“Well, I’m glad he’s talking to you,” I replied, aggravated that they dragged me here for this. “Like I said, I’ve been calling him every day and he will not talk to me. I’m not going out there if he won’t even pick up the phone. Maybe the next time you talk to him, tell him to answer when I call.”
Kat glared at me like I’d purposely offended her. I don’t care. These two women have spent the last ten years catering to Aiden’s every want, need, and desire. When it comes to him, everything else becomes less important. I’m not going to force myself on Aiden. When he needs me, he’ll call.
Chapter 12: Back & Forth
The black Tahoe that picked me and my assistant, Alison, up from JFK pulled into the drive of a lovely French provincial estate in Southampton, New York. I love coming out here, where the rich and famous summer every year. Unfortunately, this was not a social visit to my friend’s mansion and XXL is only renting the ten million dollar estate for eight hours. Just long enough to shoot their “The Real Basketball Wives of New York” cover and interior shots.
I can’t believe that Daniela is making them pay to use her house. Smart girl.
With everything going on with Aiden and my issues back in Atlanta, the only reason I’m styling this shoot is because Daniela begged me. Daniela is an Italian hellfire and is quick to check anyone who believes that those ladies on that VH-1 show are the real deal. I would gladly bet my fee for this shoot that Daniela is the reason XXL is even featuring her and four of her friends in their magazine. She has this thing about setting the record straight.
Aside from being her close friend, I’ve also been Daniela’s personal stylist since I met her. She probably told XXL that she wouldn’t do the shoot without me.
When the Tahoe pulled to a stop, Alison hopped out of the car and immediately began unloading the clothes and jewelry that I did not feel comfortable sending ahead. As she walked around the back to start setting up racks of clothes and shoes for me in the pool house, I went into the house to find my girl.
I heard Daniela laughing with her hair stylist before I even saw her. When I recognized the high-pitched laugh of her hairdresser, I groaned out loud. Antonio, aka Rachel Chan, and I haven’t gotten along since our Parsons days. He isn’t even the best hairdresser I know. He definitely isn’t the best drag queen I know. That RuPaul wannabe gets on my very last nerve. This is going to be a longer day than I thought.
I walked past the winding double staircase and paused. I’ve always loved this staircase and I want one but I’ll never have a house like this so I don’t have to worry about that. I hoped Daniela lets the photographer shoot inside because I have some gorgeous Valentino dresses and Chanel jewelry that would look amazing in the shot.
Daniela was sitting in Antonio’s chair getting her hair done when I walked into the kitchen. Her honey blonde up-do was pretty but it was not what I had in mind when I put together the looks for the ladies. My dresses and bikinis need long flowing locks, not French rolls.
“Sorry, Antonio,” I said to her hair stylist. “You have to take that down. Didn’t they tell you how I want the girls’ hair?”
“Excuse, me Miss Thang?” Antonio couldn’t even raise his tattooed on eyebrows at me, but damn it if he wasn’t trying. “Are you the creative director on set today?”
“My name is Sunny and you know that. And I’m the one with the clothes. So while I may not be the creative director, I am the most important person on this set today. Take it down.”
“Oh shit!” Daniela howled in her thick Brooklyn accent. “You just got read, honey! Miss Rain is in the building. And the library is closed, dahling!” Daniel hopped out her chair and hugged me like she hasn’t seen me in years. She just saw me two weeks ago.
“What’s up, lady?”
“Tired,” I replied. “And workin’ too hard for my own damn good.”
“I’ve been calling you for a week! I gotta do a photo shoot just to get your ass to New York. What’s up with that?”
“You just saw me two weeks ago! You know my job is non-stop.”
“Well, have you started on my gown for the NBA Cares Ball?”
“Sadly, no. I’ve gotten the sketch done and pattern made. I just haven’t cut it yet. Don’t worry, I’m going to have it ready for you.”
