by Skyy
“Yeah, dude, you are. Hell, look at ya, girl. No offense, but no one is checking for her, and just two years ago she was one of the hottest in the game.”
Denise thought about Farih. She knew that Cooley was right. “I know this is the opportunity of a lifetime. It’s just . . . I don’t know if I’m really meant for Hollywood.”
Cooley’s eyes widened. “Are you fucking serious? Dude, James Cameron. Denise, James fucking Cameron!”
“So you think I should do Cameron?”
“Fuck no. I think you should do the Aqua movie. Are you serious right now? What the fuck, Dee? What do you want to do? Go coach basketball somewhere? Give up all you’ve worked for to go live in a one-bedroom apartment in Memphis, ’cause if you keep on, that’s what you will have.”
Denise stood up and began pacing the floor. “That’s not cool, C.”
Cooley got up from behind her large mahogany desk. She walked up to her best friend and put her hands on her shoulders. Denise and Cooley met eye to eye.
“Bro, I know this whole Hollywood thing isn’t what you thought your life would be. But now it is. God dealt you an amazing hand, and it’s like you want to give up a hand of blackjack for a bust.”
Denise knew Cooley was right. “But what if the only reason I was good in the movie was because of the content? I mean, a ballplayer with a junkie for a mom. Not so far-fetched, ya know.”
“Dude, when you got it, you got it. Dee, you got it. Now, please make up your mind.”
Denise lowered her head in defeat. She hated when Cooley was right about things. “I’ll decide tonight.”
Denise knew deep down there was nothing else she could do that would make her the amount of money that either film would make her in a few months. Just the idea of her being a star was hard to swallow. Since her film, things hadn’t been the same. She couldn’t go to the local park and play ball without being stalked for pictures. And ever since she went public with her relationship, the paparazzi had been trying to catch her in a compromising position to write crazy stories for MediaTakeOut and Sandra Rose, who seemed hell-bent on finding some dirt on her. She wished there was a way to have her film career without the extra craziness.
“I will give you my answer before the end of the night,” Denise added.
“Before nine,” Cooley said without hesitation.
“Fine. Before nine. Damn. What happened to my friend who wasn’t so focused?”
Cooley turned back toward Denise. “I left that bitch at Freedom University for this life of money and power.” She laughed.
Denise chuckled, but she knew Cooley was telling the truth. Cooley was driven now like Denise was in high school and college. It was like they had switched lives. Denise didn’t know where her focus had gone, but she knew she needed to get it back.
Denise’s phone began to ring as she walked into the living room. She hesitated. It was Farih, and she really didn’t want to talk to her. A few moments later the phone began to ring again. She knew if she didn’t answer, Farih would continue to call.
“Hey, babe.” Denise rolled her eyes as she forced the words out of her mouth.
Farih frantically flipped through the clothes in her closet. “Denise, baby, you won’t believe this.” She pulled out a black dress and threw it on the bed.
“What’s up?” Denise jumped over the side of the couch, falling down on the plush cushions and making a loud thud.
“I told ya ass about jumping on my furniture,” Cooley yelled from the other room, causing Denise to grin.
“I’m packing,” Farih announced.
Denise panicked. “To go where?”
“There, silly.” Farih folded the clothes neatly into her small suitcase. “I got an interview for the show!” She squealed.
“Oh, wow. Really?” Denise’s heart began to race. “When are you coming, and when is the interview?”
“Well . . .” Farih headed back to the closet. “I was so shocked that they got back to my agent so soon, but they said they think I would be a perfect fit. My interview is going to be as a guest host for one show, and if it goes well, who knows? I might start immediately.”
Denise stood up. She wanted to be happy for Farih, but she had more pressing issues. There was no way she could see Lena with Farih in the same city.
“I’m so happy for you, baby. When are you getting here? Do you need someone to pick you up?”
“I’m not leaving till the morning.” Farih threw her toiletry bag filled with travel-size bottles in her carry-on. If there was one thing she knew how to do, it was pack a carry-on.
