Pretty Girls in the Vip (9781617730283) (18 page)

“Greedy, we are not going there. Will talk to you later, good-bye, Christie.” I disconnected the call. “We need to start planning her baby shower.”

“Okay, I'll have Lloyd call Omar.”

“And let's make it coed so all the guys can come. We can do like a basketball theme baby shower,” I said, getting excited about my idea.

“And I think we should rent a suite somewhere so no one has to worry about kicking people out of their house.”

 

The squeaking noise of sneakers pressing against the wood was loud as we arrived forty-five minutes before the game started at the Staples Center. They were playing against the Clippers. Jabril and a few other players were already suited up, doing a shoot around. I felt so funny walking down to the floor, screaming his name. Once Jabril finally realized it was me, he ran down the court and over to where we were. Nichelle spoke before I could. “Where is my husband?” she asked.

“He hasn't come out of the locker room yet. I thought y'all were in Vegas.”

“We were, but we missed y'all so we flew down this morning to surprise y'all.” I snatched a fast hug.

“I missed you, too, but you know we have to get right on the bus after this?”

“I know, but I wanted to see you in person to tell you. I'm ready now.”

“Ready for what?”

“To do what you been asking me to do. To have our baby. Our son or daughter.”

His face lit up and his entire disposition changed. “You are? Really, Zakiya? What made you change your mind?”

“I'm not afraid anymore. I'm going to get off of my pills.”

“You just made my night, Kiya. When I'm up at the free throw line, I'm going to have something for you.”

“Okay, have a good game, Bril.”

I walked back up to where we were seated. I felt so proud that my man was playing on the same court as Blake Griffin and Chris Paul. I was a very lucky girl.

 

Our seats weren't that good, and we were seated near die-hard, annoying, corny Clippers fans, but I was so happy that my man was playing on the court.

“It would be nice if Westbrook would pass the ball to Jabril or Durant.”

“Yeah, Jabril said he was a ball hog,” I said, commenting on the game. Then I stood up when Bril made a basket. A rude Clippers fan told me to sit my ass down.

“These fans are kind of disrespectful,” I said.

“The real L.A. team is not playing,” Nichelle said loud enough for the man to hear. We both giggled hysterically, angering the man so much we decided to move at halftime.

“Hold up, girl, my phone is ringing.” I answered, and it was Lisa. “Hey, Lisa, I'm in L.A.”

“Okay, I didn't want anything. Just returning your call, Miss Hollywood.”

“Oh yeah, I called y'all just to check up on you, and I'm going to come home soon to see you and the boys. What games do they want?”

“They are so busy with karate, they are too tired to come home to play the games. That karate instructor, Brian, asked about you. I told him you moved, but I would tell you he said hey.”

“Tell him I said bye. All right, well, halftime is over. I'll call you back.”

Jabril went to the free throw and he tapped his tattoo, then held up two fingers up and pointed up. I started bawling with tears. No one else but he and I knew what that meant. He was saying he loved our son who didn't make it. I startled Nichelle.

“What's wrong?” she asked.

“We are going to try to have a baby again. I'm going to stop taking my pills.”

“I thought you wanted to go back to school?”

“I do, but he wants a baby real bad, and I don't want to deny him. He's said he has everything he ever wanted except for a child.”

“That's nice, but whatever you do, make sure you are having the baby for all the right reasons. Having a baby is a lot. Christie and I will be leaving you next.”

“Wow, no, you won't. I'm following y'all, big belly and all. I am ready, though. I want my boo to be happy.”

“Aw, well, congratulations, new mommy.”

“Not yet, but very soon.”

 

In three days I had partied in Vegas, flown to L.A. for brunch and to see my man, and now I was headed back home to get some much-needed rest. Jabril had three more road games and then he would be joining me. It was good seeing him just for that little bit of time, and I couldn't wait until he was home so that we could work on our little one. This weekend I finally got to see that I'm so fortunate to have a great boyfriend and a family that loves me. To me that means the world.

