𝐄𝐩𝐢𝐬𝐨𝐝𝐞 𝟏- 𝐏𝐢𝐥𝐨𝐭 𝐏𝐭 3
That night....
After the mess from earlier; Lucious called the two twins down to the new club.
With her hair baby hairs gel down, she wore a black head band to keep back her straightened hair. A clutch at her side to match her heels.
Hakeem and Mercedes headed inside Empire's new club and found their dad over in the V.I.P area.
Lucious sees them. "There they are." Mercedes smiles, giving him a side hug. "Hey, baby girl." He hugs Mercedes back. "How was your rehearsal today? I heard some good things."
"Of course it went good. Did you expect less from me?" Mercedes smirks pulling back.
"Not from my daughter." Lucious shakes his head. "Your twin maybe."
"Ah-ha," Mercedes points.
Hakeem smacks her hand out the way and nods his head to their father. "You wanted to see us?"
Lucious sees his eye and tried to fight his smirk. That eye said Cookie all the way which meant Hakeem met her but he wondered if Mercedes was going to tell him that she did to. A lot of the people in Empire told him that Cookie went to her studio despite his efforts of keeping where their daughter was to himself.
Mercedes shakes her head at Hakeem's face. "I told you let me put some makeup on that." Hakeem rolls his eyes at his twin.
Lucious motions to the lively club. "So. How y'all like our new club?"
"It's all right." Hakeem shrugs as he looks out at it.
Mercedes smiles. "Classy, I will say that. It screams Empire."
Lucious looks back at Hakeem's eye and breaks his poker face. "I see you've met your mama." He looks to Mercedes. "Nothing on you, so I guess you played it smart."
They walk to the back.
"Now I see why you kept us from her." Hakeem said. They all sat down on at open booth. "She a psychotic animal, Dad."
Mercedes smacks his shoulder. "Stop talking about your mother like that. That's why you got beat up."
Hakeem sat back. "I don't know that woman. And neither do you." He tells her but got a wave off.
"You're just like her." Lucious tells Hakeem. "But your sister, now she got both of us in her."
Mercedes scoffs. "Lucky me."
Lucious grabbed a drink from the waitress who walks over to him. She sat drinks in front of Hakeem and Mercedes and leaves the bottle for them.
Lucious sat back. "You know, when uh Cookie got sent away. The judge told us 30 years. Now I was devastated."
"Mmm. She was the one in jail and YOU were devastated." Mercedes crosses her legs and gets comfortable. Lucious and Hakeem look over at her. "What? I'm just saying. Leaving the mother of your kids in prison while you became rich and you were devastated." Lucious glares from her back talking, "Apparently not too devastated to get rich and leave her sitting."
"Little girl, hush your mouth." Lucious points. Mercedes rolls her eyes and sips her drink. "Now, I didn't know nothing about raising y'all. Cookie did all of that. Anyway, Dottie came along and fell for me hard. Said she wanted to raise y'all, you and your sister wasn't even one yet. Cookie didn't want y'all visiting her in jail and that was fine with Dottie."
Mercedes lowers her drink. "What are you saying?"
"What I'm saying is, y'all mama wasn't a bad person. We just was in a real bad situation, you know?"
Hakeem nodded in understanding, he picks up his drink. "What ever happened to Miss Dottie?"
"She got shot on 42nd and Walnut." Lucious tells them. Both Hakeem and Mercedes exchange sad looks from hearing that. "But you need to get your act together." Hakeem pulls out his phone when it vibrated in his pocket. "You just gonna pull out a phone when I'm talking to you?"
Mercedes snickers and sips her drink.
Lucious looks at his son. "Could be something but you're wasting your talents on bitches and booze."
Mercedes stops drinking. "That sounds like Hakeem Lyon."
Hakeem snaps at her. "Shut up, nobody asked for your mouth."
"Don't tell me shut up, that's what got your eye like that. Disrespectful mother-"
Hakeem cuts her off. "You get on somebody nerves just like your mother. I see where you get it."
"Both of y'all shut up." Lucious says. Both of them stop talking after exchanging dirty looks to each other. "Always arguing with each other. Cut it out."
Hakeem sat up. "Man, forget your daughter,"
"I'm unforgettable, watch yourself."
"Must be with that guy following you outside of Empire today," Hakeem says. Mercedes chokes on her drink with a cough and smack to her chest. Lucious drags his curious look to her. "Chicken saw ya'll."
Getting herself together, she threw her straw at him. "How many times I told you and your friends stay out my damn business."
"Who was he?"
"What you dating him?" Mercedes looks him up and down. "I always wanted a sister." She smiles.
"Whatever," Hakeem waves her off.
Lucious kept his gaze on Mercedes who avoided his stare at all cost. And he knew that look from anywhere.
