I miss a lot of family events but I have to work. I don’t mind. My family has more drama than the Kardashians. The Russell-Mays-Clausen clan should have their own reality show. I’ve had enough of my own personal drama over the past years so I try not to get involved in the drama that accompanies a large close-knit family, most of whom are musicians.
Besides, everyone knows that I’m not really a part of the family.
I’m an outsider. The only one in their huge family that doesn’t share their DNA.
Abandoned only two weeks after I was born, I was left in a box by a dumpster outside my aunt’s bar for two days before anyone found me and took me to a hospital. From what I’ve been told, it didn’t take the Georgia Department of Family and Child Services long to finalize the adoption. Cheryl “Peaches” Russell and Jermaine Russell became my parents after three strenuous weeks of keeping watch over me from behind the glass window of the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit of Grady Memorial.
I’m lucky, I guess. I survived being left outside in the fall for two days. I could be baby Jane Doe, and buried in the place where the city leaves its unclaimed and unknown dead.
Instead, I was given a mother and father and a name…Sunny Rain Russell. I was given a family. I was given a life. I should be grateful. I am. I just don’t act like it all the time.
“Sunny!” my mother yelled in my ear. “Are you listening to me?”
“Yes, Mama,” I sighed. “Uncle Joey is playing at Rabbit’s tonight. Your sister-in-law sent me a text about it two hours ago.”
“Are you going? You haven’t seen your uncle in a long time.”
“That’s not true,” I declared. “I saw him at the funeral in Mt. Vernon. That was just two weeks ago.”
“Just be at the club by ten,” my mother snapped.
I can always tell when my mother has gotten fed up with my anti-social behavior but I couldn’t help but laugh at her ridiculous demand. My family makes Joey’s appearances in Atlanta a really big deal, but where the hell am I supposed to find a babysitter at ten o’clock on a Wednesday?
“Who’s going to watch my child if my entire family is at Rabbit’s?”
I didn’t even try to contain the “are you shittin’ me” that sprang out of my mouth when my mother suggested that I bring my daughter with me to the family bar.
“I am not bringing a baby into a bar. That’s just tacky, Mama.”
“Bye Sunny,” my mother grumbled before she hung up on me.
Not even five minutes later, my phone vibrated with a text message from my father telling me that he better see me tonight, with or without Summer. I should have known. My mother talks too damn much!
While my mother spends most of her day interrupting mine, my dad understands what it’s like to be busy. My dad is one of the few people that I know who may be busier than me. He owns and operates a small barbeque joint in Decatur, owns a janitorial service, and he’s the bass player in a local jazz band with his brothers.
My dad is the most important man in my life. He is the bar that I compare any man I meet to. There have been few who meet his standard. I consider my father to be my first and best teacher. School taught me math and art. Parsons New School for Design taught me how to design clothes and everything I needed to know about fashion. My father taught me everything that isn’t taught in school such as determination, money management, and the importance of a hard day’s work.
That’s not to take anything away from my mother. She’s compassionate, loving, and extremely feminine. She taught me how to be a woman. Without my parents, I am incomplete.
I slipped my phone in my pocket and decided to go in the mall and do some shopping for myself. A stylist can never have too many clothes. I have racks on top of racks of designer clothes in my remodeled garage and two temperature controlled storage units.
Fashion is everything to me. Chloe, Chanel, Gucci, Prada…I can’t get enough. If I could, I’d fill every room in my house with clothes and shoes.
After a quick excursion into Ulta for some makeup, then off to the photo shoot, I finally made it to my friend Monica’s. When I asked her to keep Summer until tomorrow afternoon, she moaned and groaned about why I should hire a nanny for twenty minutes. She said no until I promised her a brand new Juicy Couture bag that I got last week at a sample sale.
It was after eight when I finally collapsed on my living room floor. I’ve been up since five and the last thing I want to do is hang out at a bar.
I forced myself not to try Aiden’s cell again. I need to talk to him now, especially since I won’t be going to LA and seeing him in person. For some odd reason, I heard my ex-fiancé’s voice in my head.