No matter how tired I am, I always come through on any job that I’m hired for. Some days, like today, it feels like I need a caffeine IV just to make through. I’m working to provide the life my child deserves. She’s still too young for my schedule to really affect her. I’m prepping for the years when she’s really going to need me around and I can afford to work a less crazy schedule. Like when she’s a teenager.
The other basketball wives hadn’t arrived at Daniela’s house yet, so I left Antonio with instructions to do their hair upon arrival and send them back to me in the pool house to get dressed. Daniela and I left the pissed off wannbe drag superstar with his attitude and makeup artist and headed to the pool house to get her looks together.
“Oh Sunny, this is to die for!” Daniela panted over the flame red Valentino dress that I had picked just for her.
“Valentino never fails. Let’s get it on you,” I suggested even though I already knew it would fit like a glove. “The Necklace is here, right?”
For their tenth anniversary, Garret bought his wife the twenty-five carat Harry Winston Sunflower diamond necklace. Daniela fainted, literally passed out when she saw it. We call it “The Necklace” and it is a true honor to ever be in its presence.
“It’s in the safe. Garrett drove it up this morning.”
We moved on from the dress and I started pulling clothes off the racks that Alison had put together. The one thing about Alison that I love is that she can read my mind. I don’t know she does it, but if I pull a pair of pants, three seconds later, she’s handing me the perfect shoes to go with it. I love her!
“So, what’s good, Sunny?” Daniela asked while I looked through my swimwear options. “Who are you hookin’ up with down south? You know your ex asks about you every time he sees me.”
“I don’t care about what Xavier asks you. Tell him to mind his own damn business. And I’m not hookin’ up with anyone.”
Daniela scowled. “Why not? Life doesn’t stop just because you had a baby. Or are you saving yourself for your guitar player?” she guessed. “Good Lord, I wouldn’t blame you. That boy is some kind of fine!”
Alison burst out laughing. She quickly covered her mouth and ducked out of my line of sight. I glared at Daniela.
“No. I’m not hookin’ up with Aiden.”
Daniela shook her head at me. “I don’t know how you do it. I’d be grindin’ up on that whenever he walked into the room!”
“I don’t even know who you’re talking about, but we know you would!” said Kimmie, Daniela’s second-in-command as she entered the pool house.
Thank God!
Kimmie and the other girls had arrived and I couldn’t have been happier. I don’t know these women as well as I know Daniela so it was very easy to slip into business mode. The ladies of the NBA can gossip. I know because I used to be one of them. I don’t want the little business I do have spreading like wildfire.
I left the ladies in Alison’s capable hands while I went off to find the photographer and creative director. We need to discuss using that staircase. Those Valentino gowns cannot go to waste.
***
“How is Aiden really doing? Have you talked to him yet?” Daniela asked. This time she wasn’t smiling or joking.
We were alone in her master suite and I was helping her into the red Valentino gown for the last shot of the day. Everything had been easy and moving along smoothly until that moment. I should have made Alison stay upstairs with us. I should have known that the second we were completely alone, Daniela was going to get all up in my business.
“Honestly, I don’t know. He’s still won’t answer the phone when I call. I’ve sent emails and texts. I don’t think this silent trea
tment is just because I left Mt. Vernon right after the funeral.”
“Of course it’s not! No one expects people to linger after the funeral. This is about what you said at his listening party and you know it.”
“I didn’t say anything that wasn’t true.”
Daniela hit me with her you-are-wrong-so-get-get-over-yourself glare. “How many times has that man told you that he loved you and wanted to be with you? Five? Six? And you respond by saying that you screwed him because he was in the right time at the right place? You don’t say shit like that to someone you care about, Sunny.”
I frowned but I don’t feel bad about what I said. It was the absolute truth and Aiden knows it.
Even if he doesn’t believe it.
“He’ll be fine,” I replied.
“I think,” Daniela smiled slyly. “I think you should be with him. Why waste time trying to meet someone new when Aiden has most of the qualities on your long ass checklist. Plus, he adores your daughter and he’s rich. There is nothing wrong with Aiden Tyler.”
