What I Learned In L.A. (Sequel to What I learned at Hope Springs)

New Business

Micheal

I walked into the office with Briasha and my new lawyer. I had already spoke to Chris. My lawyer spoke with our old lawyer and we agreed to separate everything down the middle. I would take proceeds from my designs and open a separate store just for Last Kings. Chris would continue to sale his at the store Jasmine had. It was now taken over by someone her dad brought in. We all sat around the conference table. Everyone looked so dissapointed. Chris glared at me from across the table and so did Brittany. My lawyer spoke first. "So everyone is in agreeance with what we drew up?" he asked passing out copies to everyone at the table. Our old lawyer leaned into Chris whispering something. "Can we have 30 minutes to go over what's here? Chris wants to make sure its the same thing we discussed." I shook my head yes and we all just sat there in silence.

"So nobody is gonna say anything about this?" Brittany blurted out. "Britt this ain't the time." Chris told her. "Why not? Why is this even happening?" she asked clearly upset. "Just leave it alone okay. He wants this...let's just do it then we can mind our business like he wants us to." Chris said glaring at me again. "You made this happen!" I screamed across the table. "If you would have just let things go and let me handle mine we would have been good!" "How huh? Cause you gotta hoe pregnant! How was y'all gone be good? Huh!" I don't know why I started to cry but I did. "You stole my fucking wife!" I yelled.

"Look I'm cool with this. Brittany let's go." Chris said grabbing her hand. "Chris we--Brittany started to talk but she was cut off by Chris snatching her up. "Let's fucking go!" he yelled again. "Man don't be grabbing her like that man!" I stood up from the table about to lunge over it to get to Chris. "Take care of your business kid. I got us over here!" Chris said smirking.  He walked out the office Brittany in front of him. "I'm sorry everyone." "We could try and do this again." our old lawyer said. I really just wanted all of this to be over and done. "Know what. Its cool bro. Just wrap this up." I said taking Briasha's hand and walking out.

I was still wiping tears from my eyes as we were walking out the building. I gave the valet attendant my ticket so we could get the car. Once they returned I tipped him and got in. The car was silent. Briasha hadn't said anything at all but I knew she had something to say because she kept sighing every 5 seconds. I pulled over to the shoulder of the road on the interstate. "So what's up?" I said, putting the car in park. "Nothing. I'm fine." "No you not. You keep sighing. What you doing all that for?" She scoffed under her breath. "Come the fuck on man. Just tell me whats up."

"Why did you even have to say that?" "Say what?" "About Brittany? That had nothing to do with anything. It had nothing to do with the deal we were making, the contract. Nothing." I sucked my teeth. "So what. Why does it mattet?" "It matters because I need to know that you ain't gone just up and leave me for her while I'm giving birth to your daughter!" she screamed. I ain't even know it was a girl. "Damn baby. We having a girl?" I asked taking my seatbelt off to turn and face her. I placed my hand on her stomach. "Yo its a girl?" "Yes Micheal. I found out yesterday." I smiled hugely. "I love you. I'm not leaving you. We all just got emotional back there that's it...okay. It was nothing." "You promise?" "I promise. You and baby girl ain't got nothing to worry about." I said kissing her cheek.

Chris

"B! Just come talk to me!" I yelled up the stairs. Brittany had already ran upstairs losing an article of clothing as she went up each stair. "Talk to you? You want me to talk to you? You ain't talk to me. You rather command me to do stuff then talk to me!" she screamed down the stairs at me. "I didn't mean it. I'm just...I dont know man. When he was saying all that stuff it just made me mad. Like we ain't been f riends all these years. He just let her come in and ruin our friendship." Brittany came down the stairs slowly. "Maybe it was the right thing. Maybe we been depending on each other too much you know." I knew she was right. I had been thinking this lately too. We were all close. Taking on each other's problems as our own, living our lives for each other. It wasn't healthy. Brittany and me knew this all too well it's what our therapist told us.