Surprise!” a group of about fifty friends called out to Veronica as she and Dexter entered the backroom of Justin’s, her favorite Birmingham restaurant.
Veronica turned to her husband. “What is this?”
“Surprise, Veronica!” he said, kissing her full on the lips. “Your friends are here to celebrate your new contract and new life.”
“You did this?”
He grinned down at her. “With a little help.”
“Hey, you two,” Glo, one of her Alpha Kappa Alpha sorority sisters, called out to them. “This is a party, not a hotel room, so save that lovey-dovey stuff for later. We’re here to give you a grand send-off to HOTLanta,” she said to Veronica. “We don’t want you to forget us when you’re a big star so we’ve got a memory-filled evening planned for you. Come on over here and sit down, guest of honor, and let the party begin. You too, hubby.”
Dexter followed Veronica over to her friends. They directed her to the King’s chair at the table in the middle of the group. “Sorry,” Glo said to him. “You have to be Queen today, ’cause our girl is the king.”
Dexter gladly obliged. He could take this good-natured teasing from Veronica’s friends. The smile they had put on her face was more than worth it. His wife had been glum-faced since their talk yesterday with her mother and sisters. Her family had really done a number on her. So much so that the guilt she felt over leaving them behind—which she really wasn’t doing—had overwhelmed the joy she’d felt at being given the opportunity to pursue her dreams. He wanted to give her that joy back.
After they were seated, Glo said, “First we’re going to feed you, and then we’re going to remind you of some of the things we know about you, things that we’ll be offering to the tabloids—for a price, of course—should you try to go all diva on us after your first chart-topper and pretend you don’t know us.”
“I’d never do that,” Veronica said.
“We know you won’t,” Glo said, giving her a wink. “Especially not after we remind you of some of your most outrageous antics. Can anybody say Essence Music Festival in New Orleans?”
“Don’t even go there, girl,” one of her sorors called out. “A lot of us could get in trouble.”
“Yeah,” another one called. “Too many husbands are in this room. We need to keep it clean. Veronica might decide to turn the tables on some of y’all. Of course, I have nothing to hide.”
“Right,” Glo said. “I’m sure your husband believes you.”
The entire group began to laugh, including Veronica. She was getting her joy back. And just as quickly it faded. “What’s wrong?” Dexter whispered.
“My mom and sisters,” she murmured. “They’re not here, and I’m missing them.”
Dexter wanted to pound his fist on his knees. Even now, Delilah, Roxanne, and Alisha were ruining his time with his wife. “Don’t think about them. Think about the folks who are here to celebrate with you.”
“They’re my family, Dexter. How can I not think about them? Did you invite them?”
Dexter looked her directly in the eyes and lied. “Of course I invited them. Delilah thought it was too soon for your sisters. They need a bit more time to get used to the changes.”
“They’re still angry with me?”
He brushed her shoulder-length hair back over her ear. It was more that he was still angry with them for not being more supportive, but he saw no value in sharing that bit of news. “They’re disappointed, but they’ll get over it. Think about it this way. This celebration might be too much for them to handle right now. Your career is about to shoot into the stratosphere, and they don’t know where theirs are going. They need some time to adjust.”
“What if they don’t?”
“They will,” he said, all the while hoping they wouldn’t. In his opinion, he and Veronica were better off without them. He’d always thought she was cut from a better grade of cloth than her sisters and mother. That she was the only one of them to pursue graduate study to extend her professional training was the only proof he needed. Veronica had class and style, even the folks at Legends could see that. She needed to get away from her family, who dimmed her light by their very presence in her vicinity.
“I hope so,” she said. “I really do miss them.”
He pressed a kiss on her palm. “You won’t have much time to miss them starting tomorrow. Our new life in Atlanta begins then. You’re going to be too busy to think about anything but work.” He wriggled his brows. “And me, of course.”
Her smile came back. “You’re so crazy.”
