The Glamorous Life (24 page)

“Yup,” she answered, wondering why she had never thought of the idea she anticipated he was about to present her.

“Well, you should put together a big party in Jamaica, get some entertainers to come through, have shows and specialty parties every night—sort of how they do on cruises. As a matter of fact, don’t do Jamaica; do the Cayman Islands or something. Someplace people are just discovering. Our people are so caught up in running to Jamaica or the Bahamas, all they need is to be provided with an alternative.”

“Don’t forget Cancún,” she added.

They both laughed.

“Ohh, that’s such a good idea. Like one night I could have a bonfire on the beach, then like a singles’ party, a pajama party, and so on.”

“Yup, and you should have shows with big names attached to the ticket and everything. Book rappers, and include everything in the price of their tickets or at least the majority of everything in the tickets. Make it all-inclusive so they can really feel like they get a lot for their money. I’ll help you promote it. Since I know folks all over the country, it’ll be a cross-segment of the entire black population.”

“I’m on it. I love the idea,” Bambi said, sitting up.

“I gave you the idea. Now all you got to do is make it happen.”

“And that I can do. The only thing is, it will require a bunch of out-of-pocket money.” She sighed. “Putting down deposits and everything. There’ll be contracting rappers to do the shows, ensuring hotels and airline accessibility, reservations— all this if we’re going to do it really big.”

Bambi’s business was good, but she had an expensive lifestyle and took care of her momma; and she had Ruby, Zonna, and Egypt on her payroll. The money she had scammed off Douglas was long gone. She didn’t have the kind of money available to fund this new venture.

“And if it ain’t
big,
it ain’t us. We’ve got to find the hottest hotel and reserve all the rooms and suites; put the whole hotel on lock. And baby, don’t worry. I’ll take care of whatever you need as far as finances. I just want to make you happy, and I know having successful parties is one thing that makes you happy.”

On that note she jumped out of the bed, grabbed her notebook and pen, and started jotting all her ideas down.

CHAPTER 24

Party Time … Oooh,
It’s Party Time

O
n the flight back to Richmond, Bambi put together an airtight marketing plan that made the 2,500-room hotel a
major
sellout event. She could have easily filled up another hotel, but she didn’t want to bite off more than she could chew. She had to concentrate on the Who’s Who she had already booked. She was well aware if she kept everything intact, this would be the beginning of something that could generate her millions. After all, it wasn’t the quantity of people that she raked in, it was the quality of service she provided.

This was to be the biggest, most lucrative event she had ever pulled off—earning her money from the airlines, the hotels, and the transportation companies in Grand Cayman. Also, she would generate income from each state her people would be flying in from. Using her business savvy, she had added an additional hundred-dollar charge to each participant’s ticket price so that she was able to supply a few tickets as giveaways to radio stations for contests to get publicity. Also she provided the
promoter in each city with high-ticket sales with free tickets and complimentary luxurious suites to show her appreciation.

It only took three months to make the arrangements and make it happen. To her surprise she had a lot of rappers, ball players, shot callers, and heavy hitters who supported her event. With that being the case, the hoochies, sac chasers, gold diggers, and high-priced hookers all made sure that their tickets paid for themselves once they got there. She was very proud of herself for pulling off an event that could be compared to the Essence Music Festival. Most of all, she felt fulfilled to have a man like Loot’chee backing her efforts to the fullest.

After all of Bambi’s guests were checked in, she decided to take a short break and admire her work. Sipping on a piña colada, she leaned over the balcony of her suite.

“Baby, you did it!” Loot’chee said as he came up behind her, gave her a kiss on her neck, and hugged her. They looked at the breathtaking beachfront view. “You really pulled this shit off. And you pulled this off in a matter of months! Damn, baby, you something else. You my superwoman, for real.”

“I could never have done it without your support,” she said, thanking him with a long, wet, juicy, passionate kiss.

“Oh, that reminds me,” he said, letting her go. He entered the closet and pulled out his suitcase. She looked on as he opened the lining of the suitcase, which was crammed full of money. “Look, I need you to open up an account here and deposit this money in it. I don’t want us to keep this money just laying around.”

She was shocked at how much cash he had, but didn’t let it show.
Damn, that’s a lot of money, but why am I surprised? I know the caliber dude I am dealing with. He doesn’t cut any corners, none whatsoever!