"Look, I'm working on new stuff now and you know that." Hakeem says.
Mercedes stirs her drink with a new straw. "Please," she scoffs. "I'm the only one really working on something here if we want to be technical."
"I'm interested in who was outside of Empire looking for you. Somebody security need to be on the look out for?"
"No," Mercedes shakes her head.
"Yeah, probably."
Mercedes eyes roll up. "Nobody was talking to you 20 cent."
Lucious nods with a hum. "Okay,"
Mercedes tries to ease her nerves. "Listen, I was in the studio today, where were you?" She asked sarcastically to her twin. "Dad, you wanna know?" Lucious looks from Hakeem who glares at Mercedes. "Day parties, and not in the studio like you told him. Then he got a much needed haircut before getting whacked with a broom."
"You snitch b-"
"Boy, don't you dare."
"No let him so I can knock his ass out this booth. I should have let her keep going."
"I should whack your smart ass with a broom next, how about that?" Hakeem says
"Oh, you bad." Mercedes hand goes to her chest. "Don't talk it,"
"Yo, you ain't-"
"Didn't I tell you two to, shut-up." Lucious says more sterner. They look away from the other. "Now, neither of you ain't worked a day in your life and both of you know that. Both yall asses is spoiled."
Mercedes scoffs. "Please, no I'm not."
"Says to the girl that spent a thousand dollars at the mall today?" He raises a brow.
Mercedes holds her arms out. "But I brought you something though, cause I love you that much."
"Terrible." Lucious chuckles, shaking his head at her. He looks over at Hakeem. "Listen, Keem. I got some new heat for you." Hakeem looks back at him. "Some stuff that I wrote. We gonna go in and record it and we gonna put some candy on this thing, you feel me?" Mercedes eyes widened and narrow to her father. Lucious fived Hakeem who exchange's a brief look with his twin. The two of them tried keeping it in but failed miserably once Mercedes snorted and started to laugh. Lucious looks at his kids crazy. "What's so damn funny?"
"Candy though dad?" Mercedes says in between laughs. "Really?"
Lucious nods. "Yeah, candy. I know ya'll still say that."
"No, you the only one." Hakeem gets himself together. "Cedes?"
Mercedes looks over as her laughing calmed. "Hmm?"
"You gonna put some candy on that new song tomorrow?" Hakeem brows quirk with a smirk.
Mercedes starts cracking up all over again using her father's shoulder.
Lucious sips his drink with a head shake. "I can't stand y'all black asses sometimes. I swear." Hakeem laughed with her. "Can't take neither one of you nowhere."
Mercedes stops fighting her giggles. "Are you mad?" Lucious stops drinking to glare at her as Hakeem laughed.
That Night, back at Lucious Home
Mercedes sat in the living room in her pajama pants and tank, with her tablet in her lap; scrolling through her music ideas and photos. All her hair--pulled up in a high pony tail that rested over her shoulder.
Scrolling through music from years ago, she stop on a old picture. A photo of all her friends in front of Destiny's house. Before things got complicated, before she knew the truth about the person she cared about the most.
They all sat on the steps as she sat in Legend's lap, hugging him. The smile on her face....she never remembered when the last time she truly had it around another man.
Things were simple back then. Nobody was going after money, people weren't stabbing each other in the backs and friends weren't dying by the week.
If she had one chance to turn it all back...she would.
A message pinged on her phone. Taking her thoughts from her tablet, she picks it up.
Mally-Mal: Hey big head, I already know your up so you better reply tonight. I saw your Facebook post ( So don't try it ). I'm performing at the shop in a couple of days, I wanted to know if you want to come on down and see it. You can bring your friends.
Mercedes: You never have to ask me, just always send me an address. Of course I'll be there to see you Mal! And also, I can go to sleep in a minute, I posted that five minutes ago. Don't be stalking me fool.
Mally-Mal: Yeah you can go dead weight in a minute. I forgot how easy it was to put you to sleep for your naps.
Mercedes: Shut up Jamal, Lol, but yeah I'll be there.
Mally-Mal: Lol, okay. Night, love you.
Mercedes: See you then! & I love you to Mal.
Mercedes smiles putting her phone to the side. She was proud of Jamal and his singing, she just wished when it came to her older brother that her father felt the same. It was so much between Jamal and her father that she often tried to stay out of but what she didn't go for at times was how Lucious acted towards him because of Jamal being gay. Nothing about what her brother liked changed who he was, or how great he sung. Mercedes didn't know everything but Jamal told her about how Lucious tried to put him in the trash can when he was little because of it and apart of her couldn't believe it but after observing her father, she soon could.
Anika walks in the room talking with Lucious.
"I think he is going to love it." She giggles but stops when she sees Mercedes. "Hey, I didn't know you were still up."
