My Cup Runs Over: The Ultimate and Final Deception (14 page)

“She’s fine” Trey answered. "We’re still waiting on her to call us. JJ gave her cell number to the police officer who called him.”

“Trey, y'all need to go out there, see about Andre and get her back here.” Shaun expressed.  

When the police finally got in touch with T-Bird, she and the guys were on their way out to Malibu. She couldn’t believe what she was hearing.  Just when she thought all the drama was over, she was facing another dramatic moment. This time it was even more serious than her and Darnell.

“Pull over. Pull over right now!” she begged Melvin. “Andre’s been shot, Andre's been shot! We have to turn around and get to the hospital in L.A. right now! Oh my God! This is crazy! We need to activate the navigation to get us there. This can’t be happening.” 

You could hear a pin drop as everyone tried to pull their composure together, especially after hearing the news of the shooting on the radio. The local DJ was elaborating on how Andre was affiliated with the show as T-Bird’s manager and no one knew her whereabouts.

Still rushing to hospital, she calmed down enough to call Q. When he answered, he could hear the trembling in her voice; she could hear the relief in his.

“Hey, calm down baby, we all have to be strong right now until we can find out how bad this thing is. We’re on our way out there right now. I might as well tell you now, so there aren’t any more surprises. We’re bringing Shaun with us. You’re going to need him.  Furthermore, Andre is all he has left.” 

All she wanted to do was break down and cry but there was still too much to do. She found the strength to call Desiree, who simply fell to the floor totally distraught. Once again they were sharing the same pain and devastation.

By the time T-Bird arrived at the hospital, the police officer was waiting in the conference room with all of Andre’s possessions. Soon after, the doctors came out to speak to her and the entire group..

“Well..good news.. he’s going to be okay. We’re transferring him out of the recovery room right now and up to ICU. He’ll have to remain in intensive care until we can get him more stable. Now there are a few other conditions I have to make you aware of. There’s no easy way to say this. Your friend may never walk again. One of the bullets that struck him in the back is still lodged perilously close his spinal cord. To do surgery right now would be too dangerous. We are hoping the bullet moves away from the spinal cord so it becomes operable. He also has a collapsed lung due to the other gunshot wound in his side. His friend was really lucky too... he only suffered gunshot wounds in his left arm and both legs...”

The moment the doctor finished giving his report, everyone was in shock, deciding to go back to the hotel and wait for T-Bird’s call to discuss what to do next. Melvin wanted to stay with her but she insisted he head back to the hotel as well.

“T-Bird, I’ll be near the phone the minute you need anything. Okay?” Melvin said. 

“Sure and if you can, please try to keep the guys together.We all need each other right now. I’m going to wait here for Q, JJ and Trey. They’re on the way.

All night, she helplessly sat at Andre’s bedside watching him bandaged with a tube in the side of his chest pumping blood off his lung. He was still unconscious and breathing with oxygen support. Q, Trey, JJ and Shaun rushed to the hospital as soon as they landed to find T-Bird asleep in the chair next to his bed. They couldn’t believe they were looking at their friend all hooked up to oxygen with tubes coming out of his body.

T-Bird woke with a start. She saw Shaun, collapsed in his arms and began to cry.

“Shaun…What am I going to do? I feel like this is all my fault. If only I had not asked him to help me he wouldn’t be laying here like this.”

Although he was hurt and angry, he continued to hold her.“It’s not your fault. This was just a senseless act of stupid violence. That’s all. Unfortunately, he was in the wrong place at the wrong time. These gangs out here are no joke and you can get killed just for looking at someone who is still trying to earn some street cred. We have to allow the police to handle it now.” Shaun said.

“Why don’t we go back to the hotel and take a look at all the business options. Q and Trey can stay here. JJ, can you come with us since you know your way around the city and can help us make some decisions?”

“You got it... let’s roll. Trey, Q, we’ll be back. Let us know if he wakes up while we’re gone.” JJ said with frustration. 

“Go ahead man we’ll keep you posted if anything changes,” Q said.

When they arrived at the hotel, JJ gathered everyone for a meeting in the reception lounge. They needed privacy and to get away from the media, who were already trying to spot T-Bird in the hotel, hoping to get a comment about Andre’s condition and how the shooting occurred. He told the groups Shaun was temporarily taking over the tour until they got back home. It was a hard pill to swallow, after only one performance. After what happened to Andre, L.A. was not where any of them wanted to be. They discussed a few more details before everyone was encouraged to get some rest, stay close and to stay away from the media if at all possible.

With the meeting over, they took an exit out the back to make their way back to the hospital.

“How is he doing?” Shaun asked.

“I think he’s trying to wake up. I saw him moving his head.” Q answered.

Immediately T-Bird went to his side along with Shaun and JJ.

“Andre, can you hear me? She asked. Still in pain he blinked with his eyes to acknowledge her.

“We’re all here. Q, JJ, Shaun and Trey. We’re all here babe. Don’t worry about a thing, just rest and we’re going to get you back home..."

He pointed to the pad on the table, navigating his hand to have it bought closer to him.  He then wrote down that he knew he was paralyzed as tears began to roll down his face. All T-Bird could do was grab him to give him a hug while crying with him and then left the room unable to watch him any longer. He then reached for Shaun’s hand. 

“I’m here brother and I promise you we will get through this. You’re gonna walk again, if I have to spend every dime I have, you’re going to walk again..."

It took almost a week before Andre could be transported back home to a rehabilitation hospital, with the hope of a miracle and physical therapy. The shows in Oakland, San Diego and Hawaii were canceled while T-Bird and Shaun tried to re-strategize the remaining tour dates. Sitting in her living room, she said to him.

“I really appreciate your help right now. Let me just say that the most important thing I need from you right now is your friendship. I mean, don’t get any ideas about us getting back together. I’ve been through enough and I have had it with men.”