“Crazy about you,” he said, with all seriousness. He meant it too. Veronica was the most important thing in his life. He counted his blessings every day that they’d found each other. He couldn’t imagine life without her. That was one of the reasons he was glad they were moving away from her family. He knew they didn’t think much of him. Delilah thought he was pretentious and not a good provider. Alisha and Roxanne thought their sister could have done much better than an academic with an unsteady work history. But all that was about to change. He and Veronica were going to have a chance to share their lives with each other, without her family’s interference. He welcomed the change and knew it would only strengthen the bond between them. By the time they came back to Birmingham, if they ever did, their bond would be so strong he wouldn’t have to worry about her family coming between them.
Chapter 16
Alisha practically floated through the doors of Carlile’s Barbeque in downtown Birmingham. She grinned at the waitress who greeted her. “There’ll be three of us,” she told the young girl. “I’m meeting my mom and sister.”
“Do you want to wait or be seated now?” the girl asked.
“I’d like to be seated now,” Alisha said. “I want a nice cold glass of sweet tea.”
“Follow me,” the girl said, taking menus from the stack on the counter and leading Alisha to the tables near the windows on the left side of the restaurant. “Is this all right?” she asked.
“Perfect,” Alisha said. “I can watch for my lunch companions from the window.”
“Good,” the girl said. “Now I’ll get that tea for you.”
“Thanks,” Alisha said, still grinning. If she had known it would feel this good to be unemployed, she would have quit years ago. Her new life was off to a great start. Quitting her job had been her first step; heading off to LA for the ASCAP conference was her second.
“Alisha, is that you?”
Alisha looked up at the sound of her name. One of Veronica’s sorority sisters stood next to her table. She couldn’t remember the woman’s name.
“You probably don’t remember me,” the woman said. “I’m Cassandra Taylor, one of Veronica’s sorors. She introduced us at the Gospelfest a couple of years ago.”
“I’m sorry,” Alisha said. “I don’t know where my mind was. Of course, I remember you. Nice to see you again.”
“You too. I thought I’d see you last night. You missed a good time. Veronica’s going-away party was seriously off-the-chain.”
Going-away party? Alisha asked herself. She didn’t know anything about a party. “Well, I’m glad you all had a good time. We’re very proud of Veronica.”
“I’m proud of all three of you. Delilah’s Daughters represented Birmingham well on Sing for America. I’m expecting good things from all three of you.”
“From your mouth to God’s ears,” Alisha said.
Cassandra chuckled. “I heard that. Well, did Veronica get off okay? I remember Dexter saying they were leaving for Atlanta early this morning.”
Leaving for Atlanta? Today? Alisha couldn’t believe her sister would leave without telling them. “They got an early start,” she said, hoping she was right. “They’re probably in Atlanta now.”
“Yeah, I guess so.” When the waitress brought Alisha’s tea to the table, Cassandra glanced at her watch. “I need to get back to work. It was good to see you. And congratulations again.”
�
��Thanks,” Alisha said. Then she sipped her tea, wishing she had ordered something stronger. She couldn’t believe it. She put down the glass, opened her purse, and pulled out her cell phone. She scrolled through her contacts to Veronica’s name. She needed a word or two with her sister.
“Hey, put that phone down,” Roxanne said as she and Delilah reached the table. “Haven’t you heard that it’s bad manners to talk on the phone during a meal?”
Alisha closed the phone. “Hi, Roxanne,” she said. “Hi, Momma.”
Her mother pressed a kiss on her forehead. “Hi to you too, sweetie.”
After her mom and sister were seated, Alisha asked, “Have either of you spoken to Veronica?”
“It’ll be a few days before I talk to her,” Roxanne said. “I’m still upset with her for kicking us to the curb.”
“It might be longer than you think.”
“What are you talking about, Alisha?” her mother asked.
“Have you spoken to Veronica, Momma?” she asked again.
Delilah shook her head. “Not since we were all together the other day. I figured we all needed some space. I was planning to call her in a couple of days.”