I
f you want to be seen and party at the most exclusive lounge in the tri-state area of Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and Delaware, then you might want to be at Belize Lounge. We have hosted so many celebrity birthday parties and industry events. I have people from New York and Washington, D.C., the club capitals, coming to party with us. Belize was so popular we were even taking advance reservations for tables. In order to secure their reservations, they had to leave a deposit of three hundred on a credit card, and if they don't show up, they forfeit their money.

Everyone noticed how well the club was doing. Keldrick asked me for a raise. He said he was one of the reasons Belize was popping. He did do an incredible job of getting the word out so I gave him a small raise per night, based on our drink sales.

Ian has been doing his thing in Miami. He's hustling, shooting videos for any and everyone seven days a week to get the rest of the money he needs.

With him being away, I have had a lot of time to think about our relationship. I wasn't wearing his ring even though he had it resized. I didn't want to marry him, either. I would really have preferred it if he'd bought me a cloudy big diamond. If he wasn't going to spend a lot of money, at least I could have worn it and pretended to be happy. Instead I hid that travesty of a ring at my mother's house. I was going to tell him I lost it. I don't know why, but I was slowly falling out of like with Ian. I think it had everything to do with him asking me for help with his movie. What did I look like, a bank? I'm not used to a begging man. It is not sexy. My money was not his. I would have a conversation with him when I picked him up from the airport this evening.

The other reason I was losing interest in Ian was all the successful men I was meeting each night. Men who take care of their women and who would never ask their women for money. And men like Shelton James, who is the biggest married flirt. He has been texting and been past the club a couple of times, but we still haven't gone out yet. I'm not sure what he wants with me. It is kind of confusing, but I will take him however I can get him.

 

I was in the back office at the club, looking at the numbers for the week. Belize cost a lot to operate. I never had been so overwhelmed with bills and writing checks, but I really loved my club. It also made me feel like the worst mom ever. I hadn't seen Asia in a week, and my mom wasn't going to let me get away with neglecting her grandchild. She left me a message saying, “Adrienne Sheppard, your daughter has been crying for you. It is nice you have a business and all, but your daughter should be your first priority.” Then instead of just hanging up the call, she allowed Asia to say, “Mommy, mommy, come home, mommy. Asia say come.”

It hurts me, but I have to strike while the iron is hot. I wake up, go to the club, come home, go back to sleep for less than four hours, and then do the same thing again. Right now I was solely concentrating on attending to my business. I missed my child, but having this club and the kind of money it could generate in one weekend, it could take care of her kids. I planned to go past my mother's to see her tonight.

 

Darcel tapped on my office door. I welcomed her in and asked her what was going on. She nervously took a seat and started fidgeting with her hands. I knew it was something serious from her facial expressions, so I got up and closed the door.

“What's wrong, Darcel?”

“Adrienne, I usually mind my own business, but I have to tell you about something that happened with Joi last night.” I sat back down and waited for her to continue.

“So, last night, there was a table of guys in my section, and they kept asking me for the white girl. I thought it was strange, but I said okay. I brought over Summer. So they said no, the other white girl. I still didn't understand what they were talking about, until I saw Joi come over to them and pass them something and they slipped her money.”

“What did she pass them?”

“I'm almost certain she was selling them cocaine, and I know you own this club and I would hate to see anyone ruin it for you.”

“Cocaine in my club? Darcel, thank you so much for bringing this to my attention.”

“You're welcome, Adrienne,” she said as she left my office and closed the door.

Joi was already on my radar, not because I thought she was selling drugs. She always was clumsy and didn't know how to count. On more than one occasion, she had slipped and fallen and given back the wrong change, but I didn't want to discriminate against the unintelligent.

 

I picked Ian up from the airport. He dumped all his equipment in the trunk, and I immediately began to tell him everything Darcel had told me about Joi. He was just as shocked as I was and told me I had to confront her and fire her immediately. That was what I had planned to do.

 

Joi came in to work, and I was so ready to fire her until she confessed that it wasn't her selling drugs, it was Summer. Joi said she did pass something to the guys the other night, but it was because Summer had asked her to. She started crying, telling me she didn't want to lose her job and how she was going to get Summer for playing her. I didn't know who was telling the truth. I brought Keldrick in and he vouched for Joi. “Adrienne, I can tell you she is not like that.” I looked over to Ian to get his opinion. “I say we watch them both tonight and see who is lying.”

