Lawrence? Topaz spun around and looked up at Dr. Rosalyn Lawrence. “Oh my God. What the hell are you doing here?”
“Working.” Dr. Lawrence placed a blood pressure cuff on Topaz’s arm and pumped it up. “Did you forget that I work with Dr. Nichols in Atlanta?”
“I’ll have to talk to Dr. Nichols about who he hires.”
“What makes you think he’ll listen to you? Because you’re famous? Dr. Nichols is concerned with important things like finding a cure for these babies. Not the whims of a self-centered, spoiled singer.” Dr. Lawrence wrote down some information on Topaz’s form.
“Don’t get mad at me because you’re an ugly-ass bitch. That’s your fault, not mine.”
“If I was upset at you, it would be because you refuse to let my brother’s daughter have a relationship with his family. But if you’re angry because you’re a has-been, that’s your fault, not mine.”
“Has-been?” Topaz laughed out loud. “I could never be a has-been, sweetheart. And because you and your family are a bunch of gangbangin’, greedy, money hungry, South Central lowlifes is why you don’t have a relationship with my daughter. Don’t forget you signed that agreement. You chose money over my daughter and that’s the smartest thing you ever did.”
Sabre moved closer to Topaz, who was so angry she didn’t even notice.
“I don’t know what my brother saw in you.”
“I don’t know what I saw in your brother.”
“If he hadn’t married you, he would still be alive.”
“Oh please.” Topaz paused to laugh. “Your family is the reason Gunther isn’t alive. He had a bad heart and took drugs before I met him. Gunther never talked about any of you. He never introduced me to any of you and he didn’t leave anything to any of you. I never knew you existed until the funeral, so you’ve got to come up with something better than that, sweetheart.”
The nurse came over and informed Topaz she was done giving blood.
“That wasn’t as bad as I thought it would be except I had to see you. And don’t forget about that restraining order. If I ever told Dr. Nichols about that, you wouldn’t have a job so I suggest you take your ass back to Atlanta and leave me alone.”
Topaz rejoined her family and friends, as Rosalyn began packing up supplies.
The doctor was flipping through a stack of paperwork from the blood donors when she came across Nina’s. “Humph,” she said as she quickly read over the form, noting pertinent information. “That can’t be right.” She found Kyle’s paperwork, and after reading through it, she frowned. “Something’s terribly wrong.” She pulled their information out, wrote something on a Post-It, and paper-clipped everything together.
“Is this where you give blood?” Sabre interrupted. She smiled warmly as she stared Dr. Lawrence up and down.
Chapter 10
“Baby, please?”
Topaz and Germain were having breakfast on the patio of their Pacific Palisades estate, and the view of the Pacific Ocean was placid and vibrantly blue. Germain folded the newspaper he had been trying to read and looked across the table at his wife.
“Have you been watching Nip/Tuck again?”
“Germain.” She tossed the crisp linen napkin lying in her lap at her husband. “Please?”
“No.”
“Germain.”
“For the thousandth time, you don’t need any cosmetic surgery. You look fine.”
Topaz tossed her spoon into the dish of assorted fruits and pouted. “You’re my husband. Of course you’re going to say that.” She stood up from her chair, walked around the table, stood next to him, lifted up her shirt, and pinched over an inch of flesh from her midsection. “I just want you to get rid of this and give my boobies a lift. Maybe even some implants, huh?” She looked at her cleavage and then her husband. “What do you think?”
“Now you’re being ridiculous.”
“You don’t understand the music industry,” Topaz whined. “I’m thirty now and these girls are coming into the business younger and younger with perfect bodies. If I’m going to compete I have to tighten up my game.”
“You just need to spend a little extra time in the gym,” Germain suggested.
“Exercise won’t do it. I need a little extra help with this one. I’m not eighteen anymore, and you know even eighteen-year-olds are having procedures these days.”
Germain let out a deep long sigh. “Baby, does this have anything to do with Nina not liking your music? You know she’s not the only label in town.”
