I'm Doin' Me

by Anna Black

  “I’ve been waiting to hear from you so I could congratulate you too,” he said.

  She turned to look at him. “On what?” she asked, puzzled.

  “To congratulate you on your new deal. I was sure you’d heard back from Wallace by now. I tried to ask him earlier, but when I turned around, he was gone.”

  “I didn’t get it,” she said sadly, not wanting to tell him that his fiancée lied.

  “That’s impossible, Tiff, how did you not get it?”

  “I don’t know, Kory. Wallace called and said my show wasn’t a fit. So there, I didn’t get it, okay?” She knew then that Tressa must have intercepted her call and message, but it didn’t matter. She was Kory’s choice. He was going to have to live with that whore-bitch for the rest of his days.

  As soon as Darryl had gotten her alone, he filled her in on who Tressa really was, or how she used to be. He told her how she had run through men like water running through a pipe and how many times she had been in and out of rehab, but now she was finally clean, sober, and wife material.

  “Tiffany, there is still a chance,” Kory said. “I’ll talk to Langley myself and maybe he will give you another chance.”

  For the first time, she felt sorry for him. He was marrying the bitch of L.A., not the queen he thought she was. “Listen, Kory, I don’t need anyone else’s help. I’m doin’ me every single day of my life without the help of others. I will find my own way. It was good seeing you and catching up with you. I hope you and Tressa make each other happy.” Teary-eyed, she turned to walk away.

  “Tiff, what’s this, good-bye?” he asked. She could tell he was confused.

  “Yes, Kory, it is. Seeing you again was great, you know, but it was bad timing. I hope things work out for you. Take care.” She hurried off.

  She dropped the glass trying to put it on the table and ran to the elevator, pressing the button a million times until the doors finally slid open. She stepped in and heard his voice calling her name as they shut. He stood in front of the doors and she caught a glimpse of his beautiful face before they shut completely. She pulled out her phone and tried Asia again. She still couldn’t reach her, so she hailed a cab. When they pulled off, she saw Kory running after them, heard him yelling her name, but she instructed the driver to keep going.

  Tiffany was confused and didn’t understand why things had taken a turn for the worse for her life. She was facing more than a crossroads; it was like a busy intersection that she was afraid to cross, because she knew she’d get hit.

  She decided to let it all go. She had made a nice piece of change in the last few years, so money was the least of her worries. She decided she’d focus on the final season, and after that find something new. She scrolled through her phone and deleted Kory from her contacts. She wanted to go on as if she had never run into him that day. He was getting married to the queen bitch of L.A., and she didn’t need that kind of drama in her life.

  After she paid the cab driver, she went inside and declared that there would be no more tears. She hit the button to turn on her system, went to Fantasia, and cranked “I’m Doin’ Me” as she undressed and showered. She kept it on repeat until she was ready to turn in. She got into bed, and her cell phone began to vibrate. She had forgotten to turn the ringer back on when she got home. She looked at it, and when she saw the 773 area code and number, she knew it was Kory, so she hit ignore. He called back several times then he sent a text asking her why she wouldn’t talk to him. She sat up and looked at the message for a few minutes, and then he was at her door.

  Chapter Eleven

  Tiffany finally opened the door and let him in. She went over to the sofa and sat and he sat on the ottoman in front of her.

  “You know you shouldn’t be here,” she said, breaking the silence.

  “I know,” he said with his head down.

  “Then why did you come?”

  “Honestly, Tiff, I don’t know. You stormed out and I don’t know what I did to make you so angry with me. I drove here asking myself, ‘Why do I even care?’”

  “And what did you come up with?” she asked.

  He was silent. He wanted to say, “Because I think I’m in love with you,” but he knew that would be selfish, because he still loved Tressa. All he knew was he didn’t want to lose Tiffany again.

  “Tiff, all I can say is I don’t want it to be good-bye. I don’t know what it is, but since you and I have reconnected, I’ve been different. When you’re around, I’m happy. I feel like I can just be Kory around you and not pretend or sacrifice what I want so you can be happy. Just say that we can still be friends. That’s all I’m asking of you, Tiffany. I don’t want to lose touch with you again. Please, Tiff.”

