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“O
h, my goodness!” Jasmine screamed into the phone as Charlene told her the news.
Jasmine was sitting on her couch curled up in her lavender cotton pajamas watching
The Office
when her phone rang. Two towns over, Charlene was still fully dressed sitting on Isaac's loveseat with her cell phone, smiling from ear to ear as she shared her breaking news story. Charlene would have died if she hadn't gotten Jasmine on the phone right away to tell her.
Jasmine was one of Charlene's closest friends; they'd known eath other since A. B. Gail Junior High School. They had been through a lot together, and they had celebrated and suffered a lot together. Jasmine was twenty-eight years old and she had been married for only a year to her high school sweetheart. Jasmine was one of Charlene's few childhood friends who had graduated from high school. Since high school Jasmine had been working at clerical jobs to make ends meet, and raising her baby girl, Serenity. Jasmine was also one of the few friends from Charlene's youth that she still kept in touch with. Jasmine, like Charlene, tried her best to live a better life than they had once had and to become a mature adult woman. They wanted to live a life for the future, and not remain stuck in their past. So, although they were at somewhat different stages in their lives, they always had that understanding and bond with one another. It was the bond of reform; they both knew where they had been and where they were trying to goâor, rather, what they were trying to leave behind.
Charlene and Jasmine had often discussed marriage in their friendship, but it was usually about Jasmine's, and about Charlene's belief that hers would never exist. So, without hesitation, Charlene had to call Jasmine to tell her that she was finally one step closer.
“I know, I know . . . It still feels like I'm dreaming,” Charlene said back.
“How is the ring?” Jasmine asked.
“It's beautiful . . . looks like it's about two or three karats,” Charlene said, holding out her hand to look at the rock Isaac had bestowed upon her.
“Uh-oh . . . Souky, souky now . . . ” Jasmine said.
“Be quiet,” Charlene replied, blushing. “The ring is designed like a flower with petals; it is the most gorgeous ring I have ever seen,” Charlene said while still staring at her ring.
“Aww, that's nice. Especially since you love flowers,” Jasmine added.
“Yeah, I know. I'm still kind of in shock.”
“Charlene's getting married . . . go 'head, go 'head . . . ” Jasmine started to sing some silly song.
They both laughed. Charlene would have loved to sit and talk about every detail of the night, but she had to rush Jasmine off the phone so she could tell her family and call one other friend to brag. It wasn't actually bragging, most of Charlene's friends were either married or engaged, but she had to let people know she was “validated” as well. Some of it was because at Charlene's age, when everyone is getting married and engaged, it messes with your self-esteem when your ring finger is still bare. However, some of it was from Charlene's own low self-esteem. She hadn't completely become comfortable and stable as the woman of worth she was trying to be. So Isaac hadn't only made her romantic dreams come true tonight, he helped make her whole. And Charlene was eager to spread the news. As soon as there was a moment of silence she told Jasmine she would call her back because she had to call her mother.
Charlene had kicked off her shoes and buried her feet into the couch in Isaac's living room. She looked over at the pewter picture frame that held an 8 x 10 picture of the two of them at Great Adventure. She looked over and smiled as she dialed her parents' house number. Most people would be surprised to find out that Charlene had any esteem issues. She was all of twenty-six years old, and full of youth and energy. She had the body of a runway model: tall and slender with long legs. She was light-skinned with a beautiful face that most people would say was made for television. High cheekbones with naturally rosy cheeks. She was gorgeous and she knew it; her looks got her by a lot in life. Yet with all her beauty, what made her feel like a true woman was sitting there on her hand, her left ring finger, to be exact. So, as she waited for one of her parents to answer, she sat there in Isaac's living room still glowing with joy.
Isaac was in the bathroom by then, but prior to that he was walking around the apartment doing his own thing. She had noticed him on the phone at one point, probably with his boy Surge, who he called Ser-Hey, telling him that he'd gone ahead and done it. But Charlene was too distracted to be nosy enough to overhear the conversation they were having. Usually Charlene paid close attention to those kinds of things; she was always concerned with what his friends and other people said about her. She knew it was a level of paranoia, always being the subject of a rumor. She was always wondering if and what Isaac would find out.
Charlene's mom, Ann Tanner, answered on like the third ring, and Charlene could tell from her mother's voice that she already knew why she was calling. Initially Mrs. Tanner tried to sound normal just in case it hadn't happened yet. Then Charlene took her out of her misery, and told her that, yes, she was officially engaged. Between a mixture of tears and pure joy, she congratulated Charlene and told her how excited she was. Charlene also found out how and when Isaac had asked her parents for her hand in marriage. Charlene was happy that her mother was still alive to share this moment with her. It made her think about how happy Isaac's father would be to still be here to share it, too.
After she spoke with her mom, dad and sister, she called her friend Tiffany, one of her cousins and another girlfriend. Charlene didn't have a lot of friends, most of them she had lost touch with over the last few years, but there were still a few people she was dying to tell. They all started asking her questions as if she had the wedding all planned out. Charlene had to explain this wasn't a save-the-date call, the proposal had only happened a couple hours ago. She realized then that most ladies don't brag so much and call everyone they know only moments after, so she decided to stop making calls.
