New characters plus a new face claim for Jaxson (Jon's older brother) will be revealed
All of Hollywood's elite movers and shakers were beginning to arrive at the Beverly Wilshire hotel, for Bakari and Ryder's engagement party. The soon to be Mrs. Jordan spent a pretty penny to ensure that her and future hubby's prenuptial extravaganza was one to remember.
But exactly what got remembered, was to be determined.
First to arrive out of the close friends was Dakota and Erika, who arrived in Kota's all black Lamborghini with peanut butter insides, which coincidentally matched their outfits.
The two looked like a couple who had been going strong for some time. This would be their first public appearance amongst other industry peers. The status of their relationship was still undecided, but they were definitely exclusive.
"Damn sis did the damn thing. This shit fire!" Dakota complimented Ryder's black, white and gold decorations as he took two flutes of champagne off of a waitress's tray handing one to Erika.
"Yes! I so love the table setting with the black and gold. It's giving mafia royalty." Erika added.
"Nah! It's giving maxed out credit cards and payment plans." Dakota joked receiving a playful push from Erika who giggled at his silliness.
"Boy you crazy! I guess we can find our seat when Mya and Reeves come in since they're closer. Speaking of........" Erika trailed off before pointing towards their friends who were coming towards them, in all black fits.
"Yeeeeeerrrr!" Reeves called out which made Erika laugh and make the sound right back, earning a few strange glares from a few celebrities and other guest. Apparently this sound was a form of greeting used by a lot of New Yorkers and Reeves used it all the time when in the presence of Erika.
"Wassup sis! What's good bro!?" Reeves said greeting the two. Erika with a side hug and Kota with a single hand slap and pat on the back.
"You two are some clowns! Hey girl! Hi Kota!" Mya laughed greeting them both with a hug.
"You already know Reeves is my guy! It's always jokes with us." Erika responded laughing with Reeves.
"Exactly! It's a east coast thing! They don't know nun' bout that shit!" Reeves joked earning a playful eye roll from his girl.
"You look nice by the way sis, I'm loving this all black dress. Leave it to you to make us look like we got our fits from Targé." Erika said pronouncing target in a fancy way. Never one to leave the house in anything other than a good label, Mya rocked a Alexander Wang dress paired with a Dior bag and Vauthier shoes.
"I'm glad you like it. Had us shopping for three hours for one outfit and left with like fifteen bags!" Reeves grumbled still exhausted from the long shopping spree he took Mya on in New York the day after Valentine's Day. And grimaced at the thought of all the money he had to spend on extra luggage.
Mya smacked her teeth. "Boy hush! Moral of the story is don't take me on an unlimited shopping spree and be surprised I get unlimited things. Now! Let's find out seats." Mya shrugged before heading in the direction of their assigned table.
"Don't you just love relationships!?" Dakota asked humorously.
Reeves rolled his eyes playfully. "I do but my pockets don't!" He said causing Dakota to bust out laughing as they followed behind their women.
__________
Last to arrive was Jonathan and Nina, who allowed her anxiety to get the best of her and change outfits six times. Her nerves weren't the result of the possibility that Jonathan would introduce her to the rest of his family tonight, or that it would be the first time she and Jonathan would be in the same vicinity of his ex. It was the swirling rumor that Nina's idol would be in attendance and she wanted to make a great impression.
"Baby are you sure I look ok!? I hope this dress isn't too sexy." Nina asked Jonathan, adjusting her clothes with one hand as the other was clasped with one of Jon's hands. They were headed inside the venue after taking photos at the step and repeat outside.
"You look gorgeous baby, so much that I'd get a room here so I could have my way with you if it wasn't my bro's engagement party. Don't worry yourself so much love." He assured her, before placing a sweet kiss upon her forehead.
"Aww thanks babe. It's just so much going on tonight and then hearing she might be here. Jesus take the wheel!"
"It doesn't matter to me whose here, you the baddest in the room in my eyes. And the biggest star. Don't leave ya napkin around I might see how much I could get for it on EBay." Jonathan joked making Nina laugh. It also eased her nerves.