Mercedes smiles down at her tablet with a nod. "Yeah, I had some stuff to go over for tomorrow."
"Don't forget you got the investors brunch for Empire tomorrow." Anika mentions. "Took me a week to get DeVani to get you on the list. I need a bright and fresh face."
"I'll have one, I promise." Mercedes says.
Anika wasn't her mother and Mercedes didn't look at her like one but she did grow to care about her. Since she came in the family, Anika had been nothing but a sweetheart to her and keeping her on her toes when it comes to her work and she loved her for it.
"Gonna hold you to that pretty girl." Anika pats her back. "You and the girls gonna be ready for your performance at the club? Your dad is expecting you and Keem to blow the roof off."
Mercedes scoffs with a slight chuckle. "I will. Can't speak for who I shared a womb with."
Lucious smirks and rests a hand on Anika's back. "I already know she is going to be fine. Baby, give me and Mercedes a minute. I want to talk to her."
"Okay, sure. I got some call to make anyway." Anika nods. "I'll see you in the room babe. Night, Mercedes."
"Night, Anika." Mercedes gives a nod and made sure to swipe away from the photo of her and Legend together.
Once Anika walked out, Lucious took a seat on the couch next to Mercedes.
"Now you know we are better than that, put it down."
Mercedes rolls her eyes with a deep sigh but turns her tablet off and sits back. "What I do?"
"Now, what was that about earlier when I met with you and your brother? Besides some guy coming to Empire to see you,"
"I told you that was nothing, just some fan." Mercedes holds her arms.
Lucious nods. "Did your mother say something to you?" Mercedes eyes narrow to him. "I already know she made sure to find you. That's your mother after all."
"No she didn't tell me anything." Mercedes brows pull. "Should she have?" Lucious gives his daughter a stern look. "I was just commenting on how you thought her leaving was so heart breaking, but you still left her there dad. Didn't you miss her? Because it doesn't feel like you do."
"I missed your mother ever single day...until now." Lucious honestly tells her. "I left her because somebody still had to make a life and legacy for all of you to have now." Mercedes looks off with a head shake. "None of this would have happened if I kept you there. I didn't want you around any of that. Even though you find your way back to that scene anyway."
"Not this again." Mercedes rolls her eyes. "So what I have friends down in Philly and in the Bronx. Does it matter?"
"Yes, yes it matters." Lucious desperately explains to her. "I am not raising some little hood rat Mariah, do you understand me." This got her attention, he never used her real name unless he was being serious with her. "You think I tell you stay away from there because I'm being mean?"
"No,"
"No," Lucious repeats, a sternness in his gaze. "I tell you stay away because I know how these things end. I lived what you won't let go. I didn't bust my ass to get you out of there, and your mother sure didn't throw seventeen years away, just for you to be hanging around people who aren't any good for you. You not stupid but these streets don't love you, baby girl."
"I'm not in the streets,"
"Don't lie to me."
Mercedes closes her mouth, her gaze falling to her lap.
"Those streets. They will beat your ass and leave you there for dead, and I'll be damned if I lose my only daughter to those streets that I lived in." Mercedes expression softened as she looks back to him. "Yes, I left your mother there but it was for reasons shown today. You and your brothers are the reasons."
"I know that." Mercedes finally speaks. "I'm grateful for it, always have been. I know what I'm doing when I walk out of here everyday. And one day your just going to have to trust you raised me right.... Because you did." Lucious nods, resting his hand on the side of her head. "Unlike your sons, I'm not new to the streets."
"I know." He says low. "And that's what scares me." Mercedes brows knot together. "You show me your ready and I'll believe it."
"Okay." Mercedes smiles but it drops. "Also, when I talked to mom today she told me she wrote back to me. The last time she got something from me sounded off because I know I still sent her things. Did you not send my letters to her?"
"Of course I did." Lucious says, "Now I don't know what your mother is trying to accomplish with that but I would never keep you away from her. No matter how much you act like her at times and I wish you didn't, but I wouldn't do that to you Mariah. I know how much talking to her means to you."
Mercedes couldn't see the truth or lie in his eyes and it made her uneasy but she went along with it.
"Okay. I just thought I ask you since she said she did. Maybe they just got lost."
Lucious drops his hand. "Probably. Baby girl listen, if you want a relationship with Cookie then by all means, have one." She smiles. "That is your mother and I want you to have that. Just don't come back acting like some hood rat and I'll be fine."
"I got you, dad." Mercedes chuckles. "I'll keep doing better to show I'm not the same."
"The day you changed to Mercedes you already did show me. I just want you to make more better social decisions out there." Lucious smiles, he pulls her into his side in a hug. "What's the first rule I taught you?"
Mercedes hugs him and looks up. "Rule the world and not the streets?"
