The Best Part of Me

by A'zayler

  “Says who?” Goody grabbed the bridge of her nose and closed her eyes. “Listen here, if I tell you I need some time and that I’ll call you back, please tell me what part of that made you call me before I could call you? That’s annoying, and you’re really irritating the crap out of me.”

  “Paradise, when you’re in a relationship, you’re supposed to communicate,” Elijah whined.

  “Relationship? Who’s in a relationship?”

  Elijah sucked his teeth and exhaled loudly into the phone. “Paradise.”

  “Nah, for real, who’s in a relationship? Not you and me. I’m single, baby. I appreciate the dates and hanging out and stuff, but you are not my man.” Goody looked up at the man with the headphones on, signaling for her to come up the stairs. “Aye, but listen, I have to go. It’s time for me to perform. I’ll holla at you.”

  Not interested in anything else he had to say, Goody ended their call and handed her cousin, Yummy, her phone.

  “My bitch! You’re so cold on these niggas.”

  “Girl, they get on my nerves. I don’t have time for all that back and forth.” Goody ran her hands through her hair while walking up the stairs. “How he gon’ call me back before I can call him? That’s so stupid.”

  “That’s how they be, girl. Forget him, though, get your mind right for this show.” Yummy moved in front of her and began dancing smoothly to the Moneybagg Yo song that was playing loudly through the club.

  Yummy’s older cousin, best friend, and partner in crime, Goody, began dancing with her. Both of them smiling and vibing to the music while Goody began freestyling some lyrics. The only thing stopping their fun was the man who had just motioned for her to come, waving her over again. This time, his hand moved faster, obviously rushing her.

  Once she got to the top of the staircase, she checked her appearance in the full body mirror. Yummy stood behind her, rubbing some type of body glitter on her thighs. Her hair was on point, as it always was when doing a show. The shiny black biker shorts held onto her petite frame like magic. Since she’d never in her life had a baby, or planned to, her extra flat stomach sank in, making the black and yellow cheetah print bra she was wearing look even better.

  With bright yellow hair to match her bra, natural beauty with added lip gloss and a host of shiny jewelry, Goody grabbed the mic extended toward her and took the stage.

  “Get it, Goody!” Yummy proudly yelled behind her.

  A loud roar from the crowd grew her smile at least a few inches. After a quick inhale of breath and a silent prayer, Goody raised her hand, waving at the people who had made it their business to show up and support her. It was her first time doing a show with a crowd that big, and she was past nervous. Hopefully, they wouldn’t be too bad on her. Since she was still new, not many people knew her or her music, so her shows could sometimes be dead. Prayerfully, that night would be different.

  “What’s good, y’all? Y’all feeling okay out there?” Goody screamed, and they reciprocated.

  Her smile was just as bright as the lights flashing around her. It lit up the stage.

  “Aight, let’s get it then.”

  The beat to her newest single, “Crown Me,” dropped, and her energy shot through the roof. Like she always did, Goody gave the crowd every ounce of energy that she had. Not only was she rapping, but she danced, shook hands, and entertained them with nothing but the best she had to give.

  “Aight, y’all let me grab me some water right quick.”

  Before they could get too far out of their element, Goody ran off stage and to the small corner that they’d designated as hers. Yummy was waiting there with Forever on Facetime and a bottle of water in hand, cap already twisted off.

  Yummy hugged her with one arm while giving her the water. “You cutting up, sexy! I been back here rapping louder than you.”

  Goody gulped the water down. “I’m trying to keep it lit. They’re feeling me for real too. Y’all heard how loud they were?”

  Goody took her phone so that she could see Forever. After college, she’d moved out of state to California for law school and only came home to visit. Though Goody and Yummy missed their third musketeer like crazy, just like the two of them, Forever was about her bag, so they could do nothing else but respect it.

  “Did we? How could we not?” Forever screamed over the phone.

  “They rapping along with all your lyrics. That shit so lit.” Yummy clapped and laughed.