“Wait a minute. Let’s not go there because of what you went through with Darnell. I didn’t make you run off with some fly guy who just happened to be gay. That was your decision. I tried to let you know that I still loved you but you didn’t want to hear it. So let’s just get over it. Okay? As a matter of fact, I’ve changed more than you could have imagined. You can’t just throw love away.”

Listening to Shaun made her even more upset. But he was right. “I apologize. I didn’t mean to be so cold. I’m just thinking about my career and also the transition for the foundation. That alone is going to be enough for me and I don’t know where I’m going to get the strength to do it.” 

“Look, I just want you to know that I’m here if you get tired of talking to Trey, Q and JJ. Well, I think I better leave now.”

Immediately she grabbed his arm as he attempted to leave. “I didn’t mean to hurt your feelings. I’ll talk to you later” she said solemnly, allowing him to walk out the door. All she could do was sit in the chair, disappointed over what she'd said, knowing she wanted to be with him, but  her pride would not allow her tell him the truth. She used the excuse of prioritizing her life while seeking some time to heal.

_______________________

Tuesday afternoon and Carlotta’s father finally arrives to visit her. Still disappointed with the fact he was such a racist made the visit bittersweet. However, no one in the world was going to persuade her to leave Trey. She had already fallen in love with him. His status, personality, character and caliber of friends as well as clientele made the biggest statement about the kind of man he was; the kind she wanted in her life. She was determined to stand up for herself; she was a mature woman and doing very well. 

Sitting down over a cup of coffee, she shared with Trey her father’s hatred of black people. Unprepared, he couldn’t believe what he was hearing. 

“Listen, this is not my fight and it isn’t yours either. My parents and grandparents fought for the freedom I’m experiencing this very moment. Even your mother’s bloodline goes back to slavery with white men raping our black women. And to add insult to injury, he slept with, impregnated, loved and married a black woman. I’m not living backwards. Not now. Not ever. So I’ll tell you what I’m going to do, I’m going to let you have your visit with your dad and you can let him know I don’t want to meet him. You are the one who definitely has to close some doors with him. I’m not going to stop seeing you so because of him or his racist views. I’ve got a lot of work to catch up on after going to Atlanta, so handle your business. I’ll be fine. I promise I’ll call you later. Go ahead and deal with your dad. Give me a kiss.. I’ve got to go.”

“Trey, I don't blame you at all for the way you feel. I certainly understand and you’re right. Don’t worry. I already had this conversation with my mother and she is not condoning any of this. I am definitely gonna resolve this, one way or another.”

When she met her father for lunch, it was close to 1p.m. It was one of the most intense moments she'd ever experienced. She told him she'd taken the remainder of the day off, giving them all the time they needed to talk. She told him about Trey and revealed that he was a black man. The irony of it all was no matter how white her father was, her mother was black, which made her black.

Immediately his eyes widened. He became very angry and belligerent.  Carlotta didn’t waste any time telling him that she was in love.

“No… I can’t believe my daughter is telling me she’s in love with a nigga boy! I’m telling you if you stay with him, I’m going to disown you.”

Carlotta just sat there trying to remain composed as he insulted her in public.
 

“Excuse me father, but I refuse to be talked to like this. Yes, I’m you’re daughter, but I’m also an adult. This is my life. How dare you come and act like this. I love you.You’re my father. But I also love Trey and nothing is going to change my mind or break us apart and that includes you. I have a great career and will be finishing school shortly so you should be proud of me for that. I was planning on paying for your airline tickets and hotel accommodations, so you could attend my graduation ceremony and you act like this?”

She then began to cry. “Trey is a wonderful man. He’s a businessman, owns his own company and treats me the way you treated my mother when you first met. I can’t ask for anything more than that. I think we should leave. The things you’ve said really hurt and I’ve heard enough. I’ll just take you to your hotel.”

After dropping her father off, she called her mother to tell her what had taken place over lunch. 

“Carlotta, I’m not surprised and neither should you be” Her mother said. “I was hoping you didn’t get your feelings hurt but I see it happened anyway.”

“Well, you can let him know the next time he sees me, I just maybe married. I don’t know if I even want to see him after today!”

“No... don’t say that. He’s still your father and you have to show him respect, even if he’s being ignorant. You have to be the bigger person. Don’t worry. Everything is going to be fine. You are my daughter and I love you so much and want the best for you. I’ll deal with your father.”  

“Okay mother, I’ll call you later.”

By the time she met Trey for dinner, he was eager to find out how seeing her father had gone. Just to look at her face gave him all the answers he needed.  It was obvious that things didn’t turn out the way either of them had desired.  After telling a few jokes to change the mood, Trey invited her to come with him to see JJ at the Tea Pot.

It had been a year of hills and valleys for everyone and Trey was enjoying the best time of his life after meeting her. Meanwhile,
Vision Mobile Net Inc
. was continuing to grow and be a major trendsetter for the cellular industry. JJ and Vivian were putting their lives back together after conquering the battles in their marriage. They were rediscovering what love is supposed to be in order for two people to make it. Vivian had even completed two movie projects in New York with JJ’s brother Maurice and was ready to start a family. JJ was deadlocked on opening the new Tea Pot in London after Andre got shot. 

Andre was finally well enough to move back to NJ from LA and confined to a wheelchair. His rehabilitation was a slow process but he wasn't giving up on walking again. He was beginning to move his legs and nothing was going to stop his grind in the music industry.

T-Bird had finally finished the second half of her tour and was overseeing the foundation as Founder and President. Once again JJ used his organizational abilities to put together a staff of twenty instructors, jump starting the foundation’s curriculum for students who were about to begin classes. All from the funds coming from the state and grants.