Love- a Forgotten Art

by Ivy Symone

  “Ay Poodah, I gotta make another call, but you can come on and grab me. I don’t want to have to rush to get ready for this party tonight,” I tell him.

  “Bet that, boss,” he says. “Love.”

  “Love.”

  As soon as the call ends, I dial the cell number listed on Dasani’s business card. What’s the worse she can say? Lose her number and never call again?

  “Mother Pearl.”

  “Ms. Withers please?” I say politely.

  “This is her. How can I help you?”

  Her voice is raspy and dull; no life to it. Maybe I’m catching her at a bad time.

  “This is Prime. Remember me?”

  Silence.

  “Hello? You still there?”

  “Yeah…uhm…Yes, I’m still here.”

  Ah! Her voice lightens and come to life.

  “How are you, sweet love?” I ask.

  “I’m good. How are you?” The background noise I hear becomes more distant.

  “I’m good too. I was just wondering about you though. I wanted to make sure you were okay.”

  “I am,” she says cautiously. She then begins to ask, “How did you…”

  “One of your business cards was left behind.”

  “It was?”

  “Yes. I kinda took it as a sign of fate. Hope you don’t mind.”

  “Uhm…”

  I can tell she’s thrown off and very uncomfortable.

  “Don’t worry,” I assure her. “I’m not the stalker type. I won’t mysteriously show up at your place of business.”

  She laughs nervously. “How do I know that?”

  “I guess you don’t.”

  She clears her throat with a bit of unease. “Look, that night…It was really out of character for me. I was high and horny and away from home. I really had no business there.”

  “So, what are you saying exactly?”

  I guess I am being rejected. A first for everything.

  “I’m saying I have a family. I have a kid and a fiancé.”

  “And I need to lose your number, right?”

  “This is the business line. If you’re interested in doing business with my company, then by all means, keep the number. I may not always be the one to answer it anyway.”

  A part of me want to scream, “Bitch, do you know who the fuck I am!”

  But I can’t. I’m not that guy right now. I’ll remain humble and accept this “L” gracefully.

  “Well, Ms. Withers, lock my number in. If you ever need any type of financial backing with your company or any other business venture, please don’t hesitate to reach out.”

  “That’s nice of you. I’ll make sure to keep you in mind. Thank you.”

  “You have a—” Did she hang up on me? “Hello?”

  I look down at my phone’s screen and yep; only thing there is my home screen.

  “That didn’t sound like it went well.”

  I look up to see my personal aide and sister, Bea, has joined me in the office of my presidential suite. She sips out of her own glass containing a dark liquid while handing me my own. “You look a little disappointed, Brother.”

  I gratefully take my bourbon from her. “I am. You know, that’s the first time a woman has ever behaved that way with me.”

  She laughs as she brings her glass to her lips. “And what was that?”

  “Uninterested.”

  She laughs even harder. “Well, there is a first for everything.”

  “Yeah, that’s what I said too.” I light my cigar and take a few puffs. I lounge back in my chair and look out the wall of windows at the Gemsville skyline. North Emerald Lake sits just beyond the cityscape. The view is spectacular as it is as peaceful, serene, and relaxing.

  Overall, it’s been a relaxing couple of days catching up with some of my old friends while meeting new ones in the process since being back home. However, my time of leisure is coming to an end and it’s time to start handling business matters. It’s time my presence be heavily felt in Jewel City and the surrounding areas once again.

  I’m like one of those horror movie sinister entities that appear every so many years to terrorize their unsuspecting victims. That’s what I am to the operations of a globally ran criminal organization, now referred to as The Coalition.

  However, not many know my superior position over this underworld. I like it that way. The few that are aware of what role I play assists in keeping my position unknown. It affords me the ability to live a quieter, peaceful life. The fast street life no longer provides me the same excitement it once had. I’m questioning my purpose on a deeper level. I have so much more to offer besides running around with thugs, but someone on a higher level have to keep them in line.