Denise let out a sigh of relief. She could still see Lena. Suddenly a bad feeling came over her. She realized what she was doing was wrong, but for once in her life she didn’t care, or at least she didn’t want to care.
“I’m so excited, baby. This could be the big break I’ve been looking for,” Farih remarked.
“I think it just might be.” Denise smiled. A warm feeling came over here. She couldn’t help it. She still loved Farih, and hearing her so happy made her happy.
“And who knows? We might just be making a move from New York back to your precious South.” Farih’s call-waiting chimed, and she looked at the phone. “Oh, baby, this is my agent. I’m going to talk to you later, okay?”
“Okay.”
“I love you.”
“Love you too.”
A large lump became lodged in Denise’s throat.
Chapter 9
The soft female navigation voice alerted Denise that her destination would be on the right. She looked at the neighborhood. The houses were all unique in their own way. Some were bigger than others, but all were modest. She smiled. She could tell the home looked like something Lena would like.
Denise pulled into the circular driveway. She stepped out of her car and admired the quaint house. The Spanish-style house was only one story and had light blue stucco that reminded her of Lena’s favorite color, Tiffany blue. The front doors were large, and ivy grew on the walls. Denise walked up to the front door and rang the bell.
Denise couldn’t help but smile when she saw a small figure run toward the door through the beveled-glass panes. A little hand moved the shade and peeked out the door. She heard the little girl call for her mommy. Denise could see Lena’s frame walking toward the door. She looked out the little window and smiled while unlocking the door.
“Hey, sorry about that,” Lena said as Denise walked into the house. “Someone doesn’t listen when I tell her not to go to the door.”
“Is that someone hiding behind your back?” Denise watched as Bria poked her head from behind her mother’s back. Denise couldn’t believe how beautiful Bria was. Denise kneeled down. “You must be Miss Bria.”
“Yes.” Bria smiled.
“Don’t act shy.” Lena gently pulled Bria’s hand. Bria walked out from behind her mother. “This is Mommy’s good friend Denise. Can you say hi to her?”
“Hello, Denise.”
“Hello, Bria.” Denise was impressed by how properly Bria spoke.
Bria giggled, then ran to her room. Lena and Denise laughed.
“Lena, she’s gorgeous.”
“Thank you. She’s my everything.”
They walked farther into the house. A colorful book caught Denise’s eye. She walked over to the coffee table. She picked up the familiar novel.
“Are you really reading this?”
Lena smiled. “Guilty. I started reading it to Bria, but I find myself reading it alone more than anything. It’s actually pretty good. I like it better than The Hunger Games.”
Denise snickered.
“What?”
“Nothing. It’s just . . . I’ve been offered the role of Aqua.”
Lena’s eyes widened. “Oh my God, that’s so cool. You know when reading it, I could totally see you as her.”
Denise frowned. “She turns blue.”
“Yeah, when she’s about to kick some major ass. Aqua is real badass, Denise. In r
eal life you wouldn’t think she’s as awesome as she is, but when she transforms, she’s the shit.”
“Well, since you explain it like that.”
“I think you would make an excellent Aqua.” Lena nodded her head. “Consider it.”
“I will.”
Denise and Lena talked for hours, catching up on the last two and a half years. Denise told Lena about her experiences in Hollywood while working on the two films she’d made. Lena listened, completely fascinated by all the things Denise had done and the people she’d seen.
Night arrived before they realized it. Denise looked at a large wall of photos while Lena prepared Bria for bed. She noticed photos of Lena while she was pregnant. Even at nine months, Lena was beautiful to her. She couldn’t help but smile at photos of Brandon holding Bria for the first time. Denise felt a pain in her gut.
“Oh, please don’t look at those. I was huge,” Lena said as she walked into the living room.
“You still looked beautiful.” Denise looked at Lena and smiled.
Lena blushed.
“Man, so much has happened. I mean, I thought my life was different, but damn, Lena, you are a mother. That is just so unreal.” Denise sat down next to Lena.
