They slapped hands again, the three of them looking like a football team rally with high fives and shoulder bumps. It had been a long time since she felt this way, ignored and irrelevant. Which had always been the case when she worked for Donnelly and Kramer. Seven long years and not one promotion. It took a mental breakdown for her to get the hint and move on. Within a few months she’d landed a job with Chadnum Mass Marketing where she now wore the badge proudly, Multicultural Marketing Director.

  The power was only in the title, since at this moment she felt small and insignificant. A tight knot formed at the top of her stomach.

  She looked to Jake Parson. “You know, I’m on a tight schedule. I have a few conference calls to make this afternoon, so I need to get in, get out, and then you guys can reminisce and have your play time afterward.” Venus pulled her sleeve back to check her watch for emphasis. The last thing she needed was to head to their old stomping ground where she’d have to sit back chewing the inside of her jaw while they went down memory lane. From the looks of things, they had a good long history and plenty to catch up on.

  “Oooookay.” He moved to the far corner of the table like a reprimanded child. He slipped into one of the swivel metal chairs. A distinct chuckle floated to the head of the class. Venus turned around to glare at Legend, then began to speak in her managerial voice.

  “Well, first off I’d like to thank you and congratulate your choice of Chadnum Mass Marketing. I’m excited to be working with you—”

  She was interrupted by someone making a big deal of clearing his throat. Her bet was on Legend, having once witnessed him do a masturbation gesture during a corporate meeting. His way of showing someone what he thought of them, trying too hard to suck up. She ignored the muffled cough and continued.

  “The way I see it, your company has a lot of catching up to do. JP Wear took the entire wave of urban fashion to a new level, but all of a sudden, it’s become general goods, the kind of clothing you can pick up at any department store. The key to getting back on top of the streetwear game is creating a mystique, the allure that comes with being exclusive. If you’re kicking it in JPWear you gotta feel like you’re the shit.” She paused, uneasy with her use of slang. She awaited Legend’s second attempt to embarrass her.

  “There is no uniqueness to the brand. People want to be able to get it, but they need to work for it. Nothing good comes easy … or cheap.” Venus recalled the sighting of a few JPWear hats on a rack at a local Chevron gas station. “I think you’re going to have to create an entire new line, make it exclusive,” she continued. “Bottom line, JPWear can be bought anywhere and everywhere. It’s not cool anymore. I suggest JPWear create an alias, a new name, a new brand to attract a new following.”

  Legend burst out, unable to contain his disagreement, “JPWear can easily cut back on the number of retailers. Starting an entire new line under an entirely new brand is ridiculous, not to mention expensive. Why in the world would he need to start over from scratch?”

  Venus found herself once again glaring at Legend, wanting to pounce. Wasn’t it just this morning they’d agreed with the direction to approach JPWear’s overhaul? Now he was saying the complete opposite. She maintained a dignified stance, doing her best to control the situation. “Being oversaturated in the market does three things to a fashion-forward brand. One, it dilutes the edge factor; two, it kills your profitability; and, three, it creates a guaranteed slide into oblivion.” She turned to Jake, with her back completely to Legend. “So the question is, can you put the horse back in the barn after it’s run away? I say many have tried, but few have succeeded. I would be interested if anyone can give me an example of a successful line that has brought itself back from overexposure. Levi’s jeans? Tommy Hilfiger?” She shook her head. “… And now we have Nike, struggling to get back the crown. It’s not going to happen.”

  “Maybe not for them, but JPWear’s got the juice.” Legend kept his attention directed at Jake and William, not so much as a glance in Venus’s direc
tion. “As much money as it would take creating a new line, the marketing, the advertising—hell, we could throw half as much at JPWear and get the same results. Change the image, step up the media. It can be done.” Legend looked directly at Jake, waiting for confirmation that he was in the lead.

  “It’s definitely something to consider.” Jake Parson looked between the two competing forces, bemused by the rivalry.

