Diamond Revelation (14 page)

I
t seemed like the parking lot at the Cross Creek Plaza in Malibu was always congested no matter the time or the day of the week. Nina looked at her watch and let out a loud groan. As usual, there was nowhere to park and she would be running late. She was just about to pull off when she spotted back-up lights on a vehicle in front of the Marmalade Café.

“Yes!” Nina whipped the car into the space, grabbed her things, and dashed into the café. She stood there looking around until she spotted her at a table reading the paper. Nina took a deep breath and made her approach.

“Hey.” Nina pulled out a chair and collapsed into it.

“Hey.” Topaz looked up and smiled. “Long time no see.”

“Too long, girl.” Nina looked at the menu still on the table. “Did you already order?”

“I got a little something. I wasn't very hungry.” Topaz smiled.

“You, not hungry? Is the world coming to an end?” Nina gave her a half smile.

“Sometimes it feels like it.” Topaz moved her newspaper to another chair and the waitress set a plate of scones and a bowl of fresh berries in front of her. “Thank you.” She spoke to the server as she poured hot water into her cup and added a dab of honey.

“That's quite the bourgeois breakfast you're having.” Nina looked up at the waitress. “I'll have a short stack of blueberry pancakes, bacon, and orange juice.”

“What kind of breakfast is that? Wannabe girl from da hood?” Topaz had promised herself she would not get angry because she had been getting upset with just about everyone lately. “I'm tired of your shit, Nina. You've been tripping with me ever since you became Ms. CEO of Revelation Music.”

Nina looked away as she sipped a glass of ice water.

“I still can't believe you didn't even come to my concert.” Topaz crossed her legs and folded her arms as she zoomed in on her cousin.

“I was there,” Nina replied quietly.

“Nobody saw you there. I asked Kyle where you were and he said you were at home. Something about you just got back from Hawaii. What were you doing over there? Signing another artist?”

“I went there to chill out.”

“Without your man?”

“Yes.”

“I wouldn't do that very often if I were you.”

“Whatever. And why weren't you at Sky's showcase?”

“That's different.” Topaz was wearing her hair straightened, and she slung it out of her face with much attitude. “That wasn't you up there performing.”

“But that was my artist…my showcase. You never care about anything that isn't about you. Ever since you came to California, everything has always been about you.” Nina's voice cracked and there were tears in her eyes as she became extremely emotional. “I just wanted to do something for me, for once, that had nothing to do with you. And you couldn't even support me.”

“I never knew you felt that way.”

“Well, I do.” Nina continued wiping tears from her eyes as Topaz thought about all the things she said.

“Well,” Topaz began, carefully searching for the correct words, “I'm glad you finally decided to share all of this with me. It was never my intention to make everything about me, and you're right, I should have supported you and I didn't. But I felt like you didn't want me around. You were always putting me down. You didn't like my music. You couldn't see me singing and playing the guitar…”

“I loved your music. I was wrong about everything. I didn't know you could be as good as you were. T, you were fantastic. I still can't believe how wonderful you were. I was crying all over the place when you sang ‘Superstar'.”

“You cried?”

“Like a baby. I was so wrong. I should have signed you, but I was tripping. Kyle was pissed with me because I didn't include him. I screwed everything up with VMG…”

“VMG? I forgot VMG is Revelation Music's parent label.”

“What's up with VMG?” Nina took a bite off a slice of bacon.

“VMG offered me one hundred million dollars to sign with them.”

“Get the fuck out of here.”

“Nina, I hope you aren't using that kind of language in front of Niki and Kyle,” Topaz admonished.

“My bad.” Nina covered her mouth with her hand. “VMG offered you that much money? You go, girl.”

“Germain doesn't want me to take it.”

“I can understand that.”

“You can? Why?”

“You've been home playing Suzy homemaker and the good little wifey. That's what Germain's always wanted. He loves being the breadwinner and taking care of you. He can afford to give you anything you ever wanted. You taking all that money means you don't need him, not to mention you'll be busy working and have no time for him.”