  “We can’t, Kory. And I know what you mean about being different since that day. Kory, I had a major crush on you back in high school. I wanted to be your girl so bad, you know? But you had girls like Charnette Ryan and Porscha Jamison, and then after all these years to hear you even dated Cherae Thompson. I was never in that league, so I didn’t qualify. When we met for dinner and I walked up and saw you standing there with Tressa, it was my reality check. Another gorgeous girl I can’t compete with. I’m not like those women, and this is not high school. I refuse to sit and watch your fairy tale romance with Tressa. I’m not going to subject myself to envy when it comes to you, so, no, we can’t be friends. I want to get back to the life I had before seeing you in that restaurant. I want to put the lid back on these feelings I have for you and get completely over you.”

  He sat and processed what she said before he replied. “I never knew you felt that way about me, Tiffany. I never knew that you felt like you weren’t good enough or pretty enough or that you thought you had to compete. It’s true, I like beautiful women. I love gorgeous women, but what you don’t know is that you are one of them.” She dropped her head really low. “I had feelings for you back then too, Tiffany, and honestly, I thought I wasn’t your type.

  “You ran with the smart kids, and back in high school, I didn’t take education that serious. I didn’t wise up until I almost flunked out of college. My dad threatened to pull the financial plug on me, so I got by. As I got older, I changed and went back to school for a different degree. For the first time, I applied myself, and I’m who I am because I changed.

  “Back then, I had no idea what love was. All I knew is that I loved to be around you and talk to you and the way your breath smelled like grape Now and Laters. When you used to laugh, you’d snort, and I adored that. I went away and you faded further and further into the back of my mind, but the other week, seeing you again, all grown up and sexy and smart and ambitious, those feelings began to resurface. God knows, Tiffany, if I hadda known six months ago that I’d see you again, I would have run the other way from Tressa and waited every day ’til the day I could see you again. But things didn’t work out that way.

  “I know it’s selfish of me to ask you to continue to be a part of my life even though I am getting married and if that makes me a selfish asshole, Tiff, that’s what I am.” He moved closer to her. “You are beautiful, Tiffany—gorgeous, sexy, and all that, and you don’t have to compete with any woman. If things were different, I’d be with you.” He touched her lips softly with his.

  She closed her eyes. “You should go,” she whispered.

  “I know,” he said before he kissed her again.

  “Please, Kory, leave now. This can only lead to my bed, and that would be a bad thing.”

  “I know, but I want to,” he whispered back.

  “What about Tressa?” she asked softly and allowed him to kiss her neck.

  “I want you, Tiffany,” he said. He pushed his tongue into her mouth.

  She lay back and he got on top of her. They kissed deeply and he opened her short robe. She wore a sexy nightie and no panties. He slid a strap down and exposed one of her erect nipples to ravish it with his mouth and his cell phone rang.

  They both jumped up. Reality. He had to go; what they we
re doing was so wrong. He looked at the caller ID and held the phone until the ringing stopped.

  Tiffany adjusted her gown and closed her robe. “Kory, I need you to go.”

  He stood up. His phone rang again and he didn’t even bother to look at it because he knew it was Tressa. “I’ll go, Tiffany, and I’m sorry. I’d never do anything ever to purposely hurt you.”

  She nodded. “I know, Kory.” She walked him to the door and she opened it.

  “So this is it?”

  “I’m afraid it is,” she replied.

  He knew there was nothing left to say. He leaned in and kissed her softly on her forehead. “Take care of yourself, Tiffany.”

  “You too,” she said and shut the door.

  Kory stood on her porch for a few moments before he headed to his car. He got in and hit the steering wheel because he was so angry. Angry that he was involved with Tressa when he wanted to be with Tiffany. He wanted to make love to her that night and not go home where he had to beg like a dog for some pussy. The passion in Tiffany’s kiss was unforgettable. He and Tressa had never shared a kiss like that. Tiff welcomed him with her kiss, and he knew she would have welcomed him inside of her body. He wouldn’t have to make deals for it like he did with Tressa. He cranked the engine and considered going home and calling the wedding off. But he didn’t want to hurt Tressa like that.