  “Mr. Parson, how long do you want to be in this business—three, four, or five more years? That’s the question. If the answer is yes, then Legend is right.” Venus frowned with the thought. “But if you want to create, as we say in the business, a ‘going concern’—something that has longevity—you have to think about introducing a new line, with a new brand. I agree that it costs just as much money to turn around an existing company as it does to start a new one, but the latter usually yields better results.”

  “And exactly when did you ever run your own company? You’ve been hiding under the corporate sheets too long, you’re out of touch.” Legend had let his contempt slip out once before and Venus had put him in check with finger wagging and head bobbing, but not in front of the paying customer. She bit down hard, catching the inside of her cheek.

  “Don’t hate Legend, it’s not like you brah: We’re talkin’ business here, and all ideas need to be heard and considered.” Jake Parson turned his attention back to Venus with apologetic eyes. She wanted to tell him not to sweat it. She’d make Legend pay later.

  Venus continued, “When you first talked to Chadnum, the discussion revolved around the fact that the Macy’s buyer threatened to pull your line. Did they tell you why?”

  A brief moment of embarrassment swirled around Jake. “JPWear clothing was going in a direction that they might not agree with.”

  “Which means they’re tired of sharing the same styles as the other stores. Your company pulled in $80 million last year. Your closest competitor did six times that business. Do you know why? Because they’re exclusive.”

  Legend was shaking his head. “… then cut back on some retailers and focus on the high end.”

  “Cut back on retailers, cut back in profits, period. He needs to keep the existing line at the general department stores and create a separate one for the high end.” Venus rolled open her palms to show the end of her magic trick. “It’s not complicated.”

  “Well, why didn’t you say that?” Jake interrupted.

  Venus looked as if to say, brotha please, hoping that Jake was asking a rhetorical question. These things had to be hashed out; even the simplest solutions needed dialogue. “I like the direction.” Jake stood up, running a hand down the lean muscles of his abdomen. “I like it a lot, now let’s eat.”

  Venus looked at her watch again, indicating her need to keep things moving. “I think I’ll pass.”

  Legend gave Venus a defeated glance before leaning back. His thick dreadlocks hung over the back of his chair. He ignored Jake’s offer of food and libations as well, trying to deliver his own message, “I’m just saying, JPWear is still the hottest thing going. That’s plus positive to have everybody walking around with the JP on their jackets and T-shirts. What’s important is building on what we already have. We don’t need to start an entirely different line.”

  Jake nodded his head; he’d take it all under advisement. It didn’t slow Legend down any. William sat silently, writing down notes. His usual tactic was to sit back and listen, collecting information, drawing a conclusion that made more sense than all the rest. This time he had nothing to add, afraid to side with Venus in the presence of Legend.

  “Have I ever steered you wrong, man?” Legend stood up, straightening his tie and adjusting his suit.

  Jake stood up and leaned over the table, slapping hands with both men, “That’s why you my dogs. Who else was I gonna call?”

  The conversation turned into a boys’ session regardless of how many times Venus tried to interject, their large shoulders huddled together as a wall to keep her out. She tried talking over them a few times, their voices becoming louder, their laughter thicker.

  She picked up her purse and briefcase and left the room quietly, unnoticed. She opened her small Nokia phone as she elbowed her way out the double doors of the JPWear studio. She dialed and listened as the phone went into the fourth ring.

  OPEN SEATING

  “HELLO, sweetness.” Venus let out a sigh of relief when Airic picked up. She climbed into the leather seat of her car.

  “Hello, Buttercup.”

  “Hello, Ever Lovin’.” She peeled off her high-heeled boots while sitting in the front seat.

  “Hello, Kissy Face.”

  “Okay, that’s enough. How are you?” She put her hot exhausted feet on top of the steering wheel as she pressed the button to guide the seat back as far as it would go.

  “Needing you,” Airic breathed into the phone.

  “Are you going to be able to come this weekend?” She was on the verge of whining but didn’t want to alarm him. She after all was a woman. Real women didn’t whine.

  “Venus, I left you a message. You didn’t get it?”

  “No. What message?”

  “I’ve got a proposal sitting in front of me that has more holes than Swiss cheese. I’ve got to have it together by Monday morning. I won’t be able to come.”