“That's a good idea, but what if something happens in the meantime? Like a drug bust or something, while we are waiting to see if she sells to anyone?”

“We can just check her stuff when she gets here. Send Joi home so she won't let on that we know what's going on.”

 

I agreed to send Joi home and the entire night I kept my eyes on Summer, but she wasn't doing anything abnormal. She, however, kept smiling in my face and speaking to everyone. I couldn't resist pulling her to the side. “Summer, are you selling drugs in my club?”

“Absolutely not. Drugs, please, that's not what I do. I don't even drink.” She swore up and down, and then she started crying and becoming hysterical.

“Are you sure?” Keldrick asked as he sat next to her, intimidating her.

“Yes, I'm sure.”

“She is lying,” Ian whispered.

“I know she is, but I don't have any proof.”

“She probably has the drugs somewhere in the club. We just have to find out where she is hiding them.” While we were questioning her, Keldrick said, “I'll be back.” Then he came back with Summer's bag. He opened her backpack and out fell a bunch of little bags full of white powder.

“That's not mine.”

“Whose is it, then?”

“I don't know.”

How dare this little bitch put everything in jeopardy and lie in my face? I went to slap her, but Ian blocked me. Once she missed my hit, she jumped out and shouted, “Fuck this setup club.”

 

I came home ready to do nothing. I couldn't believe the events of the day, but I was glad it was over. I could just close my eyes, but Ian saw it as the perfect time to discuss
Falcon Hall Boys
.

“Adrienne, so when do you think you'll be able and how much you will be able to loan me for the movie?”

I sat up and said, “Yeah, I wanted to talk to you about that. I won't be able to loan you anything.”

“I'm not understanding you, Adrienne?”

“Ian, I looked over everything, and I just don't have it.”

“Wow, really? Now I have to postpone filming. I've scheduled everything and I can't move without another twenty thousand at least. I was already going to cut corners with everything else as far as my production staff goes. But I can't cut anywhere else.”

“I can't do it, I'm sorry,” I said, attempting to change the subject, but it was obvious Ian wasn't finished with his plea for money. He stood up and said, “No, I get it. You only have money for handbags, shoes, and bottles of champagne for your rich friends.”

“Whatever. You sound very dumb, Ian. How about you try to make some sense.”

“No, you sound greedy, but don't be mad because I'm stating the facts.”

“Ian, you can state the facts to yourself, because I don't really care. All my money is tied up, sorry.”

T
he last few weeks at the club have been off the chain. Bottle popping at Belize was an understatement. I was getting big tips, and I wasn't even naked swinging on a pole.

Last week this rapper named Trez from Atlanta was trying to get with me. He was all right, but I've been meeting so many dudes so I wasn't pressed on one. I've been too busy trying to stack my own funds. Anyway I should have been more aware, because last night I saw him on
Late Night with Jimmy Fallon
rapping with The Roots and I was like, damn.

 

And I'm really trying to get smarter and talk better. I be meeting so many high-powered people that I be concentrating on how to fit in. Adrienne introduced me to all these celebrities she knew. One night an entire cast from a play came in and tipped me three hundred dollars. Adrienne always looks out and she is cool and I can tell she likes me a lot. She took me and Darcel to lunch once and let me drive her car around the corner for her and parked it for her.

My wardrobe has come up, too. I love being able to go shopping whenever I want. I treated myself to three pairs of Christian Louboutin shoes and a Gucci purse and all these clothes, and I still have money left over. If I wanted to, I could move right now, but I'm going to wait a little while and just stack my dollars. I even paid the apartment rent this month by the first. I called up Mr. Woods and told him to come get his money. You would think Courtney and Aunt Rhonda would have been thankful and paid me back, but they weren't and they didn't.

Now that both of them see that I'm getting money, they just keep asking me for more. I got Courtney's hair done and her car fixed. Then she still asked me to give her money to go out with, like I was her dude. I told her no. She said I was fronting.

