Delilah's Daughters

by Angela Benson

  “Look,” Dexter said. “This is not the end of the world.” He glanced from Roxanne to Alisha. “You two are still Delilah’s Daughters. There is no reason you can’t build on the exposure the group gained in the contest. You’ll just have to do it without Veronica.”

  Veronica winced. Her husband had good intentions, but the grimaces on the faces of her mother and sisters told her that his words had not been received in the spirit they had been given. Their nonreaction to his words spoke volumes. “What Dexter means,” she said, before her mother and sisters gave voice to their emotions, “is that the group is still viable even though I’m not a member.”

  “Viable?” Roxanne repeated. Then she gave a dry laugh. “You’ve got to be joking. Momma already told us that Magic City’s offer is off the table if the deal doesn’t include the three of us.”

  Dexter cleared his throat. “I’m sorry about that, but one rejection is no reason to give up.”

  Veronica knew Dexter’s reasoning was going nowhere. “I know my leaving the group has lessened the opportunities for Delilah’s Daughters.” She squeezed Dexter’s fingers, knowing he disagreed with what she was about to say. “That’s why I’m prepared to offer financial restitution for the loss.”

  “No way,” Dexter said, his voice stern. “We’ve talked about this, Veronica.”

  “You want to pay us off?” Alisha asked.

  Veronica sighed. Why couldn’t they understand? “I’m not trying to pay you off. You’re my sisters. I want to do the right thing by you.”

  “Doing the right thing would be staying in the group,” Roxanne said.

  She met her sister’s eyes. “I can’t do that, Roxanne, but I can replace the money Magic City was going to give each of you and Momma.”

  “You don’t have to do this, Veronica,” Delilah said, finally speaking.

  Veronica nodded. “I know I don’t have to do it,” she said. “I want to do it.”

  “Guilt money,” Roxanne said, folding her arms across her chest. “You’re using your money to ease your conscience. Well, I want no part of it.”

  “If that’s the case, we’ll keep our money,” Dexter said.

  Veronica shook her head. “No, we won’t,” she said to him. “The money is theirs.” She turned back to her mother and sisters. “You’ll get half the money when Legends cuts my first check, and the other half after I finish the first album, which is when they’ll cut my second check. It’s the best I can do.”

  “It’s something,” Delilah said.

  Veronica couldn’t tell if her mother thought it was a good something or a bad something. She hoped for the former, but decided not to ask in case she was wrong. “What about you, Alisha?” she asked her younger sister. “If you’re serious about quitting your job, the money will come in handy.”

  “You’re right about that,” Alisha said, “but I’m with Roxanne. This feels like a payoff.”

  “Think of it as a buyout,” Delilah said. “This is Veronica buying her way out of Delilah’s Daughters. Veronica has been able to put a price on membership in the group, something I’d never thought to do. So now we know the price of a family legacy.”

  Delilah’s words cut Veronica deeply.

  Roxanne stood. “I’m glad Daddy is not here to see this day. It would break his heart to see how mercenary you’ve become.”

  “That’s enough, Roxanne,” Delilah said.

  “It’s the truth,” Roxanne said to Delilah. “Veronica has gone from a member of a family group to a solo artist surrounded by folks only interested in the money she can make for them.” She turned to Veronica. “I hope you know what you’re doing. You’re giving up a lot for your shot at stardom.”

  “It’s not just for me,” Veronica tried to explain. “Don’t you see? If I make it big at Legends, I’ll be in a position to help you and Alisha move ahead with your own careers.”

  “So can I submit a couple of songs for your album?” Alisha asked, hope in her voice.

  Veronica wished she had a better answer. “I already asked. I’m sorry, they want to go with an established writer-producer team with a history of hits for this first album, but I’m sure there’ll be a chance with the second.”

  “Of course there will be,” Roxanne said, her voice full of sarcasm. “After one album, you’ll be a star, and then you can tell the label what to do. Sure. It happens all the time.”

  Veronica again looked to her mother for help. Delilah’s lips didn’t move, but her eyes clearly said, I told you so.

