Diamond Revelation (18 page)

S
abre 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 what 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.”

“Thank you, guys.” Sky skipped off to the dressing room as Queen Bee stepped out in a to-die-for black dress. Sabre was sexy but classy.

“Girl, you are wearin' that dress,” Sky called out as she disappeared inside a changing room.

Sabre agreed with Sky's declaration as she did model-like moves in the mirror. Sabre looked fine in that dress and she knew it.

Sky came out of the dressing room looking very high couture in the suit. Lolita put a necklace around Sky's neck that set off the suit perfectly. She struck a pose in the mirror. “I love it.” Sky twisted and turned so she could get a glimpse at every angle.

“Now that's what you wear to your big fund-raising tea when you're chairman of the board because it's your foundation.” Dawn straightened the collar on the jacket.

“Okay.” Everyone laughed at their private little joke about the extremely wealthy and the famous.

Sabre walked out in a very nice suit, but the jacket was too long. She looked at herself in the mirror and felt dumb, then focused on Sky, who was as regal as Jackie Kennedy Onassis in the suit.

“She looks wonderful, doesn't she?” Lolita smiled at Sabre.

“She looks a'ight. I don't really like pink.” Sabre went to take the suit off that did absolutely nothing for her petite figure. “It's getting late, you guys, and I have an appointment.”

Sabre and Sky changed back into their jeans and heels.

“You have to get that suit, Sky,” Dawn informed her.

“I wish I could. That thing is five thousand dollars,” she said so only Dawn could hear.

“I know what you mean,” Dawn replied.

Sabre saw Dawn return the suit to the rack. “Sky's not buying that?”

“She can't afford it right now,” Dawn explained.

Sabre looked the suit up and down. She really wanted it for herself after she saw how good it looked on Sky, but way down inside Sabre knew it would never look like that on her. “I'll buy it for her.” Sabre was surprised when she heard herself say it. She had never done too much of anything for anyone but herself.
Not even Grandma.

“Sabre,” Sky squealed with delight. “Thank you.” Sky knew better than to hug her. She knew how much Sabre hated being touched. Sabre had issues, but Sky had always loved her anyway.

“That suit looked real good on you. And like you always say, I was hatin' so I need to redeem myself,” Sabre explained and smiled. She felt good buying the suit for Sky.

Sky looked her childhood friend up and down. This was another Sabre.

Sabre paid the bill and everyone went to Dolce, where they were led to a great table in the heart of the restaurant.

“This is so cool.” Sky had never been to the restaurant. Sabre had come several times by herself, but never with a group of friends.

Sabre ordered martinis for everyone. “This is on me, y'all. So get whatever you want.” She checked her Sidekick. It was time for her to go. “Look, y'all, I have an appointment.”

“Where are you going?” Victor demanded, asking the question they all wanted to know.

“I have a personal appointment. But I'll be back. I'm hanging out here all night.”

“Then we'll be here when you get back,” Victor replied.

Sabre drove the short distance to the tower at Cedars-Sinai. She checked her purse.
Yep, it was there.

“Hello.” The receptionist greeted her. “Dr. Gradney will be right with you.”

“Sabre Cruz.” Germain had a way of making you relax as soon as he spoke to you.

“Hey, Dr. G.” Sabre turned her wattage up a notch. “How's everything going?”

“Couldn't be better.” Germain took a quick glance at her chart.

“You're not bothered by all those tabloid stories?”

“The price of fame.”

The nurse walked in, and Germain examined her breasts. Sabre felt waves of passion rolling over her. “You've healed
very
nicely.” Sabre's eye caught Germain's and he looked away.

He's attracted to me too,
Sabre concluded.

“Dr. G, have you ever wondered if that baby story on your wife is true?”

Germain finally looked at Sabre. “No.”

“Not even once?”

Germain hesitated, and Sabre gave him a diabolical laugh.

“I think you should know it is true,” Sabre said with a straight face.

“What? What would you know about it?” Germain's features were dark with anger.

“I know this.” Sabre took Nina's journal out of her purse and handed it to Germain.