I slowly lifted my arm up, then reached around to apply the cleanser to my wound. I followed that up with some of the medicated ointment. After smoothing a layer on the surface, I grabbed a patch from my countertop and carefully placed it over the area. When I was sure it was secure, I proceeded to carefully toss part of the wrapping over my shoulder and then was able to strap it around twice and pin it under my arm. I had a slight grimace on my face that I didn’t realize was there until I was done doctoring. I pulled a Hanes tee over my head and made my way out of the bathroom, pacing myself carefully.
I still moved a little slow, but I didn’t care how slow I was moving, though. I was home and that was all I had wanted for the past week!
I hated being away from work. Away from life. Lucky for me, I was still able to conduct Black Ice business from the hospital. James really stepped up during that time too. His doing so, helped drive home the fact that I needed to make him more of a right-hand person in the business. I definitely needed somebody like that; for if that situation showed me anything, it was that the unexpected could occur at the most unexpected, inconvenient times.
As the music played in the background and I felt myself getting drowsy, I couldn’t help but think about the stage. I couldn’t wait to perform again. The Graffiti Effect had come to be a huge part of me. The magic of the music was therapeutic. The way the crowd went crazy was euphoric. I loved every bit of it. It seduced me years ago, and it still was.
-54-
KASSIDI
By the time the weekend rolled around I desperately needed to unwind. I couldn’t wait to let loose! I loved work, but mama needed a break in a major way! The job with JPC Resorts, was the best one I ever had. In all of my career, I had never been a part of an organization that didn’t operate off of bureaucracy. The mentality was more of a startup one, that valued its employee’s, as well as their ideas.
Clyde was amazing. He welcomed my change agent approach, and continuously sought my thoughts on topics that he could have very well handled himself. It was quite the experience, and I would never have known how much life could improve, had I not taken the leap. So, all the chaos of the past, needed to happen to drop me in the lap of this perfect opportunity. Not to mention a new friendship.
Kandice didn’t mention where the party was, and I didn’t care. I was just ready to be there. I still considered myself a Vegas virgin, so even if she had told me, I probably wouldn’t have known.
With my music playing in the background, I started to pull all the pieces of my ensemble out of their respective places and put them on the bed together. There, I could see it all come alive. And it did! A coral off the shoulder blouse that stopped right at my waist line. White skinny jeans, sheer coral mesh peep-toe heels. I accentuated with sterling silver accessories: oversized hoops, a wide bangle on my left wrist, and Midi rings.
After I was dressed and loving my representation, I applied eyeliner, a double layer of mascara to make my eyes pop, and a frosty pink matte-colored lip color. I never ventured too far past a pink on my lips because of the brown of my skin. Going dark looked gothic on me, so I stayed comfortably in my lane, sticking to my frosty pinks or regular gloss. No compromises there!
Once my face met my expectations, I released my hair from captivity and let the curls do their thing, falling where they may. My hair journey was one that I was extremely proud of. After years of braids, ponytails and perms, I did the big chop five years ago. It was hard as hell, but when I saw my true curl pattern return in place of what was, I was sprung dumb! Nobody could tell me a damn thing about these soft curls that touched at the tip of my shoulders in a soft caress.
“Ju poppin’, girl!” I said aloud at the image staring back at me in the mirror.
I was ready. And apparently right on time because mere seconds after I finished adoring myself, Kandice called to tell me she was outside and ready to go.
“Look at you, Summerlin livin’ and thangs!” Kandice yelled out, as I slid into the passenger side of her Chevy Impala. We leaned in to give each other a hug. “Brand new to the V, and already know where to live!”
“Look at you . . .” I said, after our hug broke, “. . . driving up in the brand-new whip!”
We started laughing at each other and I knew then and there that she and I would be great friends. We had already turned work off and turned on the fun, being even more natural with each other.
“So, what did you do, Google the ‘Best places to live in Vegas’, before you came? Because you definitely can’t go wrong with Summerlin.”