  Sadly, Veronica shook her head. “I don’t know what else to say.”

  Dexter stood. “There’s nothing left to say. It’s clear to me that your mother and sisters don’t want what’s best for you.”

  “Don’t speak for me, Dexter,” Delilah warned. “Everything I do and everything I’ve done is for the good of this family, and that includes Veronica.”

  Veronica stood when Dexter reached for her hand. “You haven’t shown any support for Veronica today,” he said. “You’ve all stood against her and the opportunity God has given her. Why can’t you stand with her and support her?”

  “Because it’s the wrong decision,” Delilah said.

  “So what if it’s the wrong decision?” he countered. “Veronica’s a grown woman. She’s allowed to make her own decisions, wrong or not.”

  “She’s not allowed to walk away from her family,” Delilah shot back.

  “I’m not walking away from the family,” Veronica shouted. “I’m taking on a new opportunity. Can’t you see that?”

  “Okay,” Delilah challenged. “Will you still perform with your sisters as Delilah’s Daughters on occasion?”

  Again Veronica had to shake her head. “I asked, but the label thinks doing so would dilute my brand.”

  “What brand?” Roxanne said with a dry laugh. “All anybody knows about you is Delilah’s Daughters.”

  “What about the Gospelfest?” Delilah asked. “Can you do the Gospelfest with your sisters?”

  “I don’t know,” Veronica said, but deep down inside she did know. She just didn’t have the courage to give another negative answer. “My schedule in preparation for this first album is jam-packed. I don’t see getting away for the concert, much less practicing for it.”

  “But we’ve always done the Gospelfest,” Alisha said. “It’s tradition. We’ve been doing it since we were kids. How can you not do the Gospelfest?”

  Before Veronica could answer, Dexter said, “Things are changing. We’re going to have to establish new traditions.”

  Delilah met Veronica’s eyes. “Have you thought this out, Veronica? Is it truly what you want?”

  Veronica glanced from her mother to her sisters. Though she knew they were disappointed in her, she knew she couldn’t change her mind. Opportunities like the one Legends offered only came along once in a lifetime. One day her mom and sisters would understand this. Her eyes stung with unshed tears as she realized that day might be far into the future. She bit back her tears and answered her mother’s question. “It’s what I want, Momma. I’m sure of it.”

  Chapter 14

  Delilah kept her seat after Veronica and Dexter left. She didn’t have the words to express her disappointment. Veronica was making a huge mistake. She was sure of it. And there was no way Delilah could fix it. Not now. Not after her brash daughter had signed the contract.

  “Well,” Alisha said, interrupting her thoughts, “that was fun.”

  Roxanne smirked. “Only if you like root canals. I can’t believe Veronica turned her back on us.”

  “It’s Dexter,” Alisha said. “No way would Veronica have made this decision on her own. You could see that he didn’t want her to give us any money.”

  “We’re not taking that guilt money,” Roxanne said.

  “Speak for yourself,” Alisha said. “That money is going to come in handy when I quit my job. I have some money saved, but every little bit will help.”

  Delilah felt as betrayed as she
knew her daughters did, but she couldn’t give in to those feelings now. She hadn’t been able to keep the group together, but she wasn’t ready to give up on Rocky’s dream for Delilah’s Daughters. She hated to admit it, but something Dexter said had rung true in her heart: Delilah’s Daughters could go on without Veronica. “Veronica has made her decision,” she told her two daughters. “Now we have to make ours.”

  “What are you talking about, Momma?” Roxanne said. “Veronica made the decision for all of us. When she chose Legends, she had to know Magic City was going to withdraw their contract offer. The only opportunity we had is gone.” She got up and paced in front of the loveseat where Dexter and Veronica had sat. “I still can’t believe she did this to us. I don’t know what’s come over her.”

  “Fame,” Alisha said simply. “Veronica sees her name in lights, adoring fans at her feet, and her pockets full of cash. It’s what she’s always wanted.”

  Roxanne shook her head. “Sure, Veronica has dreams of fame, we all do, but she loves her art.”