“It just won’t work between us. I think Aiden is a great guy. But sometimes, he’s the biggest jerk you’ll ever meet-”
“He’s a man,” Daniela interrupted. “They all are.”
“But we want different things out of life. He wants to tour and party and live this rockstar life. I don’t want that. I just want to work and raise my daughter.”
I zipped the dress, lifted the bottom so it wouldn’t drag on the carpet, and made Daniela start walking towards the house.
“Stop trying to press the issue,” I whispered in her ear when we got to the top of the staircase. “It’s not going to happen.”
Leaving her on the landing, I walked down the stairs, past the rest of the girls. Fixing stray hairs and repositioning them in their Valentino gowns as I passed. I grinned at Alison. We had knocked this shoot out of the park! In red Valentino and “The Necklace,” Daniela stood at the top of her staircase, looking down on the world like the Queen B she is. This is the money shot.
I wish I could have a tenth of the confidence and half the balls as my friend has. If I did, I wouldn’t be afraid to tell my aunt and Roxy to mind their own business. And I damn sure wouldn’t be so terrified to tell Aiden about his child.
Chapter 13: Anytime You Need a Friend
“Alison!” I yelled across the hotel suite to my assistant. “Has Jaicyn’s dress arrived from the cleaners? I need that dress!”
“I have it!” she yelled back angrily.
I don’t blame her. I’ve been barking orders at her all day. I hate doing things at the last minute. I mean, damn, who schedules a fitting less than twenty-four hours before an event then fails to show up for that fitting? If the damn dress doesn’t fit right, I’m screwed.
I should have known that Jaicyn would pull a stunt like this. Power Records has had this bad habit for years. The bigger the label gets, the more they act like they own the world and everyone is supposed to jump when they say jump.
I’m so happy that I don’t have to work for Power Records on a regular basis. Since Aiden left the label, Dre hasn’t wanted anything to do with me. He’s immature like that. Back in the day, we had a perfect business relationship. When Aiden was the label’s shining star, the label was happy to pay top dollar for me to style Aiden and Autumn for everything. I worked exclusively with their artists for years.
Until Aiden left and signed with Uncle Joey, taking all the masters of his songs with him. Aiden is no fool.
Leaving Power was the right choice for Aiden. The label was stifling his growth. Dre, the dude who signed Aiden, took his departure from Power very personal. When he left, Dre cut ties with anyone who was linked to Aiden. It was a bad business decision. After all, he was a record label executive, not some street hustler trying to prove a point.
Aiden flourished once he left Power. The label lost a ton of money when he bounced. If Dre hadn’t taken his departure as a personal offense, they might have been able to turn around and sign another pop star to recoup their loss. However, Dre was on some vindictive bullshit. Producers, musicians, engineers, stylists…anyone ever associated with Aiden or worked on his albums were banned from working with other Power artists. It was literally the dumbest thing I’ve ever seen happen in the industry. Because of that, no other pop artist would take the risk of signing with them.
They bounced back by signing some bubble gum rapper and Autumn’s next two albums went platinum. She was the only one on the label who stood her ground and insisted on having me around. Recently, Jaicyn has started asking for me through my agent. They still don’t pay on time.
Whatever.
Last minute fittings and late paying clients are the least of my concerns. I have a flight home that I cannot miss. Plus, there’s still the Aiden situation that I have to find a way to deal with. A month ago, I promised my aunt handle this. I was going to talk to him and see how I could help.
Honestly, I tried. He didn’t answer when I called his cell phone and he told his housekeeper that he wasn’t taking any calls when I rang his house.
After that, I simply forgot. I have a job and a child. Life got in the way…my life. I want to talk to Aiden. I really do. I need to talk to him. Two months is a very long time for us to not see or talk to one another. Aiden is the only person I can vent to without hearing that all the stress I’m under is my own fault. I miss him. I want my friend back. Even if he’s mad at me, he can’t stay mad at me if I apologize. Except he’d have to answer the phone in order for me to apologize.