Lucious nods. "That's right. Follow that advice and watch where you go." He rubs her shoulder with a sigh as he sat with her in silence. No matter the age, she was always going to be little Mariah to him and he always wanted to protect her with everything in him.
Mercedes thought about something. "Oh yeah. Dad, I saw uncle Bunkie today. Is he okay? He seemed off to me for some reason."
Lucious knew all to well why considering all the money Bunkie asked him for at the boxing ring. He got himself into something again and expected Lucious to get him out of it but Lucious wasn't having any of it.
"Don't you worry about your uncle Bunkie, he's going to be fine and you know that." Lucious tells her. "I got him." He looks down at her. "So you got some new songs to show me or what?"
"Yeah." Mercedes grins and leans up out of the hug. She gets comfortable back with her dad to show her tablet to him. "I got to get the dances for this one right and then it's going to be fire I'm telling you."
"I like those lyrics right there." Lucious points out.
If it was one thing he would do is keep Mercedes away from the hell. If keeping her in the dark sometimes kept her safe then he would do so. He loved Cookie but the last thing he needed was his daughter going back to her old ways. Lucious did to much to pull her away and was willing to got to war with anyone who tried to push her back from going forward the vision he saw.....
After a while of talking and laughing with her father, Mercedes had fell asleep on the couch.
Lucious made sure to pull her blanket over her.
He picks up the tablet to turn off but by accident swipes to see the old photo inside of her friends and Legend inside.
A slight glare came to his eyes, he trails them to an out cold Mercedes. He already had a good feeling of who the guy Hakeem mentioned was and it confirmed what his men told him.
Turning it off he sits it next to her.
Hard headed she was but he meant what he said about protecting her. Especially from men like that. Not a day in hell would he watch that happen.
He got rid of him once....
Lucious kissed the top of her head.
"Goodnight, baby girl."
And planned to do it again before his disease would take him, but this time he would get rid of him for good...
___
The next day,
A couple of investors sat around the brunch table—talking with, Lucious, Anika, Andre, and Vernon. They had the meeting for them and even a performance ready, if Mercedes would make it to them on time.
Lucious excuses himself with a smile and grabs Andre with him. "You heard from your sister?"
"The Lincoln picked her up. She should be here soon." Andre looks at his watch, impatiently. "Leave it to her to be late, of all times."
"It's alright." Lucious calms Andre nerves. "It gave us more time with them." He saw a familiar face making his way over to them and smiles again. "Christian. My, man."
Twenty three year old, Christian Cage. Everybody called him the white guy with soul as he had a way to make his voice calm and sing so powerful.
Standing at 6'0, built with some muscles that showed in his button down collared white shirt, that had the sleeves rolled up to his elbows to expose a few of the tattoos on his arm. A couple of the shirt's buttons were undone up top to show his chest, as he wore a black-buttoned suit vest over top, and a pair of matching suit pants and dress shoes. On his wrist, was a black diamond Rolex, and black chain around his neck.
Lucious shakes the younger man's hand. "Thanks for finding the time for this. I really appreciate it. I know you had a busy schedule this week."
"It was no problem at all, Lucious." Christian waves it off. "Happy to do it."
His fair white skin had a slight tan to it as his cut brown hair went well with his wild-blue eyes. It was safe to say his music and his voice wasn't the only reason for his large fan base.
"Anika has been telling me how good you and Mercedes perform together on y'all own." Lucious brings up. "She said if it would be anything to sell them, it would be you two after what she saw. I'm glad I get to finally see what she's been talking about. I didn't even know you and Mercedes worked together."
Christian shrugs as he folds his arm. "Here and there, but yeah, Mercedes is great. It was hard for her to come out of her shell on stage, and I know how that feels. So I just offered to help her. Since then we've been working together at times and she has been way better out there."
"That is what I like to hear." Lucious pats his back.
Mercedes walks in and found the group of men together. "I know, I know, don't tell me nothing." She sighs. "I'm sorry. I forgot to set my watch and my rehearsal ran late."
"Your fine." Christian shrugs. "Was it the last part again?"
Mercedes holds up a finger. "I swear if them heifers don't get it right, I'm going to have to detach one of their legs." Christian snorts a laugh. "I swear, Chris. I'm this close. Destiny leg going first."
Christian brow raises. "Destiny learns quick though."
"Yeah, but she talk to damn much." Mercedes throws up her hand to his laugh. "I can't thin-"
"Can you talk about this later?" Andre questions her. "We have important people here, if you can't see that.." He motions behind them.
Mercedes looks him up and down with a frown. "I'm doing great, Andre. Thank you for asking." Andre rolls his eyes and she did the same. "You need to calm down. It's nothing but a bunch of tight asses in suits."
"Tight asses with money." Lucious points. "So I need you to hurry up and go do what you're good at. You should have been here thirty minutes ago."