“Actually, the HR rep told me about Summerlin when she job offered me. They were going to put me in executive housing for six months. But, I opted out because with the way y’alls heat is set up out here, she was not in the mood to have to be packing . . . again . . . in six months. I figured it would be better if I found a nice spot that I could just settle into.”
“Smart woman,” Kandice complimented. “I’m about fifteen minutes from here in the Northwest. Near Lone Mountain.”
“M’kay . . .” I said, not knowing what the hell a Lone Mountain even was.
“You’ll have to come over and hang out sometimes.”
“Of course.”
“I love your hair. I can’t wait to get out of weave mode and get into my natural tresses. But it’s gonna be a minute.”
“Hold onnn! That’s not your hair?!”
“Girl, it is ta’day!” Kandice blurted with laughter. “My stylist is just that good and can weave her ass off.”
“It’s beautiful,” I complimented her. “And that bodysuit you have on is cayuute! Can’t wait to see it outside the car so I can go get me one!”
“Thank you, girl. I did not come to play tonight. Mama’s tryin’ to get these cobwebs gone!”
I shook my head and fell out laughing. Kandice was crazy for real, and candid. I loved it.
We had been talking so much that I didn’t even realize when we got off the freeway. I brightened up at all the lights once we hit the strip. I could see why people came to Vegas and exposed their entire souls. It was completely alive and seemed to never sleep. People littered the street, even though it was nearing the ten o’clock hour. I saw kids, couples, large groups of friends, everybody. I’m sure it was like that when I came with the girls, but I was seeing it through a whole different lens tonight as we drove through.
“This city doesn’t go to sleep, does it?” I asked, my voice low enough to go unheard.
“It don’t even get drowsy, girl. That’s why it’s called ‘Sin City’. You can for sure get into plenty of sin! Speaking of which . . . we’re here!” she exclaimed, pulling up to a valet.
My mouth dropped, wide-the-fuck open, when I saw where we were. I closed my eyes briefly and took a deep breath, then looked up at the big bright sign that read, ‘CYN CITY home of THE GRAFFITI EFFECT.’
I sat quietly, almost frozen, for a few moments trying to gather my thoughts.
“Girl! Come on!” Kandice ordered. “We about to turn up!”
-55-
KASSIDI
It was déjà vu . . .
Once IDs were presented to security, I found myself, once again, at the top of the stairs peering down over the club. The music was already blaring and people were already on the dancefloor. It was good to see that I wasn’t overdressed. In fact, I probably could’ve fit in better if I had put on the short-shorts that I wanted to wear. Since my legs were one of my favorite attributes, I loved wearing me some shorts. I almost had them on for this party. But, thanks to my mother’s words from two summers ago, I hadn’t bothered. She had come for a visit, and we were headed to a winery tour in Napa. I had on a fly pair of yellow shorts, a white off-the-shoulder crop, and heels. Instead of her complimenting the look, her words were: “You’re rolling up on thirty-five, Kassidi. Don’t you think it’s time to start dressing the part?”
Crazy, how her fucked up, judgmental views still had an effect on my life.
“Where’s you
r head at girl!” Kandice asked over the music, swaying her hips and snapping her fingers to “On the Run II”, by Queen Bey and Jigga. I was just about to give her a ‘I’m good’, when she said, “Let’s get to the bar. I need a Blue Hawaiian in my system.”
On the way there, my ass was looking around like I was the one on the run. I was looking for him. My indiscretion, my neighbor. Not that I wanted to see him, I just expected to see him. He was a headliner at the club we were in.
Kandice hopped onto one of the barstools at the bar. “What you gettin’, girl?!”
I leaned in close so that the bartender could hear me. “I’ll get a double shot of Patron and an Appletini.”
“Blue Hawaiian for me!” Kandice said before turning to me. “Spill it, chick!”
“Spill what?”
“Spill why you went mute on me. You didn’t wanna come to a club?! I said it was a party! Did you think it was gonna be at a house or something?!”
