King of the Empire (Completed)

Chapter Twenty-Seven: Secrets Revealed Part 1

Chapter 27

Jamal took Lola's hand and opened the door to his father's mansion. It was graciously time for one of the infamous Lyon family dinners. Lola, who Cori had dolled up for the event and proud of it, looked pretty in her pink dress and accessories. He hoped for her sake, this dinner would go by smoothly.

"Hey Andre. Rhonda." Jamal greeted them and sat down on the couch, sipping the lemonade. Lola ran over to give Rhonda a kiss, who smiled down at her, and her uncle a kiss.

Hakeem and Tianna was the next to appear, and Lola greeted her other uncle with a kiss and Tianna with a shy hello.

When Lucious finally decided to appear, Lola greeted him with a bear hug, which he accepted and lifted her up into the air, giving her a kiss. "Grandpa?"

"Hmm?" Lucious answered while nodding to the other guests.

"Where's grandma?" Lola looked up at him.

Lucious shrugged. "Good question. Go get your daddy to call her."

Lola ran over to Jamal who handed her his phone. Lola ran off to her playroom with it and Jamal sighed.

"How's being a dad Mal?" Hakeem asked, chuckling.

"It's damn trying. I love her to death but she reminds me of mom so much." Jamal sighed, rubbing his hand over his eyes.

"What you saying about me boy?" Cookie demanded as she entered the room in a gold dress with pink accessories.

"Just that Lola thinks you are a great grandma and that she loves you." Jamal smartly adverted the subject to which his brothers snickered.

"Well then let's eat." Cookie eyes him before announcing, leading everyone to the dining room.

Lucious and Cookie sat on opposite ends of the table, Lola and Jamal sat next to each other on one side, as did Andre and Rhonda on the next side, and Hakeem and Tianna across from each other. As the maids dished out the spaghetti with large gourmet meatballs.

The family did some slight small talk.

Jamal looked down at his daughter, who was struggling with the meatballs.

"Hey baby girl, let daddy cut them for you." Jamal offered picking up his knife.

Lola shook her head fiercely. "No daddy. I can do it by myself I'm a big girl remember?"

Jamal sighed, wondering if he should give up trying or cut the meatballs anyway.

Cookie chuckled. "Let it be Jamal. She's at that independent age. She'll ask for help if she needs it."

Jamal nodded, returning to his food.

Just before putting the spaghetti in his mouth, before he could stop it, Lola pushed too hard on the edge of her plate, trying to cut the meatball. The plate tipped over, dumping all the contents all over Lola.

Jamal groaned.

Everyone stopped, looking at Lola.

Lola peered at him through strings of spaghetti. "Oopsie Daddy."

"Oopsie is right baby. Why didn't you ask for help or let Daddy cut the meatballs?" Jamal sighed as he tried to get all of the food off of Lola.

Cookie, Tianna, and Rhonda came over, trying to help out.

Rhonda spoke up. "I'm sorry Lola, but the dress is ruined. Tomato stains don't come out."

Lola looked sad for a moment then looked hopeful. "Maybe Cori can get it out. She gets stains out of the bed and daddy's shirts all the time."

Jamal face palmed. This was not how he wanted the news of Cori at his house coming out at all.

Everyone turned to him for explanation and Cookie blanched and looked up to the ceiling as if praying.

Lucious spoke up. "Stains you say Lola-bear? Is she the maid?"

"Nope" Lola answered promptly. "She lives with us."

Jamal coughed as he felt the heavy stares of his family on him. "Ok Lola. Let's see if Ms. Anna can give you a bath really quick and then it's time to go. It's past your bedtime."

The older lady took Lola by the hand and led her upstairs to the bathroom.

Lucious spoke again. "So Jamal, there's a woman living in your house?"

Jamal nodded and before he could speak, Andre spoke up. "Are you fucking her? Cuz if she was just living with you, you sure were quiet about it."

Jamal glared at Andre.

Cookie spoke up cynically. "Fucking is a joke. Those two mess around like-"

"-Like friends." Jamal interrupted his mother. "We are just friends. Her mother kicked her out and she's staying with me until she can get back on her feet. Right mother?" Jamal looked towards his mother, as if challenging her to say anything else.

Cookie looked at him and harrumphed, letting the issue go. "Well, y'all seem closer than that. That's all I'm saying."

Jamal got up. "I'm going to see what's taking Lola so long. Please enjoy your meal." Jamal headed up the stairs, still feeling the weighted stares of his family's eyes.

"I'm here today with Mr. Jamal Lyon, the son of Lucious Lyon and a major artist at Empire. How are you Jamal?" The pristine red head reporter asked him.

Jamal smiled. "I'm fine."

The lady continued. "Well since your album dropped, it's reached platinum sales. How has your personal life changed since then?"

Jamal sighed, thinking on the question. "It hasn't really changed a lot. I'm still working on more music, trying to find time to spend with my daughter, meeting great fans."

The lady crooned. "Aww and how is little Ms. Lola Lyon doing?"

"She's fine. Talkative and as curious as ever but she's fine." Jamal smiled.

"When will she be going to school?" The lady inquired.

"This coming September." Jamal answered politely.

"Public or private?"

"We're working on private schools." Jamal answered.

"Well now, do you think a love life will be hard with a child?" the lady asked, lifting a brow.

Jamal shook his head. "I go further in my relationships based on two things, my career and my daughter. If they can't understand either, then it's a no go. Simple as that."

The lady fixed her mic. "Well as a gay man, is it harder to find love with a child?"

Jamal sighed as he swore he just answered the damn question. "No ma'am. I'm not excluding anyone. Love is love. As long as the relationship doesn't mess up my career or my relationship with Lola."

The lady looked stunned. "So are you not gay anymore?"

Jamal sighed. "I'm saying that I'll date whoever I want to date. No exclusivity. Have a good night." Jamal walked off the set.