by Nako
Tyler chuckled, “Humble dude…”
“Come on, I know all about you giving back to your HBCU, planting the playgrounds in your old hood and the money you donate to the ADAA.”
This young man had definitely done his research. Juice wasn’t vocal about any of the things he’d named, especially his contribution to The Anxiety and Depression Association of America.
“Wow.”
It took another person to highlight his hard work for him to think about all what he’s done. He was more than Mahogany’s manager.
“You on it,” Tyler let him know.
Juice asked him about his path of life in which he said, “It pays the bills, you feel me?”
“What do you want to do?”
If Juice could help anyway, he would. Paying it forward was how he remained blessed.
“I play the drums…I know that’s not like a major thing…”
Juice hated to cut him off, but he had to inform him of something that many people didn’t know.
“Yes, it is! You know how much money is in playing the drums for an artist or a band? Tour money is solid.”
Juice asked him, “You got a card or something? Matter of fact, put your number in my phone.”
They exchanged information and Juice got back to work. An hour or so later, he saw a guy walk in and said he was there to fix the work. He made a mental note to not forget Tyler.
Mahogany seemed relieved and was in a better mood now that she wasn’t hollering every five seconds that she was hot.
Genesis plopped in a chair next to him, eating salt and vinegar chips.
“Did you order food for everybody…a nigga starving.”
Juice could only look at him, keeping his thoughts to himself before going back to work.
He texted Tia, “Coachella passes for you and your girls? Is that a good “I’m sorry gift?”
She sent him a message back almost immediately with a GIF of someone twerking.
Juice laughed as he saw another incoming text from Faai, “I was thinking…I could come out there with you. I’m bored.”
His smile went away as he tried to come up with a nice way to tell her that he was busy, and the location wasn’t accessible for her chair. Before he could press send, Mahogany was calling for him.
Juice told himself to push through and then prayed for a lil’ more patience. Coachella was going to come and go and then Mahogany was taking a month-long break. At this point, Juice needed it more than she did.
η
SLS Baha Mar in Nassau, Bahamas was not ready for Tia and the gang, but they got it together after the first day of them damn near clearing out the bar. The next morning, the staff greeted them in the area where breakfast was being served with mimosas topped with St. Germane. Tia had the biggest smile on her face once she joined them. She crashed first the night before but was the last to wake up.
“Good morning mamacitas,” she said as she shimmied her way in between two of her sisters.
A weekend trip to the beach was just what they all needed. Tia thought of many ways to repay them for their love and care. Although, she knew that they didn’t do anything for compensation she wanted to do something special to show her appreciation. There was no way she survived the morning after her rape, the weeks to follow and the four months that she suffered without them. She planned on treating Jhene to a spa date when she touched back down in Texas.
“How did you sleep?”
She told Lanise, “Girl, like a new born baby. Did y’all wake up with a hangover?”
No one did but tonight would be another story. Today was going to be a fun-filled day. They rented a boat and would be off shore for the next few hours.
“Let me get a piece of your bacon, Kei.”
Tia didn’t feel like making a plate, she had no problem snacking off their food.
“What time the boat come?”
She shrugged her shoulders and said, “I told them to come get us when it’s here. I’m going to go to the beach for a second.”
In her bag, she had her Bible, journal and a few magazines.
Tia was serious about being intentional with spending more time in God’s presence. Before she got too turnt up today, she wanted to write in her journal. Getting her thoughts down during this time of her life was important to her so that a year from now, she could look back and see how far she’d came.
For sure, she was growing, glowing and progressing.
“You okay?”
When she looked up, they all were looking at her.
“Yes, I am.”
Tia decided to clear what seemed to be foggy air, “Y’all listen, I’m doing fine. Yeah, I still think about it sometimes, but I refuse to let that hover over me like a dark cloud. I’m okay, it’s no need for y’all to worry about me anymore.”
Years of taking care of herself and being all that she had was hard to break free from.
Chanda told her, “I love you my wittle baby.” She was the oldest of the bunch but could keep up with the gang.
Tia gave her a warm smile, “Love you more, all of y’all.”
She went from being an only child to having a big family, full of amazing sisters.
“Okay, I think I’m going to get food now,” something told her it was best if she put some food on her stomach.
After everyone was good and full, they went their separate ways promising to link up in two hours in the lobby, after they were able to confirm the time for the boat pick-up.
Tia took a few pictures of herself on the beach before putting her air pods in so she could listen to some music while she wrote in her journal. She decided to write a letter to herself, a letter that a year from now she planned on reading. The idea came from one of her home girls, Breeze.
Tia didn’t expect the words to flow her from as easy as they did, but she had a lot on her mind…
Dear YOU,
You are so happy on today.
As you open this letter you are full of joy.
This is a reminder to yourself that you wrote this letter a year ago.
