by Skyy
“Uh-huh . . .” Melanie sat down at her vanity. “I wasn’t buying that happy couple act in there for one minute. What’s going on?”
Denise frowned. “She’s just not the woman I fell in love with anymore.”
“Well, Dee, she’s stressed. She’s lost all her major contracts in the past year. You would be stressed too if you didn’t know where your next paycheck was coming from.”
“I don’t know where my next paycheck is coming from.”
“But you have options. I heard you have a few offers on the table right now.”
“Yeah, but nothing’s written in stone. She’s so mean to me. She takes it all out on me, like I’m the reason she’s not getting booked.”
Melanie smiled. “Denise, just give it a little time. You two are going on what? Close to three years? The honeymoon is over.”
“It for damn sure is.”
“I think things will be okay. Just understand where she is coming from. Don’t take her attitude to heart.”
“I hope it’s only temporary, ’cause I don’t think I can take much more.” Denise stood up. “You know, I used to hate having to leave so much when I was shooting. I swear, I can’t wait to get to ATL next weekend.”
Melanie laughed. “Young people, always quick to throw in the towel. It’s just a rough patch, trust me.”
The cab ride was quiet. Denise stared out the window at the city lights. She had grown to call New York City home. She loved the city, but although she thought she would never hear the words come out of her mouth, she missed Memphis.
“I’m sorry, Denise.” Farih broke the silence.
“It’s cool.” Denise continued to look out at the passing lights and yellow taxis.
Farih put her hand on Denise’s thigh. “No, really, I’m so sorry, baby.”
Denise turned toward Farih and put her hand on Farih’s thigh. “Okay, just you gotta work on it. I know things are hard, but I’m here for you. I’m not going anywhere—unless you push me away.”
A tight smile appeared on Farih’s face. Denise leaned in and kissed Farih’s soft lips. That was the Farih she loved and missed. She wondered how long she would stay around.
Denise decided to take advantage of the sweet Farih. Before they could make it into their bedroom after arriving back at their SoHo apartment and paying the cabbie, Denise had Farih’s dress off and on the floor. She explored Farih’s body inch by inch, trying to fall in love with her chocolate skin all over again.
Farih arched her back in anticipation as Denise’s tongue kissed its way up her inner thigh. Denise was the best lover she had ever had.
Denise’s hands caressed Farih’s smooth skin. The taste of her sweetness was familiar, but something was different. She tried to focus, tried to stay turned on. She eased her fingers inside Farih’s walls. The wetness covered her fingers. Farih was ready, but Denise wasn’t. There was no way out; she was going to have to perform or risk another argument.
Denise dove headfirst into Farih’s pussy, sucking and licking, nibbling on her clit. Denise ground her pelvis against the mattress in hopes of turning herself on enough to enjoy the moment, one that she hadn’t had in a long time. Farih moaned as she arched her body, pushing Denise’s tongue deeper into her. Farih’s pussy was still the sweetest, besides that of one other person. Denise thought about Lena.
Denise closed her eyes. Suddenly she was back in Memphis, in her small two-bedroom apartment she shared with Cooley. It was the wee hours of the morning of Lena’s wedding. While Lena should have been in the hotel room, dreaming about walking down the aisle, she was at Denise’s house, in her bedroom, moaning her name and not that of her soon-to-be husband, Brandon. Denise had Lena the day of her wedding.
Denise grabbed on to Farih’s sides, pulling her closer to her. She ground harder against the mattress as she devoured Farih’s sweetness, her entire womanhood now wet and throbbing. Farih exploded in Denise’s mouth. Denise opened her eyes. She instantly felt bad. Farih’s heavy breathing was a good sign of her blissful state, and she was completely oblivious to the fact that Denise wasn’t in the moment with her.
Denise rolled over on her back. Farih wanted her chance at the action. Before Denise could object, Farih had her briefs down. Farih’s lips kissed Denise’s lips before she used her manicured fingers to open Denise. Denise wanted to tell her to stop, but she couldn’t. She was horny and wanted the release. She closed her eyes as Farih licked her love over Denise’s walls. Farih’s fingers fucked Denise while she sucked on her swollen knob. Denise assisted, grinding against Farih’s fingers and tongue.