Mercedes gives a long eye roll to Christian. "You ready?"
Christian motions for her to go first. "Ready when you are."
Mercedes walks away, mumbling. "You and your damn son get on my nerves. Both of ya'll can go play in traffic, I swear."
Lucious looks back. "What did you say?"
"Nothing!" Mercedes calls back.
Andre watches the two go over by the piano and band to get set up. "You sure this was a good idea, dad?"
"Yeah," Lucious pulls him along. "Your sister got this. Anika said they're good, and I'm going to trust what she says." The two of them go back to the table and have a seat.
"Oh, I see she has made it." Anika grins. She gets the attention of the men and women. "I want to introduce you all to two of Empire's rising talents. The soulful daughter of, Lucious Lyon, himself," She rests a hand on his shoulder and motions to the stage. "Mercedes Lyon. And as I call him, 'the jack of all traits' singer and songwriter, Christian Cage."
They gave them a good round of applause as many of them were fans of both.
Anika has a seat next to Lucious. "I really hope they picked a good one."
Lights in the area dimmed as the band behind them started, with Christian playing on the piano.
The two of them harmonized together to the beat playing.
Mercedes walks over, she leans on the piano across from him smiling.
"Listen." Christian says.
"Woke up this morning." He sings.
"Heard the TV saying something, about disaster in the world and, It made me wonder where I'm going. There's so much darkness in the world."
Christian looks at her. "But I see beauty left in you, girl."
Mercedes grins from ear to ear and nods her head to the beat.
"And what you give me lets me know, that I'll be alright."
He shakes his head.
"Cause if your love was all I had, in this life. Well, that would be enough, until the end of time. So rest your weary heart, and relax your mind."
His eyes went back to her. "Cause I'm gonna love you, girl, until the end of time."
The lights switched up.
"You've got me singing." Christian sings to her.
"Oh, whoa, whoa, whoa, yeah."
Lucious eyes grew low in suspicion with the more he watched them.
"Oh whoa, whoa, whoa, yeah. Everybody sing."
The band backed him up.
"Oh whoa, whoa, whoa, yeah. Everybody singing."
The band joins in again. "Oh, whoa, whoa, whoa, yeah."
"They're loving it." Andre whispers to Vernon.
Vernon caught Lucious look. "Not all of them." Andre brows knotted together as he looks over to see his dad's look not so happy. This made the older brother turn his attention back to the two with interest.
Mercedes leans up. "Now if you're ever wondering. About the way I'm feeling."
She walks around to him.
"Well baby boy, there ain't no question. Just to be around you is a blessing. Sick and tired of trying to save the world."
With a brush of her hand across his back—he smiles watching her make her way around.
"I just want to spend my time being your girl And what you're give me lets me know that we'll be alright." Mercedes voices grew higher.
Christian nods to her, smiling, as he stands up and slowly walks over to her.
"Cause if your love was all I had, in this life."
She sings.
"That would be enough," Mercedes holds her hand out for him. "-until the end of time. Rest your weary heart and relax your mind. Cause I'm gonna love you boy, until the end of time."
Christian grabs her hand.
"Boy, you've got me singing. Oh, whoa, whoa, whoa, yeah."
Mercedes looks out to the crowd.
"You got me singing, oh whoa, whoa, whoa, yeah. Everybody sing."
The band and even some of the investors from their seats.
"Oh whoa, whoa, whoa, yeah. Everybody singing, oh whoa, whoa, whoa, yeah."
Christian twirls her off as the beat switches up. "This one's for the lovers. If you're out there, let me hear you say. Yeah, yeah, yeah."
'Yeah, yeah, yeah.'
Mercedes stomps her heel slightly, with the drums. "This one's for the lovers. If you're out there, let me hear you say. Yeah, yeah." She sings.
'Yeah, yeah.'
Christian comes back. "This one's for the lovers. If you're out there, let me hear you say. Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah."
'Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah.'
"This one's for the lovers. If you're out there, let me hear you say. Yeah, yeah." Mercedes sings back.
'Yeah, yeah.
"Break it down one time." Christian sings. With a grab of her hand, he let her do a slow twirl as the lights dimmed.
"Oh whoa, whoa, whoa, yeah." He sings as she backs him up harmonizing.
"Oh whoa, whoa, whoa." They both sang together, her hands traveled up his arms to lock with his hands.
"Break it down one more time, Christian." Mercedes sings, smiling.
"Oh whoa, whoa, whoa, yeah." Christian brings their joined hands down slowly. "Oh whoa, whoa, whoa."
The band continued to play out as both of them danced.
As the music stopped. Christian twirls her in one quick move that brought her pulled against him—his hands gently caressed her face up to look at him as he sang to her.
"Cause if your love was all I had, in this life. That would be enough, until the end of time...."