“Well, it’s going to be a long-distance call. I think Veronica and Dexter have left for Atlanta.”
“Unbelievable,” Roxanne said. “She’s really cut us out, hasn’t she?”
“Look, this may not even be true,” Alisha cautioned. “I was about to call her to confirm.” She picked up her phone again.
“Put the phone away,” Delilah said.
“But, Momma—”
Delilah shook her head. “Veronica needs her space. We all do. For the first time in our lives, we’re on different paths. We need to respect Veronica’s path and get started on ours.”
“Dexter gave her a party last night,” Alisha blurted out. “Invited her friends and sorority sisters but didn’t invite us. What do you think about that?”
“I’ve never liked that boy,” Delilah said. “I knew he would try to come between us and Veronica at some point.”
“I wouldn’t have gone even if he’d invited me,” Roxanne said. Alisha shot her a glare. “I’m being honest. Veronica wanted the spotlight all to herself. I say let her have it.”
“I’m with Momma,” Alisha said. “This is not Veronica. It’s Dexter. We have to do something about him.”
“Do what?” Roxanne asked. “Veronica chose Dexter. She knew our objections before she married him, but she married him anyway. She made her choice a long time ago.”
“You can’t help who you love,” Delilah said. “Veronica loves him. She sees something in him that we don’t see.”
“He’s going to let her down,” Roxanne said. “I’ll bet my last dollar on it.”
“We really shouldn’t be surprised,” Delilah said. “He didn’t grow up the way Veronica did. He always saw us as intruders on their relationship. He never saw us as his family too. He wouldn’t let us be a family to him, not really.”
“So what are we going to do about it?” Alisha asked. “The man can’t just take Veronica from us.”
“He’s not taking her,” Roxanne said. “She’s a grown woman, making her own decisions.”
“But—” Alisha began.
“Roxanne’s right,” Delilah said, cutting her off. “Veronica’s made her choice. We have to respect it. When she needs us, she’ll call, and we’ll be there for her.”
“Why would she need us?” Roxanne asked. “Legends is going to make her a star. That’s all she wants.”
Delilah turned to Roxanne. “I know you’re upset with Veronica’s decision, Roxanne.” She glanced toward Alisha. “You too. I’m disappointed myself, but she’s still my daughter and she’s still your sister. We’re still family. We’re going through a rough patch, but we’re still family.”
“I guess we’re a long-distance family now,” Alisha said. “I still think we should call her.”
“I’ll get in touch with her in a couple of days,” Delilah repeated. “Let’s give them some time to get settled.”
The waitress chose the perfect moment to come take their orders. Alisha’s appetite had faded quite a bit, so she only ordered a pulled pork sandwich like her mother and sister.
After the waitress left, Alisha said, “I have some news.”
“Please,” Roxanne said, “let it be good news.”
“It is,” Alisha said, feeling her happiness return. “I turned in my resignation today.”
Roxanne’s eyes widened. “You really did it?”
Alisha nodded. “I told you I was going to.”
“Good for you,” Delilah said, squeezing her hand. “Good for you.”
“So how much notice did you give?” Roxanne asked.
Alisha grinned. “I gave them two weeks, but they sent me packing today.”
“What?” Delilah asked. “Why’d they do that?”
“Apparently I’m not as indispensable as I thought. The good news is that they’re paying me for the two weeks.”
Roxanne shook her head. “I can’t believe you really did it.”
“I’m not looking back,” Alisha said. “I’m leaving for the ASCAP conference on Thursday. And when I get back, I’ve got to get to work on those hit tracks for the new Delilah’s Daughters. Mr. Tommy and Magic City are going to be blown away. They’re going to be begging us to take their contract.”
“What’s this about you going to the ASCAP conference?” Delilah asked.
Alisha lifted her shoulders in a slight shrug. “I figured it’s about time, Momma. If I’m serious about becoming a professional songwriter, which quitting my job proves, then I need to start connecting with other professional songwriters. Maybe make some contacts, get a better understanding of the business side of songwriting.”
