Arm Candy

by T. C. Littles

  “Okay, Mikey Jr. and Marlissa, go in the house and check on your siblings. We’ll go over to the playground after I finish with this grown folks’ conversation.” Cameron waved her two oldest into the house. They got up and scurried off quicker than I could blink. Cameron kept her kids in check by the power of a belt and the authority of her fist. She didn’t play about kids being disrespectful and not minding her, being a single mom. Her rationale was that they weren’t gonna end up running over her by the time they were teenagers. It seemed logical enough.

  “So, how are you and Tiana? Y’all squash that petty beef yet?”

  “Yeah, you know we fight like sisters sometimes, but we’re good now,” I replied, confused as to why her face was frowned up.

  “Oh, okay. I guess that’s what’s up,” she sarcastically countered.

  “Whoa, slow ya roll, Cam. What do you mean by you guess that’s what’s up? Don’t start holding back on me now.”

  “It’s not that I’m trying to hold back on you. I’m just careful about whose business I put myself in the middle of. I don’t want you and Tiana beefing or no shit like that, but I won’t be fucking with her like I used to.”

  “Quit talking in riddles, chick. Just spit out what happened and what you not fucking with her has to do with me and her beefing.” I’d just gotten done scrubbing the house, moving furniture around, plus slobbing K.P. down all night off a Valium. I wasn’t trying to get mentally drained figuring out where Cameron’s conversation was going.

  “What up doe, Cam? Hey, roommate. Y’all two tricks ain’t trying to get the party started without me, are you?” Tiana had come from nowhere.

  First, she and Cameron were eyeballing each other, then both sets of eyes landed on me. Cameron was the first to speak, though.

  “Well, Rayna Ray, I’ll holla at you later. I’ve got some things to do with my kids. We didn’t get to talk about K.J., but I hope everything is okay with him.”

  With that, she ashed the cigarette then marched into the house. When her door slammed and the lock clicked, Tiana and I didn’t have a choice but to march away looking dumb.

  “What happened between you and Cameron? It’s obvious y’all got into it,” I questioned Tiana.

  “Kind of. She was pissed about how I flipped on you in her car. She should just get over it, especially since we have. But you know how Cameron is, always exaggerating and blowing shit out of proportion.”

  I shrugged her explanation off. Somebody wasn’t saying something, but there were always bitches bickering around here. My focus was getting back to the house. I’d left my phone in my room all this time and could’ve missed King’s call.

  Chapter Thirty-four

  King

  After dropping Rayna off at the entry of her housing project, I pushed it to the max toward midtown so I could find a computer and print shop within the university area. Lyric and Fresh needed contracts so we could officially be partnered up. I’d have two new avenues of income within a few hours. The thought of that alone made me feel like a boss even though nothing else in my life did.

  Speaking of that, I was shocked Samira hadn’t called but a few times early in the morning, yet not a single time so far throughout today. Maybe Rayna was right about her being the one who called the social worker. If she was, things between her and me would absolutely be over.

  My mind was still spinning over the bomb Rayna dropped about her having a case open with the State. That piece of drama was more complicated than anything because it was the one part I ultimately couldn’t control. All I could do was play my part as a man and fight hard against any unfavorable determination. My responsibilities had tripled in just one short week. From this point on, I couldn’t see life slowing down.

  I’d professionally gotten to the pub thirty minutes earlier than scheduled so I could order appetizers, the first round of drinks, and spread the paperwork out for Lyric to sign. All the sections that required her signature were highlighted in yellow and already had my initials beside them, including my manager/producer fee of 12 percent. I expected this meeting to go swell with no glitches.

  Lyric walked in on time, looking like a sex kitten. This girl was gonna be trouble. Dressed in a spandex crop top and matching pants with a pair of simple flat sandals, every curve on her body looked juicy. There was little left to the imagination to process but how to rub all over her. Lyric’s body was absolutely perfect.