They said hello to the other guest who they knew as they made their way to the assigned table Ryder placed them, which would probably be the same seating at the wedding in April. They had nearly made it to their table, as they could see Mya looking at them all while frantically motioning across from her with her hand. When a confused Nina looked in the direction she was pointing in, the biggest squeal left her mouth.
Jonathan snapped his head in the same direction. "What! What! What's wrong baby!?"
"Oh my god! It's B- Beyoncé!!! Oh my god! Say my name! say my name! Beyoncé girl I love you so much!!" Nina completely lost her shit over Queen Bey.
Beyoncé being the gracious queen she is sent Nina a quick wave and the young woman lost her shit again.
"Ahhh! Babe did you see that!? She just waved at me she actually noticed me!"
Hell she couldn't help it, everybody noticed your dramatic crazy tail self.
"Yes baby I saw now let's get to our seat before you see anybody else." Jon said quickly pulling her towards the table with their friends.
"Did y'all see Beyoncé wave at me!?" Nina asked her friends before she could even take her seat.
"We all saw!" Dakota, Reeves and Erika said simultaneously with a hint of annoyance.
"Oop! Not me detecting hateration and holleration in the dancery!" Nina scoffed.
"Forget them girl, I saw it and it was amazing!" Mya bubbled in excitement with Nina. Mya was the one with the inside scoop on Bey possibly being in attendance when a music industry colleague told her Beyoncé was looking for a stylist for a big event in Los Angeles, the same night as the engagement party.
"Aye y'all! Beyoncé just waved at me!" A gleeful Jaxson beamed standing beside Nina's chair.
"Oh my god!" The guys grumbled.
"Don't y'all hate cause Queen Bey know me, peasants!"
"Exactly! Mad they not on our level." Nina retorted.
"Heeeey! Is it just me or you look different since the last time we saw you!?" Mya asked curiously.
Jaxson frowned. "Really!? Different how?"
"Like replacing dark skin Clare with light skin Clare on my wife and kids." Dakota interjected.
"Nah more like swapping Janet Hubert for Daphne Reid as Aunt Viv on fresh prince." Reeves added.
"Ooh! I know what it is, you got a haircut!" Nina chimed in. The group pondered silently before all saying Yeeahhh! Or Yup! That's it in agreement with Nina.
"Anyway! I'll see y'all around since I'm stuck at the "other" table!" Jax said rolling his eyes, referring to the table that he was assigned, with his wife, Ryder's cousin Serenity and of course Ciara who hadn't yet taken her seat.
"Damn you gotta sit at the losers table, that sucks. At least Renni there, she cool peoples." Reeves mocked.
Jax sucked his teeth before saying his goodbyes and heading back to his table. The group of friends continued to chat it up as they awaited the arrival of the bride and groom to be as well as a few more guest.
"And there goes the parents!" Reeves said looking in the direction of his parents and Bakari's.
Rico and Keyshia who were in their mid to late forties, looked every bit of Hood Royalty. Due to his past Rico still walked around with security, especially at high society events like this one. Rico nodded to his son with a smile and his mother waved before taking their seat.
Bentley and April followed behind them, greeting the other guest as they walked by. Though both in their fifties, they looked damn good. Reeves was curious on how his and Bakari's parents being at the same table was gonna go, considering they weren't the best of friends.
Bentley and Rico actually got along great, but Mrs. Jordan wasn't too fond of Rico the ex thug and his ghetto wife. And let Mrs. Keyshia tell it, she couldn't stand April's upitty ass either.
__________
When the all black Bentley Bentayga came to a halt outside of the Luxury hotel, Bakari grabbed the hand of his soon to be bride catching her attention.
"You ready my love?" He asked softly, rubbing her the back of her hand with his thumb.
She was nervous.
Ryder let out a shaky breath before her lips formed into a smile and taking a firmer grip on his large hand. "As long as I have you beside me, I'm ready for anything." She said more confident than what she seemed, but Bakari knew her true feelings deep inside.