She wasn’t going to ask him for an explanation, but he gave
her one. “I wanted to make sure we had enough emergency money to cover us in case anything came up. Almost anything could come up. You know them foreign ma’fuckers don’t really like Americans. Shit, I didn’t want nobody to get locked up and we can’t pay what we need in bribes and whatnot. I didn’t want to be caught sleeping in a foreign country unless I knew I had our back covered. Plus I wanted to be certain we had enough money to cover the fees, deposits, and everything.” Then he handed her a brochure which detailed all the duty-free shopping that the Caymans offered and added, “Not to mention, I know you’re going to want to shop, shop, shop.”

The next morning, Loot’chee purchased a briefcase to put the money in and Bambi went to the bank and opened up an account with no problem.

T
his first event was such a big success that on her last night there Bambi decided this would not be the last one.

“Loot’chee, I was thinking,” she said as she got into the Jacuzzi in their lavish honeymoon suite.

“Aren’t you always?” he said, joining her in the Jacuzzi and giving her a peck on her lips.

“I’d like to put together these events at least six times a year. Every other month. What do you think?”

“Damn, baby. Get yo money! I think that’s all good, but at the same time, you don’t want to burn out your people. Then it’ll get all watered down.”

“I know, but I am not talking about the same group of people. I am talking about different groups of folks. Like I’ll put together one that only caters to the gay and lesbian community,
then one for church folks and invite Shirley Caesar and other top gospel groups and singers. I can put together one for the forty-plus crowd with the Temptations and other old-school entertainers on the ticket. Do you feel me?”

He took her in his arms and said, “Baby, you know I feel you. That’s one of the reasons I fucks with you so hard, because you always thinking ahead. You got dreams and want to go somewhere in life. Yo, I loves the shit outta you for that.”

She smiled and thanked him with some good Cayman Island sex, even though she was tired from having to get all her guests checked out and safely to the airport. This was the only night that she was able to give Loot’chee her undivided attention. She was glad she had agreed to stay an extra day.

T
he next morning she was up at the crack of dawn.

“Why are you up so early?” Loot’chee asked.

“Baby, I’ve got a lot to do before we leave today. I’ve got to go to the bank and get the rest of your money out,” she told him as she put on her lip gloss.

“No, baby, all you have to do is just wire half of the money to yo account in the States. Once we get back to the States you can just write me a check. It’s no sweat. Keep the other money in the account here since this is something that you will be doing on the regular. Having an account here would definitely be a good thing,” he assured her. “Plus, I wouldn’t dare try to take that much cash back with me. Bringing it down here was risky enough.”

This sounded all on the up-and-up to Bambi. Loot’chee patted the bed.

“How about giving me some breakfast in bed?” he asked. But Bambi just shook her head.

“As long as I’m already up, I’m going shopping.” She kissed him and then took a purse full of money with her and walked out the door.

CHAPTER 25

Old Feelings Never Die

H
ome Sweet Home!
Bambi plopped down on the bed, almost smashing Snowball, who was so happy to see her he couldn’t stop purring. She was back in Richmond and tried to gather her thoughts.
I have so much to do. Coordinating these trips and traveling so much always takes such a toll on my body. I don’t know how Loot’chee does it. Damn, I got to go to the bank to get Loot’chee a check from this last Cayman trip.

Her thoughts were interrupted by the telephone. She looked at the caller ID; it was Egypt.

“Hey, girl,” Bambi said, answering the phone.

“Hey, mamasita, what you doing?”

“Girl, tired as I don’t know what,” she said as she yawned and stretched.

“Look, I just got a quick question to ask.”

“What?”

“When is your gay and lesbian event in the Caymans?”

“Ummm, on the twenty-sixth,” she said with a yawn.

“Good, because I am going to need you to go somewhere with me. It’s real important.”

“Okay, no problem.”

“But I need to drop by this form for you to fill out so you can go.”

“Okay, but what kind of form?”

“It’s just like a background form that you have to fill out so you can get in.”

“E, where we going? To Fort Knox?” Bambi sat up in the bed to try to get this straight.

“No, but close,” Egypt said, getting a little tongue-tied. “Ummmm, we’re going to Atlanta.”

“That’s good. I can hit up the malls and the shops down there, but please tell me what you got up your sleeve. Why do I need to fill out a background check?”