I shook my head. “No, it’s cool! I’m not trippin’!” I lied.
“Girl, I just met you and already know when you’re lyin’!”
I reached over and touched her arm, for reassurance. “For real! I’m good!”
Moments later, my shots came and I downed them without pausing. I wanted to feel the burn because I knew once that happened, relaxing was a possibility. I needed to relax. I couldn’t be basing whether I had fun, on one person. He wasn’t important enough to have that kind of effect on me.
“Ha! But she says she’s good!” Kandi yelled out. “Never saw a chick down a double shot of Patron like it wasn’t shit! But I’m gonna let you live in your lie until you’re ready to share!”
“Kandice!” I sang, nudging her. “I’m good for real. I promise you I’m good.”
It was actually the truth, as I was already starting to feel lighter. Further adding to that, was when the bartender slid my Appletini over to me. Oh yes, I was good.
“How’s your drink?!” Kandice asked, gulping down some of her blue libation. “Because this shit right here . . . girl!”
“Mine is tasty, too. She got it right,” I mouthed. “So, whose party is this?!” I asked. “I thought this was some kinda of strip club!”
“It’s Graffiti Effect’s party that they’re throwing. A ‘Welcome back’, party!”
“Welcome back party?!” I thought about it for a minute. “Did he go somewhere?!”
Kandice leaned in closer to me. “He was in the hospital. Somebody stabbed him on the street, girl!”
“Wait! What! Stabbed him?! As in tried to kill him?! What the hell?!”
“I know, right. Vegas is crazy like that!”
“Damn. That’s so . . . damn . . .”
I was stunned. I felt badly for the last time I saw him and was rude as hell. I mean, I acted a plum-ass. I was out of pocket. It wasn’t his fault. I was acting out of nothing but embarrassment after coming face-to-face with him. That’s really what it boiled down to. He hadn’t done anything to me. Well . . . he had . . . but. And then, just that quickly, I was standing there like some kind of pervert thinking back to us doing what we did. And how good it felt!
Stop it, Kassidi!
“With his fine ass!” Kandi chimed in, crashing through my trip down memory lane. “Everybody was trippin’! Dude is somethin’ like a big deal, in circles!”
“Really?” I asked, acting as though I didn’t know just how big of a deal he really was.
“Really! You need to come and see a show to see what I mean. He . . . yeah . . . he’s the business. The real deal.” She paused to nurse more of her drink, before continuing. “And not at all what you’d expect! I’ll point him out to you when I see him. Then you can at least see what I’m talking about. They have the Wolf Pack that performs here too, and they are fine as hell! I like one, in particular, but I’ll keep that on the hush.”
I had more than space and opportunity to tell Kandice that this place wasn’t new to me. That it was the only place in Vegas that I had ever been before I moved there. That I knew who the Wolf Pack was and who The Graffiti Effect was. But I couldn’t. My mouth wouldn’t allow it because then I would feel compelled to tell the rest of what I’d told in my office the other day. I wasn’t quite there yet. Telling her about my move here was one thing, but putting a name to it all . . . was a whole other beast.
“Well, while you’re keeping that on the hush, I’m gonna order me another—”
My words stopped when all of a sudden, the music was cut. Shortly after that, a woman’s voice blasted through the room. I spotted her instantly on the stage at the center of the club. It was the Cynthia lady that owned the club, and who had come over to introduce herself to me that night.
“Thank you all so much for being here tonight! It makes me feel so good that you all made it out to celebrate my little brother, Marco . . . aka . . . The Graffiti Effect!”
She couldn’t even get the words out good before the room erupted in cheers, screams and clapping.
“Hold on y’all! I know you’re excited but let me get these words out since I’m able to talk about it without crying—finally!” Come here, Marco!”
And there he appeared, carefully making his way to the stage. Every fine inch of him.
“Girrrl!” Kandi screamed in my ear, while nudging my arm. “That’s him!”