  But don’t put me in one box just yet. I’m far more than being a criminal boss. I’ve had the opportunity to travel the globe and live in some of the most beautiful and some of the most impoverished places. Influenced by some of the people I admire, I actually funded and physically put the work in to better communities around the world. I even established my own philanthropic organization, PrimeHaven. And I found that I gained a lot of self-actualization through those acts. It has made me feel more complete than any other venture I’ve ever journeyed in my life.

  I’m not the same man I used to be when I solely ran Jewel City. I’m happy to see that most of the men I did business and put into their own superior positions have followed suit. I’m happy to see that my longtime friend Zino is who I was ten years ago now. He’s handing the torch over to someone else. He says he wants to enjoy as much time as he can with his wife and their three children. I don’t blame him. That’s the only thing I regret. Monetarily, I had been everything for my children, but physically I had been absent. My intentions now are to make up for all the years I haven’t been around. It seems as though I’ve already failed my children. And I’m not too proud of that.

  “What lady is this?” Bea asks.

  Interrupting me, Chell walks into the office with a fruity drink in hand. “Are you talking about Ms. Godiva?”

  Bea turns to me with a raised brow. “Godiva?”

  Chell stands next to Bea. “Yes. She has the most beautiful chocolate skin color.”

  Bea asks, “When did you meet her?”

  “Remember the other—” I start, but Chell interrupts again and I sigh.

  “He met her at the sex party we hosted the other night.”

  “Sex party?” Bea is in shock. “You never mentioned a sex party to me. When did this happen?”

  “I never mentioned it to you because for some reason you want to act as my mother and that kind of shit is beneath you,” I reply.

  Bea feigns insult. “Not true, P.” She throws her eyes toward Chell in contempt. “I’m just trying to look out for your best interest. Keep you out of trouble. After all, you are trying to uphold a certain image.”

  Chell argues, “He can have a bit of fun every once and a while.”

  “But a sex party?” Bea counters. “Who knows who else was there and could have seen him.”

  “Chill out, Bea,” Chell laughs. “It’s not like he’s running for office or anything. Gosh!”

  “No, but there is a lot he intends to do that involves the support of very important people,” Bea replies.

  “Trust me, those important people got way more dirt on them than a raunchy sex party,” I point out.

  Bea shrugs. “You’re probably right.”

  Chell informs, “My brother’s friend is throwing another one. You wanna join us this time, Bea?”

  Bea’s eyes bulge out of their sockets. I’m humored. Bea and her reactions to some of the free-spirited shit I do is hilarious. She’s so square and almost boring; but she’s the best aide a busy man like me could ask for.

  Bea leans forward and asks, “Do you actually have sex at those type of parties? Are you protected? What about sexually transmitted diseases? Aren’t you afraid of catching diseases?”

  Chell and I exchan
ge a look and can do nothing but shake our heads. In that moment my phone rings.

  I smile when I see who it is. I answer, “Have you changed your mind already, Ms. Withers?”

  “What if I just wanted one more night?” she asks quietly.

  “Are you sure one more night is all you need?”

  She hesitates. “I’m not really sure of anything right now.”

  “I tell you what; are you available to honor me with your presence today?”

  “In about thirty minutes, I’ll be free.”

  I look at the time. It’ll take Poodah about forty minutes to arrive to drive me back to Jewel City. I could call him and tell him to turn back around, but there’s still the issue of the party taking place tonight. Shit, something told me to go ahead and grab my own rental when I first touched down.

  “Do you think you can join me tonight as my date? I’m attending a party.”

  “A date?”

  I smile. “Yeah, a date.”

  “Uhm…” she hesitates. “I don’t know about date. And it depends where because—”

  I get it. I say, “Your fiancé, right?”

  “Yeah.”

  “Well, you can just show up. That’s innocent, and we don’t have to know each other. But when I leave, you leave.”