“No, baby.” Topaz knew she was telling a half truth. Nina’s passing on her music had only heightened her insecurities. “I just want to be the best I can be. I can’t help it if my husband happens to be the best cosmetic surgeon in the business.”
“I know how you are once you’ve made up your mind about something. If I don’t do the surgery, you’ll just find someone who will. I’m not having the quacks in this city touch my wife. If I do your procedure, I know it’ll be done right.”
“Oh, thank you, baby.” Topaz sat in his lap and kissed him. “You don’t know what this means to me.”
It was still dark and Topaz was still half-asleep when the limousine picked up Keisha so she could accompany Topaz to the hospital for surgery.
“You know Germain wants me to talk you out of this,” Keisha said with a yawn.
“You’re not going to waste time trying to do that, are you?” Topaz tried to smile despite the earliness of the hour.
“Nope. I know which battles to pick. Talking the diva out of liposuction and a boob job isn’t worth the energy. I’ve been thinking about getting a little lipo myself.”
“Not you, too?” Topaz was wide awake now.
“You’re right.” Keisha smiled. “But that’s what I told Germain. I had to tell him something to get him off your case.”
“Thanks, Key. I don’t think Germain really understands how competitive the music business is. These girls are signing deals younger and younger. By thirty, you’re old and a has-been.”
Rosalyn Lawrence’s bitter words still hurt. Topaz had done a good job of putting the young doctor in her place, but whoever said “sticks and stones may break my bones but words will never hurt me” never worked in the entertainment industry.
“You’re not worried about being a has-been, are you?”
“No,” Topaz lied again. It seemed as though she wasn’t being honest about her real feelings with anyone these days. Some things are just better left unsaid, she decided.
The limo stopped in front of Cedars-Sinai and the ladies went inside to check in Topaz. She was in bed and very relaxed after the nurse gave her a shot of Valium.
“Did I tell you about my encounter with Dr. Lawrence at the grand opening?” Topaz’s golden eyes looked like huge glass marbles as she stared at Keisha.
“No, honey.”
“She is such a bitch. I don’t know why your father has her working for him.”
“She’s the best in the business. She’s good at what she does and the pediatric patients love her. Daddy wants her to continue her research, but he’s torn because the children love her too.”
“Humph.” Topaz twisted on the gurney. “I don’t see how anyone could love that bitch.”
“Topaz.” Keisha couldn’t remember when she had heard her friend speak about someone so harshly.
“You know she tried to blame me for Gunther’s death?”
Keisha’s mouth dropped open in surprise. “No, she didn’t.”
“She wanted me to let Baby Doll spend time with the family.”
Keisha shook her head.
“I’d like to take her and that bitch Sabre and throw them off the damn planet.” Topaz was definitely relaxed.
“It must be the Valium,” Keisha whispered to herself as Germain walked up dressed in hospital greens.
“Hi, baby,” he whispered in Topaz’s ear, and her eyes popped open.
“Germain.” She smiled up at her husband. “I thoug
ht I was dreaming.”
“You know it’s not too late. You can still change your mind.” Germain looked at her chart and made a few notes.
“No way, baby.” Topaz smiled. “I can’t wait to have your hands all over this body, doctor.”
Germain blushed and Keisha giggled.
“It’s the drugs,” Keisha whispered in Germain’s ear.
“Thanks for being here with her, Key. It’s an easy procedure.”
“Are the kids gonna be okay?”
“Kyle’s taking them home after school.”
Topaz sat up in bed with the weirdest look on her face. “You mean Nina’s going to have all my children?”
“Just for a couple of nights, baby. When you’re up and about again, they’ll come back home.” Germain kissed Topaz again and left her room.
“She already has everything.” Topaz looked like a madwoman. “She can’t have all my children, Keisha.”
“They’ll be fine, T. I’ll even go by and check on them if you want.” Keisha was very reassuring.
“Okay. Keisha, I have a secret I need to tell you.”
“What secret?”
“It’s a big secret and you have to promise not to tell anyone.” Topaz sounded like she was five years old.
“I promise,” Keisha said softly.