A year ago, you decreed and declared that you were done with so many things, such as your old mindset, bad habits and dealing with people that don’t pour into you.
You challenged yourself to start your second life and wow, look at you on today!
A year later…. you’re no longer harboring over the past.
You stopped having nightmares.
You learned to let go and let God.
You’re flourishing.
By now, I’m almost certain that your life is thriving.
Your NEW career is progressing, and you are only entering new and greater territory.
Those connected to you and in your inner-circle are doing good. You prayed for them all to grow in the areas that they needed, and your prayers have been answered.
You stopped being so anxious and worrying about things that you didn’t have the power to change or control.
You’re done with all that emotional non-sense but are still aware of your feelings.
Girl, you are looking good too and you feel even better.
You are living your best life.
Traveling the world.
Recording your thoughts.
Keeping your head held high.
You stopped comparing and contrasting everything to who you are.
You are so AMAZING.
And guess what? I’m proud of you!
She closed her journal and closed her eyes. Peace felt so good to Tia.
Hours later, they were having a good time in the middle of the ocean. Pina Coladas and champagne were being poured up. They feasted on local snacks and would have dinner while the sun set. She was excited and looking forward to taking some cute pictures later.
“Oh yeah, I knew I forgot to tell y’all something.”
Keiva said loudly since she paused the music, “What girl?”
“It’s nothing important… We just going to COACHELLAAAAAA,” she sai
d it casually, as if it wasn’t a big deal. Then, drunkenly, she bent over and started twerking.
Tia was way past her the limit of not needing another drink, but she didn’t give a damn. She was living her best life right now.
They all started screaming and twerking right along with her.
“We gon be LITTTTTYYYYYYY!” Lanise screamed out into the ocean.
Coachella was not ready for the gang…and Juice wasn’t either because Tia was coming to slay.
η
Mahogany found Juice chatting it up with some of the people from the crew and asked, “Can I speak to you for a second?”
He walked away from everyone and followed her to a corner in the warehouse where they could talk in private.
“How did you think rehearsal went today?” She hadn’t asked for his opinion in a long time and it didn’t bother him. He was surprised though to hear her requesting his feedback.
“Uh, it was cool.”
She knew he was holding back and told him, “Give it to me real.”
Juice sighed as he folded his arms across his chest.
“It’s being forced, it’s not flowing. I’m sure you don’t want to hear this but the original showcase-”
“The one that you came up with?” there was so much attitude in her tone, which is one the reasons why he fell back from being so close to her.
Mahogany’s mood was to up and down for him. Every time she had something new to blame it on.
Either she was missing her kids, mad at Porter, going back and forth with her mom’s attorney or allowing a troll on social media to upset her. Juice stopped listening to the excuses a long time ago.
“Yes, the one that I created.”
He didn’t even bother bring up that he spent hours working on that shit.
“Is it a problem that I’m standing behind my idea?” he only asked her to be clear because it sounded like it was an issue for her.
“No, how about tomorrow we’ll perform the concept you came up with and then the current one and see how everyone feels?”
What he knew she really meant was if Yara and Quentin liked it, and again, that was cool…they were the bosses. Mahogany was signed to YQ Recordings, so their opinion mattered to her a great deal.
“Okay.”
His fire was dimming for this position, but he never fell off. However, he was completely over it.
Mahogany wanted him to understand where she was coming from. She was headlining one of the biggest music festivals if not the biggest in the United States of America. This was a monumental moment.
“I only get one shot at this, it’s Coachella, Juice. I’m striving for perfection.”
He gave her a questioning look, as he wondered if and when he dropped the ball when it came to her trusting him with her vision and her career.
“And, I don’t?”
She pursed her lips together before saying, “I’ll see you tomorrow. I’m tired.”
Juice didn’t chase her down. He stayed behind for a lil’ while longer, working out a few intricate details on the business side of the show. Juice was staying in an Airbnb, he was sick of hotels.
Normally, whenever he was in California he kicked with his mom, but this was a special kind of trip. The location of Coachella wasn’t near the city. It was smack dab in the middle of a desert. His Airbnb was about forty minutes from where the festival will take place and an hour from the warehouse where they were holding rehearsals.
He called his fiancée to help him get through the drive. Juice was tired as hell and knew that he would crash as soon as he laid down.
“Hey baby,” she said happily into the phone once she answered.
“What up? How was your day?”
Faaizah spent the next thirty minutes complaining about the nurse that he hired. He didn’t get a word in edge wise. If he was able to, he would’ve told her how his day was and how he’d been contemplating stepping down from his position as Mahogany’s manager. H was ready to step out and do his own thing. Juice would finally let her know that whenever she thought he was in meetings what he was really doing was hosting mic nights and studio lock-ins to discover the raw talent that was hidden in the nooks and crooks of the cities.
However, Faaizah never gave him that opportunity.