“Aiden’s a big boy. Why are you always worried about him?”
Xavier said that to me at least once a week the entire time we were together. None of the guys I’ve dated have ever understood my relationship with Aiden, and that list is surprisingly long. But yet, not one of them was man enough to accept that their girl had a platonic friendship with a dude like Aiden.
Well, that certainly hasn’t been a problem lately. I don’t have time to date, let alone cater to a boyfriend. I haven’t had a date since Summer was born.
That is a pitiful shame.
I pushed that sad thought out of my mind. Aiden is in Los Angeles where he belongs and I’m in Atlanta. The lack of datable men in this city is not on my list of things I need to be worrying about right now.
I took a quick shower, changed, and was back in my Mercedes before I could let another thought of men linger in my mind.
***
Rabbit’s Blues Lounge has been owned and run by my family since the beginning of time, depending on what relative is telling the story. Over the years, it has become the most established blues joint in the south. Too bad, it looks like a seedy dive bar. I wish my aunt would upgrade, but she refuses.
When I walked into Rabbit’s, I eased my way through the already crowded lounge to the row of tables in the back where my family always sits. All the tables were crowded. My parents, aunts, uncles, and cousins were already there along with Erica and Roxy. The tables were piled high with food that, at any moment, is going to give them all a heart attack. Everyone had some sort of alcoholic beverage in front of them.
I grinned when I saw my father. “Hey Daddy.”
Knowing what Aiden and his sisters must be going through with the loss of their father, I’m really happy to see mine, alive and well.
“Hey babygirl,” he said as he pulled me into a familiar hug and kissed my cheek.
“You look nice,” my mother commented. “Did you make that too?”
I looked down at my Chanel fitted tank and Ferragamo sandals and shook my head. I’m good, but there’s no way I’m Karl Lagerfeld good.
“No Mama, this is Chanel.”
“Are those the new Ferragamo sandals?” Erica squealed. “How did you get those? They don’t come out until spring!”
I winked and sat down next to my father. If Erica had any idea of how close I am with certain designers, she’d never stop begging me to get her stuff. I give her enough stuff as it is.
“I will not reveal my source to you,” I told her. “Or anyone else.” Roxy and Kat had their eyes on my shoes too.
“Can you please get me a pair of those sandals,” Erica begged.
I looked under the table at the Dolce & Gabbana leather sling back sandals she had pilfered from my house. “I can’t do that,” I told her. “These are exclusive. But I have two boxes of Missoni shoes from Autumn’s album cover shoot. You can go through those but you have to pay me for them this time. If you want to see them, you have to come over tomorrow because I have to go to New York on Friday.”
“Damn, Sunny Rain,” my dad whistled, “do you ever take a break?”
I laughed and shook my head. “I have a kid now. I’m saving for her to go to one of those colleges I didn’t want to go to.”
“She’s two!” my mother scolded. “You don’t have to w
ork so much because she’s not going to college any time soon. I bet you have her all packed up to spend the week with us while you’re in New York.”
“Summer’s going with me,” I snapped even though she isn’t.
I was going to ask my mom to keep her, but clearly, that is not an option this time. I wonder what else Monica is going to make me give her so that she’ll keep Summer for a few more days.
I turned my attention to the stage and ignored my mother for the rest of the night. My job requires me to travel. If I had stayed in New York after Xavier and I broke up, or moved to LA, I wouldn’t have to split my time between three cities. My mother begged me to stay in Atlanta after I gave birth. I don’t know why she picks on me about this when it’s her fault that I travel a lot. I try to take Summer on as many trips as I can but most times I can’t. My mother should be happy she gets to spend so much time with her. Summer is the only grandchild she’s going to have.
I waved my fingers and smiled as my uncle took the stage, looking as dapper as Denzel in Mo’ Better Blues. I adore Joey’s music. It’s a little bit jazz, soul, and blues all mixed up. Joey is a great musician who is finally getting the recognition he deserves. It’s all because I talked him into giving an unknown white boy a chance to play in his band.