“I have…” Topaz began.
“Ready to go see that fabulous man of yours?” A nurse entered the room with an orderly.
“Okay.” Topaz relaxed, and the orderly wheeled her out of the room. “Time to go see my man now so he can make me beautiful again.” Topaz gave them a Miss America wave, and Keisha finally laughed.
How could the most beautiful girl in the world not think she was beautiful anymore? Keisha went outside to make a few calls while she waited for Topaz to complete her procedure. She took out her BlackBerry and speed dialed.
“Hey, gurl. Are you still in the studio?”
“All night, every night. Just trying to get everything ready for Sky’s showcase next week,” Nina yelled into the phone.
“Your cousin’s having surgery.”
“Who? Topaz?”
“That’s the only cousin I know of yours.” Keisha took out a bottle of water. She heard the music fade as Nina apparently left the studio.
“Wow. Is she okay?”
“She’ll be fine. Germain’s doing a procedure. Didn’t you know?”
“I’ve been so crazy between trying to get these songs done and tightening up Sky’s image for the showcase, I don’t know much of anything these days,” Nina confessed.
“Kyle’s bringing Baby Doll and Chris to your house for a few days.”
“That’s fine. I know he and Niki will enjoy having them.”
“Is everything okay between you and Topaz?” Keisha was never one to hold back when she wanted to know something.
“What made you ask that? Did Topaz say something to you?” Nina demanded.
“Just a vibe I’ve picked up, that’s all.”
“Oh. I’ve just been really busy with the label. I haven’t seen much of anyone except Sky, my staff, and her producers.”
“How’s everything going?” Keisha doodled across the top of her page.
“Wonderful. Sky’s gonna be a force to reckon with in this business.”
“That’s great, Nina. Call me if you foresee any changes for the showcase.”
Keisha hung up and made the rest of her calls, but she couldn’t get her conversation with Topaz off her mind. I wonder what secret she has that she was going to tell me. I knew she’d been keeping something from me. And why would she trip over the kids going to Nina and Kyle’s? Was she talking crazy because she was medicated or was the medication causing her to speak what was really on her mind?
Keisha had lunch and made more phone calls before she returned to Topaz’s room. Less than half an hour later, an orderly wheeled Topaz back into the room. She was sleeping peacefully when Germain entered moments later.
“Hey, pretty girl. You’re back in your room with Key. You can wake up, sleepyhead.” Germain kissed her and she opened her eyes.
“Hi, baby.” Topaz smiled at Germain, and Keisha tiptoed out of the room to give them privacy.
Keisha always told Topaz she was blessed to have a man love her the way Germain did. Life and love were precious, and she believed her friend finally realized it. Germain found her waiting outside Topaz’s room.
“Thanks, Key. I’m going to let her stay overnight. The nurses will have to deal with the diva when the pain hits and not me. Are you gonna hang around?”
“Sure. Eric’s on a road trip so I can hang out.”
“Good. I’ll bring y’all some dinner from P.F. Chang’s. It’s right around the corner at the Beverly Center. You know the diva loves Chinese.” Germain kissed her on the cheek and left the floor.
Topaz was awake when Keisha entered the room. “Hey, diva.”
“Game recognizes game,” Topaz replied softly.
“How do you feel?”
“Like I need a pain shot.”
Keisha rang for the nurse. “I can’t believe you put yourself through all this pain.”
“Beauty takes pain. It’ll go away and then it’ll all be worth it.”
The nurse entered the room and gave Topaz some medication.
“Hey, party over here.”
“You are so silly.” Keisha laughed.
Topaz smiled as she drifted off to sleep. “Key, promise you’ll take care of my pretty little babies if something ever happens to me?”
“Topaz…nothing’s going to happen to you.”
“Promise me, Key, promise.”
Keisha was surprised that Topaz was so serious. Even though she and Eric had purchased life insurance policies, they never thought for one minute they wouldn’t be around to take care of their children. Topaz had just undergone surgery, but if she was so concerned about something happening to her, why would she even go through with such a risky, unnecessary procedure? It has to be the drugs that are making her act so crazy, Keisha deduced.