 

Another night at Belize Lounge, the music was loud and the club was extra crowded but after a while you get used to the noise and learn how to read lips. Since Summer got fired, we each got another table and our money went up. I walked around checking on all my tables, when I noticed guys sitting in my section who hadn't paid.

“Sorry, you can't sit there. This is a reserved VIP area.”

“What? I want to know how you are going to have a VIP section in a supposedly all VIP club,” the leader of the group said. I couldn't answer him, so I just hunched my shoulders.

“They sitting over there. You are not asking them any questions,” his friend said.

“That's because that's a private party for the Eagles' wide receiver, Raul Canton.”

“Oh, so, because they play ball, they can get better service than us.”

“No, they paid for their tables. You can go in that section down there, but the minimum over here is two bottles. I can show you a drink menu.” I handed him the menu and waited for his decision.

“Eight dollars for a bottle of water? This club is cheating, damn,” he said while reviewing the menu.

“How much is it for a bottle of Rose?” Before I could answer him, Adrienne stepped in and said, “If you have to ask, then you can't afford it.” His friends started laughing at how Adrienne was insulting his pockets.

“No, I can afford a lot of things, miss, but come on, you're telling me to order whatever and just wait and be surprised when I get my bill? That doesn't seem too smart.”

I smiled at him and told him I didn't make the rules. He didn't seem to have enough money. I was waiting for him to get up and say he would just hang out at the bar, but he surprised me and said, “My boy is getting married tomorrow, and he is on his way, so I'll take three bottles.” Unimpressed, Adrienne asked for his credit card and license. She went over to the bar and ran his card. Moments later, she gave me the okay signal to serve him.

I walked to the bar and began placing ice in the buckets. Adrienne helped, placing sparklers on top of the cold containers. While we were preparing his order, Adrienne said, “You've really been doing a great job. I'm very proud of you.”

“Thank you,” I said, smiling on the inside. I really have been doing everything to get her to notice me and make her proud.

“You know, sometimes we have to put a little pressure on them and make them spend even what they didn't plan to.”

“Yes, we do.”

I walked back over to the table, happy that my boss had noticed how good of a job I was doing. Behind me, Joi had dropped drinks and Adrienne almost slipped on her mess. I would have helped her, but I saw Darcel helping her pick up the pieces of glasses, too. I returned with the drinks. And the team of men were still being very playful.

“Anybody need anything else?” I asked.

“Your name and number, and will you marry me? Never mind, we know you got a boyfriend.” His friends requested more ice and cranberry juice, and his other friend wanted a Red Bull. I went to get everything they needed and then patted the leader of the table on his lap, letting him know I was there for him. He pulled me down to have a seat with him. He was loud, talking over the music. “You are so gorgeous. You should meet me for lunch tomorrow.”

“Where?”

“In Maple Shade over in Jersey.”

“I can't. I don't have a car and I live all the way in North Philly.”

“No car. We are going to have to work on that. I sell cars. My dad owns a car dealership.”

“He does?”

“Yeah, he does. Call me tomorrow because I'm not trying to see someone as fine as you on the bus stop.” He handed me a business card and said his name was Kenny and to make sure I called. I took his card and smiled. I couldn't judge if he was serious or not, but I was relieved I didn't play him and miss out on possibly getting a free car.

 

The rush was slowing up. All of our tables were seated and waited on. Darcel was checking out the crowd and bobbing to the music.

“So, why was you helping your friend Joi pick up the glass she broke?”

“I felt sorry for that ditzy broad.”

“Shh, here she come.” I laughed nervously as Joi walked over to try to make conversation with us. Joi was cute, but everything about her was dumb. All she was was pretty. She had no common sense. One day she asked me to help her turn her cell phone on. There wasn't anything wrong with her phone, it was just dead. Yes, she is that stupid. I was talking to the bartender Waliq when Joi came up and said something to Darcel. She looked at me and then left to go take care of one of her tables.

“What was Dumbarella saying to you?”

“Girl, I don't know. I can't hardly understand her baby voice. She was saying something about do we want to meet up with her and Keldrick after the club.”

“What? I hope you told her no,” I joked.