  I stood up to welcome her into the booth as she got a few feet from me. She gave me a friendly hug that could’ve been an innuendo for so much more, and then she took a seat. The dog in me had to keep my tongue in my mouth.

  “I hope your day is going as good as you look,” I complimented her.

  “I’m glad you noticed with your corny ass,” she giggled. “I see you’re just as eager to get me signed as I am to get signed.” She picked up the contract packet.

  “I’ve got a lot of plans for you. The longer we wait, the more of a disservice we’re doing ourselves. With both of our talents linked up, we can make some noise within the industry.” I was laying it on thick.

  “All right now, K.P.! You better not be selling me no dream. I’m gonna hold you to everything you’ve been promising me, plus more.” Wearing a devious grin, she began validating our musical contract with one another by inking it.

  Instead of feeding off her flirty girl ways, I kept our interaction professional so there weren’t any distractions. With me having heavy responsibilities with Rayna to take care of, I didn’t have time to be slanging dick around Detroit. Lyric and Fresh had to feed a lot of mouths associated with me. When the last designated line was initialed, it was time to celebrate.

  “Waiter, let me get two glasses of your best champagne and that package I left with you earlier, please.” I had a small surprise for Lyric. “We’re about to skyrocket straight to the top. Make no mistake about it.”

  The waiter returned with the bouquet of lilies and pink roses I’d picked up. Both Samira and Rayna loved flowers, so I knew this gesture was nothing but icing on the cake for Lyric.

  “Oh, my God, King, these are absolutely beautiful.” She beamed. “I’m enjoying the perks of this contract already.”

  The rest of the lunch meeting went on without a snag. Lyric was actually good company who could hold an intriguing conversation. Not only did we vibe about sports, but she was well versed about things that interested me like music from different genres, artists, and generations.

  I found myself getting caught up in spite of me not wanting to. It felt kinda good having someone give a fuck about things I gave a fuck about. Both Samira and Rayna were lacking when it came to doing anything other than complaining about how I’d done them wrong. Between us eating and toasting, I hadn’t even thought about the chaos that was waiting on me in the real world.

  By the time I was done wining and dining her, the bill totaled out close to $150. It was cool, though. You have to spend money to make money. Dropping two crisp Ben Franklins on the table, I knew it was a floss move to tip the waiter an extra $50 spot, but that was my intentions. The more Lyric was impressed with me, the more she’d trust in every move I told her to make. I had one more thing up my sleeve.

  * * *

  Lyric sat snuggled in my passenger seat as we rode out toward Somerset Mall. Part of the contract was an obligation from me to provide her with a branding photo shoot accompanied with clothes. She was happy, and I was glad to have the ball rolling.

  Keeping my eyes focused on the road, I used the time to start breaking down our next week’s calendar. I wanted to get her in the studio ASAP. The sooner we started flooding the web with her sweet sound, the better it would be for the interviews I’d get planned. That was part of the reason why I needed a fresh photo shoot: exposure and promotional material. I’d mapped out a thorough game plan for Lyric that was about to have her name buzzing all over the D.

  She went crazy in the first store we walked in. I sat around for at least an hour while she tried on
outfits, different accessories, and shoes to put together for a hot look. She tried modeling for me so I’d notice her sexiness, but I was too busy handling business via my phone.

  Fresh still planned on meeting me at the studio to work later, but he was signing his contract now through DocuSign so there wouldn’t be any distractions. My guarantee to him was an album within three months and a mixtape within one if we kept grinding like how we’d started. The quicker I got Lyric and Fresh squared away, the quicker I could get down to the hospital about my son.

  “You ain’t that attentive for a manager/producer, K.P.,” Lyric hissed, snapping her fingers in front of my face. “Don’t make me regret signing a contract with you on the first day.”

  Another woman I’ve gotta find a way to please. “Naw, Lyric, come on now. Don’t be like that. I’m just trying to lock in a few deals for us next week plus the studio time I told you about earlier. I don’t have a big entourage, so I’ve gotta multitask whenever I can. But trust, I’m working for you.” Women required soft touches and much more attention than men. Lyric was gonna make me a lot of money, but she was gonna require double the time of Fresh.