“I'll always need Germain,” Topaz added softly.

“I know that and you know that, but he doesn't.”

“But I told him all that.”

“I'm sure you did, but he's a man, girl.”

“Just when I think I understand men, I realize I don't know anything at all.”

“Welcome to the club, girl. I thought Kyle would be more understanding, but he started tripping when I went to work.” Nina finished off the last of her pancakes.

“Yeah, but Kyle was supposed to be running Revelation with you. You didn't include him in anything.”

“There might be a bit of truth to that.” Nina grinned sheepishly.

“Nina!”

“I told you I fucked up. He was so pissed with me because I didn't tell him that you brought me music and I passed. Germain must have said something to him.”

“He did. I was really hurt.”

“I'm sorry, girl.”

“I'm sorry, too. And if you ever feel like I'm making things be all about me, please say something.”

“Okay,” Nina agreed. “I missed you.”

“I missed you more.” Topaz reached for Nina. “Hug.”

The ladies embraced and Topaz kissed Nina on the cheek.

“It felt so weird not talking to you. You're my best friend and closer to me than my sister.”

“It was too strange. I started to pick up the phone and call you so many times, especially when I was working on the concert. It was the first time I did anything like that without you around. You've been with me since the very beginning.”

“You were so good, girl.” Nina shook her head in disbelief. “I still can't believe it.”

“Thanks, Nina. Keisha, Germain, and Jade stepped in and did a fabulous job.”

“You should make ‘Superstar' the first single from your album. I would even call the album
Superstar
, too.”

“That's good. I like that. Hey…I just got a wonderful idea.”

“What?” Nina handed some cash to the waitress.

“Why don't you sign me to Revelation Music?”

“Huh?”

“Why don't you sign me to Revelation for say twenty million dollars for one CD?”

“Revelation doesn't have that kind of money, T.”

“But VMG does.” Topaz grinned.

Nina was silent as she allowed Topaz's words to register.

“I think we can work this out so everyone will be happy. You tell VMG that you can sign me to Revelation for one project…that way Germain won't be tripping over a hundred million and five CDs. Germain had the concert taped. Maybe we can even include that in the deal. Our lawyers can figure all of that stuff out. You can redeem yourself with Kyle and allow him to be your partner for real this time. VMG gets a little bit of what they want, you come out looking good, and everybody's happy.” Topaz felt like the weight of the world had been lifted from her shoulders as she smiled at Nina.

“That's an excellent idea, girl. That just might work,” Nina agreed. “I've been holding off a meeting with Sherwin Katz because I know he wants to replace me.”

“There's no way he'll be able to do that now.”

Nina smiled happily. “Anita called me a couple of days after your showcase and said the lines at Revelation were jammed with calls from people wanting to get your CD.”

“Girl, there were so many hits on my Web site, it crashed.” Topaz laughed. “We still don't know who sent ‘Superstar' to the radio stations.”

“It was probably your husband. The man is connected. You never know who comes through his office.”

“Yeah, like Sabre.”

“What?”

“Miss Thing was in his office. I would never have known if I hadn't stopped by with the girls on the way to the Jack and Jill tea.”

“Everybody in Hollywood wants Germain to do their procedures. He's almost as famous as you.”

“I know. But I don't trust that sneaky little ho. She never looks me in the eye.”

Nina laughed. “She's probably still afraid that you might kick her ass.”

The ladies laughed until they cried.

“If your fans only knew…Topaz will kick a bitch's ass. Brenda Richie ain't got nothing on you.”

“Forget Brenda Richie. You just better handle your business with Kyle and Revelation before I kick your ass.”

“A'ight, boss lady.” Nina paused to look at her cousin. “I really do need you. I sure was fucking shit up when you weren't around.”

“Nina, if you say one more curse word, I'm kicking your ass.”

The ladies walked outside to their cars.