Denise bit her lip as she came. Farih took extra moments to catch every sweet drop. It was a treat when Denise let her go down on her. She wanted to savor the moment. Denise didn’t care who was doing it. She needed the release, and Farih was a pro at giving head.
It was wrong, but Denise didn’t care. Lena was in the room with them tonight, something that had never happened before. Lena hadn’t been on her mind in a very long time, and she didn’t know why she had suddenly reappeared in her thoughts. Denise turned over on her side as cuddling was not an option for her tonight.
Farih didn’t know what to think. She could tell from Denise’s body that she had enjoyed the pleasurable act, but Denise was void of actual emotion. Farih turned over, away from Denise. They slept against each other, something that was becoming very frequent.
Chapter 4
Carmen packed her clothes into her duffel bag. She gave the apartment one final look over to make sure she didn’t forget anything she wanted to take.
“You got everything?” Her fiancée, Nic, walked into the room. Her wavy hair hung down her back.
“Yeah. Are you sure you don’t want to come, babe? I’d really like you to come.”
Nic shrugged her shoulders. “Nah. I’ll let you have your time with your friends. Just don’t have too much fun.” She smacked Carmen on her ass and walked out of the room.
Carmen closed her bag and headed into the living room. She was ready to get back to Atlanta even before she hit the Six Flags exit on her way back to Memphis the weekend before. She wanted to move back so badly, but Nic wasn’t ready to leave her job at FedEx, and due to the sluggish job market, no jobs in Nic’s field had come open at the company’s branches in Atlanta.
“So what are you going to get into this weekend?” Nic asked as she flipped through the television channels.
“I don’t know. I know that Denise is hosting a party with Traxx Girls, so I’m going to that, but besides that, I think we are going to just chill and do some wedding planning.”
“Tell everyone I said hi.”
“You could tell them yourself.” Carmen attempted to get Nic to go along one more time.
“Good try, babe.” Nic turned around toward Carmen. “Hey, if you use a card, use the AmEx. I’m almost finished paying off the Visa.”
Carmen nodded. “I doubt I’ll use any money. You know how they do it.”
Nic frowned. She hated that Carmen let her friends give her so much. “Well, in case, just use it.”
Carmen kissed Nic and walked out the door. She knew Nic didn’t like that her friends spoiled her, but she didn’t care. They weren’t bad off, but they didn’t have the money that Denise, Cooley, or Lena had.
Carmen felt like she lived in two different worlds. When she was with her friends, she was living the glamorous Hollywood life. She had met more celebrities in the last two years than she had ever imagined. But as soon as she was back in Memphis, she was back to watching TV on the forty-two-inch Vizio with Nic and babysitting the bad kids in her classes.
She couldn’t help but want the life her friends lived, even though she loved her life with Nic. Nic was the love of her life and had been there for her in some of her darkest times. Nic had forgiven Carmen for cheating on her with Carmen’s terrible ex, Tameka, and for being a brat. Nic had helped Carmen develop the love she had for herself as well. Carmen, who had been overweight, had suffered f
rom horrible self-esteem issues most of her life. Even after she lost the weight, she couldn’t seem to feel worthy of anything real. Nic had helped her realize how special she was. Nic was her soul mate, and she couldn’t wait to marry her
The two had been saving for almost three years for their wedding. It was crunch time, as they planned to get married in July. Carmen had started watching all the TLC wedding shows the day after Nic proposed. Like the rest of the world she was obsessed with the royal weddings—both Kate Middleton’s and Kim Kardashian’s seventy-two-day fiasco. She wanted the fairy tale she had always dreamed of, but she knew their finances wouldn’t allow for it. And Nic wouldn’t allow her friends to foot the bill.
Carmen arrived at the airport. She felt bad but knew she couldn’t tell Nic that Cooley had paid for a last-minute first-class seat for her. She didn’t feel like making the six-hour drive. The forty-five-minute flight was much more appealing.
She settled into the oversized seat and ordered her first Coke from the flight attendant. She pulled her iPad out and shot a text to Cooley, letting her know she would be there soon.