  “Come on, Roxanne,” Alisha said. “I know Veronica loves dancing, but she loves the spotlight more. Maybe the contract with Legends is the best thing for her. They’ll give her the chance at fame she wants.”

  “What about our chance, Alisha? Did she have to go for hers at our expense? I could have understood it if she had a deal and we didn’t have one. But we had one together, and she chose to go for hers alone rather than work together for all three of us to achieve our dreams. Would you have done that?”

  Alisha shrugged her shoulders. “I don’t know.”

  Roxanne rolled her eyes. “I do. You wouldn’t have, and neither would I. You might have wanted to, but in the end you would have stayed with the group. Somewhere down the line we might have parted, but you would have given us a shot together. I’m sure of it.”

  “Enough,” Delilah said, growing tired of the bickering between her daughters. “Neither of you know what you would have done in Veronica’s situation,” she said. “This was a hard decision. That’s why I didn’t want Veronica to have to make it. That’s why I didn’t bring it to the group.”

  “I didn’t think she’d leave us,” Roxanne finally admitted. “Deep inside I thought she would stick with us. It hurts that she didn’t. It’s as though she pushed us aside in her rush to fame. Does fame mean more than family?”

  “You can’t look at it that way, Roxanne,” Delilah said. “This is one decision in Veronica’s life. She wasn’t pushing you and Alisha to the side. She was doing what she thought was best for her and Dexter. She has a husband, so her decisions aren’t really all about her. They’re about him too.”

  “Dexter has never wanted to be a part of this family,” Roxanne said. “Not really. He wanted Veronica, but I think the rest of us were too much for him. I’ll bet he’s glad to have her to himself for once.”

  Delilah was sure Roxanne was right about Dexter’s intentions. “That boy doesn’t know what he’s in for. If he thought he was losing his wife to us, then that label’s hold on her is going to come as a major shock. Legends promised Veronica fame, and they may deliver, but it will be on their terms every step of the way. Veronica and Dexter are both going to find that out.” She slapped her palms on her thighs. “But enough about them and their decision. Let’s talk about the future of Delilah’s Daughters.”

  Roxanne stopped pacing and stared at her mother. “What future? What are you talking about, Momma? We have nothing without Veronica.”

  “I’m still leaving my job,” Alisha said.

  “Stop talking crazy,” Roxanne said. “Veronica was right about one thing. You don’t quit your job when you lose the contest, or the contract. You quit when you win.”

  “That’s enough,” Delilah said. She knew the harsh words Roxanne and Alisha were exchanging now were born out of frustration. “You two are so caught up in Veronica’s decision that you aren’t listening to me. Delilah’s Daughters can still live without Veronica. You two are Delilah’s Daughters.”

  “What good does that do us?” Roxanne asked. “Magic City wants three daughters, not two.”

  Delilah waved off the comment. “That’s easy to remedy,” she said. “We’ll find a third sister.”

  Alisha giggled. “Are you trying to tell us something, Momma? Did Dad have kids out there somewhere that we don’t know about?”

  Delilah frowned at her youngest daughter. “Be serious,” she said.

  “I am serious.” Alisha lifted her eyes to her mother. “You don’t have a secret daughter, do you?”

  Delilah couldn’t help but smile at Alisha’s foolishness. She slapped her on the shoulder, and Roxanne laughed. “You two need to get serious. I’m talking about your future here. All we have to do is find a third member to replace Veronica.”

  “Not to douse cold water on your idea, Momma,” Alisha said, “but the group won’t be Delilah’s Daughters if the third woman is not your daughter.”

  “Delilah’s Daughters is our name, and we can apply it as we see fit. Besides, the third woman will be a daughter.”

  Roxanne raised a brow. “Okay, now you’re making me nervous and I’m thinking like Alisha. Are you sure you or Dad don’t have any other daughters we don’t know about?”

  Delilah shook her head. “You girls should have paid closer attention in Sunday school. The third daughter won’t be a daughter by birth but a daughter by adoption, much like the Gentiles were adopted into the body of Christ.” She looked from Alisha to Roxanne. “It’ll be the perfect hook and will only bring more attention to the group.”