The ending had each person on their feet except for Lucious. After taking a minute, he finally got up and slow clapped for the both of them.
Christian drops his hands from her face. "You would never know you had stage freight anymore."
Mercedes chuckles. "I had a good teacher."
With a chuckle he gives her a hug and pats her back. "Damn right you did. But you know, before I was the white-boy, wanna be gangster, with some style, that didn't know what he was doing? I think that's all that you called me. Or did I miss something?
Mercedes rolls her eyes. "You gotta stop living in the past bruh, it's not good for you. I was right when I said you got style though."
"Erky." Christian pushes her off with an eye roll, making her laugh.
Anika was excited for them. "I knew they would do it. I told you, Lucious."
"Yeah. You told me." Lucious watched them as he leans towards Anika. "Exactly, how long have they been working together again?"
"A year now." Anika shrugs. "Why?"
Lucious was about to say something until one of the couples came over.
"Anika, Lucious." The woman smiles. "I thought this was going to be a let down, I won't lie to you about that. But those two you got over there, I love them. Are they a couple?"
"Oh, no." Anika smiles, with a head shake.
"Well that's to bad." The man says. "Good chemistry between them with their music, I like that. They would bring a lot of eyes. I know I hope to see more of them if I sign in."
"I'm sure that won't be a problem." Lucious puts his arm around Anika. "She picks the best."
"She sure does." The woman nods. "I'm going to go get my autograph from the two of them. My grand daughters love their music. Especially your daughter, Lucious." He chuckles and nods his head.
"I'll escort you over, Ms. Jones." Andre leads the way to Christian and Mercedes who were starting to get crowded already.
Vernon sighs, walking up. "That turned out better than I thought."
"It did." Lucious nods. "That was a good call, babe."
"Thank, you." Anika smiles. "I told you. They got great chemistry when singing."
"Yeah, makes sure it stays just singing." Lucious warns.
"Lucious." Anika rolls her eyes. "I doubt anything else is there. They have been working well with each other and collaborate very well. That's all."
His look didn't lighten up. "I hear what you're saying but I also know what I saw, Anika. Keep it business, keep them in the light for that but nothing more. I mean that." He picks up his drink and joins the others.
Anika scoffs. "I have no idea what he sees that I don't."
Vernon brow raises. "You're joking right?"
Anika double takes, still confused.
After all the excitement died down, Lucious managed to get his daughter alone at the table.
He sat back in his seat with his leg propped. "Those bunch of tight asses liked you."
"I see." Mercedes chuckles. "I'm glad though. Hopefully it helped ya'll."
"Oh, trust me, it did." Luscious nods.
The waiter sat a glass of wine and water down for Mercedes.
As she reached for it, Lucious took the wine glass and pushed the water to her.
"Aye man, what you doing?" Mercedes looks at him crazy and points to the wine. "I earned that."
"The hell did I tell your butt about early drinking?" He sits it on the other side of the table. Mercedes rolls her eyes. "You still got the studio later and to finish your dance rehearsal. Drink when you get home."
"What am I supposed to do for energy?"
"Drink coffee."
Mercedes scoffs. "That doesn't help me."
"I guess you better invent another way without alcohol then, baby girl." Lucious chuckles.
Mercedes smirks and waves it off. "Whatever. Keep it."
"Now, what I want to know is, why you never told me how close you and Christian are?" Lucious asks her with a nod to the man across the room with Andre.
Mercedes eyes went over to her friend. It wasn't like it was a secret they were friends but it was a secret of how much he helped her with music and her stage performance. The both of them clicked musically and had a great bond together.
"Never came up." Mercedes shrugs. "Anika didn't even know until two weeks ago. She heard us and asked if we thought we could do this performance today. So we agreed."
"So this is ya'll first time performing like this?"
"Together? No." Mercedes shakes her head. "In public? Yes. I told you he helps me out. Why are you asking?"
"I'm just curious." Lucious honestly admits. "You never said anything to me about him."
"I didn't see the need to." Mercedes shrugs. "It wasn't anything serious."
Lucious watched her body language and simply smirks. "Okay." He lets it go for now but he could tell she was lying about something.
"Alright." Mercedes points to the wine. "Can I-"
"Drink your damn water." Lucious drinks her glass of wine.
Mercedes jaw dropped, she sucks her teeth. "A bunch of bull shit, I tell you. That drink saves lives."
Lucious stops drinking. "This does not save your life."
"I'm not talking about me. I am speaking on behalf of the wigs I haven't knocked to the center because of it." Mercedes nods, Lucious shakes his head at her. "....What? I'm so serious."
"Drink your damn water." Lucious laughs low. "Something wrong with you," Mercedes grins with a giggle of her own.
____
Later, that day.....
Cookie stood outside her condo, hailing for a cab by the busy New York streets.