When he did make it to where he was laying his head, she’d drained him even more.
He cut her off from the complaining and blabbering, “Faai, I made it to the crib. I’m tired baby. I’ll talk to you tomorrow.”
She told him, “Oh okay. I love you, get some sleep.”
Juice didn’t even return the love, “Yeah.”
After he ended the call and went into the house and right into the shower.
He tried his hardest to let the hot water wash away his thoughts but was unsuccessful.
As mentally and physically drained as he was, sleep didn’t come easy.
He tossed and turned for hours.
Juice knew she was up and if she wasn’t, hopefully he still could call and she would answer. Like, she used too.
“Hey.”
She was sleep. Her voice was groggy.
“You in the bed?”
She told him, “No, on the couch…I’m going to be sick in the morning,” she whined but not in an annoying way like his fiancée. It was a cute baby voice that made his dick hard.
“Where you at?”
He could hear her moving around to get comfortable.
“In the Bahamas. I’m surprised your stalking ass ain’t see it on my page.”
She’d been posting a lot since they landed and switched her profile to private. Tia didn’t need anyone speculating and she had way too many fake pages in her views.
He had to chuckle at that, “Unblock me.”
Tia wasn’t doing shit.
“Thank you for the tickets. I’m looking forward to it.”
It wasn’t a big deal for him.
“…And I’m looking forward to seeing you,” he admitted.
Tia missed him a little bit.
“I bet,” she kept it cool though.
Juice had so much on my mind and Tia being who she was, read him better than a New York Times Bestseller.
“Talk to me,” her voice was warm and inviting.
He wouldn’t boggle her down with his problems.
“Nah, I’m good love. You’re on vacation…and drunk,” he declined.
“I’m in my right mind and I’m here for you.”
His heart leaped with joy. Juice knew he was a sucker for her.
Tia cleared her throat to get his attention after two minutes had passed by of complete silence.
“Do you think I should quit my job?”
They’d had this talk before.
“If you’re feeling unhappy or incomplete. Yes.”
Tia was on a whole ‘nother vibe these days. If it wasn’t adding to you, then that meant it was distracting and no one had time for that.
“I’m all of that right now, Tia,” he confided in her.
“We both know that you’ve put your best foot forward and you’ve given your all. It’s okay to move on from things and people,” she said that due to her being aware that outside of business, Juice and Mahogany were close.
“Yeah, but I feel like she’s only gon’ see it one way and not even give me a chance to explain how I’m feeling.”
He wasn’t a heartless nigga. Juice wanted her to see where he was coming from. Mahogany wasn’t going to care though, she was good at putting her guard up and shutting people out. He’d seen her do it numerous times over the years.
“That’ll be on her then.”
Tia added, “Sometimes you gotta step back for a motherfucker to acknowledge what you brought to the table. She’ll see in due time.”
“Is that what you did to me?”
Without much hesitation she let him know, “And did.”
She didn’t regret her decision.
“What if I see now?”
Tia
didn’t have a savvy comeback for him this time.
“Uh…I don’t know. Your plate is full,” she stuttered over her words.
“People make time for what they want…”
Tia was under the influence and Juice was laying the mack on pretty strong.
“Back to you…are you prepared to launch your label if you quit?”
He was cool with her changing the subject, he loved talking about his dreams.
“Kinda, but with the free time I’ll have once I quit, whatever I need to finish up will be done.”
Tia believed in him.
“I think you should go for it. What’s holding you back?”
He knew without thinking hard about it, “Loyalty.”
Not only did Mahogany drive that word into the ground but her husband did as well.
“To who?”
“Mainly, P. I don’t want him thinking that he taught me the game and now I’m about to go do my own thing, leaving his wife high and dry.”
Tia didn’t think that was fair to him.
“I mean…what’s the point of mentoring someone if you don’t want to see them…win?”
The lawyer in her was coming out now.
“Furthermore, who says that he taught you all of that for his wife and his wife only?”
Tia sat up on the couch and asked him another question, “These are all questions that need answers and you’ll only get them from Porter. I would talk to P first…then talk to her.”
They were one in the same.
“I’ll be wasting my breath, trust me.”
Tia then said, “Can’t please everybody. It’s like a Band-Aid, just rip that bitch off. She’ll be okay.”
Juice had never heard that saying before. “Yeah, you’re drunk.”
She snickered, “It’s the truth though.”
“I’m done saving feelings ‘cus they ain’t gon’ protect yours if the shoe was on the other foot!”
Juice didn’t think that way about them and didn’t want to start now.
He changed the subject but was thankful for her advice and listening ear.
“Tell me you love me,” he asked her, kindly.
Tia used to tell him that shit every five minutes when they first got together and realized that they were stuck with each other.
“I love you, Mr. McAfee.”
Tia sounded so fuckin’ good he didn’t even bother correcting her from saying his former last name.