“I did. I said, hell no. Keldrick is a weirdo, and she is a dumb slut. Summer said she gave this guy a free dick suck in the bathroom, because he was cute and paid his tab at the end of the night.”

“Stop it, and she is going to show us how to get some money?” We both laughed. “She better learn her left from her right.”

“Yes, what's up with your table of guys? Are they giving you a hard time?” she asked.

“No, that light-skin dude just said someone as fine as me shouldn't be on the bus stop and he wants to buy me a car.” We both laughed again as I walked from side to side, crossing my eyes and poking out my lips showing off how fine I really was.

“Well, you are kind of cute. Why don't you go to New York with me on Tuesday? I got a casting call for a video.”

“A music video?”

“Yeah, by this rapper. I told you I model, too.”

“Okay, I'll go.”

 

I knew no one does anything for free or nothing in return. I knew it was a strong possibility that I was getting dressed and catching the train into New Jersey early for nothing. Why would Kenny help me? He didn't even know me.

I arrived at the train station, and Kenny said he was on his way.
Maybe he was lying
, I thought when he pulled up in a Cadillac and was talking on his phone. He reached to open my door but did not stop talking on the phone. He was speaking in this professional voice and was trying to convince someone about meeting them and that he could get them the right interest rate they wanted. He went back and forth with the caller the entire ride to the dealership. I was expecting a little run-down used-car dealership, but it was a big, new, and pre-owned Honda and Subaru dealership called Stevens'. That was Kenny's last name. I tried to say something, but he put the one-minute sign up at me. I was fine. I just wanted to see how this whole car situation was going to work out. He finally ended his call, and we walked through the large car dealership into the service area.

“So, can you drive a stick?” he asked.

“No, I can't.” I knew it had to be something like this. A damn stick. Then he walked over to another car. He looked over into the window, and said, “Oh, this not the one that was a stick, but it's got a lot of miles on it.” It was a Honda and it was cute. I sat inside of it and became very excited.

“Now, listen, it's got a lot of miles. But you can have it. We aren't going to do anything but junk this car anyway. So you got a choice. Give me four hundred for it or a date.”

“Hmm, let me think. I guess a date,” I said aloud.

“All right, ma'am, you got yourself a car. And I want my date this weekend.”

“I work every weekend, but my off days are Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday.”

“Then Wednesday. No more bus stop for you. That's bird shit, and you are a dime. You can have it. Let's do the paperwork.”

“What do you mean, I can have it? Like, take it home right now?”

“Yes, right now. You got your license, right?”

“Yeah.”

“All right, then, we will walk you over to my insurance man and we will get your paperwork done.”

When I drove off the lot, I was still in shock. How did I have a car? It was running really good, I thought while flooring across the Walt Whitman Bridge back toward home. I didn't care how many miles were on the thing I was driving.

 

I beeped the horn in front of the door. I knew Courtney was going to be excited for me. She knew how badly I needed a car.

“Who let you hold they car?” she asked, coming to the window.

“It's mine. Come down and let's go for a ride.”

Courtney got in the car, and I explained the whole story to her. Her response was, “Don't nobody buy you a car for nothing?”

“I'm telling you, he did. He didn't buy it for me. His dad owned the car lot, and he said it was a trade-in. At first I didn't think he was going to do it. He said, give me four hundred dollars or just go out on a date with him.”

“Damn. That's what's up. Now, I don't have to drive to the club tonight.”

“I can't go out tonight. I have to go to work. Won't you come down to my job and get one of them dudes to bring you?”

“I've been trying, but every time I asked someone they say no, that it cost too much. Plus, they said the club was hot.”

“Hot, how?”

“Like, cops be in there.”

“No, dumbass, don't no cops be in our club. They meant hot, like popping.”

“Oh. And I heard they play you at the door if your pockets ain't right and you got to look a certain way.”

I laughed. “That's all true. Belize don't be playing. They do have some rules, but that's to keep all the thugs and crazy people out.”

“Thugs. You're funny. Girl, please, since when do you have problems with thugs? Don't get with them people down there and get new, Shani.”

“Whatever, I'm not.”