“Dish, girlfriend,” Nina demanded.
“Yeah,” Kyle agreed. “We’re good at keeping secrets.”
“No, I promised.” Mimi smiled.
“Awwww. We won’t tell,” Nina prompted.
“No. You’ll know when it happens. It’s something totally awesome,” Mimi said.
Nina flipped through a small stack of tear sheets from the covers of major magazines—Vibe, Allure, InStyle, Essence…Glamour. Many had made last-minute changes and run Topaz’s feature article instead of previously selected cover stories. The girl was on fire, and people couldn’t get enough of her.
Ne-Yo was waiting for Nina with a bunch of new tracks for Sky. Nina had released her CD despite the catastrophic showcase, and one of the singles had caught on really big in Europe and Africa. There was talk of sending her over to do a promotional tour.
“These are some great tracks, playa. I think we need to get Sky back in the studio as soon as possible. Her fans will want new music. We have to be ready with the next CD.” Kyle made a few notes on his pad. “I can work a great tie-in with American Express.”
“Cool,” Nina replied quickly. “Let’s get a video crew on the road. We can do a Diary-type show and run it as a six-week reality show on one of the music channels.”
“I’ll get video to do a treatment and run a budget.” Kyle made more notes on his pad.
Nina walked Ne-Yo to the door. “Get the studio time booked and get back to me. I’ve got to get as much done with you while you’re still available, because I know everyone’s knocking at your door.” Nina smiled at the talented young songwriter and producer.
“Nina, you can get me in the studio anytime.” The young man flirted with Nina easily, not even caring that Kyle was there.
Kyle looked Ne-Yo up and down. He’s trying to mack my wife.
“A’ight, baby. Call me with that schedule.” Nina extended a hand. Ne-Yo kissed it and strolled out the door. Nina turned around to face Kyle. “This is so cool. I love working with you, Kyle Ross. We make a great team.”
“We do, don’t we? Now that you decided to give a brother a chance.”
“My bad. I was seriously tripping.”
“Yes, you were.” Kyle looked up at Nina. “You and your thugs.”
“Are you a thug?” Nina smiled at Kyle.
“Hell, yeah. I’m straight up gangsta.”
“Bourgeois style.” Nina laughed.
“Valley girl.”
Kyle was silent again as they made the drive back into Malibu. Even though it was after seven, traffic on the Ventura Freeway was still very heavy.
“We should think about getting a place closer to the office so we don’t have to deal with all this traffic every day.” Nina sighed as red brake lights lit up for miles in every lane on the freeway in the stop-and-go traffic. “This is ridiculous.”
Kyle made no indication of whether he had heard her or not. His mind raced with ideas.
Nina took out her BlackBerry that was surprisingly quiet and pressed a button. “What are you doing?”
“Just finishing up dinner with Germain and the kids.”
“You received five Grammy nominations.”
Topaz screamed. “Oh my God.”
“They love you, girl.”
“They love me?”
“They love the woman and her guitar, Superstar.”
Topaz screamed again and Nina laughed. “Have you spoken to Mimi lately?”
“No. I’ve just been here with my man waiting for everything to blow over.”
“The music press is all about the music, but the tabloids are having a field day with this baby story.”
“I could kill Rosalyn Lawrence.”
“As long as everything’s cool with you and Germain, don’t worry about it.”
“We’re great.” Topaz sighed. “He’s all excited about his birthday. You know I have to do something.”
“Give him a party at The Diamond, and then you two should take some away time. Go to Fiji or something.”
“I’ll have to talk to you about this later.”
“Is he in the room?”
“Sorta kinda like.”
“A’ight. Later.” Nina clicked off the phone.
“I was thinking,” Kyle began, “why don’t you, me, and Niki have some away time? I know I got those tickets for Jamaica, but we need something in the interim.”
“I’d like that. What did you have in mind?” Nina focused on her husband.
“A three-day Disney cruise to the Bahamas.”
“Kyle, Niki would love that and so would I.”
“I was thinking about my little princess and my queen when I came up with the idea.” Kyle grinned.
“When do we go?”