The short flight flew by, thanks to Carmen’s new addiction to Scrabble. She quickly grabbed her things and got off the plane. The Atlanta airport was busy, as usual. Carmen smiled when she saw a billboard ad for Denise’s movie in the airport terminal. Carmen noticed a group of people gathered around one of the belts in the baggage claim area. She noticed the flight was from New York City. She walked over to see Denise signing a few autographs for some young girls.
Denise noticed Carmen as she smiled for a picture. Denise’s long hair was hanging down under her fitted baseball cap. After another photo with the girl’s mother, she excused herself from the group.
“Hey, you,” Denise said as she wrapped her arms around Carmen.
“Hey, superstar. Did you see the billboard?”
“Unfortunately.”
Denise and Carmen walked out of the building. Carmen watched as people turned their heads, some knowing who Denise was, and others wondering why she looked so familiar to them.
“Shut up, girl. You know you like it.” Carmen looked at Denise’s mortified face. Even after years of attention, she still was uneasy about being in the spotlight.
A limo pulled up in front of them as they looked for Cooley’s car. The driver stepped out. “Denise Chambers?”
“Um, yeah,” Denise answered. Denise and Carmen looked at each other, confused by the arrival of the driver, who was putting their bags in the trunk. All eyes were on them. “I’m going to kill Cooley.”
Denise opened the back door of the limo, and they heard a pop. Cooley started laughing as she poured champagne into a glass. “What’s up, bitches?”
“You are so dead,” Denise said as they climbed into the black stretch.
“I figured since I was picking up my two superstars, I would do it in style.” Cooley knew Denise was pissed. Carmen, on the other hand, was eating it up.
“Don’t do this shit ever again,” Denise snapped.
“Oh, enjoy it.” Cooley handed Denise the glass. She poured and handed another glass to Carmen. Her look had evolved, just like Denise’s had. The oversize designer clothes had been replaced with fitted jeans and a button-down. Her swag was still unlike any other, but more professional. Just like her look, her hair had changed as well. She sported a short, curly faux hawk.
“So to what do I owe this, anyway?” Denise sat back with her arms crossed.
“Because we have cause to celebrate!” Cooley sipped the bubbly. “Guess who is not only up for the new Fast and Furious, but has also been offered a small part in a new James Cameron movie.”
“What!” Carmen and Denise yelled at the same time.
“You heard me right.”
“Are you serious?” Denise stared at Cooley.
Cooley took another sip of the bubbly. “Now, don’t get too excited. It’s a super small role, Denise. But it’s James Cameron.”
“How small?” Carmen asked.
“It’s very small. Just a few speaking lines, but you are in a few scenes. The point is that it’s James Cameron. Any role in one of his films is the shit. And how about that isn’t the best news of all? I have something even bigger than that.”
“Bigger than James Cameron?” Even Denise was excited at this point. Cooley threw a book in Denise’s lap.
“Aqua Team Adventures?” Denise and Carmen said in unison.
“What is this?” Denise flipped through the book.
“Only the hottest youth novel series out right now.”
“I’ve never heard of it.” Denise frowned.
“I have. A lot of my students are reading the books,” Carmen said. “It’s a bit juvenile, but they seem to like it.”
“It’s the new The Hunger Games, Harry Potter, Twilight phenomenon,” Cooley boasted. “It’s, like, five books already, and they are hot. It’s about teens who fight crime or some shit. I really don’t know. All I know is the books are hot, and movies based on books always blow up. They want you as Aqua!”
“What!” Denise and Carmen yelled in unison again.
“The lead character! That’s awesome!” Carmen squealed. Denise didn’t seem as enthusiastic.
“What the hell is wrong with you?” Cooley grumbled.
“What about Fast and Furious and the James Cameron movie?” Denise asked.
Cooley bit her lip. “You have to decide on one. They are all shooting around the same time, so you can’t do them all. But, Dee, Aqua is a lead role. Neither of the other two will give you that.”
“I know, but it seems like a lot to take on.” Denise glanced at the book. “It’s a big responsibility.”