  “Ain’t it, though! They’re giving me energy. I got to get back out there.” After another long gulp, Goody gave the water back to Yummy. “Yummy, when I call your name, you better be ready, because I’m coming for you.”

  Yummy’s face was priceless. “For real? You gon’ let me come out there with you?”

  “Dang, I can’t miss both of my girls in action. Yummy, find somebody to give her phone to, so I can watch y’all.”

  “Man, she probably ain’t gon’ call me out there for real.” Yummy twisted her mouth to the side while eyeing Goody.

  Just like Goody, Yummy had a passion for rapping. Still young and not as experienced as Goody, Yummy had a way to go, but she and Goody practiced together all the time. She was way too raw to be as young as she was, but Goody loved her flow and believed in it, so she would do anything in her power to take her wherever she went.

  “You gon’ let me come out there for real, Paradise?”

  Forever laughed at Yummy’s pouting while Goody nodded and took off for the stage again. She was about to relieve her hype man of his duties, but a strong grip on her arm stopped her. Her natural instinct was to pull away, so she did. With a deep frown on her face, she spun around to see who had obviously lost their mind grabbing her like that.

  A dark-skinned man stood there with a plate of fruit, cheese, and crackers in his hand. He gave her a light smile while pushing the food toward her.

  “You should eat something.”

  Goody’s frown deepened. “You should keep your hands off me.”

  “Just trying to get your attention.”

  Goody turned her nose up. “Well, you got it, and I’m not hungry,” she spat.

  The man’s smile surfaced, but she only got a half view because he’d turned his head to look back at a dancing Yummy. She smiled and waved giddily at him. Goody, on the other hand, rolled her eyes. Luckily, he missed it as he turned back to face her.

  “You sure? It’s light. The fruit will give you energy.”

  Goody looked at the food and shook her head. “No, thanks. I’m good. I don’t even know you. You could have done anything to that food. Won’t date rape me.”

  When he laughed, Goody turned to leave, and he grabbed her again.

  “Don’t grab me no more. I’m not going to tell you again.”

  “Eat.” his stern tone had her looking at him like he was crazy.

  “Boy, I’m not eating that li’l food. I got people waiting for me.”

  Goody snatched away and ran back to the stage, jumping up and down happily. As they had been all night, her crowd thrived off her vibe.

  “Y’all missed me?”

  The crowd roared with an array of yeses.

  “Where my ladies at? The ones that are tired of these raggedy ass niggas?”

  The screams that rose made Goody laugh.

  “I see I’m not the only one fed up with bullshit.” Goody stepped to the front of the stage and raised her mic. “Ole’ lying ass bitches. Stay bragging about what they gon’ do or what they got, and ain’t gone do shit but run they muthafucking mouths.”

  Her crowd was still going wild when she looked over her shoulder at the food man. He had stepped up closer to the stage and was watching her. Goody sized him up before winking.

  “Y’all, it was a nigga in the back talking to me like he my daddy, trying to feed me and shit.” Goody smiled. “Can my ladies please tell him about the shit that I’m on?”

  “Fuck these niggas, stay in your bag!” a group of voices yelled with their middle fingers
in the air.

  “Fucking right!” Goody shot another glance over her shoulder; he wore a big smile. “I don’t even like these niggas,” she said with her middle finger in the air. “Fuck they lying, bad dick having asses.”

  The beat to her next song dropped, picking the crowd up with her. Goody’s energy surged through the roof, and she went straight into her verse. Song after song, she rapped her current mixtape with the majority of her crowd rapping it with her. When it was finally over, she walked off stage. Tired and still floating on her performance high, she looked right over at the man who had been trying to feed her.

  “Slim Goody.”

  She turned at the sound of the smooth, deep voice. The chocolate brother from earlier was strolling coolly toward her. The casual dress pants and button-down shirt he wore was all wrong for a club performance, but he looked so comfortable that it had to be his preferred style.

  “What do you want? You plan to chase me all night?”

  He stopped in front of her, stuffing his hands into his pockets. “It depends on how long you plan to run.”

  “Forever. I’m not interested in anything you’re offering.”