If Aiden hadn’t blown up the way he did, my uncle probably wouldn’t be making his own music anymore. He spent a lot of time playing with other bands and producing records. He had a little known independent record label until Aiden came along. Uncle Joey took Aiden under his wing, taught him about the industry, let him play in his band, and produced his albums. My uncle rose to stardom right along with Aiden. The difference between them is that Joey didn’t lose himself in the limelight like Aiden has. Joey knows how to keep a low profile and still remain relevant. Aiden ignored that lesson.
Aiden lets his celebrity dictate his every move. If he’s not in the studio recording hits or making an album or playing on the stage, he’s performing for the cameras that are always on him. It’s embarrassing.
He does love playing at Rabbit’s though. Early in his career, we couldn’t get him to quit playing here to save his life. He was actually turning down paying gigs to play on stage for a bunch of drunk blues lovin’ black folks. Joey says Rabbit’s is where Aiden earned his stripes, where he accepted his gift, and ran with it. I think he just loved the attention and the women.
I wonder what he’s doing right now. If he’s alone, then he’s probably sitting in a dark room with his guitar on his lap, not really playing anything specific, just playing. He used to do that a lot. I miss him. He should be here in Atlanta, surrounded by people who love him. He shouldn’t be alone right now. I need to go check on my friend. Maybe when I get back from New York, I’ll go to LA and check on him. He can’t be up to anything good.
***
I didn’t have to wonder about what Aiden was up to for very long, less than twenty-four hours to be exact. I was summoned via text message to the Broadway Diner the next morning by my aunt and Roxy.
Aunt Kat and Roxy do not get along. Roxy was married to Uncle Joey for ten years and it was the rockiest ten years in our family history. Kat always hated Roxy. I don’t know if it was because Roxy is an extremely arrogant Yankee, or because she and Kat are so similar in their personalities that there is no way they could do anything else except bump heads.
The only thing that they do have in common and the only thing they somewhat agree upon is Aiden.
From the day they met, Aiden and my aunt have been extremely close, almost like mother and son. Kat’s been married three times but she’s never had kids of her own. Instead, she loves on everyone else’s children. My mother says she “takes in strays” because any lost misguided kid who shows a tiny interest in music, Rabbit’s or Kat, finds a home in the Russell-Mays clan.
Aiden was not the first, nor will he be that last, but he is definitely her favorite. I have no idea how she is going to feel about me having a baby by him. I hope she remembers that I’m the one that’s actually related to her, not him.
Of course Roxy has a vested interest in Aiden. She’s the driving force behind his success. If Roxy wasn’t there to coordinate his every move and he didn’t have Delilah to make sure he was where he was supposed to be when he was supposed to be there, his career would be in the toilet by now.
When I walked into the small diner with Summer in my arms, I smelled coffee, bacon, and trouble. Both women were dressed in their Sunday best. It was Thursday. I’m sure Aunt Kat wore her best church dress because she knew Roxy was going to look fantastic in whatever she wore, usually a Chanel or Valentino power suit. Aunt Kat was not going to let Roxy Steele outshine her.
They’re always in some sort of silent competition with each other. I don’t understand why. Roxy and Uncle Joey have been divorced for twenty years! The two women weren’t even speaking to each other while they waited for me, like they had come to some sort of silent truce in order to provide a united front while they talked to me.
This was not good. Not good at all.
I didn’t even acknowledge how uncomfortable I was until I had ordered breakfast and was watching Summer make a mess of her scrambled eggs and toast.
“What’s up with Aiden?” I asked. “I know that’s why you texted me.”
The way they both grinned at each other instantly put me on edge. This was too weird.
“How come you don’t know what’s up with Aiden?” Kat replied. “Aren’t you supposed to be his best friend?”
Supposed to be? Ouch.
“I am his friend, but Aiden won’t return my calls. I call him every day,” I answered defensively.