As for the wedding, of course, like most women there were some decisions she'd already made. For instance, summer or fall wedding, short or long engagement, big or small wedding. These are things most girls think about and figure out when they play with their Barbie dolls as a little girl. Usually the color scheme is figured out as well, and some other basics, but not every detail of the wedding. Charlene answered the questions with a basic “I will let you know” response, along with whether she would be subjecting them to an ugly bridesmaid's dress.
Isaac had gone upstairs to watch television, Charlene assumed. As she held the phone in her hand she sat for a moment to reflect, digging her toes into his plush black and light gray carpet. She thought about the entire night as well as all the nights to come. She tried to imagine married life with Isaac and leaving the single life for good. She thought about moving out of her not-so-great place, and living in the beautiful and lavish condo that she was sitting in. She tried to think about it all, all the bright sides of the new life she would live. Soon her daydreaming brought her back to the present. She let out a little giggle when she thought about a question that Tiffany had just asked her: “So, are you going to invite Lacy?”
“I don't know, but I doubt it,” Charlene replied.
“That's going to be an interesting situation . . . You may have to just suck it up.”
“Yeah, I know, but we will have to figure it out. I just don't want any issues that day.”
“Well, it all depends who is paying for it,” Tiffany said, laughing.
“That's the truth,” Charlene replied.
A few moments later, Charlene was hanging up the phone and laughing out loud.
That girl Tiffany, she ain't never lied,
Charlene thought to herself with a smile. Lacy was a friend of Isaac's that Charlene didn't approve of. She had no justification for her feelings other than her own jealousy, so she was kind of stuck dealing with their friendship. Although Charlene was sure it wasn't only in her head that Lacy wanted Isaac, she knew that there wasn't much to say without evidence. So for years she sat back and played a little game with Lacy, the one that females play when they communicate in a way that no one else is supposed to see. Tiffany's point made her think even more about all the drama that was bound to surface about the guest list, exes and friends that each of them would object to. Charlene wished she could expect otherwise, but she knew that jealousy and pettiness would definitely surface when it was time to work on the list. Charlene was hoping there wouldn't be too many skeletons surfacing along with it.
The longer Charlene thought about it, the more she wondered what she was thinking telling Isaac she would marry him. For a second Charlene thought to herself that she should run now, and give the ring back before her secrets exploded in her face. That was easier said than done, because Charlene knew that more than anything she wanted to live happily ever after with Isaac. Still, Charlene knew her life's track record, and she knew that wherever there's happiness for Charlene there lurks some amount of drama. If it wasn't the guest list it was going to be something else, so she had to brace herself for the ride.
Charlene had sat for about fifteen minutes thinking about all of that. The thought of the overall blend of guests for a quick second tickled Charlene. She started to think about just how funny this wedding was going to be. Her folks were so different from Isaac's she knew they would have quite an interesting wedding. His family members were extremely reserved and, aside from Charlene's parents, quite a few in her family were a tad more on the wild side. Charlene knew there would be some that would get along just fine; but there were a few jokes that definitely wouldn't get laughed at and a few strange looks that would be made. Charlene knew her wedding planning would be a handful and that she had her work cut out for her.
By the time she got off the phone and finished daydreaming about the wedding guests and made her way into the bedroom where Isaac was, he was already in his boxers, ready for bed. When she walked in the room, he looked up at her and smiled.
Damn, is he fine,
she thought to herself. She knew why she was the luckiest woman alive. He was brains and beauty . . . and body. He was brown skinned, 6'3”, with a tight medium build. He had a chiseled chest with close to six-pack abs, more like a four-pack. He had a low caesar, which he kept bald most of the time. He had one deep dimple in his right cheek when he shared his beautiful white smile. His facial hair was minimal and well trimmed, and he had these juicy lips that she just loved. Man, did she feel lucky that he was her man, she thought as she crawled in the bed next to him. At first he just looked over at her and then glanced back at the television, but then he realized that it was a special night and he didn't want her to start complaining. So he turned over toward her again and started looking into her eyes.
“Did you tell the world?” he asked.
Laughing, she replied, “No, only half . . .” and then she thought about it and added, “Did you tell anybody?”
“Yeah, I told K.D., and I had already told most of my family before I asked.”
“Well, don't you need to let them know I said yes?”
“Please, they know you said yes.”
“Oh, really?” she asked. “And how do they know that?”
“Because it's me . . . And because who could turn down that ring?” he asked, laughing. He had better start laughing, because it was their engagement night and she didn't want any problems.
“What happened to the time when y'all would be scared and nervous that we would say yes?”
“I don't know, I never proposed before . . . I don't remember that time.”
“Oh, you're real funny tonight, aren't you?”
Aware that their sweet night was capable of going sour real soon, he started to try to fix it up. He got closer to her and placed his arm around her waist.
“I'm only joking, baby. They knew you would say yes, because they knew what we have is real, and that I love you and deserve you as my wife and that we are going to have a beautiful life with about six snotty-nosed kids,” he said, starting back up.