“It is, but it’s also easy fucking money. You already know they are going to have at least four movies. That’s guaranteed money, Dee.”
“And it also means I’ll be known as Aqua for the rest of my life. Look at her. She turns blue, for God’s sakes.” Denise held up the book.
Cooley threw her hands up. “So the fuck what? It’s a series, and you will be the lead.”
Denise put her hand on her head. “This is too much.”
“Consult with Farih on it,” Carmen advised.
“Yeah, right. That’s the last thing I want to do. I’m not gonna let her chop my head off for getting some teen movie I don’t even know if I want.”
Carmen and Cooley looked concerned.
“Hey, Cooley, can I ask a favor?” Denise said.
Cooley nodded.
“Would you consider representing Farih? She can’t seem to get anything and—”
“Let me stop you now. Sorry, Dee, but no. I have my hands full with you and Sahara.”
“Come on, Cooley. She really needs to get something.”
“Is it that bad?” Carmen finished her champagne and put the glass down.
“She got dropped from Victoria’s Secret,” Denise revealed.
“I wish I could help, but no, it’s a conflict of interest. What happens if y’all break up? And I don’t know anything about that industry,” Cooley observed.
“You didn’t know anything about movies, either, but somehow I might be playing some blue chick.” Denise smiled.
Cooley shook her head. “That’s not ’cause of me. That’s ’cause of your agency and your amazing acting skills. I mean, who knew you would actually be a great actress?” Carmen and Cooley laughed as Denise threw her middle finger up. “But real talk . . . Farih is old news. Have you seen some of the new chicks in the game? Farih’s best bet would be to land a reality show or something.”
Denise knew she and Fariah had been approached for a reality show on Logo but had declined it. Denise had cringed at the thought of cameras following her every move.
“Well, Melanie is trying to hook her up with some talk show. I hope something comes through, ’cause if her attitude doesn’t change soon, I don’t know what I’m going to do.”
“So the green-eyed monster is showing his ugly-ass
face, huh?” Cooley asked.
“You have no idea.”
“Well, Denise, when you two met, she was at the top of her game. Now your star is a hell of a lot brighter than hers,” Carmen said.
“Is that my fault, though?” Denise snapped. “I didn’t tell the jobs not to hire her.”
“It’s this lifestyle. You have to be a strong person to be able to go from being in the spotlight to being in the background to your mate’s foreground. Maybe Farih isn’t that strong.”
All three sat in silence as they pondered Cooley’s words.
Denise felt all the pressure of New York City drop the second she made it to Atlanta. She zoned out the back-and-forth between Carmen and Cooley as she settled into one of the guest rooms in Cooley’s home. There was something about being in the South—and being away from Farih in her new state of mind—that was comforting to her.
“Hey.” Denise turned to see Carmen standing in the doorway. “Food?”
Denise shook her head. “I ate already. I just want to rest before tonight.”
Carmen knew Denise didn’t want to discuss her troubles with Farih anymore, so she didn’t bring it up again. She headed back into the living room to join Cooley.
Denise spread her long body out on the comfortable bed. She stared at the ceiling fan, which was rotating slowly. She knew she should call Farih and let her know she made it, but she didn’t. She didn’t feel like any attitude, even over the phone.
The sexual experience last weekend entered her mind. After almost two years Lena had entered her thoughts. Denise missed Lena. Before anything, they were friends, but Denise’s work and Farih’s comments about Lena and Denise’s past had made her slowly pull away from Lena. The only thing she knew about Lena was the tidbits Carmen talked about. She wondered how she was doing.
She pulled out her phone and opened Facebook. She did a search for Lena Jamerson, but nothing came up. She shook her head, remembering that that wasn’t Lena’s name anymore. She searched for Lena Redding but got the same results. She couldn’t believe in this day and age Lena didn’t have a Facebook page. She wanted to ask Carmen about Lena, but that would open up a discussion she didn’t want to have. Denise wondered what Lena’s daughter was like. The only picture she had seen was of her as a newborn. She was gorgeous, so perfect she almost didn’t look real. She looked more like a perfect little doll.