“Trust me, I have a hard time believing it sometimes too. But in the end I think that Bria is the best thing that ever happened to me.” Lena ran her hands through her hair. “When I think about how I was back then . . . I was so screwed up.”
“What are you talking about?”
Lena looked at Denise. “Come on, you know I was . . . I was, so . . . confused. No wonder you sent me packing in New York.” Lena smirked at the comment.
Denise’s face was serious. She picked up Lena’s hand. “Lena . . .” Denise’s eyes stared directly at Lena. Lena could feel tears starting to swell. She couldn’t look at Denise. Denise took her right hand and slowly turned Lena’s head until their eyes met. “About New York—”
“Denise, please, you don’t have to—”
“No. This needs to be said.”
Lena could see the seriousness in Denise’s expression.
“I was so messed up, Lena. I didn’t know if I was coming or going. But I really need you to know that it was one of the biggest regrets I’ve ever had. I never wanted to hurt you . . . ever.”
A tear rolled from one of Lena’s eyes. Denise’s soft hand wiped the salty water from Lena’s cheek.
Lena took a deep breath. “After all the things that happened after I came home from coming to New York, I really thought I was being punished for all the things I’d done.”
Images flashed through Lena’s mind. She had left Brandon to follow Denise to New York, only to be turned down by Denise. She’d returned home, only to be met with a furious husband. The stress of her whole situation, including the arguing she endured when she arrived home, caused her to miscarry.
“I was so messed up. I knew what I wanted, but my mind and heart just wouldn’t let me do right.” Lena lowered her head.
“Lena—”
“No, I should be the one apologizing to you. You gave me so many chances to come to you, and I just couldn’t let go of Brandon. I was scared. Scared of what my family would say, but more important, I was scared of what I was feeling.” Lena let out a loud sigh as tears streamed down her face.
“What were you feeling, Lena?” Denise couldn’t take her eyes off of Lena.
Lena knew it was the moment of truth. There was no turning back. She had to finally let the words come out of her mouth. She had to tell Denise that she loved her, and that she was still in love with her.
In the heat of the moment Lena couldn’t take it. She grabbed Denise’s head and pulled it close to hers. Their lips met. Lena didn’t know if Denise would kiss her back, but she had to take the chance. Suddenly she felt Denise’s mouth part. Denise wrapped her arms around Lena, pulling her close to her. Their tongues were reintroduced to each other as though it was the first time.
They stopped for air. Lena stood up. Denise watched as Lena’s arm reached out. Hand in hand, they walked back to Lena’s bedroom. Lena locked the door as Denise stood in the middle of her large master bedroom. There were no words. Lena walked closer and wrapped her arms around Denise’s athletic physique. Denise leaned down, planting her lips back on Lena’s soft lips. They stood in the same spot, embracing, kissing passion into each other.
Suddenly Denise’s phone began to ring “Love of My Life” by Common. Her head fell. Lena took a few steps back. She knew that ringtone could be for only one person. Lena wanted to scream, take Denise’s phone, and throw it out the window. Denise didn’t know what to do. She silenced the ringer.
“Just too unreal, all this,” Lena said, quoting a line from the musical Spring Awakening. She paced the floor to calm her hormones.
“I . . .” Denise silenced the her phone that started to ring again.
“Don’t say anything.” Lena snapped. She sighed as the phone began to ring again. “I’m going to get some wine. Take your call.” Lena left Denise standing in her bedroom, dumbfounded.
Lena walked into her kitchen. She threw a quiet mini fit in the middle of the floor, jumping up and down and punching the air. She grabbed a bottle of Relax Riesling and popped the cork. She grabbed a glass but paused before pouring. Lena took the bottle to her mouth and downed some of the wine like it was a soda.
Lena walked back into the bedroom as Denise was ending her conversation. Lena leaned against the door with the wine bottle and glass in hand.
“Okay, I’ll be there.... Bye. Love you too.” Denise tried to whisper the last three words, but she knew Lena heard her loud and clear. “What? No glass for me?”