"I got you baby, nothing or nobody can stop me from being with you but god. Understand me!?"
Ryder nodded.
Bakari kissed the back of her hand. "Then let's go." He said before tapping the window to let the driver know they were ready to get out. The couples good friend Issa Rae came to the front of the room to announce the couple.
"Before I announced the soon to be bride and groom I just want to say.....Beyoncé waved at me y'all!! Hey Yoncé!" Issa beamed with the biggest smile earning a room full of laughter. And grunts from the fellas, who had heard about Beyoncé one too many times already.
"Ooh! I see we have a table full of haters...Fine haters too! Not one ugly friend in the bunch, I need a seat change." Issa joked. "Even though I'm still mad Ryder Kennedy stole my baby daddy and her mama stole my husband, Bakari and Ryder are still the most amazing couple and completely deserve happiness and love with each other. So with further ado please welcome The future Mr. and Mrs. Jordan.
Hand-in-hand Kari and Ryder entered the venue to an array of flashing camera lights, followed by loud cheering and clapping. Brandy's I wanna be down played in the background as the couple worked the room.
After greeting their parents and then Jaxson's table they made their way to their best friends who hyped them up immediately.
"Ooh! Y'all look good hunny." Mya complemented followed by Erika getting Ryder to do a little sexytwirl.
"Aye! We bout to get y'all fucked up with helluh' shots so gone an announce the food bruh!" Reeves joked.
"I'm already knowing, we prepped for the shit." Bakari joked backed. He and Ryder made their way to the front of the venue to thank their guests for coming and to let everyone know the food was ready to be served.
__________
As everyone sat together dining on their catered meals from Mastro's Steak House, Bakari sat back in his seat looking at his group of friends in deep thought. "You good man?" Dakota asked getting the impression that something was wrong. His question caught the attention of everyone else at the table as well.
"Yeah man I'm good. I'm just sitting here thinking about how different I imagined this table to look a few months ago. Considering this will likely be the arrangement at the wedding."
"What do you mean? You know we Ya boys. We always gone be here and Ry our sis so we here for her too." Jon retorted.
"I know and I'm not saying this as a bad thing. But a few months ago I if you would have told me Kota and Reeves would be here with an actual date and not a jump off, and we'd have to put your brother and Ciara ass at a separate table I would have called you a liar."
The guys nodded their head and shrugged. Bakari had a point there.
"But I'm glad things did change." Ryder interjected. "I wouldn't have realized how much things needed to change if it didn't. And because y'all actually decided to date women with brains I actually have real friends."
"Thank god for that cause I was tired of Yo cheating ass at poker nig-....Damn Ry! That shit hurt!" Reeves started but was immediately thumped in the ear by his sister.
"Well now she got partners in crime cause we coming to poker night too!" Erika sassed with Mya and Nina in agreement.
"Let's make it strip poker and I'm down!" Dakota chimed in.
"Of course ya little freaky ass would love that." Jonathan joked.
__________
Music played and drinks flowed as everyone in attendance moved around the venue, conversing with other guest. Some networking and others just plain old conversation and gossip.
Reeves took this opportunity to introduce Mya to his mother and father. "Mama! Pop!" He announced and they got up to greet him.
"Hey my handsome baby! You look so cute pumpkin." His mom praised giving him a delightful hug making him feel like a child again as he grinned.
"Woman will you stop embarrassing this boy in public, he a grown ass man. What's up son?" Rico jokingly chastised his wife before giving his only son a hug.
"You hush! And besides I haven't heard from my child in a good while...I'm guessing this beautiful young lady is the reason why?" Keyshia said turning her attention to Mya.
"Actually! that's why I came over here. Mya these are my parents Rico and Keyshia Kennedy. Mom and dad this is my date Mya."
Mya stepped forward. "It's so nice to meet you." Mya said putting her hand out for a handshake.
"Girl put that hand away! We huggers round hea'."