Right now, I just want to get the hell out of Miami.
I checked the time on my phone. We have to be walking through TSA in one hour. Carefully, I packed Jaicyn’s short gold party dress, shoes, and jewelry into a garment bag and told Alison to take our luggage downstairs and get us a cab to the airport.
I don’t have time to sit around and wait for Jaicyn to make time to try on her outfit. She was supposed to be down in my suite an hour ago and she knew it. Without another moment of hesitation, I took the elevator to her suite and knocked on the door.
“Hey Sunny,” Jaicyn’s little sister, Rickie, greeted me. “Jay-Jay’s not here.”
“I figured that.” I handed the teenager the garment bag. “Tell your sister, I waited as long as I could. Everything she needs for tonight is in that bag. If she has a problem, she can call me.”
I didn’t stick around for an explanation. I’m tired and I just want to get home.
***
An unexpected layer of dense fog had settled over the city of Atlanta, a fog so thick that the extra bright headlights on my Mercedes had a hard time leading the way through my cul de sac. Thankfully, I can find my town house with my eyes closed. Tonight, I would have to.
When I left Miami this afternoon, on a plane thirty thousand feet in the air, the weather was gorgeous outside. I wasn’t prepared for it to be raining so horribly in Georgia. What should have been a forty-five minute drive from the airport had taken three times as long. My mother knows how Atlanta traffic is whenever it is not a perfect seventy degrees and sunny, but I know, from years of experience, that she is still going to be furious when I walk through the door. She was expecting me home from the photo shoot in St. Croix days ago.
I pulled into my short driveway, cut the engine, and braced myself for the beast waiting inside. The job was paying decent money and I needed the cash. I’ve been working for peanuts for almost a year now. My mother will understand that I couldn’t turn down the last minute gig in Miami. Even as I tried to convince myself of that, my annoying conscience just laughed.
She’s not going to understand.
I don’t know why but both of my parents were standing in the front hallway and my mother’s icy cold glare stopped me dead in my tracks the second I opened the front door.
“Look who decided to come home and take care of her own child,” Peaches Russell said to my father.
I shrugged off my Chanel jacket and hugged my father who wa
sn’t wearing the same look of contempt as my mother.
“Sorry Mama. I had to work.” I leaned in her direction to give her a kiss but all I got was a stiff one-armed hug.
I definitely hadn’t expected a warm reception but my mother’s attitude was a bit over dramatic. Like any other single mom, I have to have money in order to raise my child. If that means accepting a high paying styling job at the last minute so I could pay my mortgage on time, so be it.
I asked my mother to keep my daughter because she’s always complaining about not seeing her enough. Peaches could have said no. It wouldn’t have been the first time I had to take Summer on a work trip. She’s the only toddler in the world with more stamps on her passport than the Beckham kids.
“You missed your father’s show,” was Peaches’ response to my apology.
“I know. Has Aiden called here?” I asked.
“You haven’t seen your child in a week and you’re asking about Aiden?” Peaches hissed. “You have a lot of nerve, young lady!”
“Mama,” I yelled right back. “I just talked to you two hours ago. I know my child is fine. I just wanted to see how Aiden was doing. I’m going upstairs,” I said as I stepped past my parents and went upstairs to my child’s bedroom. She was sound asleep, just like I expected.
I raised the pink Dora the Explorer blanket over my sleeping child and listened to her soft breaths. I couldn’t take my eyes off her. My baby...curled up in the fetal position holding her brand new baby doll tighter than I’ve ever seen her hold that thing. Only two years old and she’s already independent enough to be sleeping in a toddler bed. I don’t know who she gets it from, me or her father.
She’s growing up so fast, faster than I could have ever imagined. And her father is missing it. The thought crossed my mind as I felt my father rest his large hand on my shoulder. I felt his presence before I felt his touch.
Sunny's Song (Friends Lovers or Nothing Book 2) Page 11