He looked so good in jeans, a silver-colored button-down that clung to his chest and arms in the most enticing way. All I could think about right then, was how our bodies came crashing together all those months ago!
Shit.
-56-
MARCO
“Thank you, everybody! You guys don’t know how good it feels to see you! How good it feels to be okay and to be alive! Somebody tried to take ya boy out, but here I stand!”
The crowd went crazy, and I won’t lie; that shit made my heart warm. The energy was everything. I was in my element. On my stage. I looked around at Cyn, at the Wolf Pack—Majesty included—and realized just how blessed I was to have something like family. Even my own mother had placed just a single phone call to make sure I was okay. But them, they had been there the whole way. They all stood next to me as I delivered my appreciation speech. We stood as one. It was monumental.
“This is my family up here with me! The Pack—all of them! And my sister, and the owner of this amazing place, Cynthia! And now all of you! I appreciate everybody. Now please . . . let your hair down, get some liquor in you, and enjoy life!”
After exiting the stage, I felt ten feet tall. Not a pain in place. No aches and I was moving without restrictions. I was back! But as bad as I wanted to, I wasn’t going to be stupid and rush into anything. Didn’t want to chance it. I wasn’t trying to put myself through the pain of a setback and set myself back even further. Too much of what I did in my show was full body involvement. But it wouldn’t be long.
VIP had held me hostage for way too long and I was starting to feel a little restless. I needed to move the fuck around! I had answered so many questions about my accident. I was tired of talking about it and had only done so because I knew people were genuinely concerned. But I needed to get out of the space for a bit and walk around. I stood from my seat and got ready to walk off, when out of nowhere, I heard: “Marco, where you goin’, babe?”
Mink was cute and all. Really cute with the prettiest green eyes, light-brown skin, and a nice smile. It was the body that fucked her up, though. Manufactured body parts, on both upper and lower, took away points in my book. I couldn’t speak to what she looked like before the surgeries, and it might’ve done wonders for her self-esteem, but it just wasn’t for me.
“To the bar,” I responded reluctantly.
“You’re in VIP, though,” she said in a whiny voice. She wanted to be fucked so bad I could smell it on her. But it wasn’t gonna happen. “Why do you need to leave the area? There’s bottles everywhere.”
“Wanna stretch my limbs, Mink. Is that a problem for you?”
“I’m just sayin’”
she said moving closer to me and running a manicured hand down my shoulder. “We can take care of all your needs . . . right here. Or wherever you choose.”
“I appreciate that, but I’m good. Wanna walk around and see the people that came out to welcome me back.”
I didn’t wait for her to try being more convincing, I just walked away to keep from telling her ‘No’ in the various ways I’d been telling her. She was relentless, if nothing else.
Shortly, after I rounded the corner, I spotted a familiar body. She was turned to the side and I recognized her waist and ass first, then when I scanned past all that and upward, I landed on her face. Even before I saw her face, I knew it was her. She definitely had a presence. It didn’t even seem like she knew the kind of presence she had. It made her all the more attractive. But her mouth and the things that came out of it, could send a person running away from her. On the other hand, what she possessed between her legs would bring a dude running toward her. It was for sure part of the draw for me.
It was hard to believe that she got married after the night we spent. She gave me all of her—each time. A man that she didn’t know. A man that she wasn’t tied to emotionally. It made me wonder how much better she actually gave it to her man—or if she did at all.
As if feeling a pull of some sort, she turned my way. It was brief. She quickly turned back to the friend she was with, to act like she hadn’t seen me. But I knew she had; her body language told it all. Her arms stiffened, she shifted her weight onto one leg and couldn’t decide what to do with her drink. She finally decided to sit it on the bar. Probably for fear of dropping it, or accidentally crushing it.
I couldn’t help but smile at her discomfort. And since she chose to act like she didn’t see me, I decided to make things a bit more uncomfortable for her, so I approached.
The Graffiti Effect Page 20