Can't do that now while we in a panoramic.
"And you can either call me Keyshia, KeKe or Mama Key. That Mrs. nonsense is for old folks I'm forty-fine and getting more finer." Keyshia added.
"Ma relax!" Reeves interjected with slight embarrassment.
"Nice to meet you sweetheart and you can call me Rico or Sin. And if you hear him or his soft ass friends and brother in-law call me Papa Sinny remind them that I will saw off their knee caps." Rico added giving her a hug.
Mya winced. "Yes sir! Remind me not to get on your bad side."
"Girl please he sweeter than candy. Them big boys been calling him that since forever and it ain't stopped him from wanting them around yet."
Rico always wanted a bunch of son's but the life he chose only gave him time to conceive one. So whenever Reeves and the guys decide to spend time with their Papa Sinny whose rough upbringing gained him wisdom and surprising made him much softer with his kids, he loves every minute of their time. And Ryder being his only daughter, had him wrapped around his finger.
"Okay! Enough about me, son you usually don't bring any one around. Is it safe to say y'all two are serious?"
"Ye-" Reeves began but Mya interjected.
"It's still too soon to tell actually. Plus with our careers a relationship isn't really smart to dive deep in right now."
Her words left a sour taste in his mouth and Mya could tell when his demeanor instantly changed.
"Yeah what she said." Reeves mumbled and Mya couldn't help but notice the cold glare he gave her. His father noticed it too and decided he'd talk to his boy about it another time.
"What do you do exactly?" Keyshia asked. Most of the women he hung around were strippers, pornstars and Instagram models.
"I'm a PR agent for a label. His friend Jonathan's date is one of my clients."
"Good for you! Well if what my daughters been saying is true, that the two of you have been spending a lot of time together that tells me you two really like each other. And like I tell my kids, especially this one. Don't let the money and power this world can give you keep you from living your life. It's way more important things in this world. Cause we you dead and gone whatever you got left is just gonna be fought over and spent on putting yo ass in the dirt."
Keyshia's words came from experience. The lifestyle she and her husband chose kept them from enjoying life the way they wanted. Rico felt her words the most considering he was the headmaster of it all.
On the other side of the ballroom, Ryder was chopping it up with her cousin Serenity.
"Girl who is that fine piece of caramel pie of a man you got me sitting next too!?" Renni asked gawking over the handsome man she'd had her eyes on all night.
"Girl that's Jonathan's older brother Jaxson."
"Brother!? I need to see they mama and daddy cause Whoo! They make some fine ass kids." Serenity added as she and Ryder watched the guys indulge in a conversation from afar. "You know he's married right? His wife was sitting right next to him. And they have kids, two actually!"
"Seriously!? Hell I couldn't tell, the girl seemed so disinterested with him. He kept to himself for the most part while she and her little bobble head friend kept side eyeing y'all table....speaking of here they come."
"Ryder is there a reason why you got us at the reject table?" Ciara asked with an attitude.
Serenity and Ryder both frowned trying to figure out who she was talking too. "Speak for yourself cause I ain't no damn reject!" Serenity grumbled.
"Isn't it obvious?" Ryder asked in a duh tone.
"You and Jonathan aren't together and he brought his date, who just so happened to have to get this girl together when you came for her at bowling night." Ryder explained referring to Angelina and Nina's brief show down.
"Which I wasn't invited to by the way!" Ciara continued and Ryder had to keep herself from cussing this girl out. Being around the new group of girls made her realize how annoying the ones in her face now are.
"And that's because of the same reason you're not at our table."
"Well don't let these new girls make you forget who your real friends are. You know! The ones who were there before you got a ring." Ciara indicated to make it seem like Ryder hung close to them to get to Bakari.
Bakari was technically seeing someone when Reeves introduced them. While Bakari tied up loose ends with his side piece, Ryder was always Reeves plus one to any group function which is how she met Ciara and Angelina. But while they mostly treated her like a stepchild, Ryder was the one who held Angelina's secret she begged her not to tell.