  “I don’t know, Momma,” Alisha said. “We couldn’t keep Veronica in line with the plans for the group, and she’s our blood sister. How can we count on an outsider sticking with us for the long haul?”

  “Alisha’s right,” Roxanne said. “We’ll never find anyone who shares our commitment to the group. How could they? They don’t have our history or our family connection. I don’t see how it could work.”

  “I don’t believe this,” Delilah said, lifting her arms in frustration. “You two are the young ones who should be coming up with new and innovative ideas, but I’m the one who’s thinking outside the box. Veronica is gone and she’s not coming back. That ship has sailed—if not forever, then for the foreseeable future. We have to go on without her.”

  “I know,” Roxanne said. “I just don’t think going on as Delilah’s Daughters and finding a replacement for Veronica is the answer.”

  Alisha jumped up. “I do,” she shouted.

  “What are you talking about?” Roxanne asked. “A minute ago you were agreeing with me.”

  “I know, I know,” Alisha said, grinning at her mother like a chimpanzee. “I’m still agreeing with you.”

  “You’re not making sense, Alisha,” Delilah said.

  “That’s an understatement,” Roxanne muttered.

  Alisha held her palms up. “Hear me out. I agree with you, Momma, that we need to add a third person to the group.” She turned to Roxanne. “And I agree with you that we can’t just add a third body.”

  “Then what do you propose we do, Ms. Genius?” Roxanne asked.

  “I say we find a third person who is as committed to this group as we are, if not more.”

  Roxanne folded her arms across her stomach. “And who would that be?”

  Delilah knew what Alisha was going to say before she said it.

  “We can add Momma as the third person,” Alisha said.

  “No way,” Delilah said.

  “Momma?” Roxanne said at the same time.

  “It’s the perfect solution, Momma,” Alisha said. “Think about it. The Judds got started as a mother-daughter group and look at their success. We can make this work.”

  “But the group wouldn’t be Delilah’s Daughters,” Delilah said, searching for the words to make her youngest see the futility of her suggestion.

  “Like you said, Delilah’s Daughters is whatever we want it to be, and I want it to be
the three of us.” Alisha turned to Roxanne. “It’ll work, won’t it?”

  Roxanne tapped her chin with her forefinger. “I think Alisha may be on to something.”

  Alisha clapped her hands. “I knew it,” she said. “Momma’s voice will mean we have a greater range of approaches we can take with our songs. I can’t wait to get started. This is going to be great.”

  Delilah raised her palm. “Hold up,” she said. “I haven’t agreed to anything.”

  “You will,” Alisha said, her eyes flashing confidence. “Once the idea sinks in, you’ll be fully on board.”

  “I think Magic City might be intrigued by a Delilah’s Daughters that includes the actual Delilah,” Roxanne added. “How’d you like to take that idea to Mr. Tommy?”

  The idea wasn’t one that Delilah wanted to take to Tommy. He was thinking marriage and building a life together, not her taking on an even larger role in Delilah’s Daughters. She wasn’t sure how he’d take the news. “We have to be smart about this,” she told the girls. “We need to present Magic City with a plan, not an idea.”

  “But you’ll think about the idea, won’t you, Momma?” Alisha pleaded.

  “I’m with Alisha on this one, Momma,” Roxanne added. “The more I think about it, the more I like the idea. Delilah’s Daughters could easily become Delilah & Daughters.”

  “Come on, Momma,” Alisha coaxed. “You wanted innovative ideas from us, and now you have one.”

  “It’s just the three of us, Momma,” Roxanne added. “We can’t do this without you.”

  “Yes, you can,” Delilah said, but as she looked at her daughters she wondered what another disappointment would do to their commitment to the group. Earlier today their hopes and dreams had been dashed. Now they were filled with excitement and possibilities. She couldn’t let them down again, could she? Surely, she could make Tommy understand. “I’ll think about it,” Delilah said, but she knew where her heart was leaning. The smiles on her daughters’ faces told her that they did too.

  Chapter 15