“I’m thinking expand the capacity on the second lounge and have a members’ only section on the second floor. Create some exclusivity,” Loyal explained as he pointed to the paper and walked Cassidy through thefloor plan.“Construction should take less than four months if we can get it on schedule as soon as spring starts. We could be open by Thanksgiving next year,” Loyal stated.
“And the split?” Cassidy asked.
“60/30/10, your way,” Loyal stated.“I’m a man of my word.”
“What’sthe three-way split?” Cassidy asked.“We discussed 60/40. Who’sthe third entity?”
“Yoursister,” Loyal stated.
Cassidy sat up in shock.
“You talked to her about this?” he asked.
“It’s her Christmas gift; I don’t need to,” Loyal informed.
“Wait,” Cassidy stated.“Nigga, what?”
“I fuck with your sister heavy, Cass. She don’t know it yetcuz she refuse to call a nigga back, but she’s going to be my wife one day,” Loyal said.
Cassidy chuckled and scratched the back of his neck.“Yeah, nigga, you don’t know Eat all,” he snickered.“I’ma sign this shit just to see what the fuckgon’happen. You a wild boy. Ellie is a lot of things, but sheain’t for sale. She gon’take your head off for this one.”
“I’m not trying to buy her,bruh. That ain’t my intention. I don’t mean no disrespect,” Loyal stated.
“I don’t think you do; otherwise, we wouldn’t be signing anything. I think you need to get to know a woman you claim to want to marry. Eain’t gon’accept this,” Cassidy stated.
“She’s still married, my nigga. You know that, right? She in the middle of some bullshit with this nigga, and you putting this much pressure on her justgon’make her run the other way.”
“What bullshit?” Loyal asked, nose flaring slightly in irritation.
“Man, you know the shit that happened at the lounge. It’s hard on her and my niece,” Cassidy said.“Still, she’s too independent for a handout, and I know you saying itain’t one, but that’s how shegon’take it. Youain’t even took her out yet, bruh, slow down.”
Cassidy snickered as Loyal poured two glasses of Louis XIII.
“She leaves town soon. I only got the holidays. A nigga can only go so slow,” Loyal stated, chuckling.“How about inviting her to the Christmas party? That’s something she can say yes to without feeling like she’s selling her soul.”
“That’sa start, my nigga. A much slower start than giving her ten percent. We can put the ten in escrow for her after you’ve discussed it with her.”
“Yeah, that sounds good,” Loyal stated. He held up his glass and Cassidy tapped it with his own.“We’re going to make a lot of fucking money off this chain. We open one a year, and follow this same floor plan, but move down I-75 into Metro Detroit. We talking tens of millions per year. How’s that for proving niggas wrong?”
“Iain’t really trying to prove shit to nobody at this point,” Cassidy stated.“I’m just trying to get my paper and rebuild my life, man.“I’m learning it don’t matter how much a nigga change. Once people see you at your lowest, they can only remember you there. So, I’m looking forward, not back.”
“To looking forward then,” Loyal toasted.
Chapter 12
Ellie pulled Tessa’s locs up into a ponytail and then took a toothbrush and gel to her edges. Her little face had been overcast with sadness all morning. Ellie was infected with her woe. Whenever either of her children was in pain, she would always feel the same symptoms. It didn’t matter what it was. She was so in tune with them that her body mimicked whatever ailed them. Ellie sat in the chair across from Tessa. It was Christmas Shopping Day on Shy’sFriendsmas itinerary, and they were supposed to meet at the mall, but Ellie just wasn’t in the Christmas spirit, and the forlorn look on Tessa’s face said the same.
“I know you feel sad, baby. I’m so sorry your daddy hurt your feelings,” Ellie stated.
“He says he’s not my daddy,”Tessa stated.
Ellie had a lot to explain. These were big concepts to a four-year-old.
“So, you know how I always told you that you were the biggest gift I ever got?” Ellie asked.
Tessa nodded and looked up at her with emotion-filled eyes. They were so glossy from the tears threatening to fall.
“Someone else grew you in their tummy, Tess, and that person wasn’t supposed to be a mommy, but God knew that I needed another daughter, so he chose me to be your mommy. I took one look at you, and I fell in love. I knew you were supposed to be mine, baby.”