So who was really there for who?
"You want me to cut this bitch?" Serenity asked by whispering in Ryder's ear. Ryder chuckled and shook her head.
"They'll certainly know their place in her life once she announces her bridesmaids and maid of honor." Angelina interjected.
" You're absolutely right! Cause that title only goes to the most important women in my life." Ryder grinned. "Let me go find Bakari so we can announce them."
__________
"Now son are you sure you want to marry this girl!? I mean look at her with her chest all out, looking like a hoochie mama! And those hoodrat parents of hers coming in here with security like they're The Obama's." Mrs. Jordan bleated, as always when she was around Ryder and her parents.
"Woman will you hush! That girl looks fine and I think her family are extremely nice people. Son you have and always had my blessing to marry Ryder who is a great girl despite your mother's distaste for her." His dad said tired of his wife and her complaining.
"Thank you dad! And mom I wish you could see what everyone else sees. Ryder is amazing, I just hope whatever issues you have with her you fix it before the wedding."
"I! Don't have to fix a damn thing." April hissed through clinched teeth. "If you marry that scallywag don't look for me at th-"
"Alright enough! She's coming." Bentley intervened in this heated discussion.
"Hey baby!" Ryder beamed as Bakari and his parents fixed their attitudes. "Hey Mr. Jordan....H-Hey Mrs. Jordan!"
"Honey it's about time you start calling me dad, we will be family soon." Bentley smiled giving her a side hug, April said nothing.
"I will certainly work on it dad, Babe you ready to announce our groomsmen and bridesmaids?"
"Of course! Let's do it now." Bakari replied taking her hand.
___________
"If I could have everybody's attention please!" Bakari said over the mic as guest turned towards him and Ryder.
"My fiancé and I would like to take the time out to say thank you all again for being here tonight. Your love and support for us individually and as a couple means a lot to us."
The audience gave a few claps and we love you's before he continued.
"At this time I would like to announce my Groomsmen and Best Man. I have known these guys for so long, that they are more like brothers to me than friends. They have supported me through everything, been my confidants and most importantly they keep me grounded when this Hollywood thing blows my head up!
So Jax, Jonathan and Dakota if you would do the honor of being my groomsmen I would greatly appreciate it." Bakari's words were immediately followed by loud Hell yeahs from the guys.
"And to give this honor to someone other than him, just wouldn't be right. Especially since if he hadn't introduced me to this beautiful woman who knows how life would have turned out. With that being said I'd like Reeves to be my Best Man!"
Of course Reeves accepted the title with honor. He was truly they're biggest cheerleader and loved Bakari for his sister and looked at him like a big brother as he did Jon and Dakota.
"Well now I guess it's my turn." Ryder chuckled.
"The women I chose to be my bridesmaids have shown me what a true sisterhood looks and feels like. In the time we have known each other we have become a small family. Guiding one another with love and through experience, helping each other become better women individually and in our relationships. They helped me appreciate the love my fiancé has shown me even more, so to not have these ladies by my side on wedding day wouldn't be right."
Ciara and Angelina beamed proudly and with confidence knowing that soon their names would be called.
"With that being said....Nina, Mya, Erika and Serenity if you would do me the honor of being my bridesmaids with Serenity as my maid of honor that would mean the absolute world to me."
This couldn't be!
Confusion set in on Angelina on how Ryder just completely blindsided them by not choosing them as her bridesmaids. And to top it off she picked Ciara's exes new fling and his friends bed winch's to be by her side.
While those two sulked, the other ladies graciously accepted their roles in Bakari and Ryder's wedding. Best the wedding was fast approaching, fittings and alterations would start immediately during the upcoming week.
Guest had returned to doing their own thing again, with the music cranked back up and the drinks flowing once more as well as a delicious candy and dessert table open for their pleasure.
They had at least two hours left in the ballroom in which Ryder and Bakari paid for, but the series of events that were about to take place in the party's final moments which would test multiple relationships, making them wish it had ended sooner.
To Be Continued