  “So, those lyrics, that’s how you really feel?”

  Goody crossed her arms over her chest. “Wouldn’t write it if I didn’t.”

  “You could, it’s art. A creative can do whatever they want.”

  “Nah. I’m a real rapper. I only say stuff that I mean.”

  “Even the bad dick part?”

  Goody smirked. “Especially that part.”

  His almost too-pretty-to be-a-man’s smile appeared again. His hand followed, rubbing his bottom lip, then extending toward her.

  “Jerrico Blake.”

  Goody looked at his hand and nodded curtly.

  He released a cute li’l laugh. “Dang, I’m not even good enough for a handshake?”

  “You already know who I am. No need for pleasantries.”

  “With a woman, there’s always a need for pleasantries, but since I really don’t know you, and you mean everything you write, I probably never will. Some of the things I heard you say tonight might prevent that.” He looked her up and down. “It’s a shame. I’m really a nice guy. You have a good night, Ms. Slim Goody.”

  Goody watched him walk past her and descend the stairs. For her ego, and her ego only, she chased him to the stairs. “It’s Goody, just Goody. Slim Goody is my stage name,” she yelled to his back.

  Jerrico turned so that he was facing her again. “I think it’s another name, something deeper and more fitting for you. I’ll wait for you to tell me that. Stay sweet, beautiful.” Jerrico smiled and left.

  Goody stood at the top of the stairs watching him. When she couldn’t see him anymore, she went to grab her things so that she could go. Like she’d known they would be, Yummy was there with Forever still on Facetime, both eating. It looked like Forever was eating an apple while Yummy was smashing on some of the tastiest looking fried chicken Goody had ever seen.

  “Where you get all that from? I’m starving.” Goody flopped down on the stool next to her cousin. “And, Rabbit, why you letting this heffa eat this mess in front of you while you’re stuck eating an apple?” Goody leaned in front of her phone so that Forever could see her.

  “First of all, It’s Forever, and secondly, I’m not stuck. I wanted this apple. Even if I were there, I wouldn’t be eating that greasy chicken.”

  “That’s why you’re so skinny now. This chicken makes this ass fat.” Yummy sloppily bit another piece while standing and turning her butt to the camera.

  Goody and Forever laughed when she bent over and started dancing before flopping back down on the sofa next to Goody.

  “If you’re done being crazy, I asked where you got this food from.”

  “From that man who was trying to give you them crackers.” Yummy giggled, and Forever joined in. “Had you not been your typically mean self, you probably would have some too.”

  Goody turned her nose up. “You’ll eat anything. You don’t even know that man.”

  Yummy tooted her lips up. “I know he can cook. His company catered the show tonight. Your ignorant butt is the only one who didn’t eat. All the rest of the performers was going ham on that buffet.”

  “A caterer?” Goody sounded disgusted by his profession.

  “No, a chef, bitch. A fucking chef with his own catering company. A damn businessman, you little stuck in the ghetto, dope boy loving ass girl.” Yummy bit another piece of her chicken.

  Goody watched her eat with her nose turned up. After a few seconds, all three of them burst out laughing. Goody pushed Yummy’s chicken out of her hand and watched it fall to the floor.

  “Goody!” she screamed.

  Goody kicked it across the floor and picked her phone up so she could see Forever. “She gets on my nerves.”

  Forever smiled. “She’s just telling you the truth.”

  “No, she’s not. Since when have I ever liked a dope boy? Girl, please. I don’t like none of these fools. They can all kiss my little butt.”

  “You sounding more and more like Forever every day, and you know what that means.” Yummy stood in front of her and gathered their things.

  “Eww, no, I don’t. I said I don’t like these niggas, meaning I’m not taking any of them seriously. At no point did I say I wouldn’t fuck ’em. Don’t get me confused with the Little Bo Peep.”

  Goody and Yummy were so busy laughing that they didn’t realize Forever had hung up on them until they stopped. Their laughter resumed as soon as they did.

  “Your cousin needs help.”