“Yeah, OK,” she replied with a slight laugh.
Charlene didn't even want to think about kids right then and there. That stress was bound to seep up on her sooner than later, but she would rather it be later.
“Well, we can get started on some of them now,” he said as he slipped his hand up her shirt to cup her breast.
She smirked. Maybe not for the sake of having the six snotty-nosed babies, but she couldn't say she wasn't all for partaking in some newly engaged sex.
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From
Playthang
Chapter 1
T
he look on her face expressed a clear level of discomfort. It seemed Ms. Grant wasn't prepared for the question that Jordan had asked her. Jordan, on the other hand, was poised and bright-eyed, awaiting an answer.
The young lady was sitting directly across from Jordan, alongside her colleagues. Jordan sat with only her client, Aminae Carty, who was an artist professionally known as Amina.
“I'm not sure I understand what you are getting at,” the young lady responded.
“What I'm getting at is there seems to be a lack of awareness on your company's part. Amina has sold over 300,000 singles in this past month alone, without the backing of a major company. Therefore, I believe it is apparent that she is not your typical breakthrough artist, which is why I asked whether you are fully aware of her potential,” Jordan said, looking directly at the three people across from her.
Amina sat in the chair, trying to look as confident as possible, but it seemed that she was uncomfortable as well.
The colleagues on the other side of the table were all employed by Def Society Records. The young lady sitting directly across from Jordan was the director of business & legal affairs, Jill Turner. The other two faces belonged to Jill's assistant and her manager of business affairs.
“Well, yes, we are aware that Amina made strides with her career prior to deciding to join us. However, the support and funds that we plan to put behind her will take her career to another level, which may take her years to achieve on her own, if at all.”
“Ms. Grant, my client and I are well aware of what Def Society Records is offering. If we didn't feel it would benefit her, we wouldn't be sitting here. However, we are also aware of how adding her to your roster will benefit you. Amina has done the hard work of generating her own buzz and awareness throughout the East and West coasts. She has a recognizable name, she has received radio airplay, and she is extremely talented. Adding her is a win-win for your company, and all we are asking is that you recognize that and not offer her the same deal you would offer someone who hasn't accomplished as much.”
“Ms. Moore, I see your point, and at this time, this is all I'm capable of offering.”
“Well, we are not capable of accepting this offer. However, we greatly appreciate your interest and time, and hopefully we can do business together in the future.”
Ms. Grant looked surprised as she watched Jordan gather her folders and papers from the table.
“Ms. Moore, we would hate to lose out on the opportunity to work with Amina. Let me have a meeting with Shewayne, the president, and see if we can rework the budget to find a better figure to satisfy you and Amina.”
“That is fine. I will respectfully hold off the other offers until we speak again.”
“That will be appreciated.”
Jordan stood from her chair. As she pushed the seat farther back, she realized Amina was still sitting there, looking a bit perplexed. Jordan gestured to her with her eyes that it was time to make their exit. Amina immediately jumped up to stand beside Jordan. Ms. Grant and her colleagues rose as well; they picked up their files from the table and began preparing to exit the conference room. Jordan and Amina both scooted their chairs back and began walking toward the door.
Everyone pretty much reached the door at the same time, and they exchanged words along the lines of “good-bye” and “I'll speak to you soon.” Once the lobby was cleared, Amina and Jordan waited for the elevator. They stood there in silence for a few moments while the receptionist watched them wait. Once the elevator arrived, they both stepped in, and Jordan pressed the button for the ground floor.
“You OK?” Jordan asked Amina.
“Yeah. A little nervous.”
“About what?”
“Well, what if they don't want me anymore?”
“Amina, I wouldn't have jeopardized your career. I told you on the way over that the goal of today's meeting was to get a better deal. I am certain that they will counteroffer with a much better deal. That offer she gave was not their best. I have known Shewayne for a long time now; I know he will send Ms. Grant back to us with the appropriate figures.”
“OK. I trust you,” Amina said with a shrug.
“Good. You should. I wouldn't steer you wrong.”
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Jordan and Amina walked out of the building onto Eighth Avenue and looked around.
“Which way are you headed? You need a lift somewhere?” Jordan asked.
“I'm good. I'm meeting some friends around the corner. Thanks.”
“OK. I'll be in touch.”
Jordan walked down the street toward her car. Almost there, she looked up and noticed a Starbucks across the street. She began to cross the street to go grab herself a mocha latte, but halfway across she changed her mind. She realized she didn't need the extra calories, and she needed to resist this constant urge of hers. So she turned back and headed toward her car. She walked a few feet and arrived at her black BMW X5. She beeped the alarm, opened the door, and sat inside. Once she settled in her seat, before she started the car, she reached into her bag and got out her BlackBerry. A look of disappointment came over her face when she realized that she hadn't received a call or e-mail from Jayon the entire day. She was tempted to call him and ask where her hello was for the day, but she decided against it. Instead, she just started her car and pulled out into the heavy traffic of Manhattan to try to make her way home. Surprisingly, she didn't mind the traffic; Jordan was in no rush to get home to her empty house.