As she lowered her hand at the last one that passed her, she noticed a familiar face sitting in the truck not too far from her.
Stopping her ride attempts, Cookie walks over to the vehicle to indeed see her own cousin but he didn't see her.
Knocked out in the front seat, sat Bunkie with a half eaten sandwich in his hand.
Cookie gives him a disappointed look, she slaps the window a few times—waking up a snoring Bunkie. He was on alert but his nerves calmed when he saw his cousin. Bunkie quickly unlocked the doors, letting Cookie get inside the truck with him.
"What you doing here?" Cookie questions him, she looks him over and frowns. "You look a mess. You been drinking again, ain't you, Bunkie?" He looks away. "Get that mess off your face!" She motions to the food on his chin. Bunkie used his sleeve to get it off. Cookie could clearly see something was off about him. "What's going on, Bunkie?"
Bunkie nods. "I'll tell you what's going on. Lucious keeping me down." Cookie knew all too well about that. "And we used to be like brothers, you know what I'm saying? Now he treats me like I'm the butler. I practically raised the kids while you was inside."
Cookie nods. "Yeah. You're right. I appreciate you for that too, you know I do." He gives her a small smile. "I need to ask you something, Bunkie. My letters to Mariah, did Lucious ever give them to you to send to me, or did he send them out?"
"He never gave them to me." Bunkie shakes his head. "Watched him burn them." Cookie felt like a knife went to her chest and she had to let out a slight scoff. A crooked smirk crosses her face as she tries to hold back her emotions. "Back then, Riah was taking you not being there real bad. So, Lucious said he had to do something about it. I ain't think it was right, but..."
Cookie used her hand to wipe the tears off her cheek. "No, no, I don't blame you. So she did write me back? All that time." Her pleading eyes went to her cousin. "She didn't forget?"
Bunkie scoffs a smile. "You kidding? I told her she was going to have to start making donations to the post office." Cookie giggles and dries up her tears. "She loves you, she just doesn't know you. You follow me?" Cookie slowly nods. "Just give her time, Cook. That girl just like you in every way, especially when she was little. She'll let you in, just got to give her time."
"I knew she wrote back." Cookie scoffs, and slowly shakes her head. "Something in my gut told me she did."
"Lucious don't like where she hangs out at either," He tells her. Cookie brow raises. "Mercedes got a thing for going down the projects a lot. He don't like that but that don't mean she stopped going. Never stopped."
"At least I know one of my children got some hood roots left in her. I wouldn't want her down there either but I know it's for a reason. I'll talk to her when I see her." Sucking up her tears, she gets herself together. "Let me guess. Lucious got you following me, don't he?" Bunkie smile dropped. "Don't he?" Cookie voice raises and she finally got a silent nod. She looks down in thought. "What you gonna tell him?"
Bunkie looks over at her. "I didn't see you." He smirks.
Cookie smiles and fist bumps him. "My dawg." She goes to leave.
"Hey," Bunkie stops her from getting out. "-something's going on. I don't know what it is. It's got him scared." Cookie looks ahead. "Well, you best be careful, cause he's on a warpath. Liable to do anything."
Cookie glares ahead. "I got his war. Manipulating my child, that two faced lying bastard." She opens the door and starts to leave but not before snatching the food from her cousins hand. "Give me that sandwich."
Bunkie leans up. "I can't finish that?"
"Man, hop on the treadmill." Cookie shuts the door.
Bunkie laughs at her, it was almost like she never left.
___
Getting out of the car, Mercedes walks up to the partied house filled with nothing but family and friends from the hood.
The smell of a grill going and music blaring from out back. Kids were in the large yard playing and riding their bikes on the street. Of course her father wanted her away from the streets but he forgot the reasons she went.
It humbled her to what would always be home. Over here she could get peace and be with her friends.
"About time!" Gigi runs down the back steps when she sees Mercedes come to the backyard. "Destiny, Cedes here!"
"Aye, Ms. Empire!" One of the guys joke.
Mercedes flipped him off to his laugh. "Leave me alone, Mike. I just got here!"
"That's why I'm starting!"
Mercedes laughs and met her friend with a hug. "I'm sorry, I'm late."
"What happened?" Destiny walked over with a drink in her hand. "We almost thought you weren't coming."
"I forgot I had to get a gift and then there was this brunch meeting for the investors. Good thing it went well."
"You mean with Christian?"
"Yeah, how'd you know?"
Gigi whistles. "Chile, everybody in Empire talking about that connection. Its posted up everywhere." She shows her phone. "See."
Possible New Empire Couple?
A picture of her smiling and talking with Christian.
"What? No," Mercedes frowns. "Me and Christian are friends. Never looked at each other that way. Who snake ass did that?"
Destiny shrugs. "Had to have been somebody that was there."