  It wasn’t her fault that he had recently run into his high school crush. All he could think was, what am I going to do without her now that I know I could have her? He thought about turning around and begging Tiffany to have him, but what good would that do if he hadn’t broken it off with Tressa? His phone rang again and he hit the Bluetooth button on his dash.

  “Yeah,” he said, knowing it was Tressa.

  “When are you coming home?”

  “I’m headed there now,” he said.

  “And where did you have to go that was so important?”

  “Reesy, babe, please. I’m so not in the mood to be badgered. I’ll be there soon.” He hit the button to end the call.

  When he finally made it home, he sat in his car to get his thoughts together before he got out. He didn’t want to argue, fuss, or fight. He just wanted to take off that damn tux, shower, and get some sleep. He went inside and found candles lit. You have got to be kidding me, he thought. She rarely ever wanted to make love or share an evening of romance, and now all he wanted was to run back to Tiffany’s love nest.

  Tressa came out in a hot-ass two piece and looked absolutely amazing, but he wasn’t interested. She smiled and he just looked at her, but his dick smiled back.

  “Hey, sweetie, I wanted to give you your engagement gift,” she said, moving close to him.

  “And what is that?” he asked.

  She took a couple steps back, turned to the side and posed. “Me, of course.”

  “You know what, Reesy, this day has been overwhelming and busy and nonstop. I’m tired.” Even though his body wanted her physically, his mind and heart was still at Tiffany’s place.

  “Oh, you don’t have to do anything,” she said, going to grab some wine glasses. “I want to serve you. You know a little sucking and a whole lot of fucking.” She handed him a glass and winked. For the first time, he thought she was corny, even a joke.

  “Honey, as good as that sounds,” he said, putting his glass down, “I’m tired. I’m going to go up and shower and hit the hay.” Her head was painful, she couldn’t do it worth shit, and he got tired of her test runs on his man. And her sex was, well . . . well, it gave him a nut. He turned to leave the room.

  “Hit the hay?” she yelled behind him.

  “Yes, Reesy, hit the hay,” he repeated.

  She followed him up to his room and he started to undress. “Did you fuck her?”

  “Fuck who?”

  “Don’t play fucking games with me, Kory. Tiffany. Did you fuck that bitch?” He just looked at her and continued to undress. “Answer me, motherfucker!” she yelled, getting in his face.

  He didn’t like that, so it was time to check her. “Okay, let’s get this straight right now. I am not one of your groupies or fans. You will not yell at me, question me, or talk to me like you talk to those who kill to be in your presence. As I told you before, Tiffany is a friend. And, no, I did not sleep with her. I am going to shower and then go to bed. If you still want to live it up tonight, I suggest that you get dressed and call your entourage and have a car to pick you up, because I’m not up for your shit tonight.”

  “Fine!” she said. “I’ll see you when I see you.” She went to her closet.

  Since she couldn’t make Kory submit, Tressa decided to go out and kick it with those she could. Her so-called friends were her stepstools. They were always too busy kissing her ass to notice she didn’t give a shit. Because she was rich, she didn’t have to beg or demand a man to do anything, but that was not the case with Kory. She didn’t love him as much as she loved money, and if it weren’t for her inheritance, she would have told him that night to kiss her ass. But she didn’t want to lose her money. Or her man to a loser like Tiffany. Miss Tiffany was a threat, and she wasn’t going to let a runner-up snatch up her goods.

  Chapter Twelve

  The next morning, the ringing phone woke Tiffany and she turned over and scrambled for it. When she finally retrieved it, the ringing stopped, so she put it on the other pillow. She had a terrible headache. After Kory had walked out of her life for good the night before, she opened a bottle of pinot and drank the entire bottle. Wine headaches were the worst and she knew she’d have to sleep that one off. Two minutes later, the phone rang again and she grabbed it. It was Darryl.