“Do you have any idea what he’s going through right now?” Roxy snapped. “He’s a wreck and so is his family. I cannot believe you left him up there to deal with his father’s death alone!”
“Are you kidding me?” I lowered my voice hoping that Roxy would lower hers. “Did you forget that Aiden and I were barely speaking before his father died? I dropped everything and went to Mt. Vernon when he called me, just to be there for him. I’m sorry that I couldn’t stay longer. I have a career too, you know.”
“And why weren’t you speaking?” Kat asked. “Refresh my memory.”
I shook my head. There’s no reason to rehash that incident. Roxy and Aunt Kat do not need to know about Aiden and his imaginary feelings.
I’m so tired of him pretending to be in love with me. He’s not in love with anything except himself and his music. We both know this, but he always acts like I’m the bad guy for not returning his feelings. It’s as if he forgets that I was the first to love him and he dismissed my feelings like they didn’t mean anything.
I have never hid the fact that I fell for Aiden’s charm shortly after I met him. He’s handsome, talented, ambitious, and fun to be around. He made me laugh. Every girl wants a guy like that. I wanted to take our friendship to the next level. Aiden did not.
“We’re good at being friends, Sunny. Let’s not mess that up.”
His words, not mine.
I accepted what he wanted and moved on. You can’t always get what you want. Plus, I wasn’t going to lose a great friend over something as silly as feelings. I’ve told him that after dismissing my feelings, he can’t come back nine years later talking about I love you, Sunny. Let’s be together, and expect me to return the favor. Life doesn’t work that way.
“Ladies, you know I love you both, right? And as much as I would love to sit here and shoot the shit, I have a very busy day. What is this really about?”
“I’m worried about you and Aiden,” Kat admitted. “I know you’re busy but damn, girl, you can’t neglect your friends. Your best friend is going through hell right now.”
“He’s mourning,” I sighed. “I can’t do anything for him. I cannot even begin to understand what he’s going through. Give him some time to himself.”
“It’s more than that,” Roxy said sadly. “Every time I talk to him, he’s worse
than the day before. He hates himself. He blames himself for his dad’s death, his divorce, and the bus crash. I’m afraid he might do something stupid.”
Her words worried me. “Like what? Aiden is not suicidal.”
That letter from his father would have rocked anybody but not to the point of suicide. Aiden is much stronger than that.
“I think that seeing you would help,” Roxy said.
“I would love to see him and make sure he’s okay,” I said. “I really would, but I’m not going all the way across the country if he won’t answer his phone.”
“I just can’t believe you two are doing this again,” my aunt snapped at me. “Grow up! Why do you care if he slept with Erica again? That’s what this is about, right? Didn’t she say they didn’t? Why does it matter to you?”
“She was staying in his house for three months while they recorded their duet album. Of course they were fucking.”
Roxy sipped her ice water before she spoke. “Lord knows, I love my niece more than anything, but you and I know that she’ll open her legs to whoever she wants, whenever she wants. Aiden is a whore too. Again, why would them sleeping together make you stop speaking to him? You didn’t stop speaking to Erica.”
I wanted to burst out laughing. He’s the father of my child! Of course, I don’t want him screwing my “sister” who is one of three people who actually knows that he is the father of my child. Since Kat and Roxy do not know, I kept my mouth shut.
“No disrespect, but that’s between me and Aiden,” I told them. “We’ll work it out. We always do.”
“Will you please go see him?” Roxy pleaded.
“I don’t know if that’s going to be possible,” I answered. “I have jobs in Atlanta, Miami, and New York. I’m booked for weeks. I can’t go running to Aiden because he’s upset. Just give him some time. He’ll get it together. He always does.”
“Sunny, this isn’t a car accident or some ugly divorce. His father died! It’s worse than you think,” Kat shouted. “You know all about the relationship he had with his father. He’s really messed up over the fact that he’ll never get to make that right. It’s killing him.”
Sunny's Song (Friends Lovers or Nothing Book 2) Page 10