  “You better be.” Her voice softened. “I narrowed it down to a couple of outfits that will be fly and envied. I know you’re ready, so we can go now.”

  “That’ll be $492.19,” the cashier properly announced.

  Instead of bagging the items, she stood with her hand out, waiting on me to pay. I wasn’t shocked by her behavior. That was how most of these uppity white people acted out here in this city and at this mall.

  I knew I didn’t have enough cash to pay for the bill, so I passed her my debit card to cover the cost. Yeah, let me get this girl into the studio quick, fast, and in a hurry. She ain’t about to break my bank.

  “I’m sorry, sir, but your card has been declined. Do you have another form of payment or would you like me to run this card again?” The cashier was trying not to look awkward, but you could tell she hadn’t said this to customers often.

  I was thrown off. “Naw, try running that card again. There’s money on there so it must’ve been a glitch with your system.”

  Lyric stood off to the side trying to act like she wasn’t with me, while I was damn near leaned all the way over the counter. I watched her run the card three more times, but it kept coming back declined. Two additional customers were now behind me, seeming impatient about being held up. This shit was mad embarrassing.

  “Sir, it’s not going through. If you don’t have another form of payment on you right now, I can hold the items until close.” She was trying to be nice. Reading the look in her eye and her agitated posture, I knew she wanted to tell me to get my broke ass out of her line.

  “Naw, you don’t have to hold nothing. I’ve got another card right here.” I whipped out a credit card Samira and I kept for emergencies. It had a $5,000 line of credit so I knew there’d be $492 available. The people behind me smacked their lips, and one even went to seek out another line. Lyric seemed even more embarrassed than I did and had even slightly covered her face with her hand. I was about to save face, though.

  “Sorry, sir, this card has been declined too.”

  “What in the fuck?” I couldn’t hide my sudden frustration and surprise.

  “Please step to the side, sir, and let me handle the customer behind you. I’ll try running your transaction over after that. Maybe you can call the institutions to see if their systems are down,” she suggested.

  “Give me my damn cards.” I got rude and belligerent.

  With humiliation written all over my face, I snatched them out of her hand and moved to the side. I knew it wasn’t her fault, but I hated looking like a fool. And here I was appearing like one in front of Lyric and some white people I knew were judging me as a bottom-class black man.

  “Let’s go, girl,” I called to Lyric as I angrily headed toward the door.

  She was on her toes then on my heels at the sound of my voice. Following ten paces behind, she was still acting mortified to be with me. I couldn’t blame her, though. I’d arrived at the store like a boss but was leaving like a peasant. I knew I was looking like a slime-ball-ass manager in Lyric’s eyes.

  “Wow! That was embarrassing. Are you gonna have the funds to pay for the photo shoot and the studio time you promised me or nah?”

  Lyric was being an asshole, but rightfully so. I would’ve been too if I’d just signed to a manager who appeared to be broke.

  “Yeah, you’ll be good. Let me get you back to your car so I can go get my ducks back in a row. I know shit seems shady right now, but I’ma handle all this confusion before the day’s done.”

  I was short with Lyric because I was on another tip. Samira was the only one who had access to the cards other than me. She was the one I really wanted to talk to.

  We rode in silence all the way back to the restaurant. I was busy consumed with my thoughts and Lyric was busy typing away on her phone. I suspected that she was telling someone about me and what had just gone down, which infuriated me even more.

  This shit was all bad, and the gut-wrenching feeling in my stomach wasn’t a good sign that things were about to get any better. Once I turned into the parking lot, shit hit the fan. Lyric jumped out of my truck before my foot fully hit the brake.

  “I know times are rough, K.P., so you ain’t gotta idle and possibly run out of gas. I don’t want that shit on my head. I’m good. Holla at me when you’ve got shit straightened out,” she sarcastically spat.