Mercedes goes back to her options, it could have only been, Anika or Andre, and she had a good hunch of which one.
"Whatever, I'll worry about that later." Mercedes waves it off.
"M&M!" A voice calls out.
Mercedes grins when their friend Peanut came over. "When you going stop calling me that?"
"It works, what you mean?" He hugs her. "Thanks for coming."
"Of course." Mercedes pulls back. "Congratulations on graduating, proud of you." She handed him his gift.
"This new shoes ain't it?"
"You sent me the picture twice, don't play dumb."
Peanut laughs hugging her. "Well you asked what I wanted, but thanks Cedes. Oh my mother said come find her when you get here. She over by the grill with, Unc."
"Let me go say hi to my second mother," Mercedes backs up. "Like my real mother she will drag me if I don't."
"Destiny help me put these shoes on!"
"Who you yelling at?" Destiny snaps. "You not five."
Mercedes laughs making her way through the people.
Gigi caught up with her. "Don't leave me with them."
"I don't know why you stayed, knowing they about to argue." Mercedes says.
Hearing loud voices over by the gate she had seen the guys hooping in the alley way close to the house.
Mercedes and Gigi leaned on the gate to see Marquis trying his luck.
"Watch this," Mercedes whispers to her. Marquis went for a layup. "MARQUIS LEON KERNEY!
Marquis head snapped. "Who the fu-"
The ball was smacked from his hand and taken to yells from the guys.
Mercedes and Gigi started laughing.
"Oh you show up late with jokes!" Marquis timed himself out. "D, you can take my spot." He let his little cousin fill in as he walked over to them. "Both of ya'll about to get put on your necks for that."
"You be rd," Mercedes waves him off.
"That was a tie breaker."
"Clearly ya'll weren't doing that good since it was a tie at the end."
"Right," Mercedes snorts.
"Shut up," Marquis push her head to Mercedes laugh. "One of you get me a water since you made me loose."
"Fine." Gigi goes off to the coolers.
"And make sure its extra cold!"
"Boy fuck you!"
Mercedes laughs at Marquis jaw dropping.
"She disrespectful that ain't funny." He looks back to her. "What took you so long Ms. Cage?"
"I-" Mercedes glares. "Don't start." He chuckles. "You saw it too."
"As the best friend I feel betrayed," a hand goes to his chest. "but I know it's not true. You know who started it."
"Snake ass brother." Mercedes mumbles.
"What?" Marquis brows pull.
"Nothing, you let me worry about that." Mercedes sighs.
Hearing a lot of stir back by the court they turned their attention to see a couple people had showed up. The guys were all greeting each other and laughing, and between them she spotted the one leading the small group.
Mercedes smile drops seeing Legend among them. Of course he came and did so with an entrance. Sounded about right to her.
Marquis eyes narrow to her. "You good?"
"Yeah," Mercedes looks away from them.
Marquis went to say something until his head perked up, a slight smile. "Cuzzo!"
Legend daps his cousin with a chuckle. "What's going on? I was going to come and get you, but your moms said you left already."
"Yeah, Peanut needed help setting up." Marquis pulls away.
Legend nods, his eyes found Mercedes who continued paying him no mind.
"Hello, Mariah."
Mercedes eyes narrowed to give him a look but made good to roll her eyes and look away.
"Oh, so it's like that?" Legend brows quirk with a laugh. "Okay."
Marquis nudged her to Mercedes smacking his arm.
"Damn girl you heavy handed." Marquis rubs his hand.
"I could have told you that."
"Ain't nobody as-" Legend amused brows raise but Mercedes bit her tongue. "Mmmm," She looks away.
"That's what I thought."
Mercedes eyes widened turning her head. "The hell you say?"
"Clearly you heard me,"
"I just need to drop dead for five minutes, that's it." Marquis puts his head down.
Gigi comes over. "I got the-ooooh," she stops looking between Legend and Mercedes glaring each other down. "Awkward-as-hell."
"Help," Marquis whispers.
Mercedes rolls eyes. "You know what," she scoffs a fake laugh. "I don't have time. Come on,"
Gigi shoves the water to Marquis and runs after Mercedes.
Marquis watches them with a sigh. "Now why you do that?"
"Do what?" Legend brow raised, watching her leave.
"All I'm going to say is, be careful. You not even on thin ice, you are literally legs in." Marquis says.
Legend chuckles. "I came here for, P." he tells him. "But I do need to talk to her and that little attitude she got, it don't work on me, like it does on ya'll." Legend walks off. "Yo, Mike!"
Marquis double takes. "My nigga, who is ya'll?" he walks after his cousin.
____
Please do leave comments and be sure to Fav if you can!
Thank you guys again for being patient and I hope you all will read Mercedes and Legend separate story that takes place in B-More ❤️