“You didn’t promise, Key,” Topaz warbled, speaking with her eyes closed.
“I promise, T.”
“Good,” Topaz mumbled as she drifted off to sleep.
Chapter 11
Kyle rolled over and reached out for Nina, but she wasn’t in her spot next to him in their California king-sized bed. He groaned and dragged himself into the Italian marble bath, but she wasn’t there, nor was she downstairs in their office on the computer. “Where the hell is my woman?” he grumbled out loud. “A brother is in need of some loving.”
Niki’s room was also on the second floor of the Malibu tri-level oceanfront estate. He peeked inside and smiled when he saw that she was still asleep. He looked at the digital clock on her wall and was shocked when it displayed that it was almost noon.
“What the hell?” Kyle went down another level to the family room, expecting to see his wife stretched out on one of the sofas in front of the big-screen TV, but again he was disappointed because there were no traces of Nina anywhere. As a last resort, he checked the five-car garage for her Bentley. It was parked next to his, but when he saw her Range Rover was missing, Kyle realized that she never came home.
“She didn’t call, send a text message…nothing.” He scrolled through his BlackBerry one more time before he angrily typed, “Where are you?” He pressed Send and tried to be patient while he waited for her response.
In the kitchen, he poured the last drops of his favorite apple cranberry juice into a glass. He searched the fridge and the pantry for another container, but there was none. Now he was pissed…and there was still no response to his text message, so he typed another. Before he could put the phone down it vibrated, alerting him that there was a new message. “That better be her.”
“In the studio, baby. Been here all nite.”
“What?” Kyle yelled.
“Why are you yelling, Daddy?” Niki came into the kitchen wearing he
r school uniform.
“Good morning, baby.” Kyle scooped the little girl up and gave her a big kiss until she giggled. “How’s my favorite girl?”
“I’m fine, Daddy. Are you taking me to school today?”
Kyle glanced at the clock again. It was almost one. “No, baby, because by the time I get you to school, it’ll be time for you to come home. So you and I are going to have a special day together. Let’s get you out of this uniform and into something beautiful first.”
“Okay, can I wear my pink dress, please? Please, Daddy?” When Niki fixed her huge golden eyes on her father and smiled, he felt his heart melt.
“Sure, Princess.” Kyle took Niki up to her room, found her favorite dress, and ran her bathwater.
“I want bubbles, Daddy.” She hummed as he poured in her favorite coconut lime fragrance. He set out pink fluffy towels and body butter, and he put toothpaste on her Barbie toothbrush. He came back into the bedroom and put the pink dress, underwear, a sweater, and sandals on her bed.
“Okay, Niki. I put everything out for you. I’m going upstairs to check Mom’s fridge for juice. I’ll be right back.”
“Daddy, you forgot my music,” Niki yelled as she splashed around in the bathtub.
“No, I didn’t. I’m turning it on now.”
Kyle shook his head as he pressed the power button on the player and Sabre’s latest flooded his ears. “This is what I get for being such a womanizer,” he mumbled to himself. “I’m surrounded in a house of divas.”
“I’m so sexy.” Kyle heard Niki singing along with Sabre.
“I know one thing we’re going to do today is buy you some new gospel CDs. I can’t take too much of that crap, and I definitely don’t want you singing it.” Kyle was talking to himself again.
He dashed up the stairs to the office that overlooked the Pacific Ocean. The swimming pool and Jacuzzi were sparkling. He could see the pool man loading his chemicals and equipment on the back of his pickup. The large cozy office had a fireplace, a big overstuffed sofa, a 27-inch flat screen, and his-and-her desks that faced each other. Special built-in bookshelves filled with all types of books lined the walls. He, Nina, and Niki frequented the Barnes & Noble in the Malibu Colony on a regular basis. He opened the mini refrigerator and spotted an unopened container of juice. “Thank God for small favors.” He grabbed it and headed back downstairs to his daughter’s room, where Niki was still singing in the tub.
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