  Yummy threw her purse over her shoulder. “Nah, she needs some dick.”

  The girls laughed together while exiting Goody’s dressing room, or the lack thereof. Once they were in the hallway, a tall, burly man dressed in black with the word SECURITY written in white across his chest approached them.

  “Slim Goody, you ready to go?”

  Goody and Yummy looked him up and down before looking at each other with smiles on their faces. Yummy looped her arm through the man’s and smiled while rubbing his large muscles.

  “Bitch, we made it. You got security and stuff. Oh, yes, ma’am. Come on, sis.”

  The security guard and Goody both laughed at Yummy while proceeding through the club and out of the door. A few people complimented Goody on her show as she passed, while others smiled and asked to take pictures or make a video for their social media.

  When Goody finally made it to her car, she breathed a sigh of relief. Her heels had her feet on ten, and she was darn near famished. She needed to hurry up and get home to eat. She smirked to herself when she thought about the cheese and crackers Jerrico had offered her. A few thoughts later, her smirk turned into a full out laugh.

  “I’m so mean.” She giggled some more.

  That’s what niggas needed, though. There were too many nice women in the world. Not enough bitches. Paradise “Goody” Maverick would gladly be that any day.

  Chapter Two

  I’m Only One Man

  “I specifically asked for two cases of fresh vegetables, so why is there well over thirty bags of frozen broccoli and carrots? Can you all not do what I ask you to do?” With one hand on his waist and the other rubbing his forehead, Jerrico fumed over his order.

  “I’m sorry, Mr. Blake, sir. The warehouse must have mixed it up. My sincerest apologies. We’ll be more than happy to get you what you need.”

  “My customer’s dinner party starts in three hours. There’s not nearly enough time for you all to leave here, go there, get all the food I ordered, and get it back with enough time for me to prepare it.” Jerrico snatched the clipboard from the man, signed it, and walked away. “I’ll just have to make this work.”

  With enough already on his plate, a messed-up order was the last thing that Jerrico needed, but with that being all he had at the moment, what more could he do? As if his morning hadn’t been bad enough already, just go ahead an
d add a jacked-up evening to the mix as well. The spare bathroom in his two thousand dollar a month loft had flooded due to cracks in the tile of the shower and soaked his entire second bedroom floor as well as some of the clothes he kept in that closet.

  He’d been livid to find out the water had been leaking through the sheetrock for months and finally burst, ruining part of a very expensive wardrobe he’d been building for years. Then, to get to work and find out that his well-paying and faithful client’s dinner party would be a disaster if he didn’t work his magic had his mind about to blow.

  “Just take a breather, Mr. Blake. If anybody can make something out of nothing, you can.” Heather, his apprentice, patted his back. “Go take a minute to breathe while I get started on washing all of the vegetables.” Her freckled cheeks and bright smile made him feel somewhat better.

  “Thanks, Heather. I’ll be back in five.”

  Heather’s head full of natural hair shook when she nodded. That was one of the things that had won her the position as his apprentice. She’d been up against another young woman, but the natural way that Heather carried herself appealed to his senses. Jerrico loved black women. Deeply, hungrily, and wholeheartedly. The shapes of their bodies, their hair texture, the confidence in their ability to get shit done, their resilience, and the ferocity of their protectiveness. All of it and any of it, Jerrico loved.

  Any black woman who carried herself as a queen, held a good conversation, shined in her naturalness, and embraced her flaws, was his type of woman. Heather was all of that, but she was far too young for him. On top of that, she was married and cherished her husband in the highest regard. Jerrico respected that even more.

  “Once I get back, we’ll tackle this together,” he told her before turning and heading for the door.

  The kitchen door led to a small hallway, breaking the space between the main dining room and meal preparing space. Different attendants moved around the large banquet room of one of his most popular restaurants, preparing for the engagement party of Jarret Michaels and Jordan Bakari. He was the newly named NFL rookie of the year, while his gorgeous fiancée had broken the internet with her cover of Sports Illustrated. A top model and a queen at heart, Jerrico had been delighted to host the beginning of their union.