“I see,” Delilah said. “I wish you had told me you were interested in conferences. I could have helped you research them.”
Alisha reached for her mother’s hand. “I know that, Momma, but this is something I wanted to do for me. I hope you understand.”
Delilah lifted a brow. “Are you thinking about leaving Delilah’s Daughters too?”
Alisha shook her head. “That’s not what I’m thinking at all, but Veronica leaving the group got me to thinking about what I want in my career and how much I’m willing to do to achieve my dreams.”
Delilah looked over at Roxanne. “Are you thinking the same way?”
Before Roxanne could answer, Alisha said, “Roxanne started to find her own place when she took the job at Dreamland. I want a career apart from the group like what she has, like what Veronica is embarking on. You can understand that, can’t you?”
Delilah’s eyes brightened a bit, but Alisha knew her spirit was dampened. “Things are changing,” Delilah said. “I guess that’s inevitable, since nothing really stays the same.” She took a deep breath. “Well, I have some news of my own to tell you.”
Roxanne leaned forward. “Please don’t tell us you’re no longer going to be our manager.”
Delilah laughed. “It’s not that. I’m sticking with Delilah’s Daughters as long as you all want me.” She cleared her throat. “No, my news is a bit more personal. I’m not sure if you girls are aware, but Tommy Johns and I have come to be a little more than friends. In fact, we’ve been seeing each other socially for quite a while now.”
Alisha almost choked on her sandwich. Roxanne patted her on the back. “You and Mr. Tommy,” Alisha said. “I had no idea.” She turned to Roxanne.
“I had no idea either, but it makes sense. You’ve known him forever, so you know what you’re getting. Congratulations, Momma.”
“Thank you, sweetheart,” Delilah said, relieved her news had been accepted so well. “We had planned to tell you together when Tommy gets back to town from his trip, but now seemed as good a time as any. Tommy wants to have us all over for dinner soon.”
“You and Mr. Tommy,” Alisha said. “I like it, but it’s going to take some get
ting used to. I’ve never really considered you with anybody other than Daddy. I guess that was naive of me, and even a bit selfish.”
“Not at all,” Delilah told Alisha. “Your father and I had a strong and loving marriage. If it weren’t for you girls, I would have been lost after his death. But you helped me through, and so did Tommy. He could relate to what I was going through because he loved your father too.”
“I think Daddy would approve,” Roxanne said. “He’d trust Mr. Tommy with your heart.”
“I think so too,” Delilah said. “Tommy and I are lucky we found each other. You know, a lot of men my age and in this business prefer much younger women. Tommy’s different. He walks to his own beat.”
“He’s a smart man,” Alisha said. “You’re a great catch. He could go younger, but he couldn’t get any better. He’s got the best in you.”
“That’s nice of you to say, sweetie.”
“It’s true,” Roxanne said. “Mr. Tommy has good sense. And he’s in the music business so he fits right in.”
Delilah smiled. “That certainly helps,” she said.
“In more ways than one,” Alisha said. “Now I know we can get Magic City on board with the new Delilah’s Daughters. Mr. Tommy can’t turn down his girlfriend, can he?”
“Leave it to you to say something so outrageous,” Delilah said.
“I don’t know, Momma,” Roxanne added. “Alisha may be on to something. I can’t help but wonder if the reason Mr. Tommy offered us the contract in the first place was because of your relationship. Was that the reason?”
Delilah shook her head. “No,” she said to Roxanne. “Tommy recognized a good opportunity for Magic City. He wasn’t doing us any favors. This business is too tough for that.” She looked at Alisha. “Actually, it could go either way. My relationship with Tommy could help Delilah’s Daughters, or it could make things more difficult. Probably both, at different times. We’ll have to see how it plays out.”
“Personally, I don’t mind having an inside contact,” Alisha said, grinning. “I’m not above having our Delilah play the role of the biblical Delilah and work her magic on Mr. Tommy for our benefit. Tommy and Delilah. I like the sound of it.”
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