  “Well hold up…I can’t just crash this party.”

  “Yeah you can; I’m giving you permission to. Bring a friend if you want to. Besides, it’s at a public venue. I’m going to text you the place and further instructions. Is that okay?”

  “That’s okay.”

  “I’m glad you called me back, Ms. Withers.”

  “I hope…” her voice trails.

  “You hope what?”

  “Nothing. I’ll see you soon.”

  “That sounds—” Goddamnit! Dasani needs to learn better phone etiquette. “Hello?”

  Chapter 4: Dasani

  My life is a big ass lie. I’m not who people think I am. The persona I portray daily is a façade, and over time I have perfected it.

  But why?

  Truth is, the real me is ashamed and consumed with guilt. So, I hide. I hide under who everyone knows me to be: Deuce.

  Don’t get me wrong; I’m a fine mothafucka as Deuce, and I’ve become to be one of the most desirable “lesbians” of Jewel City. I even used to make beautiful straight women want to be gay for a day just to be with me. My swag and style used to be just as real as the next nigga, and the dick I pack be bigger than theirs. But that part of me is slowly fading and being left in my previous lifestyle. I still have a love for women, but only one got my heart, and there isn’t anything I wouldn’t do for her. However, my inner voice has been nagging the hell out of me lately. And I’m afraid of what it might do to her.

  “Are you gonna go in?” Natalia asks.

  I’m sitting behind the wheel of my matte money green G-Wagon with my right-hand in the passenger seat. We’re parked along the front lawn of The Stevens Mansion, a place that had been my home for half of my childhood. My stepfather, Walt Stevens, noted luxury hotel magnate and my mother, Karin, noted trophy wife and socialite, have great influences in the area. It goes without saying, the Stevens family is like royalty in Jewel City. But the streets know Walt is everything but noble. The man is wicked.

  I release a heavy sigh. “I need a minute. I swear I can’t stand this man.”

  “Well, you gotta go ‘head and face his ass. This nigga always on some foul shit, though,” she remarks while shaking her head.

  “I know.”

  I have always lurked in the shadows, witnessing the things, the havoc Walt and his team wreaked on people. I watched him for years, maintaining my silence and loyalty while being of service to him ensuring his fury was never directed at me. But by keeping my silence, I often question if I am just as evil and diabolical as he.

  Before establishing my brand and making a name for myself in the beauty community, I was once a part of Walt’s “street” team. But I grew up and my interests changed. He and a couple of others don’t like it, but I have to live my life for me. It also became my way of distancing myself from this lifestyle and who I used to be.

  Walking the corridors of Walt’s museum of a home, the sounds of my nude Sergio Rossi pumps thuds against the mosaic ceramic tiled floors announcing my arrival. Walt’s security team, silent and stoic as usual, eyeballs me and Natalia as we pass them. They are soulless mechanical soldiers of Walt’s. I rarely acknowledge them then and I certainly don’t now. I have no interest in becoming acquainted with them on a personal level.

  The door guards don’t bother with giving us a hard time at having access to Walt’s office. They can see by the displeased expression on my face, and my body language that I am livid. And with the snarl on Natalia’s face, they know not to address her.

  Sitting at the head of the elongated oval table at the far end of the room, Walt looks up, not a bit surprised. He’s amused and wearing a smirk to show for it.

  Casually leaning back in his chair and clasping his hands over his stomach, smugly he says, “And hello to you too my beautiful daughter.”

  With nostrils flaring, I glare at him. I take a stance at the opposite end of the table, Natalia at my side, and take notice of who all is present. My brothers, Reese and Ammo, my sister Babie, my mama Karin, a guy and two girls, whom I’m very familiar with but ain’t never really fucked with. And there were men posted in the corners of the room.

  It makes sense to pose to oneself: If this much security is needed, then certainly someone isn’t living right. I could attest that my stepfather is not.

  “Damn Deuce,” Ammo jests. He chuckles, “How you gonna bust through the doors like that?”