  Venus squeezed her eyes shut. It took everything she had to stay light. “I miss you, that’s all. This long-distance love thang is puttin’ a hurtin’ on me.”

  “I miss you, too. You know that.”

  “Another week without you. I don’t know.” She wiggled her toes, staring up at the windows of the JPWear studio, picturing the three men inside the stucco building laughing and chuckling it up, not knowing whether she was alive or dead.

  “Well, doesn’t Chadnum need to see you? You can fly back here. You can’t do everything over the phone and computer, can you?” he asked in a telling voice.

  “The only thing I can’t do through e-mail or on the phone is what I want to do with you.”

  He laughed. Airic had an enormous sense of humor. Love and laughter were two of the same as far as Venus was concerned. Once the laughter was gone, so were the good times, closely followed by the love.

  She sat up straight when she saw the three men file out of the large double doors of the building. If she didn’t know them personally and have a deep yearning to run them over with her car, she would’ve classified them as handsome. Now there were three of them. Solid, refined, educated—jerks.

  Men didn’t like working for women, as much as they tried to hide it. They could pretend that all was fair, but there was still major dissension. She knew sometimes she came on a bit too strong, what she called her Napoleon complex. Trying to make up for her slight size and stature. She should’ve known Legend and William were going to stage an uprising, not wanting to be bullied by a woman. All men could secretly hear their mothers yelling at them to take out the trash or cut the lawn.

  “I’m not promising, Venus,” Airic said, breaking her concentration on the Three-Live crew heading her way.

  “I’m asking you to try. I have to go now. I’ll call you tonight when I get home.”

  “You know where I’ll be.”

  “In my heart,” she said quickly before hanging up. She slipped back into her camel suede boots, pulling them over her calves. Flipping open the mirror on the back of her sunshade, she checked her makeup. Eyes still neatly lined with the soft brown pencil, her brows still sculpted to perfection, courtesy of Gina the Korean dynamo at Picasso’s Salon. Her coral brown skin never needed foundation; instead, she pressed a light powder for the shine. She touched up her lipstick, then stepped out of the car.

  The clouds had parted after a heavy shower, leaving the downtown streets wet and steamy. She walked quickly, sidestepping the potholes that were filled with rainwater. She caught up to them, hurrying until she was by Jake’s side.

  Startled, his hands flew out of his pockets like they could possibly
do damage. “Lady, you shouldn’t sneak up on people like that in the downtown streets of Los Angeles. We’ve got protocol out here.”

  “I called out, you guys didn’t hear me.”

  Legend and William turned around with a dampened spirit. The mean teacher was back ruining their field trip plans. “You’re joining us for lunch, Ms. Johnston?”

  “Don’t mind if I do.”

  “I don’t mind at all.” Jake Parson extended his arm and waited for her to take hold. Venus tapped his arm down lightly.

  “I think I can manage.”

  They walked five or six blocks up Broadway passing several restaurants on the way. She stayed silent, listening to their conversation range from homelessness to interest rates to Betina Grayson, I know ya’ll remember Betina…

  She zoned into her own thoughts—when would be the next time she saw Airic, what to do with her empty weekend. This was the second one in a row they’d missed being together. Days were long, nights even longer. Even though she’d spent the first half of her life in Los Angeles, it wasn’t home anymore. She could have only so many dinners with her mother and father before it felt like she’d moved back in with them. The guest pleasantries had already worn off. Now, her mother asked her questions like when she and Airic were going to get married since she’d been wearing a ring for well over the required get-to-know-you period, if she’d considered having her eggs frozen, seeing how she’d celebrated her thirty-sixth birthday a month ago. And the hardest questions of them all—how was Clint doing, did she ever talk to him, when was the last time she saw him … was he happily married?

  She wished she could answer that question. But then again, she was grateful to not know. Clint was a part of her life she tried hard not to think about. One of those it-could-have-been-me stories. She’d pushed him out of her life for his lack of commitment and then stood idly by while he married another woman less than a year later. The past that always resided in her ever present state of mind.