“Next weekend over Veterans Day. We’ll take the red-eye to Miami Friday night, hit the ship over the weekend, and fly back to LA on another red-eye Monday.”
“Look, Mommy. Isn’t it pretty?” Niki looked up into Nina’s eyes with soft topaz eyes. They were much prettier than Topaz’s because Niki’s were flecked with blue. When you looked into her eyes, you had to take a second look. Her eyes were pure and clear like glass.
The airplane ascended over the glittering Los Angeles skyline. Niki looked out of a window seat in first class with Mama Nina leaning over her shoulder. Kyle took out the New York Times and began reading.
“We’re going to have fun.” Niki sang a little melody and Nina smiled.
“We sure are. Now everybody go to sleep because we’re getting on the boat first thing in the morning.” Nina covered Niki and Teddy with her favorite Cheetah Girls comforter and pillow. Then she covered herself and Kyle with a cheetah-print throw, leaned on his shoulder, and went to sleep. Kyle looked up from his paper and cast the women in his life an appreciative glance, then folded the paper and slept.
The plane arrived in Miami late. There was a stretch limo waiting to take the family to the harbor. Traffic was so congested they almost missed the ship. Once onboard, it was only a matter of minutes before the anchor lifted and the ship slowly glided out to sea.
“Yay.” Niki was so excited she was ready to explode. She was on a cruise with Mickey Mouse. Kyle booked an oceanside state room suite with a verandah. It was two rooms…a bedroom with a king-sized bed for Nina and Kyle and a pullout bed for Niki in the living room.
“What do you guys want to do first?” Kyle looked at Nina and Niki.
“Let’s go up on deck and chill. It’s very warm outside,” Nina suggested.
Outfitted in summer gear, the family stretched out with books and magazines on chaises by the Mickey Mouse pool. Water and sky were brilliantly blue. They read books until one by one, they drifted off to sleep.
When Nina opened her eyes, Niki was wearing her swimsuit. “Mommy, can I go in the pool now? I’ve been waiting for you and Daddy to wake up.”
“Sure, baby. Just make sure you come out if you begin to feel chilly.” She watched Niki slide into the pool, found the camera, and snapped away.
“Look, Kyle.” Nina beamed with motherly pride. “Isn’t our baby girl the cutest little thing?”
After dinner, they attended a concert.
“This reminds me of when you had me come to New York for the weekend. We had so much fun, and you were the perfect gentleman.”
“You were cute,” Kyle recalled.
“I fell in love with you that weekend.” Nina positioned herself in her husband’s arms.
“I know.”
“Kyle…”
“That was the plan, woman. I had to get you to fall for me. I fell in love with you the day you came up to Sean’s ranch for Kobe’s christening party.”
“You did? Baby, that is so sweet.” Nina had warm fuzzy feelings when she finally fell asleep.
When the ship docked, they took a tour of Nassau, where Nina and Niki had their hair braided on the beach. They purchased identical pairs of gold bangles and a gold watch for Kyle in a jewelry stall near Straw Market.
After a Bahamian dinner, they went back to the ship where they watched movies in the stateroom. On the final day of the cruise, they enjoyed massages in the spa. The turnaround was much too soon before they were back in the airport waiting for the return flight to Los Angeles.
“Thank you for bringing us, baby. We really needed that little vacation.” Nina smiled at Kyle.
“We’ll take a longer cruise next time and bring Chris and Baby Doll for Niki.”
“Niki would love that, but I think she really enjoyed hanging out with Mommy and Daddy.” Nina pushed the braids out of her daughter’s face.
“That’s my little princess road dog.” Kyle grinned as he carried the sleeping child onto the airplane.
Chapter 24
Sabre cranked the volume on Gnarls Barkley’s “Crazy” in her new 500 Mercedes coup.
“I love this song. I’ll have to put it in my MP3 player,” she said to herself.
It was a gorgeous Saturday in November in the City of the Angels. She glanced at the two lanes of bumper-to-bumper traffic on Santa Monica Freeway headed west to the beaches.