  I shoot my brother a look. “As if you haven’t had your moments over the years.”

  Babie, who had been standing beside Walt at first, slowly saunters her way to where I’m standing. Her eyes seem to admire my attire, makeup, jewelry, and hair. She gives a sneering smirk, “I see somebody think they cute. Aren’t you a fuckin’ lady.”

  “Don’t start today, Babie,” I mumble.

  Babie tsks and shakes her head mockingly. “Whatever happened to my big sister? Where has she gone?”

  I just give her a deadly stare. She ignores me and smiles at Natalia. “Hey cousin-by-marriage.”

  Natalia fake smiles in return.

  Babie gives a haughty giggle before taking a seat on the chaise a few feet away from Walt’s desk. The way she tucks her legs under her causes her already short shirt dress to rise up her thighs that gives me reason for pause. Babie can be so sexual without realizing she’s being inappropriate. I don’t necessarily like it, and it’s becoming more out of hand as time goes on. Babie needs to be more aware of the things she does.

  I frown and have to call Babie out, “Do you have panties on under that? Hell, if you move just a little more, I guess I’ll get the answer to that, huh?”

  Babie rolls her eyes at me with a huff.

  I can’t stand her sometimes, but at the same time I’m crazy about her just as Babie is crazy about me. We could go back and forth like we were still thirteen and eight all day long, but if anyone else come at the other wrong, then they have hell to pay.

  Releasing a heavy sigh, I turn my attention back to Walt, and say, “You can’t be serious about what you’re asking me to do.”

  Walt leans forward, excitedly. “Oh, I’m very serious.”

  His eyes slide to the dude and two ladies. “You’re already acquainted with Alejandro. But I want you to meet Giselle and Queen. Along with Dro, they will be your new business partners.”

  Did I hear him correctly? I respond with a cock of the head and furrow of the brows. My eyes go back to the trio. Cautiously, I question, “Business partners?”

  “Yes,” Walt states matter-of-factly.

  “No,” I respond defiantly. “I’m doing just fine with the employees I have. I don’t need a partnership in my business either.”

  In a voice oozing
with malice, Walt says, “Oh, but my darling, Deuce, I’m not concerned with what you think the business needs; I’m telling you what is. Get with them and go over the plans.”

  This is why I hate him so much amongst other things. I know who Alejandro, Queen, and Giselle are and who they are affiliated with, which is puzzling to me as to why they’re over here with Walt in the first place. But like I stated before, I mind the business that keep my pockets fat which is my Mother Pearl hair line.

  I know for a fact that they aren’t upstanding law-abiding citizens of Jewel City. The women look like they walked right off the set of Love and Hip Hop to get carried away in their second careers as Instagram thot models. One with blonde weave, and the other with long black weave. Thick acrylic nails with too much going on to be considered tasteful. And what’s with the Blow Pop Blondie has in her mouth?

  The guy, Alejandro, is rather cute though his expression is like stone, impermeable. I’ve never been able to read him during any of my past encounters with him.

  Natalie interjects, “With all due respect Uncle Walt, Mother Pearl is not a sleazy business. Being in affiliation with more people like this will be very detrimental to the integrity of her company, and Deuce has worked—”

  Queen interrupts with insult, “Sleazy?”

  Babie grunts a laugh, while Reese just shakes his head.

  “Ain’t nothing sleazy about the way we conduct business,” Alejandro declares adamantly. “You know who we roll with. Our organization is top notch. Fuck you mean?”

  “Yeah, I know exactly who you roll with,” I retort. “Do they know you’re over here consorting with Walt though?”

  Alejandro furrows his brow and stare coldly at me.

  I say smartly, “Yeah, that’s what I thought.” I look back at Walt. “Even they don’t know what you’re up to. Does the Coalition know what you’re doing?”

  Walt says, “And that’s just the thing; they don’t run shit here.”