“How'd you find this spot?” Topaz asked. “I thought you would have chosen something in the Colony Plaza.”

“This is one of Kyle and Niki's breakfast spots. Those two have become extremely close since I went to work.”

“She's a very special little girl. You can't help loving her. She stole Germain's heart that night we had to take her to the hospital. He was trying really hard not to cry.”

Nina was smiling like a proud mother while Topaz spoke.

“That reminds me. I brought you some pictures from the tea.” Topaz reached in her bag and pulled out several photos of the girls and the family.

“Oooooh,” Nina exclaimed as she examined them. “These are great. Thanks, T.”

“After I took the girls to the tea, the guys met us at Mr. Chow's for dinner. I guess that was too much activity for one day.”

“I don't think that was it. The doctor said she could have been feeling the stress of what was going on between me and Kyle, and my being at work all the time. Kyle brought her to the studio one evening and she started crying when she had to go home.”

“Awwww, poor little thing.”

“I am so sorry I didn't call when you guys took her to the hospital. By the time I got your message, it was almost a week later. After Kyle didn't call me again I just assumed everything was okay.”

Topaz disengaged the alarm on her Range Rover. “Well, just know the Gradney family is always happy to have Niki.”

“I know.” Nina gave Topaz a hug. “Thanks for everything, girl.”

It was still early so Nina drove to Pacific Palisades to pick up a few things from Gelson's to make a special dinner for her family. Sky was in New York for a few weeks, so they had the house to themselves.

She pushed her cart through the aisles picking up their favorite foods. She chose a nice thick steak for Kyle. No matter how hard she tried to get him off of red meat, he always loved a good steak. Fresh jumbo shrimp and lobster, turkey franks for Niki, and other items for a picnic dinner. She loaded everything in the car and made it back to Malibu before Pacific Coast Highway became congested.

“Hey, honey.” She got Kyle on his cell phone. “Are you and Niki on your way home? I'm making dinner.”

“That sounds nice. Yes, I am on my way. We're coming through Malibu Canyon right now.”

“Good.” Nina sighed with relief. She was glad he didn't spoil her plans by saying he was in the city having dinner with his brother and Jade. “Can you stop by Blockbuster and pick up a few movies?”

“I sure can. Anything special you want to see?”

“I don't know. You keep up with the movies more than me.”

“I'll call you from Blockbuster and you can tell me then.”

“Okay, baby.” Nina was happy he was being so nice. Things had been extremely rocky for the couple. They both needed to get off the emotional roller coaster.

“Hi, Mommy.” Tears came into Nina's eyes when she heard Niki's sweet little voice. “How are you?”

“I'm wonderful, sweetheart. How are you?” Nina didn't know why she was crying.

“I'm fine. Mommy, are you at home?”

“I sure am, baby.” Nina put ears of corn into a pot. “I'm making dinner for you, Daddy, and me.”

“Yaaay.”

Kyle was back on the phone. “See you soon.”

Nina had everything ready by the time she heard the automatic garage door open. She went out to the car to meet them.

“What did you make for dinner, Mommy?” Nina picked up Niki and kissed her as they all walked in the house together.

“What's your most favorite thing to eat in the entire world?”

“Steak and lobster?”

Nina looked at Kyle because those were his favorite foods. “Since when?”

Kyle laughed and shrugged his shoulders. “That's my baby girl.”

“I got a steak for you. I also just happened to pick up some lobster. You'd better put that on the grill too.”

When the steak was ready, they all sat down to a candlelight dinner in the dining room.

“This is nice, baby. Thanks. Everything looks delicious.” Kyle put a small portion of steak and lobster on his daughter's plate.

“I saw Topaz today,” Nina began after Niki said the blessing.

“Did you two finally make up?”

“Yes, we did. She had a wonderful proposal.” Nina told Kyle everything they discussed at lunch. “So what do you think?” Nina was wearing a dress with the back cut out. With her hair swept up, she looked sexy and sophisticated.

“I think you are wearing that dress.”