I’m glad I have a house right on the ocean so I don’t have to go to the beach.
She thought about the days in foster care, living in homes where she wasn’t wanted until she went to live with her grandmother. With Grandma Marisol, Sabre finally had a real mother. That was after Tina slashed up Mr. Rufus with a butcher knife for molesting Sabre and Tina was sent to prison. Sabre could still see the bloodied sheets. Mr. Rufus didn’t die until several weeks later. That old demon held on as long as it could.
Sabre’s cell phone rang and MIMI flashed in the caller ID. “Hi, Mimi,” Sabre spoke into her headset.
“Hi, sweetie. I’m not going to be able to make lunch today.”
“Awwww.” Sabre always loved hanging out with Mimi. They were going to have lunch at The Diamond, then Sabre was going shopping.
“I’m at The Ivy waiting on Topaz. She’s running late.”
“What are you guys meeting about?” Sabre demanded.
“Lots of stuff. She just received five Grammy nominations for starters.”
Sabre was still pissed because she only received three: Best New Artist, Best Video, Best Female R & B Artist.
“There’s a bunch of shit in the tabloids about Topaz. That baby story has her on the front page of every last one.”
“Poor thing. Is she still with her husband?”
“No one’s going to leave a spouse over some stupid article in a tabloid. I see her coming now. I gotta go, sweetie. Bye-bye.”
“Even when the article is true?” Sabre wanted to ask.
Sabre drove north on Fairfax Avenue to the Miracle Mile to Sky’s apartment. She could hear music before Sky opened the door.
“Whassup?” they yelled at each other, imitating the old Budweiser commercial, and laughed.
Sabre met Sky in school at a neighborhood Catholic church. Sabre had always hated the first day of school because she never knew anyone. By the time she did make friends, it was time to move again, but this time Sabre knew it was going to be different.
Sky’s neatly braided hair was always tied with ribbons that matched the blue in their school uniforms. Their desks sat next to each other, and the girls were in the same reading group. They lived on the same street and became best friends
“You’re not supposed to be here now.” Sky lowered the music.
“Mimi stood me up for Topaz.”
“She is a superstar.”
“I’m starvin’. Let’s go to Pink’s before we go to the Beverly Center. I want one of those cheeseburgers with a Coke.”
“You and your cheeseburgers and Cokes.” Sky laughed.
There was a line in front of Pink’s as usual. Sabre and Sky stood in it wearing super-dark shades.
“You know everyone is staring at me.” Sabre brushed on fresh lip gloss.
“They’re staring at us.” Sky smiled at a very handsome brother who was throwing her mad attention.
“Victor and I have been hanging out again,” Sabre commented.
Some teenagers stood in line and immediately recognized Sky and Sabre. “Y’all gotta stand in line?” one of the young men asked.
“Yeah,” Sabre smiled. “That’s really fucked up, but I love their cheeseburgers.”
“I come up here for the chili dogs,” the young man told them. “What do you like?” he asked Sky.
“I like the chili dogs, too.” Sky smiled and whispered to Sabre. “What’s he gonna do, buy us lunch?”
The young man disappeared, then returned and ushered them to the front of the line where they added fries, onion rings, and drinks to their order, which he brought to them on the patio.
“What’s your name?” Sky asked as Sabre bit into her burger.
“Ronnie.” He grinned
“Ricky, Ronnie, Bobby and Mike.” Sabre sang a line from an old New Edition song. Normally, Sky would have joined in but she didn’t, and that bothered Sabre.
“Thanks for lunch, Ronnie.” Sky dipped an onion ring in ketchup. “I’d invite you to join us, but we’re just staying long enough to finish our food.”
Sabre let out a loud, disgusting burp. She felt their eyes on her, so she looked up. “I always do that when I drink Coke.”
“And you’re always disgusting.” Sky smiled at Ronnie, who handed her his number, written on a piece of paper.
“Whatever. Let’s go.” Sabre reached for the paper with Ronnie’s number. Sky handed it to her, and Sabre ripped it into pieces.
“Why did you do that?” Sky demanded.
“Oh please. You weren’t going to hang out with that busta.” Sabre laughed.