  “Dee, why so early?” She closed her eyes.

  “Honeycomb, it is a quarter ’til one. What kept you in bed so late, Miss Thang?”

  “Pinot. What’s up?”

  “Well, the buzz is your star child, Jennifer, aka Claire, has a new boo and his name is Wade Simmons.”

  Her eyes popped opened. “Wade Simmons, as in L.A. Lakers Wade Simmons?”

  “Yep, and since she couldn’t reach you last night, Miss Pinot, she called moi and asked if there was a way to write him into an episode or two.”

  Tiffany was awake now and somehow her headache disappeared. “Shut the front door,” she said, mimicking him.

  “Exactly. So, I’ve been bouncing around ideas all morning in my head. What if we have him come in as the new basketball coach for Hampton High? And if we can get him to appear on at least five episodes, we can write him in.”

  “Okay, that sounds good, but he’s her new boo, why would he do that? And not only that, how much is that gonna cost the network? You know they have a tight grip on our budget.”

  “Well, there is more, love bug.”

  Tiffany wondered why he had a nickname for everyone under the sun. “Give me the more.” She got up and went to the bathroom; her bladder was about to burst.

  “Turns out that he is not her new boo; he’s been her boo for eight months. They just had to keep their thing on the low until his wife signed the papers.”

  “That’s right,” she said. “He was going through a divorce.”

  “And here is where you would kiss me if we were in the same room.”

  She doubted that. “Give. Come on, Dee, you are so dramatic,” she said getting up and flushing. She went to the sink to wash her hands then headed toward the kitchen.

  “Yes, I am, hello,” he said. She could see him in her mind, standing with his hand on his hip. “Enteeeway,” he continued, “since he is also on a crusade to help save her show, he has agreed to do it for free.”

  Tiffany screamed. She just may have kissed him if they were in the same room.

  “Is that not like the best news on this Sunday morning?” he said.

  “Oh my God, Dee, get dressed. I’m going to call Myah. We are going in on a Sunday. We cannot waste any time. Myah has to get an agreement typed right away and we have to shoot out some new ideas and get some rewrites
going.” She went back to her room and into her walk-in and then it hit her. “Dee, when is the next happening event?” she asked. Darryl was up on everything. He was her TMZ.

  “Ummm, if I’m not mistaken, Clover Winters is having a charity event to support battered women next Saturday.”

  “Okay. I know you got the hookup, right?”

  “Of course. But . . .”

  “But what?”

  “Why are we attending?”

  “Ummm, duh. Clover is like one of Hollywood’s biggest actors, and actors support actors.”

  “Sweet pea, I still don’t follow.”

  “Actors support actors. If we can get in a room full of actors, we may be able to sway some of the heavy hitters to make a guest appearance. You know, appear as a substitute teacher, a guidance counselor, or a new cashier at the girls’ hangout. We can get a guest to play a new mean-ass cashier the girls scheme to get fired or something. Joy’s mom is single; soon-to-be single this season. A guest star to be a date from hell would be hilarious.” Ideas popped into her head left and right.

  “Oh my Gucci, you are a genius, Tiff. Get your ass in gear and make sure you grab your recorder, because when ideas pop up in your head, they need to be noted.”

  “Yes, and with the right celebrity guest, we can maybe reach a broader audience.”

  Her spinning with possibilities, she got off the phone so she could shower. She wanted to get into the idea room and toss around ideas and alternative shows in case they managed to land some celebrities to make guest appearances. In all the excitement, she forgot about her heartache from Kory and her headache from the pinot.

  She showered and put on a sundress and wedges. It was Sunday, so she didn’t have to look the part that day. She just wanted to go in and get some work in. On the way to the office, she stopped at the local grocery store, ran to the deli, and selected three premade trays: one fruit, one veggie, and one assorted meat and cheese. She tried to resist the wing platter, but snatched one up anyway. They had a microwave, so why not? She strolled to the liquor section and grabbed three reds, three whites, and three sparkling wines. She knew Brad was a beer man, so she grabbed a case of Bud Light and went to the checkout.