Lena’s eyebrows rose. “Oh, you drink now?”
“When the moment calls for it.” Denise shook her head, still in disbelief over what had gone down.
Lena sat on the side of the bed. She poured some of the wine into the glass and handed it to Denise.
“What about your glass?”
Lena lifted the bottle up to her mouth. Denise and Lena both laughed. Denise took the bottle from her and downed the wine the same way.
“Okay, look at you,” Lena murmured.
They both erupted in laughter. Neither knew what they were laughing at, but suddenly the moment was the most hilarious thing ever. After a few minutes they finally stopped.
“See, this is what I love.” Denise fell back on Lena’s bed. “No matter how screwed up we are, we can still laugh and be friends.”
“That’s because we were friends first.” Lena lay back next to her. “So how about two friends watching a movie?”
“Whatcha got?”
“How about Love Jones?” Lena smiled. Denise smiled. They both knew the last time they watched the movie, a heavy make-out session happened as soon as Darius and Nina got it on for the first time.
Denise and Lena lay in her California King and watched their favorite movie. By the time Darius and Nina had their first date, they were asleep in each other’s arms.
Chapter 10
Denise thought she was dreaming when she heard Common rapping in her ear. She jumped up when she realized it was her phone. She picked the phone up off the side table. She had five missed calls. She looked at the time. It was 7:19 A.M. She was late.
Farih was pissed as she sat on the plane, waiting on people to get off. “What the hell?” she said when she answered Denise’s call.
“Man, I’m so sorry, babe. I completely overslept.”
“Are you kidding me, Denise? I have to be at the studio at eighty thirty this morning.”
Denise quietly got out of the bed. “I know. I’m so sorry. I’ll make it up to you. Just take a car. I’ll pay for it and meet you at the studio.”
“I can’t believe on my big day you oversleep.” Farih was fuming. Denise was irritating her more than ever. Their relationship had been in a downward spiral for months. In her mind this was the final straw. “You know what? Go back to sleep. Don’t fucking wor
ry about meeting me. I don’t want to see your face.” Farih hung the phone up and threw it in her bag.
Denise sat in shock on the side of the bed. She knew she was wrong, but it didn’t warrant Farih’s attitude. She knew she was at her wit’s end with Farih and her mood swings.
“Someone is in trouble.” Denise turned around to see Lena lying there with her eyes open. “You better go.”
Denise stood up. She could feel the aftereffects of the wine they’d consumed last night. Denise looked down, saw that she was fully clothed, and breathed a sigh of relief, realizing she didn’t cheat completely.
“Yeah, I need to run.”
“I’ll let you out.”
“No, you stay. I can see myself out. I’ll call you later, okay?” Denise hoped Lena didn’t tell her to get lost forever.
Lena smiled. “Sure. Now go.”
Denise hugged Lena and walked out the door.
Suddenly Lena felt sadness take over, and she wondered if she would actually hear from Denise soon or if another three years would pass before they connected again.
Farih put her anger toward Denise behind her as she sat in the makeup chair, getting primped for her day. She had met the other three hosts, all of whom were nice. Cassi was a twenty-seven-year-old DJ for a popular hip-hop station in Atlanta. Adrianne Disher was a popular child actress when she was younger and was using the show to try to rebuild her career. The most credible of the group was Relonda Frazier, a thirty-five-year-old lawyer turned newscaster.
The producer went over various key points of the day. He handed the script of hot topics they were going to discuss during the show, before a chef came out and cooked barbecue for the cooking segment. The show consisted mostly of talking about various celebrities and news headlines.
“So your segment will be the hot-or-not category,” the producer informed Farih. “We will let you lead that, considering you are a specialist in fashion.”
“Great. I can do that.” Farih flashed her amazing smile.
“Good, good,” the producer responded without looking up from his iPad. “Now, besides that, just jump into the conversations, give your thoughts, keep it real, and everything should be great.”