“That was my number. Why do you always trip when you’re not the center of attention?”
“I don’t do that.”
“You should see yourself. Whenever everything’s not about you, you start tripping.”
They got back into the car, and within minutes they were at the Beverly Center. They hooked up with Dawn, Lolita, and Victor at the MAC store.
“My peeps!” Sabre grinned.
After everyone hugged and kissed Sabre, she introduced Lolita. Victor gave her a hug, and Dawn recalled meeting Sky at Sabre’s housewarming party.
“I loved So Fine. I still play your CD,” Dawn said to Sky. “When are you guys going to record again?”
Sky was beginning to get a little uncomfortable because the attention had shifted to her and she didn’t want Sabre to get an attitude. “We might do another CD sometime in the future. We’re all extremely busy with our individual careers now.” Sky was very diplomatic.
“What are you doing now?” Sabre asked her friend. She knew Sky hadn’t done much of anything since the showcase.
“I’m getting ready to go back in the studio and record some songs for my new CD before I do some promotional dates in Europe and Africa,” Sky replied coolly.
“That is so cool, Sky Sky.” Victor gave Sky a big hug that lasted a little too long for Sabre’s liking. Victor was always hugging on Sky every chance he got, and Sabre wondered if he had feelings for her.
“It sure is,” Dawn and Lolita agreed.
“When you come back, you’ll be a big star,” Victor said.
“That’s what Nina and Kyle said too.” Sky smiled. “Can we go in here? I could use some new makeup.”
“I’ll help you pick some out,” Lolita offered. “Did you know I’m Sabre’s makeup artist?”
“Really? This is so perfect. A pro is in the house.” Sky glanced at Sabre. “You don’t mind if Lolita helps me, do you?” Sky knew Sabre did mind, but she was doing a pretty good job of pretending she didn’t.
Within an hour, they were on their way to Dolce & Gabbana to pick out things for Sabre.
“I love this store.” Sky’s entire countenance changed the moment they stepped inside. “Jade and I were in here the day of my showcase buying something for me to perform in because I got my period and I couldn’t wear wha
t my stylist had picked out for me.”
“Oh, you poor thing.” Lolita gave Sky a little hug. “What a terrible thing to happen.”
“You went shopping with Jade?” Sabre paused to look at Sky. She was immediately angry with Sky and didn’t know why.
“Ladies and gentleman.” A handsome African American sales associate greeted them warmly. “What can I assist you with?”
“I’m Sabre, and my Glam Squad and I are here to buy some clothes.” Sabre was enjoying being the center of attention.
“You’re So Fine.” The associate’s eyes rested on Sky and then back on Sabre.
Dawn led Sabre to an area in the store where they sifted through various articles of clothing on hangers.
Sky began perusing through items in the front of the store as Victor stood with her.
“Gotta let the Queen Bee be.” Victor put his hands in his pockets.
“I know.” Sky took a dress off the rack to give it a closer look. “I don’t know why she’s always been so insecure. Always the prettiest girl in school and she never believed it.”
“That’s very noble of you,” Victor said.
“Why?” Sky hung the dress back on the rack and looked at Victor. “It’s true.”
“I would have thought you were the prettiest girl in the school.”
Sky was surprised. “Thanks, Victor.”
Dawn took a pink and silver skirt and jacket suit off the rack and looked at it. It was gorgeous and any woman wearing it would look like a million dollars.
“Ughh.” Sabre looked at it and turned up her nose. “I hate it.”
“Tell me something I don’t know.” Dawn laughed. “I didn’t pick this out for you.”
Sabre looked puzzled. “Who’s it for?”
“This would look fabulous on Sky.”
“Oh yes,” Lolita agreed quickly.
Sabre gave the outfit another long look.
“Sabre, why don’t you get started with these things so we can see what’s what.”
“Okay.” Sabre was excited. “I’ll be in the dressing room.”
Dawn walked over to Sky and held the suit up in front of her. “This would look fabulous on you.”
“It sure would.” Lolita handed her some accessories. “Go try it on.”
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