“Yes, it does,” he replied, leaving a trail of hot kisses along the nape of her neck. “I think I turned you on, too. I saw the way your eyes widen.”
Blushing, she confessed that his attire did turn her on. After fifteen minutes of pillow talk the two took a warm refreshing shower and crawled into bed and called it an afternoon.
Early that afternoon, she accompanied him to the airport to pick up his brother Baba’la. The reunion he had envisioned was now complete. Later, the limousine swung by the hotel to pick up the other band members and off they went to eat an early dinner. Afterwards, a very tired Baba’la checked into the hotel. For him, it had been a long exhausting day. His cross-country flight had taken its toll on him. Wanting to be fresh for the Grammy awards, the next day, he decided to call it an early night.
Chapter 15
Ma’Kentu and the band rehearsed for the awards program. The remainder of the day everyone sort of chilled out. That evening, the band was picked up by a chauffeur driven limousine, along with Margo and Baba’la. The atmosphere was subdued, at first. The long ride to the Grammy Awards ceremony was both exciting and anxious for all of them.
A mile from the auditorium they joined a parade of other limousines. Inside, the band members had finally begun to talk and joke…anything to loosen up. After all, this was it! This was the night they all had waited for! And it was all the accumulation of hard work and keeping the dream of success alive. Finally, it looked like it just might pay off. And it did!
The Eu’Tabee Ensemble won the category of Best New Jazz Group and Best Jazz Song with their monster hit Bassment Deep. Soon afterwards they performed their award winning song, along with a classic George Benson tune entitled Shiver, featuring Baba’la on guitar and Little Maceo on soprano sax as a tribute to Benson. The audience went wild. Indeed, it was a night to remember. And yes, the stars were all there as Margo had envisioned. On top of that, she had the honor and privilege of returning to the hotel with the biggest star of them all…Grammy Award winner Ma’Kentu Eu’Tabee. What more could a woman ask for?
The following day, as they flew back East, a jovial, though slightly anxious, Ma’Kentu proposed to Margo, right there on their continental flight. To his relief, her anticipated answer was a resounding yes! A loud round of applause from the band members, passengers, and airline crew followed her response. Once the plane reached an altitude of 38,000 feet, everyone was served cake and soft drinks Ma’Kentu had prearranged to have onboard.
Several band members, including Baba’la, disembarked in Chicago to catch a connecting flight to Indiana. Margo and Ma’Kentu continued on to the bold new city of the South, Atlanta, Georgia for a connecting flight to Jacksonville, Florida. Once in Florida the couple took a rental to her St Augustine bungalow…sort of a pre-honeymoon trip. Having arrived in the balmy coastal city of St Augustine, the two immediately unloaded their luggage, then entered the house. Like Jane Fonda and Robert Redford’s characters in the movie Barefoot In The Park, the two lovebirds locked the front door of the house and did not come out until three days later. When they did, they were anything but rested. But then, who cared?
Summer had come and gone and now autumn had settled in. It was the majestic oak and maple trees that stood prominently about the streets of the city. By winter, they would have shed their green coat and by spring, the famous Japanese cherry trees would garnish all of the attention. Just the same, Washington, DC was as splendid a place to visit no matter what the season was. It had been seven months since Ma’Kentu’s last visit to the nation’s capital. Though brief, this was an important stopover for him. He was in town to pick up his daughter Charlene. Together, they would fly to Florida for two weeks of bonding then back to Washington.
“Here’s Charlene’s carryon bag with her formula and diapers and change of clothing,” a dour Charlotte said, handing the carryon bag to him.
“Thank you,” he replied. “I’m really going to enjoy spending time with my daughter. I really am.”
“Our daughter, don’t you mean,” Charlotte injected.
“Please Charlotte; can we keep this on a positive tip?”
“Whatever,” she grimaced slightly. “Just remember it took two to tangle.”
“How can I ever forget?” he said, balancing wide-eyed Charlene in one arm and the carryon bag in the other. “You only remind me every other sentence.”
Walking over to the door, she opened it for him. “Well, have a good trip, just the same.”
“I plan to,” he said, passing into the hallway of her apartment.
“By the way, how’s Florida and married life treating you?”
“Just wonderful, Charlotte. Goodbye, now.”
Kissing her daughter one final time Charlotte waved them off.
On the way out of the building a man in passing paused, as if he recognized Ma’Kentu. Facing him the casually dressed man extended a hand, as he exclaimed, “Man, I don’t believe this! Aren’t you Ma’Kentu Eu’Tabee, the jazz musician?”
Ma’Kentu smiled and shook the man’s hand. “Yes, I am. Thank you.”
“Man, I’m not sure I’m down with your conservative views but brother, I’m down with that jazz and that funky bass of yours! You’re the best! I’ve got your first CD and just purchased your new CD. Matter-of-fact, I just purchased it a week ago. Luv it man, luv it!”
“Thank you, again. I’m glad you enjoy my work.”
“Look, do you think I could get your autograph? The guys at the office won’t believe this,” the man said, as he reached into his pocket and pulled out a piece of paper. Ma’Kentu took out a pen from his flak-jacket pocket. Taking the man’s paper, he signed it, as he balanced his daughter in his arm, then returned the paper to the excited fan.
“Hey, I want to thank you for taking the time to do that for me,” the man said, shaking Ma’Kentu’s free hand graciously again. “I’m going to leave you be, now. By the way, you have a beautiful daughter.”
“Thank you, sir,” Ma’Kentu replied, as the man walked off.
Getting into the car, he handed his daughter over to Margo, who placed her securely in the car seat in the rear of the rented sports utility as he placed her luggage and carryon bag on the rear seat next to her. “Well, what’s it like to have adoring fans, Mr. Eu’Tabee?” she asked him with a cheerful smile. “You know, it’s a wonderful feeling, Mrs. Eu’Tabee…a damn good feeling, when I really think about it. But right now, being with you and my daughter is a much more exciting feeling. And I want to thank you for making this possible for me Margo, my being available to spend time with my daughter. With the recording sessions, along with the fact that I am still in the learning mode with this child-rearing thing…I just don’t know what I would do without you.”
“It’s my pleasure, honey,” she replied with a toothy smile.
After seating himself, he placed the key in the ignition, then leaned back and turned to Margo. “You know, I’m going to raise my daughter to be a good conservative, just like you are,” he chuckled, strapping himself securely in the driver’s seat.
“Oh, now I’m a conservative. Well, I can see how you can think that, now that we’re married. But since you have enlightened me on the political process, I have to admit that I see things a lot more differently than before. However, I have this sense, this feeling, that there will always be a part of me that is liberal-orientated.”
“Well, I’m down with that. Just save enough room in your heart for all the good loving I’m going to give you,” he said, pulling off.
“Without a doubt, honey,” she beamed. “If I have to, I’ll make more room for your love.”
As they headed to the airport, she tuned in a local jazz station. Turning to each other, they were pleasantly surprised to hear Ma’Kentu’s hit song, Zulu Nation Groove playing. What more could a couple ask for.
Bassment Deep Page 24