  This chick had me fucked up for real.

  “Yo, Lyric, you can kill those smart comments. Like I said earlier, I know thangs look rocky, but I’m about to tighten those ropes back up. In the meantime, do me a favor and keep those lips locked unless they’re making songs to fulfill our contract.”

  I wasn’t trying to be at odds with Lyric since we still had to work together, but she’d crossed the line first. I was gonna end up with another wannabe-controlling crazy broad on my hands if I didn’t put my foot down now.

  “Oh, you’ve got me twisted, King. On the real, don’t talk to me like that. I know people,” she threatened, or at least called herself doing so.

  I chuckled. “If you did, you wouldn’t have trotted ya hot ass into the studio yesterday looking for me to make you a star. But that’s neither here nor there in the grand scheme of things. We both have obligations to meet so let’s not burn bridges with one another.” Reaching in the back, I grabbed the bouquet of flowers and handed them to her. Yeah, gotcha ass.

  She snatched the flowers then dropped them to the ground with a snarl that could’ve killed. All that cool shit we were vibing on earlier was gone out the window. Lyric was just as self-absorbed and psychotic as my baby momma and wife. Slamming my truck door, her little ass actually made the vehicle shake. The east-side nigga in me almost had me jump out on her ass. Thankfully for her, I had other things to handle. I was calling Samira by the time Lyric made it to her car.

  “Hello,” Samira answered, sounding nonchalant and carefree.

  “What’s wrong with the accounts? Why aren’t my cards working?” Not wasting any time with greetings or small talk, I wanted to know what she’d done right off rip. “I mean, did you cancel them ’cause your cards were burned up or what? That shouldn’t affect my shit, though.”

  “Damn, straight like that? You’re not even gonna acknowledge that you left me alone all evening and night? You stormed up out of the room with your ass on your shoulders over me making an irrelevant-ass comment, then you come calling almost twenty-four hours later, acting like I owe you some answers. I know you’re not serious.”

  She might’ve not been calling, but Samira was definitely feeling some type of way about me disappearing.

  “Ain’t nobody about to nurse your wounds right now. I was in the middle of taking care of business with a new artist when my cards got declined. I’ve got obligations and responsibilities as a manager, Mira. That shit can’t be happening because it discredit
s me and gives me a bad name no one will respect. How in the hell am I supposed to put on like a boss when I can’t pay a five-hundred-dollar tab?”

  She snickered. “You ain’t the real MVP, King. Don’t you think it’s about time you quit fronting for everybody? I took your name off all the accounts because I needed all of my money to start over. There’s a lot of things you missed when you left and didn’t check in with me.”

  I damn near crashed my car trying to get to the hotel. I couldn’t believe Samira pulled a move like that. With barely $200 in my pocket, she was leaving me out here dry. That shit wasn’t about to fly.

  “I’m about fifteen minutes away. Be ready and in the parking lot by the time I pull up so we can get to the bank before they close. You ain’t did nothing but waste your time ’cause you’re about to put my name right back on those fuckin’ accounts!”

  “Oh, that won’t be happening. Like I just said, things changed while you were lost in the streets. Whoever you were with last night, I suggest you see if they can add you to their accounts.”

  “Don’t make me hate you, Samira. That wasn’t even all your mon—” I stopped in midsentence when she began screaming over every word I tried spitting out.

  “Wow, so now you hate me ’cause I ain’t letting you milk me bone dry anymore? Hmm, that’s some helluva shit to say. I bet you don’t hate me more than I hate your raggedy ass. You ain’t gotta keep showing me your true colors, King. I finally believe you ain’t shit.”

  I went to retort but heard the background change. There was dead silence. She’d hung up. I pushed the gas pedal to the floor in a rage to get back to the hotel room I’d left her in yesterday. Samira has never pulled a stunt of this magnitude before, but it fa’sho had me thinking she could’ve also been vindictive enough to call the social worker on Rayna. It was time for me to dead this situation once and for all.